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Comparing Climate and Weather
A Model U.S. Climate Reference Network Station
LuAnn DahlmanNOAA Climate Program Office
ESIP Federation Summer Meeting, July 12, 2011
1971 — Annual 4th of July Picnic — Minneapolis, Minnesota
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12Hi: 74Lo: 44Pcp: 0
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8Hi: 62Lo: 58Pcp: 0.61”
9Hi: 64Lo: 58Pcp: 0.09”
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10Hi: 74Lo: 36Pcp: 0
15Hi: 86Lo: 64Pcp: 0
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13Hi: 85Lo: 66Pcp: 0
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July
1972 — 4th of July Picnic — Minneapolis, Minnesota
1980 — 4th of July Picnic — Minneapolis, Minnesota
1990 — Annual 4th of July Picnic — Minneapolis, Minnesota
2000 — Annual 4th of July Picnic — Minneapolis, Minnesota
What has Charlie been measuring for 30 years?
a. Climateb. Climate and Weatherc. Weather
What is Charlie calculating?
a. Climateb. Climate and Weatherc. Weather
(1971-2000)
Climate normals for Minneapolis, 1971 - 2000
Climate normals for Minneapolis, 1971 - 2000Compared to 2010 weather
Climate normals for Minneapolis, 1971 - 2000Compared to 2009 weather
Climate normals for Minneapolis, 1971 - 2000Compared to 2008 weather
Multigraph Climate Explorer
http://climateexplorer.multigraph.org
Climate normals for Minneapolis, 1971 - 2000
Historically, three consecutive decades of weather observations have been used to describe climate
www.climate.gov
Now anticipating release of 30-year Climate Normals for 1981 – 2010
For Minneapolis, January minimums have increased by almost 3°FJuly maximums have decreased by about 0.5°F
Weather is what’s happening outside your window
Atmospheric conditions that you can see, feel, or measure are weather.
Climate can be described by words or numbers, but you cannot touch it
Temperature Statistics
Temperature Statistics
Dynamic normals based on fewer than 30 years are also being used to make comparisons
Temperature Statistics
Temperature Statistics
And though climate is often characterized by temperature alone…
Climate is really a multi-faceted concept
Decide if each of the following phrases describes climate or weather.
Climate? or Weather?
Tells us what kind of clothes to wear
Climate? or Weather?
Tells us what kind of clothes to wear
Climate? or Weather
Tells us what kind of clothes to buy
Climate? or Weather?
Tells us what kind of clothes to buy
Climate? or Weather?
The picture that comes to your mind when you think of a faraway place
Climate? or Weather?
Climate? or Weather?
The picture that comes to your mind when you think of a faraway place
California usually has a winter storm during the last week of December
Climate? or Weather?
California usually has a winter storm during the last week of December
Climate? or Weather?
How reliable do you think our weather records are for characterizing climate?
A-Not reliableB-Somewhat reliableC-Very reliableD-Extremely reliable
U.S. Climate Reference Network Station
A quick look at the data:
US Climate Reference Network Home pagehttp://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/crn/
How reliable do you think US Climate Reference Network records are for characterizing climate?
1-Not reliable2-Somewhat reliable3-Very reliable4-Extremely reliable
NOAA also supports networks of instruments on buoys. These gather data from the depths of the ocean and at its surface
Human efforts facilitate and complement automated data collection
We launch weather balloons to learn about conditions in the lower atmosphere
Balloons and rockets carry data-gathering instruments into the upper atmosphere
and instruments on satellites monitor Earth’s status from orbit
From the bottom of the ocean to the top of the atmosphere, we monitor Earth’s climate system
Presentation prepared by LuAnn Dahlman, NOAA Climate Program [email protected]
Educators are welcome to share this electronic file.
