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Luis E. Ortiz

@lortizuriarte.bsky.social
73 followers 119 following 39 posts

🇵🇷 | Urban climate & energy scientist @ Mason AOES

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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Virginia Climate Center @virginiaclimate.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Yesterday, while our collaborators at Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions and volunteers were out collecting heat data across Northern VA, some of us here at the VCC were collecting data around the George Mason University Mason Square campus in Arlington. 🌡️
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Jefferson's weather measurements were very impressive! We write about them in the Virginia Climate Assessment (www.vaclimate.gmu.edu/virginia-cli...) and there's even enough observations there to draw a rough climatology of his time at Monticello, in spite of gaps. @virginiaclimate.bsky.social
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Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · 04/07/2026
This is a clear example of a compound hazard event (i.e., amplified societal impacts). Severe thunderstorms knocked out power for nearly 250,000 people last night, and many are now seeing near-record heat today while still without electricity. Orange: heat advisories Pink: excessive heat warnings
Map of current NWS warnings and advisories on July 4, 2026 for the MidAtlantic. Map from WeatherFront.Current MidAtlantic region power outages on July 4, 2026. Map from https://poweroutage.us/area/regions/mid-atlantic.
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
The cat's out of the bag! We've been working for years to re-establishment the State Climate Office at the @virginiaclimate.bsky.social and now we have an official mandate to continue and extend the task of arming Virginia with you to date weather and climate science.
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
I hate watching/listening to myself on video, but am very grateful to the folks at We're Good for letting me share all the great work at @virginiaclimate.bsky.social!
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
CCRA (a partnership between George Mason, CUNY, and MIT) and Mercury Insurance are partnering to chair a session at the @ametsoc.org 2027 Annual Meeting! The session, titled Managing Insurance and Reinsurance Financial Risk in an Era of Unprecedented Weather and Climate Extremes.
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Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 09/06/2026
I’m not a fan of data centers, but if they are going to be developed, communities should make sure they are developed in ways that protect the health of all residents. @docsforclimate.bsky.social @gchalliance.bsky.social @lortizuriarte.bsky.social @mason4c.bsky.social
theconversation.com
5 ways data centers endanger their local communities and the country as a whole
Even as they create and enable expansive virtual worlds, data centers are physical buildings in real communities around the nation and the globe.
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Kate Marvel @drkatemarvel.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Sure but they‘re really stupid questions
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
National Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 18/05/2026
🌡️ Hazardous heat will expand across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Tuesday, as high temperatures reach the middle and upper 90s with widespread Major HeatRisk. Those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration may be affected by the heat.
An infographic from the NOAA NWS Weather Prediction Center titled "Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Hazardous Heat." Subtitle: "High temperatures forecast to rise to the middle and upper 90s on Tuesday." It features two side-by-side weather forecast maps of the Eastern US.

The left map, "Tuesday Maximum Temperatures (F)," uses color coding to show temperatures ranging from 65°F to 100°F. Large orange and red areas cover a swath from Raleigh up through Washington, Pittsburgh, New York, and Boston, indicating temperatures between 90°F and 100°F.

The right map, "Tuesday HeatRisk," categorizes risks into 1-Minor, 2-Moderate, 3-Major, and 4-Extreme. A large red area covering the I-95 corridor from North Carolina through New England indicates "3-Major" risk. A text box explains: "3- Major: Affects anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration."

Bottom text: "Hydrate, limit time outdoors, and take breaks in the shade. NEVER leave kids or pets in the car! ISSUED: Mon May 18, 2026 4:40 PM EDT
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 21/04/2026
The Santa Marta conference on phasing out fossil fuels may prove to be this year's most important conversation about protecting human & planetary health from fossil fuel pollution & the climate change it's causing. Follow the action. @gchalliance.bsky.social. @coveringclimatenow.org @who.int
climateandhealthalliance.org
Santa Marta Conference: Health Must Become Imperative for Governments’ Exit From Fossil Fuel Dependence
Ahead of next week’s Santa Marta Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Colombia, the Global Climate and Health Alliance, a consortium of over 250 health organisation, is calling on the...
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
The Virginia Climate Center is building the infrastructure to provide climate services to the entire Commonwealth. From flood mapping along the bay and measuring urban heat to creating the Virginia Climate Assessment, our mission is to assist communities with the best data and science available.
rb.gy
Give Online Today
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
@virginiaclimate.bsky.social
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 27/03/2026
Virginia’s Highland County saw one of the worst syrup seasons in recent memory. A January ice storm and unseasonable March warmth disrupted conditions needed for sap collection. The consequences could be existential for producers. wapo.st/3NgNZrS
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
National Weather Service @nws.noaa.gov · 16/03/2026
🔥Extreme heat warnings and heat advisories are already in place for many across California, Nevada and Arizona. The heat will spread east and south as the week progresses. For heat safety tips visit: www.weather.gov/safety/heat (2/2)
weather.gov
Heat Safety Tips and Resources
NWS All NOAA
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
CAFE RCC Health & Extreme Weather @climatehealthcafe.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Seeking lightning talk proposals! We’re hosting a half-day event on infectious disease & extreme weather and are inviting 5-minute talks from students, researchers, practitioners, and community members working in extreme weather, health, and disaster-related fields. Apply: buff.ly/MrYtnMv
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Virginia Climate Center @virginiaclimate.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
New from the Virginia Climate Voices Blog: Public health expert Dr. MB Mitcham discusses climate impacts on agriculture, crop yields, supply chains, food access, & human labor 🧺 🌾 Read about the climate signal found in our food systems: www.vaclimate.gmu.edu/blog/climate-signal-food-systems
vaclimate.gmu.edu
From farm to table - The climate signal showing up in our food systems — Virginia Climate Center
Public health expert Dr. MB Mitcham discusses climate impacts on agriculture, crop yields, supply chains, food access, and human labor.
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
riskmarketnews.com @riskmarketnews.com · 16/02/2026
The American Academy of Actuaries warns that dismantling NCAR would degrade the catastrophe models insurers depend on to price climate risk—driving up premiums and threatening coverage availability nationwide. "Uncertainty carries a positive cost." www.riskmarketnews.com/trumps-clima...
riskmarketnews.com
Trump's Climate Supercomputer Plans Threaten US Insurance Market: Actuaries
A new letter from the American Academy of Actuaries draws a direct line between the planned dismantling of NCAR and higher homeowners insurance costs for US consumers.
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Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 12/02/2026
I invite everyone working to reduce community flood risks and increase flood resilience in Virginia (or elsewhere) to attend. @virginiaclimate.bsky.social @mason4c.bsky.social @gmupres.bsky.social
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Becky Hammer @beckyhammer.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
"El Apagón" is the song Bad Bunny was performing during this part of the halftime show using imagery that was apparently too subtle for some people It's one of his most interesting songs with a ton of political context and meaning plus it’s an absolute banger
Screenshot from halftime show of Benito and backup dancers on sparking electric poles
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Virginia Climate Center @virginiaclimate.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
New research out of the VCC 💡 What are the health implications of Virginia's growing data center industry? Our experts examined Virginia's Data Center Alley, the world's largest concentrated data center hub, and its associated health risks. Read more: www.frontiersin.org/journals/cli...
frontiersin.org
Frontiers | Health implications of the rapid rise of data centers in Virginia: an exploratory assessment
Driven by advances in cloud computing, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence, the rapid proliferation of data centers may pose severe human and planeta...
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Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 09/02/2026
The important new research by @nckmllx.bsky.social & colleagues about the community-borne costs of data centers is an important complement to this paper that @ngour.bsky.social, @lortizuriarte.bsky.social & I published last week on potential health impacts of data centers.
frontiersin.org
Frontiers | Health implications of the rapid rise of data centers in Virginia: an exploratory assessment
Driven by advances in cloud computing, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence, the rapid proliferation of data centers may pose severe human and planeta...
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Lawrence Vulis @lvulis.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
#climaterisk
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 06/02/2026
Do data centers harm people's health? Given the proliferation of data centers across VA, the US & world, it's an important yet unanswered question. In this paper, @ngour.bsky.social, @lortizuriarte.bsky.social & I examine the possibilities. @docsforclimate.bsky.social @georgemasonu.bsky.social
frontiersin.org
Frontiers | Health implications of the rapid rise of data centers in Virginia: an exploratory assessment
Driven by advances in cloud computing, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence, the rapid proliferation of data centers may pose severe human and planeta...
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 04/02/2026
Rapidly scaling up clean energy & phasing out fossil fuels are highly effective ways to improve the health of nearly everyone alive today. We can make that happen. For inspiration, listen to what makes former GOP Senate Majority Leader @bfrist.bsky.social hopeful. @docsforclimate.bsky.social
billfrist.substack.com
Myth Diagnosis #16
Myth: “It’s hopeless.
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Bob Kopp @bobkopp.net · 02/02/2026
New postdoc opportunities in my group at Rutgers-New Brunswick, working on sea-level rise projections and/or coastal climate risk assessment & management
jobs.rutgers.edu
Postdoctoral Associates - Sea Level Rise Projections and Climate Risk Assessment & Management
The Rutgers University Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences invites applications for highly motivated, creative postdoctoral associates with interests in (a) sea-level rise projections and/or (b) ...
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Our lab and collaborations are live at #AMS2026! If you have a spot open in your schedule this week, please check them out!
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 23/01/2026
Trump Administration’s Illegal Work Fatally Taints EPA’s Proposal to Repeal Endangerment Finding. EDF & @ucs.org Call for Withdrawal of the Fundamentally Flawed Proposal
ucs.org
Union of Concerned Scientists
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with people across the country, we combine technical analysis and eff...
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Climate Central @climatecentral.org · 22/01/2026
Frigid air and an impactful, disruptive winter storm are in the works for the weekend. These kinds of events don’t happen despite a warming climate...they’re connected to it, especially when it comes to ice and snow totals. A short 🧵to walk through the science together ⬇️
U.S. map of current National Weather Service hazards showing widespread winter storm warnings, winter weather advisories, and ice storm warnings across parts of the South, Midwest, and East. Highlights the large geographic extent of expected winter impacts.Map showing the probability of at least minor winter weather impacts across the U.S. Highest probabilities extend from Texas through the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and into the Northeast, indicating widespread risk of winter weather disruptions.
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 09/01/2026
Worth repeating: “More disasters are coming, and states will bear more of the burden. But by preparing and adapting our homes and communities year-round for the storms to come, every state can build a more resilient future.” @virginiaclimate.bsky.social @docsforclimate.bsky.social
nytimes.com
Opinion | America Needs to Weatherproof Its Homes. Badly.
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Reposted by Luis E. Ortiz
Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · 08/01/2026
After the US admin cancelled the $B Climate + Weather Disaster dataset, @climatecentral.org hired the scientists who ran it and set it back up. Now the 2025 numbers are in: it's 3rd highest year on record and highest year w/o land-falling hurricanes. More: www.climatecentral.org/climate-serv...
A map of the US with each 2025 billion-plus dollar weather and climate disaster geo-located on it. Source: Climate Central
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Michael Allen @mjallen176.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
Reminder: 60% of the populous is disengaged, living their lives day by day, and I’d estimate 85% have no idea what NCAR or NOAA is. Communication Matters. Yell the stories loudly from the mountaintop.
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Eos @eos.org · 16/12/2025
Today during the #AGU25 poster session, new research from @lortizuriarte.bsky.social @georgemasonu.bsky.social shows how transit users are exposed to heat in Chicago, DC, and NYC metro systems. Story by @pepperstclair.bsky.social.
eos.org
City Dwellers Face Unequal Heat Exposure En Route to the Metro - Eos
Socioeconomic factors drive how much extreme heat public transit users in Chicago, NYC, and Washington, D.C., experience as they walk to and from metro stations.
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Drop by our poster at #AGU25 tomorrow morning! Our poster just got featured by Eos AGU! NH21A-0416 Heat exposure of transit users in the three largest metro systems in the US
lnkd.in
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
Ready to hit #AGU25 next week! We'll be sharing the latest research from my lab at George Mason on local and meteorological drivers of intraurban temperature variability, heat exposure of transit users, and our ongoing Google.org funded ClimateIQ! See my schedule in the image for more!
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Kelly Hereid @kellyhereid.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
Everyone getting excited about #AGU25?? To keep up with the madness, I've updated my AGU conference feeds! Collects posts from the official AGU account, + #AGU25 and #AGU2025 hashtags AGU 2025 is chronological: bsky.app/profile/did:... What's Hot AGU25 for algorithm sort: bsky.app/profile/did:...
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
The data center capital of the world is literally George Mason's backyard! We have an opportunity to not only take stock of the benefits this critical infrastructure provide us but how its negative impacts overlap with a changing climate.
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Michael Allen @mjallen176.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
“The climate challenges outlined in this report transcend geopolitical borders and disciplinary silos. From the hollers of western Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore, the impacts [climate] has on communities, our economy, and our well-being.” www.gmu.edu/news/2025-11...
gmu.edu
George Mason's Virginia Climate Center releases first-ever statewide climate assessment
George Mason’s Virginia Climate Center (VCC) has unveiled the commonwealth’s first comprehensive, peer-reviewed climate assessment—a landmark report that provides science-based insights into Virginia’...
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
Thank you @maibached.bsky.social! This is the result of a massive effort by @virginiaclimate.bsky.social and an extended network of experts from around the Commonwealth and beyond. We are incredibly excited to share the first of many such assessments for Virginia.
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Urban Data @urban-data.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Day 7 of #30DayMapChallenge asked us to think about accessibility. @gsagostini.bsky.social considers two metrics of access simultaneously: distance to a Subway and distance to the subway.
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Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 12/11/2025
The more I learn about the health impacts of data centers, the more convinced I become that communities should think twice before putting out a welcome mat. @lortizuriarte.bsky.social @virginiaclimate.bsky.social @virginiaclinicians.bsky.social @vacleancities.bsky.social @docsforclimate.bsky.social
insideclimatenews.org
Data Centers’ Use of Diesel Generators for Backup Power Is Commonplace—and Problematic - Inside Climate News
Energy analysts and environmentalists say diesel generators are expensive, noisy, highly polluting and exempt from Clean Air Act regulations in times of energy “emergencies.”
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
As one of the lead authors of this assessment, I am so excited to share with others in just a few weeks!
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Luis E. Ortiz @lortizuriarte.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
⬇️⬇️⬇️
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Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 20/10/2025
Hot classrooms impede learning, as does elevated levels of carbon dioxide. Clean energy—not fossil fuels—is the path to a better, smarter, healthier future for our children. @bfrist.bsky.social @docsforclimate.bsky.social @gchalliance.bsky.social
open.substack.com
When Classrooms Get Hot: What We Learned Exploring the Hidden Link Between the Environment, Health, and Learning
As both a physician and a policymaker, I’ve spent much of my life asking one central question: How can we help every child reach their full potential?
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Michael Allen @mjallen176.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
Having lived in Serbia during Fulbright, I am excited to announce opportunity. Interested in learning about the Balkans, drink rakiya, visit Sarajevo, Tito's Bunker or a 16th-century Ottoman-era bridge? Share with networks that may be interested such topics. #professionaldevelopment #geography
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Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 09/09/2025
At least 70% of US households are uninsured or underinsured against floods, yet climate change is rapidly increasing the number and severity of flooding in the US. This doesn’t end well for most people—unless we do something about it now. @lortizuriarte.bsky.social @virginiaclimate.bsky.social
nature.com
Measuring flood underinsurance in the USA - Nature Climate Change
Homeowners could benefit from flood insurance to offset the negative impacts of climate-induced natural disasters. However, with detailed micro-level data, researchers find substantial protection gaps...
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Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 13/08/2025
Who loses when America loses top scientists? America does. Reduced funding for scientific research is an unforced error of epic proportions. Tell your members of Congress to stop the madness. www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
semafor.com
🟡 Semafor Flagship: Turning up the heat | Semafor
European leaders call Trump ahead of his meeting with Putin, Gaza’s hospitals face a medical supply crisis, and Kodak may have to shut down after 133 years.
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Ed Maibach @handle.invalid · 13/08/2025
Who loses when the POTUS wages war on clean energy? Everyone (except fossil fuel & utility company CEOs + their lobbyists). The latest casualty in Virginia? Solar for All, plus the clean air & water, better health, and local jobs it would have produced. @virginiaclinicians.bsky.social
whro.org
Virginia loses $156 million for expanding solar power after EPA grant cut
The Solar for All program would have helped about 15,000 households get rooftop panels or buy into shared solar projects.
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