Flavio Lehner

Climate scientist and assistant professor of earth and atmospheric science

Climate scientist Flavio Lehner and his team are closely monitoring this year’s snow as part of an NSF project on improving our understanding of snowpack vulnerability to climate change.

Lehner says:

“This year is quite remarkable and, bearing miraculously large snow storms in April or May, could set a new standard for what a bad snow drought looks like.

“We’re now running 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule in terms of snowmelt and this is on top of a very small snowpack to begin with. Our research suggests these kinds of conditions will become pretty common after 2050 – one in every 5 years might be like this so this year is a glimpse into the future.

“Historically, low snow years and elevated wildfire risk go hand in hand. The fear of a bad wildfire season is palpable, which is understandable given the many recent bad fires in the West.

“As the climate warms, the highest mountain peaks act as snow refugia, where temperatures can stay cold enough throughout winter to preserve whatever snow still falls.

“This snow refugia mechanism – that might otherwise help buffer future snow loss – clearly wasn’t very effective this year. 2026 is a precipitation-driven snow drought. Yes, it has also been warm, but the main issue is just the lack of snowfall. We have below-average snowpack across the entire elevation profile of the Rocky Mountains, even at these high and cold ‘snow refugia’ elevations.”

Timur Dogan

Architect, building scientist, faculty fellow at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability

Timur Dogan is an associate professor of architecture and director of the Environmental Systems Lab. His research is focused on bridging the gap between climate data, urban form, and actionable design strategies.

Dogan says:

“Heat risk in cities is highly uneven, shaped not only by climate, but also by building design, urban form, and socio-economic conditions. Research shows that most heat-related health impacts occur indoors, where factors such as housing type, insulation, access to cooling, and building age significantly influence exposure. At the neighborhood scale, urban density, limited green space, and reduced airflow further intensify disparities.

“Our work builds on this by quantifying passive survivability – how long buildings can remain safe during extreme heat and power outages. We find that well-insulated buildings can delay the onset of dangerous indoor conditions, while access to effective ventilation – especially the ability to flush out heat at night – can significantly extend safe exposure periods. In contrast, poorly insulated buildings with limited airflow can become hazardous within hours. These results highlight a clear opportunity: targeted design and retrofit strategies can meaningfully reduce heat exposure and address growing climate inequities at their source.”