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

16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

13 14 15

9 10 11 126 7 8

2 3 4 51

12Hi: 74Lo: 44Pcp: 0

11Hi: 72Lo: 45Pcp: 0

8Hi: 62Lo: 58Pcp: 0.61”

9Hi: 64Lo: 58Pcp: 0.09”

6Hi: 86Lo: 66Pcp: 0

7Hi: 82Lo: 61Pcp: 0

5Hi: 82Lo: 61Pcp: 0

4Hi: 84Lo: 66Pcp: 0

10Hi: 74Lo: 36Pcp: 0

15Hi: 86Lo: 64Pcp: 0

14Hi: 85Lo: 68Pcp: 0

13Hi: 85Lo: 66Pcp: 0

17Hi: 81Lo: 66Pcp: 0

16Hi: 84Lo: 68Pcp: 0

18Hi: 82Lo: 61Pcp: 0

19Hi: 82Lo: 61Pcp: 0

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 Officeluann.dahlman@noaa.gov

Educators are welcome to share this electronic file.