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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.

@drjesswhitehead.bsky.social
340 followers 737 following 18 posts

Coastal resilience science and policy. I don't resilience officer anymore. A pacemaker runs my heart. Climate, disaster, parenting, and cats from Norfolk, VA. Previously NC, SC, and coastal East Coast communities near you. Views my own (she/her)

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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Not on this app much, but popping on to thank @bobkopp.net, Melissa, & @costasamaras.com for asking me to help shape the coastal section! When budgets are tight, knowing what works best and when is critical for helping practitioners prioritize. Happy life is giving me time to contribute again.
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Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
Virginia Climate Center @virginiaclimate.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
How will rising sea levels impact coastal Virginia? 🌊 @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social of the Institute for Coastal Adaptation & Resilience elaborates on findings from the First Virginia Climate Assessment in this interview with WAVY News in Norfolk. www.wavy.com/news/local-n...
wavy.com
First-ever Virginia climate assessment raises concerns over rising sea levels
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The first-ever climate assessment for the state of Virginia is sounding the alarm for the Commonwealth’s coastal regions. The study out of George Mason University claims…
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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 24/05/2025
We're losing on resilience: building back to higher standards costs $ and takes longer. Politicians are reaping ROI now on saying they did it fast & cheap assuming they'll be long gone before the next storm's bad news coverage of how much federal & state tax $$$ wasted on places that flooded again.
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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
In 2017, I and all members of the Sustained National Climate Assessment Federal Advisory Committee were dismissed when the committee was allowed to sunset after 1 of 2 planned terms. Today I and all the #NCA6 authors were released from the #NationalClimateAssessment. Not unexpected but still hurts.
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Jared Rennie @jjrennie.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
I'm just going to leave this here. #Helene
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Shawn Milrad @shawnmilrad.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Our new paper is out and named after your favorite Bananarama (Taylor Swift) song! Tl;dr: ERA5-Land shows humid heat has gotten more intense, frequent, and longer in the Southeast US (even in Fall!), especially at night, and in the Florida Peninsula and Louisiana. Also, blame dewpoint.
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Scott Waldman @scottpwaldman.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
The outlines of a White House plan to produce a government science report that highlights the "benefits" of climate change is coming together. The intent is to expand presidential power, target regulations and fight litigation filed against fossil fuel companies. www.eenews.net/articles/tru...
eenews.net
Trump’s next climate move: Show global warming benefits humanity
A new federal report downplaying or denying climate change could drive a reversal of climate rules and expansion of executive authority.
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Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
Andrew Rumbach @andrewrumbach.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
How long does it take to rebuild housing after a wildfire? We analyzed property-level data from four recent disasters to illustrate the speed at which communities rebuild (and some of the reasons why): with @sara-mctarnaghan.bsky.social, @aleszu.bsky.social and Kameron Lloyd. shorturl.at/Iyvky
urban.org
When Will Los Angeles Rebuild? Comparing Housing Recovery Timelines After Four Recent Wildfires
Rebuilding a city can take years after a wildfire, and context is key—as recent wildfires can teach us.
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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
9:15 pm: 8" Norfolk, VA. Didn't put out a snow board but took 3 measurements to average on elevated lawn furniture. #vawx
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Zahra Hirji @zhirji.bsky.social · 16/02/2025
SCOOP @bloomberg.com: Top officials at the US Department of Homeland Security received a memo from Sec. Kristi Noem on Friday ordering an immediate stop to work connected to climate change and the elimination of climate-related terms across the agency. Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
Trump Ends Climate Work Inside Agency That Responds to Disasters
A memo sent to leadership at the US Department of Homeland Security orders the elimination of climate-related activities.
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Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
Andrew Freedman @afreedma.bsky.social · 09/02/2025
NEW: @noaa.gov offices have been asked to search their grants for climate-related keywords, among other executive order-related terms. This could put climate grant-funding in the crosshairs if/once the judicial order holding the funding freeze back is lifted. www.axios.com/2025/02/09/n...
axios.com
NOAA told to search its grants for climate change terms
The search would provide a list of NOAA's climate change-related grants.
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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
A coda for those of y'all who knew me from my account Over There: if any of you remember Sully, our #WeatherReadyCat from my Sea Grant days, I'm sorry to say we lost him three weeks ago today to cancer. He was only 8 - wait, that was 8 years ago? - and we miss him. Hug your fur babies!
A black and white tuxedo kitten plays among items from an emergency kit: pet food, bottled water, NOAA Weather Radio, canned goods, flashlight, and candles. Find out what to put in your kit at ready.gov/kit.
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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Also drawing attention to proposed NFIP subsidy elimination. All flood insurance bills immediately increase to actuarial rates. Homeowners w/ mortgages inside the 100yr floodplain will have to absorb cost immediately (rather than path Risk Rating 2.0 provided) or go on the market.
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Bob Kopp @bobkopp.net · 22/01/2025
Useful resource tracking Trump climate rollbacks, from @sabincenter.bsky.social
climate.law.columbia.edu
Climate Backtracker | Sabin Center for Climate Change Law
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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
Wait we do fun things on social media again here? Show me your pet and what they were named for #caturday
Topsail, a tabby tuxedo polydactyl cat, sits in a chair displaying her extra toesSouth end of Topsail Island, North Carolina, where accretion extends the natural areas of the island
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Brooke Jarvis @brookejarvis.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Things continue to be complicated, though, for the many, many people in the region who rely on wells that were contaminated during the storm www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
nytimes.com
Many Wells in North Carolina Remain Unsafe After Helene’s Deluge
A third of state residents use private wells, and about four out of 10 wells tested after Hurricane Helene weren’t safe, highlighting the risks of extreme weather for millions of Americans.
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Brooke Jarvis @brookejarvis.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Asheville, a city of 95,000 people, has been without drinkable water for 53 days after getting hit by a hurricane. It's finally back wlos.com/news/local/b...
wlos.com
Breaking: Boil water notice has been lifted, Water Resources Department says
It was the news everyone has been waiting for... the boil water advisory, which has been in effect for weeks following Helene, has been lifted.
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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
This is one of my favorite #NCA5 resources. It's a great tool if your local gov't, agency, or org is exploring the basics of what climate stressors you're facing and how to do more. For some adaptation purposes that's enough, for others it helps point you towards what additional analysis you need.
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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Well, I'm here. This is going to take me a minute to figure this thing out. Guess it's my fault for joining the exodus when all the grant applications were also due?
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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 14/11/2024
1 year ago today I was in DC for the release of #NCA5. Somehow that experience didn't keep me from signing up for #NCA6... Continuing my record of managing to make meetings in odd places - this time the gate at BDL. Happy to be an co-author on the Coasts chapter!
Jess's tablet balanced on a suitcase at an airport gate
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Jess Whitehead, Ph.D. @drjesswhitehead.bsky.social · 12/11/2024
*taps mic* is this thing on? *squelch* Climate change is still real. *sits back to see if negativity descends like a mound of swarming fire ants*
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