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NOAA’s Regional Climate Services: Supporting Climate Understanding

at Regional Scales

Ellen L. Mecray, NOAA’s Regional Climate Services Director, Eastern Region

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The Rising Demand for Climate Services: Responding to External Demands

Recreation

Hydropower

Commerce

Farming

Coasts Ecosystems

Wind Energy Private Sector

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N A T I O N A L O C E A N I C A N D A T M O S P H E R I C A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

Issue Key Federal Agencies NOAA’s Products and Services

Energy:• Carbon Emissions Issues• Renewable-Energy Development

• Seasonal Energy Use

DOE, NASA , EPA, NOAA

• GHG Monitoring• Seasonal Forecasts• Information on Wind and Solar Climatology for Renewable-Energy Infrastructure Planning

• Precipitation and Water Resource Information for Hydroelectric

Transportation:• Impacts of a Changing Climate• Infrastructure• Transportation Corridors

DOT, FAA, NOAA

• Navigation Charts• Real-time Tides and Currents for Safe Navigation of Ports

• Aviation Sector Planning and SupportAgricul ture:• Crop Yields• Drought & Flood Information• Seasonal Crop Forecast

USDA, NOAA • Forecast of Seasonal Precipitation and Extreme Temperatures

• Monitor and Forecast Drought• Climate Normals

Heal th:• Environmental Stressors• Oceans and Human Health

HHS, EPA, NOAA

• Observing and Understanding of Air Quality Processes

• Extreme Weather Forecasts and Predictions

NOAA’s Enabling Contributions to Climate Services

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Research, Modeling & Assessments

Observations & Monitoring

Adaptation & MitigationResource Risk Management

Climate Services(Feds, States,

Academia, NGO’s)

No single agency can provide the answers

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N A T I O N A L O C E A N I C A N D A T M O S P H E R I C A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

Current NOAA Organization Chart

NOAA Headquarters and Staff Offices

Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator

National Ocean Service

Assistant Administrator

Office of Program,

Planning and Integration

Assistant Administrator

National Weather Service

Assistant Administrator

National Environmental Satellite, Data

and Information Service

Assistant Administrator

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric

Research

Assistant Administrator

National Marine

Fisheries Service

Assistant Administrator

6

Information Delivery and Decision SupportNOAA uses its national and regional infrastructure to deliver climate services today

Assessments of Climate Change and Impacts NOAA is a leader in national and regional climate impact assessments 75% of Federal IPCC authors were from NOAA

Climate Change Research and ModelingInternational award winning models of the global climate

Climate Observations and MonitoringNOAA operates observation and monitoring systemsNOAA is mandated to monitor and provide access to climate data and information

Security

Forestry

Water

Health

Infrastructure

Oceans

Other

Energy

LandManagement

Global

NOAA commits to providing critical assets in science and service to a Federal partnership

Federal Response to the nation’s

climate challenges

NOAA’s Assets

Partnerships &Collaboration

*NOAA’s Contribution to a Federal Partnership

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Climate Service Core Capabilities Address Societal Challenges

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Regional Climate Service Directors

Doug KluckKansas City, Missouri

DeWayne CecilSalt Lake City, Utah Ellen Mecray

Bohemia, New York

David BrownFort Worth, Texas

John MarraHonolulu, Hawaii

James PartainAnchorage, Alaska

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Regional Climate Services Partnerships

The six Regional Climate Service Directors (RCSDs) foster integration between the 3 functional elements (includes NIDIS, RISAs, regional observations, regional-scale modeling, predictions, and projections).

Partners include RISAs, RCCs, SCs, Sea Grant, Cooperative Institutes, NOAA line offices, IOOS regional programs.

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Regional Climate Science

•Other agencies (e.g., National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Dept. of Interior, Dept. of Agriculture, National Science Foundation & other USGCRP agencies)•Etc…

•Regional Integrated Science & Assessments (RISA)•NOAA Labs•Sea Grant •Cooperative Institutes•Applied Research Centers•Data Centers

Regional Climate Services Partnerships

•Weather Forecast Offices•Sea Grant Education & Extension•Marine Sanctuaries, Monuments & Estuarine Reserves

•River Forecast Centers•Data Centers•DOC Commerce Connect (in development)

•Other agencies (e.g., National Science Foundation, Dept. of Education, Health & Human Services, Dept. of Energy, Dept of Interior, Dept of Agriculture)

•Dept. of Agriculture Extension•State Climatologists•Federal Protect Area Programs•USGCRP Climate Literacy Partners•Etc…

State and Local Engagement, Education & Service Delivery

Connecting Science, Services and People: Regional Climate Service Enterprise

•NOAA Regional Climate Service Programs •Weather Service Regions•Regional Climate Centers•Coastal Services Center•River Forecast Centers•Regional Collaboration Teams•Data Centers

•Relevant Regional Offices from other agencies (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency, Dept. of Agriculture, Dept. of Interior, Health and Human Services, Dept. of Transportation, Dept of Energy, etc.)

USER ENGAGEMENT• Development, Delivery &

Evaluation of Products & Tools • Understanding and Translating

User Needs• Informing Program

Requirements GovernmentPrivate Sector

AcademiaNGO’s

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NOAA’s Climate Services Portalhttp://www.climate.gov

The NCS Portal Prototype offers one well-integrated, online presentation of NOAA’s climate data & services.

The prototype features four audience-focused sections:

• ClimateWatch for the public

• Data & Services for scientists and data users

• Understanding Climate for policy leaders

• Education for educators & students

The Dashboard is a data-driven synoptic overview of the state of the global climate system.

Past Weather allows users to easily retrieve weather data for any given location & date.