the easter freeze, 4-10 april 2007: an assessment of impacts and services ray wolf and doug kluck...
TRANSCRIPT
The Easter Freeze, 4-10 April 2007:An Assessment of Impacts and Services
Ray Wolf and Doug KluckNOAA/National Weather Service
Climate Prediction Application Science Workshop, March 4-7, 2008
Outline
•Methodology•The Event• Impacts•Services•Recommendations
Motivation
“There is no systematic collection of data on the impacts of climatic extremes, and a national effort to begin such data collection is needed.”
Stan Changnon – Bulletin of the AMS, July 2005
Methodology
•Partnerships!▫State Climatologists and RCCs▫State Extension Service Specialists
Agriculture Horticulture Economics
▫U.S. Department of Agriculture▫National Climatic Data Center▫National Weather Service
Central and Southern Regions Climate Prediction Center
Methodology
•The direct support of 3 dozen people across the central and eastern United States was crucial in putting this report together.
•Numerous additional contacts were made in gathering impact data.
The Event
•March temps 2-6°F above normal▫U.S. second warmest March on record
•Promoted early development of crops
The Event
•Early April Arctic Outbreak▫Widespread, record breaking, long duration,
wind•Susceptible crops were zapped
The Event
1237 broken records
321 tied records
April 4 - 10
Impacts
•Over $2 billion in damage to agricultural and horticultural crops
•Winter wheat, rye, barley, corn (outside the Corn Belt), alfalfa, pastures
•Peaches, apples, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, plums, grapes, pecans, tomatoes, sweet corn, cantaloupes, apricots, cherries, raspberries, pears, onions, potatoes, tobacco, nursery crops
•Fruit trees and grape vines lost in some areas
Impacts
•USDA disaster declarations
NWS Services
•Climate Prediction Center▫6-10 day outlook issued March 29 – 7 day
LT▫Hazards Assessment March 30 – 6 day LT
•Warning and Forecast Offices▫Hazardous Weather Outlook
~½ offices mentioned threat 2-5 day LT▫Area Forecast Discussion
~¾ offices mentioned threat 2-5 day LT▫Freeze Warnings
18 hour LT
NWS Services
•Service Summary – the good side▫Lead time of products was pretty good▫Active use of web pages/media to
disseminate hazard risk▫A few offices coordinated with state
extension services to document
NWS Services
•Service Summary – room for improvement▫More offices need to coordinate with state
extension services to determine threat potential Get away from calendar-based freeze warnings
▫Leverage CPC skill in week 2 in WFO day 7 forecasts
▫Event is an opportunity to research forecast techniques for increasing lead time and accuracy of freeze forecasts
Recommendations (our opinions only)
•Multi-agency assessments of hazards such as freezes, droughts, and temperature extremes and their impacts are increasingly important as these events cause greater impacts on society.
•NWS offices need to develop greater ties with partners to be more attuned to needs related to freeze events.
??? Questions ???