About the the Virginia Climate Assessment
The First Virginia Climate Assessment
The Virginia Climate Assessment (VCA) is the first ever statewide, science-based assessment of Virginia’s past, current, and future climate to evaluate the impacts on the 8.7 million Virginians, vital ecosystems, and major economic sectors within the Commonwealth. The VCA is the first iteration of a series of reports that will establish a baseline against which future weather and climate changes can be measured, and effectiveness of adaptation efforts can be gauged.
The Virginia Climate Center led the VCA in collaboration with authors and reviewers from several Virginia institutions with expertise specific to topics of concern such as extreme heat risk, sea level rise, flood risk, and economic impacts within the state’s six defined climate regions. The report contains key findings regarding the Commonwealth’s shifting weather and climate patterns and will highlight areas of exposure, providing Virginians with insights that inform climate resilience and preparedness strategies.
FAQs
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While Virginia’s weather and climate patterns have been examined in broader national and global contexts, no prior effort has compiled the wealth of scholarly research specific to the Commonwealth into a single accessible resource. A state-level assessment provides essential localized insights that national or global reports cannot capture.
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The VCA is comprised of nine chapters covering:
Virginia’s shifting temperature, precipitation, and sea level conditions
The risks of extreme heat, flooding, drought, and cascading effects
Exposure to these risks faced by Virginia’s people, ecosystems, infrastructure, and economy
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Yes, the assessment presents statewide and regional insights organized by Virginia’s six Climate Divisions (Tidewater, Eastern Piedmont, Western Piedmont, Southwestern Mountain, Central Mountain, Northern).
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The Virginia Climate Assessment is a summary of peer-reviewed literature compiled by subject-matter experts. It provides a clear, accessible synthesis of current scientific understanding, drawing from:
Peer-reviewed scientific literature
Government data sources
Expert analysis and review
The report’s evidence-based approach and thorough review of the relevant scientific findings ensure credibility and reliability for decision-making purposes. The VCA itself has been extensively peer reviewed.
