Dr. Daniel R. Cayan is a Research Meteorologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego.  His research aims to understand climate variability and changes over western North America, with an emphasis upon California. Specific interests concern impacts of climate changes on water resources and other sectors.

Cayan has been involved in an ongoing series of climate change assessments for the state of California and co-leads the California Nevada Applications Program, a NOAA RISA team whose aim is to improve climate information and forecasts for decision makers in California and Nevada.

Cayan received a BS degree in Meteorology and Oceanography in 1971 from the University of Michigan. He received a PhD in Oceanography in 1990 from the University of California, San Diego. He has been employed by Scripps since 1977.  Cayan is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union.

(Updated February 2021)