Training Courses | U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit

The training courses here can help you acquire the tools, skills, and knowledge you need to manage your climate-related risks and opportunities. All courses are free of charge, and are offered in at least one of three formats: online audio-visual presentations ("Online, Self-Guided" and "Tool Tutorial"), training webinars ("Online, Scheduled Lecture Series"), and residence training courses ("Onsite, Instructor-Led"). Each training module is accompanied with a test to help you evaluate your knowledge. These courses feature scientific information adapted from authoritative sources, prepared by recognized subject matter experts. The courses have been pilot tested with users and other subject matter experts and may be updated periodically, as needed.

Climate Learning Network eLearning Program

The Climate Learning Network's eLearning program is designed to help Extension professionals, professional crop advisors, and professional foresters incorporate climate change into their existing program areas and become climate literate. Many modules offer Continuing Education Credits from the Society of American Foresters (SAF) and Certified Crop Advisors (CCA). Modules topics include basic climate science, communication, climate variability, vulnerability assessments, agricultural adaptation practices, and resilient land management.

Screen capture of the Climate Learning Network website

How to Calculate Coastal Flood Frequency

These guidelines provide the steps to obtain flood threshold guidelines for a study area, calculate total water level using the Inundation Analysis Tool, and calculate flooding statistics considering future sea level rise scenarios.

Introduction to Climate Models

This module explains how climate models work. Because the modeling of both weather and climate share some similarities, the content throughout this module compares and contrasts the two, explaining how and why climate models differ from weather models. The module discusses how models are built to simulate climate and generate the statistics that describe it, and concludes with a discussion of how models are tuned and tested.

Understanding Drought

Learn the importance of understanding drought, its impacts, and methods to monitor it. The module also covers types of drought, drought indicators, drought resources, and analysis tools. This narrated module is appropriate for anyone wanting to learn the basic concepts of drought. It is also part of Instructional Component 2.3: Seasonal to Interannual Climate Variability in the NWS's PCU 2: Understand Climate Variability and Change and Apply to Local Services.