From wildfires in the west to a rare freeze in Texas and increasing numbers of hurricanes in the Atlantic, climate change has become an inescapable part of the daily conversation in this country.

Central Oregon is not immune to the impacts of climate change as the area suffers from drought and waning sources of water. Larry O’Neill, an associate professor of climatology at Oregon State University, will address these issues during a virtual lecture March 16 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

O’Neill, who works with OSU’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, will discuss how drought and shrinking snowpack will affect water availability for Central Oregon. Other topics include how weather patterns may increase rain in the area and how temperatures and lighting storms could affect the severity of wildfires.

The lecture is free to view. Interested individuals can register at the OSU-Cascades Science Pubs page.