State Climate Offices:A Resource for Climate Services

Ryan Boyles, PhDNC State Climatologist

NC State UniversityRaleigh, NC

Hope Mizzell, PhDSC State Climatologist

SC Dept. of Natural ResourcesColumbia, SC

Virginia and Carolinas Climate ConferenceOctober 20, 2009Wilmington, NC

History• State Climatologist was in Weather Bureau• Late 1960s: NWS eliminates SC position –

asks states to create programs• 1976: American Association of State

Climatologists founded• 1976: NC Climate Office established, UNC-CH

(Peter Robinson)• 1980: NC office moves to NC State University• 1981: SC Climate Office established,

SC Water Resources Commission• 1986: Legislation enacted forming SC State

Climate Office, John Purvis, (1920-2009)

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Virginia & Carolinas Climate Conference - October 20, 2009 - Wilmington, NC

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Mission: Service, Research, Education

• Archive, process, and disseminate weather and climate data– Collect data when necessary

• Assist government agencies– Decision support

• Conduct research related to weather and climate issues

• Educate public on current and emerging climate issues

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Climate Services

• Provides public resource for climate information– Current, historical data– Digital and hard copy libraries

• Places events in historical perspective

• Statewide scope, often a local focus

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Climate Services

• Information, analysis for researchers, students, agencies– Not just climate data

• Decision support for government– Federal, state, local

• Focal point for media, private sector

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Ending 7 AM October 13, 2009

Climate Services: SC• Severe Weather Email List Serve• Weekly Weather Summary

(On-line and USDA Crop and Weather Summary)

• Soybean Rust Newsletter• State’s Emergency Operations Team• Coordinate State’s Drought Response

(SC Drought Response Act)

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Virginia & Carolinas Climate Conference - October 20, 2009 - Wilmington, NC

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Climate Services: NC

• ENSO-based crop management tools• Peanut disease advisories• Drought monitoring tools (wx & water)• Fire, smoke management• Storm water monitoring, management• Severe weather climatology tools• Evaporation monitoring, climatology

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Climate Research• Climate variability, change at

state, local levels• Analysis of extremes, severe

weather• Applied research

– Agricultural production– Natural Resources management– Utilities (Water, Electric)– City & Regional Planning

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Climate Research: SC• Evaluation of Federal, State, and Local

Drought Indicators• SC Temperature and Precipitation Trends:

1901-2005• Spatial Distribution of Tropical-Cyclone

Induced Precipitation• Severe Weather Climatologies• Carolina Integrated Science and

Assessments

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Summer Average Temperature Change 1901 - 2005

Maximum Minimum

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Climate Research: NC

• Impacts of ENSO, NAO on winter weather

• Role of evaporation, solar radiation on crop management

• Mesocale precipitation forcing• Integrating observations and models

into high-res climate analysis• Climate change detection

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Climate Education

• Outreach to school, community groups– K-12, higher edu, adult edu

• Presentations, activities, training courses– Water managers, growers, civic

groups• In person, online, and remote

– Hundreds of contact hours each yearVirginia & Carolinas Climate Conference - October 20, 2009 - Wilmington,

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Climate Education: SC• 3 “Natural Resource” Middle Schools

– Automated weather stations – Special lesson plans

• Weather photo contest• SC Wildlife Magazine• SC Making It Grow• 44 online articles

– New Tornado Rating System– Hail: Summer Ice Storm– Storm Ready Community– Debris-Flow Landslides

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Climate Education: SC

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Climate Education: NC

• New online resource for agriculture extension agents, growers

• Local middle school internships• Student photo contest• Groundhog Day• WeatherWeb lesson plans for

teachers – win an ECONet station

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Virginia & Carolinas Climate Conference - October 20, 2009 - Wilmington, NC

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Virginia & Carolinas Climate Conference - October 20, 2009 - Wilmington, NC

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Virginia & Carolinas Climate Conference - October 20, 2009 - Wilmington, NC

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Climate Offices

• Almost every state has an Office– Many with special skills adapted to

their state• All share commitment to service,

research, education• All depend on collaboration with

government, academic partners

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