AASC: NATIONAL &

AASC Annual Meeting: July 8-10

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:00 CST

The 33rd Annual Meeting of the AASC will be held July 8-10, 2008 at the Sheraton Inn in Burlington, Vermont. More details and registration options will be posted by early March.

Kentucky Mesonet Launches New Website, Adds More Stations

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 8:00 CST

Bowling Green, Ky. - The Kentucky Mesonet has launched a new website that will make weather and climate data easier to access.

The new www.kymesonet.orgdisplays the most current data available from across the commonwealth. Visitors to the website will access data directly on the homepage. Amap will feature data (temperature, precipitation, humidity, solarradiation, wind speed and direction) from Mesonet reporting stations.The page also will feature a daily weather summary from the stations.

?Our goal is to help users find the weather and climate informationthey need. Interactive graphical displays that are easy to navigateallow users to see data and then to explore it in more detail,? saidStuart Foster, director of the Mesonet and the Kentucky Climate Centerat Western Kentucky University. ?We will be making further enhancementsto the site throughout the year.?

The website?s functionality was designed and implemented by theproject?s IT staff and student employees, who consulted on graphicaldesign elements with Hitcents, a web design and technology companylocated in WKU?s Center for Research and Development.

?Hitcents provided the look and we added the feel,? Foster said.

The Mesonet?s goal is to develop a statewide automated environmentalmonitoring network of approximately 100 stations to collect real-timeweather and climate observations. Initial funding for the project wassecured by U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell through a $1.5 million federalearmark for the Kentucky Climate Center, part of WKU?s Applied Researchand Technology Program in the Ogden College of Science and Engineering.

Equipment has been installed at six sites thus far across Kentucky. Thenewest stations are located at the Ohio County Park near Hartford andnear Walnut Hill Elementary School near Pricetown in Casey County.

Other stations are located at WKU?s farm, near Morehead StateUniversity, at Murray State University?s farm and at a nature preservein Logan County.

The Mesonet has reached site license agreements for three more sites ?at Arkema, Inc., property at Carrollton in Carroll County; near theGrayson County High School in Leitchfield; and at the LaRue CountyEnvironmental Education and Research Center near Hodgenville. ?Weworked diligently with local officials and stakeholders at each ofthese sites, because we?re very particular about finding sites thatwill benefit the communities where they?re located,? Foster said.

Technicians also will be installing equipment at stations in Bullittand Fayette counties, while Mesonet officials continue to identify,select and negotiate agreements for sites in other areas statewide.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you?d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Stuart Foster at (270) 745-5983.

AASC Dissertation Contest

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 8:00 CST

Announcing

The Dissertation Medal in Applied Climatology for 2008

Awarded By The

American Association of State Climatologists

Application Information

Purpose

The American Association of State Climatologists (AASC) is pleased to announce its third annual Dissertation Medal in Applied Climatology for 2008 - to be awarded to a recent recipient of the Ph.D. degree in North America or U.S. Territories whose research is considered significant to applied climatology.

Eligibility

To be considered for the AASC medal, a nominee's Ph.D. must have been awarded within three calendar years prior to the award submission date (April 15, 2008).

Who Can Apply

Any recent Ph. D. graduate who has a galley-proof manuscript or a published journal article derived from dissertation work accomplished while a student in North America or one of the U.S. Territories. Dissertations per se are not eligible for consideration.

Nominations

Nominations are solicited from graduates (or their sponsors) of universities in North America and the U.S. Territories. The nominator (e.g., State Climatologist, Regional Climatologist, Department Chair, or professional colleague) should submit an original letter of nomination. This letter should discuss the extent of independence exhibited by the nominee in the choice and execution of the dissertation research.

Four reprints of the dissertation research (as published in a refereed journal or in galley-proof format) must accompany the nomination. Please submit only one article.

Nominations received for the current year's competition remain under consideration for two additional calendar years following the initial year of eligibility.

Due Date

Nomination letters and the required reprints must be received in the offices of the AASC President on or before 15 April 2008.

Selection

A Dissertation Medal Committee will be appointed by the Executive Committee of the AASC to select the award recipient. If, in the opinion of the Committee,none of the nominees is sufficiently outstanding, the medal will not be given for that year. The award recipient along with other nominees will be notified by May 30, 2008for presentation of the dissertation medal on July 8, 2008 at the Annual Meeting of the AASC in Burlington, Vermont.

The Award

The presentation will bestow a dissertation medal and a cash award of $500 to the winning nominee. The award also includes paid attendance at the Annual Meeting of the AASC that includes out-of-pocket travel expenses up to $1000 and the waiving of all registration fees.

Corresponding Address

- Paul Knight, President

- American Association of State Climatologists

- Pennsylvania State Climate Office

- 503 Walker Building

- University Park, PA 16802

Evaluation Criteria

Nominations and manuscripts submitted for the AASC Dissertation Medal will be evaluated based on the following scale (0 to 100 points):

- Clarity of the Manuscript (0-20 points)

- Organization/Figure Quality (0-20 points)

- Applicability to Climatology (0-10 points)

- Creativity (0-20 points)

- Scientific Merit (0-30 points)

December/Annual 2007 Overview

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 5:00 CST

DECEMBER 2007

The final month of 2007 was a wet and occasionally white one across the Garden State. Statewide precipitation averaged 6.05", which is 2.35" above the 30-year mean and came in as the 11th wettest December since 1895 (table 1). There were a number of moderate precipitation events throughout the month, including the 2nd-3rd, 5th, 9th-10th, 13th, 15th-16th, 23rd, 26th-27th, 28th-29th, and 30-31st. Most events in the first half of the month brought the sanders and plows out to one portion of the state or another. However totals of snow and sleet were less than 5", often several inches below this mark at all but a few stations. While the majority of the state has seen less than 5" of snow and sleet accumulate this early winter (November and December combined), the higher elevations of northwest Jersey have received as much as two feet (Wantage at 24.4" as of 12/31) and saw snow covering the ground for almost every day of December.

Table 1. Top 15 wettest NJ Decembers since 1895. Precipitation (rain and melted snow/sleet) is in inches, and is an average of several dozen station observations from throughout the state.

Rank	Year	Precip
1	1996	7.96"
2	1973	7.29"
3	1969	7.21"
4	1983	7.08"
5	1901	6.68"
6	1902	6.61"
7	1948	6.39"
8	1957	6.33"
9	1936	6.26"
10	1972	6.11"
11	2007	6.05"
12	1977	6.01"
13	2003	5.99"
14	1986	5.97"
15	1967	5.76"

December 2007 temperatures were close to average, coming in at 35.9 deg. This was 0.5 deg above average, making this the 45th warmest 12th month on record. The mornings of the 6th and 7th were coldest of the month in most locations. Lows reached the single digits at a few locations in the northwest and were near 20 deg along the coast. The afternoon of the 23rd was warmest, with temperatures in the middle 50s to lower 60s throughout the state, even at higher elevations and along the coast.

2007 RECAP

2007 continued the tendency for NJ annual temperatures to average above the long-term (30-year) mean. The average temperature of 53.9 deg (1.2 deg above normal) came in tied with two other years for the 11th warmest of the past 113 (table 2). Of the warmer years, 7 of the top 10 have occurred since 1990. Temperatures were above average in 8 months, with 4 of these more than 2 deg above average. October was the warmest on record. February was the only month falling more than 2 deg below average.

Table 2. Top 15 warmest NJ years since 1895. Temperatures are an average of several dozen station observations from throughout the state.

Rank	Year	Temp
1	1998	55.6 deg
2	2006	55.4 deg
3	1949	54.8 deg
4	2002	54.8 deg
5	1990	54.7 deg
6	1991	54.6 deg
7	1999	54.4 deg
8	1953	54.2 deg
9	1973	54.0 deg
10	2001	54.0 deg
11	2007	53.9 deg
12	2005	53.9 deg
13	1931	53.9 deg
14	1959	53.7 deg
15	1921	53.6 deg

Annual precipitation totaled 48.68". This is 1.48" above average and the 30th wettest since 1895. NJ residents experienced 7 months with above average precipitation, including April, which was the wettest on record. No other months except October and December were more than an inch above average. Of the 5 months below average, three were more than an inch below average, led by September, which was the 3rd driest on record. Drought concerns were greatest in the southern half of the state, particularly toward the end of summer and early fall. All regions of the state were impacted by the heavy April rains, particularly non-coastal areas during the flooding rain event on the 15th-16th. This was the 7th largest statewide rain event on record and the only one of the top 20 to occur outside of the August to November period (when offshore waters are warmest and tropical systems often produced the heavy totals).

NC Climate: October 2007

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 7:00 CST

North Carolina Climate, the monthly newsletter of the State Climate Office of North Carolina, is now available with a focus on drought monitoring and forecasts.

http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/office/newsletters/2007Oct/

New SPC Severe Weather Database

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 6:00 CST

The NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center(SPC) is proud to announce the routine posting of a Preliminary Monthly Severe Weather Database Summary to its web site. This SPC site allows one to obtain a general overview of severe thunderstorm activity in near real time.Such a data source was requested by the American Association of State Climatologists, and by several private sector enterprises which need a single source of information on areas recently affected by severe weather.

The Preliminary Monthly Severe Weather Database Summary gives a running count of unofficial severe thunderstorm reports for the year both as a table and as a chart. By using cursor positioning, the data can be sorted to show only reported tornadoes, large hail, or damaging wind. Data is available by month,or again via cursor positioning, by individual days. The individual day listing, gives each report as it was recorded into the SPC?s real time event database.

The site is at:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/

Once at this site:

click on: "New: Preliminary Monthly Severe Weather Database Summary" towards the bottom of the page.
The initial display consists of "postage stamps" for the 2006 and 2007 Monthly Summaries. Click on either graph (monthly distribution of the total storms) or the map (spatial distribution of the storm total).
Clicking on a year (e.g., 2007) will give a detailed page for that year. There are two tables below the graph. The one on the right is the statewide storm distribution since Jan 1, 2007. The table on the left gives data by month. The tabs above the map allow sorting by type of report.
Clicking on a month (e.g., Oct 2007) gives a detailed map and graph for October 2007. The table on the right has total tornado, hail and wind storm reports for your state in October. The table on the left is daily distribution of US storm reports in October. Click on a date in the table (e.g., 10/22/2007) to retrieve the main daily storm report page for that day.

Remember that this is a listing of real-time reports received at the SPC. Storms that are reported after a few days of their occurrence will not appear on the daily storm reports. Because of this there may be differences in the number of events listed on this page and the sum in the SPC Monthly Tornado Statistics which is updated to reflect delayed reports.

It should be emphasized that this is not "official" data. The official reports are contained in the NCDC Storm Data publication which is prepared after local NWS offices have evaluated the validity of the reports and has culled out duplicate reports. Typically there is a several month lag between the occurrence of an event and when the severe weather report is made official.

OCS Releases Climate Change Statement For Oklahoma

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 4:00 CDT

Climate Change Statement for Oklahoma

An Official Statement of the Oklahoma Climatological Survey

Overwhelming observational evidence indicates that the earth is warming, and that the cause of that warming is mostly anthropogenic (caused by humans) in nature. Further, the vast majority of scientists that study climate change believe that warming will continue for the foreseeable future.

Of course, climate change has become a highly contentious topic in public discourse, with the waters being muddied by extreme viewpoints and concerns. So where does the truth lie, and what are the implications for Oklahoma? The Oklahoma Climatological Survey (OCS) has been mandated by the Oklahoma legislature to provide climate information and expertise which could be of value to the public, as well as to state policy- and decision-makers. In that regard, OCS has conducted a review of current assessments of climate change research in order to craft a definitive statement on global climate change and the implications for Oklahoma, detrimental and beneficial alike.

The climate change statement may be downloaded from the Oklahoma Climatological Survey's website at this address:

http://climate.ok.gov/newsmedia/climate_statement.pdf.

Global Warming Has Urban Roots in Florida

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 3:00 CDT

Average annual temperatures in most areas of the state with extensive agricultural land have actually cooled since 1900. By contrast, average annual temperatures in urban districts have warmed during the same period ? much like the pattern evident in cities around the world. These results reinforce the value of farms and ranches for the state at large. Agricultural land stewardship is already recognized for its major contributions to fresh water recharge, wildlife habitat and the maintenance of greenspace. The new research will also help improve weather and climate information for farmers as they make production decisions.
Scientists at Florida State University?s Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS) have built their studies by examining a century-long record of temperature data.

Read more in a recent article in Florida Agriculture, a Florida Farm Bureau publication:

http://www.floridafarmbureau.org/flag/default.aspx

La Nina watch issued

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 8:00 CDT

La Nina Watch issued for Alabama, Florida and

Georgia

Tallahassee, FL --- A La Nina watch has been issued by the Southeast Climate Consortium and the state climatologists of Alabama, Florida and

Georgia

. A watch means that conditions are likely for the development of a full-fledged La Nina event.

The watch will be followed by an official La Nina declaration if development continues in the next one to three months.

The tropical Pacific Ocean is now poised to slip into a full-fledged La Nina. Chances are very good that La Nina conditions will develop, strengthen, and persist through the fall and winter months. This follows months of threatening with cooler than normal water temperatures near the coast of South America.

La Nina is commonly thought of as the opposite of El Nino. Under La Nina conditions, sea surface temperatures along the equator in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean are a few degrees colder than normal for a minimum of five months. La Nina typically returns every 2 to 7 years.

La Nina conditions usually bring a warmer and drier cool season (October through March) to Florida, central and lower Alabama, and central and south Georgia.

With the arrival of La Nina, there is a good chance that drought conditions, currently ranging from exceptional across much of Alabama and

Georgia

to moderate in South Florida, will continue and possibly worsen throughout the winter and into next spring.

If below normal rainfall occurs during the cool season, moisture recharge of groundwater, soils, ponds and reservoirs will be limited. Southeastern states depend on water recharge during the cool season.

Farmers who plan to plant winter forage and do not have irrigation capability have a high risk of being seriously impacted by the winter drought. In addition the risk of increased wildfires should be expected during the winter and spring wildfire season in Florida, south Georgia, and south Alabama.

We have estimated the impacts on climate based on past La Nina events. For central Florida, the probability of normal or above rainfall for January 2008 is only 8%. The chance of moderately dry (rainfall amounts from just below normal to half of normal) is 20%, and for very dry conditions 72 % (less than half of normal rainfall).

For the Panhandle of Florida, southern

Georgia

, and southern Alabama the probability of normal or above rainfall in January 2008 is 20%, for moderately dry 50%, and for very dry 30%.

More information on the developing La Nina and its potential impacts can be found at our websites, www.AgClimate.org and www.CoastalClimate.org.

(John Christy is the state climatologist of Alabama, David Emory Stooksbury is the state climatologist of

Georgia

, David Zierden is the state climatologist of Florida and Jim O?Brien is professor emeritus at Florida State University. The Southeast Climate Consortium is a research group aimed at aiding the use of climate forecasts in agriculture, forestry, and water resources. The consortium is a partnership of six universities, The Florida State University, University of Florida, University of Miami, The University of Georgia, Auburn University, and University of Alabama Huntsville.)

Wet North - Dry South: August 2007 and Summer Overview

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 4:00 CDT

Much like in July, August 2007 saw the northern portion of the Garden State receive above average precipitation while the south was drier than expected. Statewide, a preliminary estimate of precipitation comes to 4.89", which is 0.33" above average, thus quite close to the 1971-2000 mean. However, totals ran 0.5" to 2.00" below average from Mercer and Middlesex counties southward and 0.5" to 3.00" above average to the north.

While rainfall was more evenly distributed in June, the summer as a whole (June-August) proved to be the 10th wettest of the past 108 from Hunterdon, Somerset and Union counties northward (18.41" or 5.02" above average) and the 41st driest to the south (11.08" or 1.56" below average). The southern value is a bit deceptive, as Middlesex and Monmouth counties (in what the National Weather Service considers the southern division of NJ) had summer rainfall that averaged about an inch above average, while all other southern counties anywhere from about 3-6" below average. Put together, summer precipitation across NJ totaled 13.65", which is 0.81" above average. This gives it a modest ranking of 46th wettest back to 1895.

Despite the dry conditions in the south, we were fortunate that only the mildest of drought conditions appeared. This is in part due to a wet spring throughout the state and the general reliance of ground water in the south. Meanwhile in the north, the wetness resulted in surface reservoir levels that have only fallen to several percentage points below average over the course of the past several very dry weeks. The US Drought Monitor considers the far southern counties as "abnormally dry".

In the temperature department, August averaged 74.0 deg, 1.2 deg above average and in a four-way tie for 27th warmest on record. The preliminary statewide summer temperature averaged 73.1 deg, which is 0.9 deg above the expected value. Thus, summer 2007 is tied with 1898 for the 22nd warmest.

In addition to the split precipitation picture, the summer of 2007 will be known for the week to week variability in weather and the terrific weekend and holiday conditions. There were intervals of sun, clouds, rain, cool spells and heat and humidity; after all it was summer in NJ. However, as soon as any one of these conditions developed, the end of it several days ahead was in sight.

As for the weekends, reports from the Atlantic City Airport in Pomona indicate that afternoon sky conditions on 30 of the 33 weekend days and holidays from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends were either clear or partly cloudy. Clouds and rain fell on only three afternoons. While local conditions up and down the coast and at points inland may have varied somewhat, it would be extremely rare to find a summer with a better weekend outdoors batting average.

Erin Strengthens Over Land to Tropical Storm Strength

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:00 CDT

In what may be as rare of a weather event as Oklahomans will ever witness, the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin reformed over western and central Oklahoma during the late afternoon and overnight August 18-19,nearly 72 hours after ?and 500 miles inland from - its landfall as a minimal tropical storm near Lamar, Texas on August 16^th.

Tropical storms generally deteriorate rapidly after landfall (which Erin did). However, shortly after 5 pm on the 18^th,the remnants of Erin,which had been downgraded to a tropical depression upon landfall, showed signs of new life. Two brief tornadoes were reported in western Oklahoma, near Cordell. The storm intensified,delivering torrential rainfall to southwestern Oklahoma and slowly spreading eastward and northward across the state. During the overnight hours of 18-19 August 2007, the remnant circulation of Erin strengthened to exceed tropical storm criteria over western Oklahoma. Radar imagery clearly shows the re-development of an eye and eyewall structure and banding characteristic of a tropical cyclone over water.

http://www.ocs.ou.edu/newsmedia/erin_eye.jpg

From 1:15 am on the 19th the Mesonet (http://www.mesonet.org)site at Watonga, near the center of the circulation, reported tropical storm strength winds nearly three hours.During this time, sustained wind speeds over 40 miles per hour were reported.Had that occurred over open water, Erin would have been upgraded to a tropical storm. Wind gusts over 70 miles per hour were recorded at the Watonga and Fort Cobb Mesonet sites, and the Watonga Airport topped the list with an 82mph gust. Pressure and wind speed measurements from the Oklahoma Mesonet indicate Erin's intensification over Oklahoma marked its most intense duration of its life cycle, even exceeding the pressure and wind observations from its offshore organization.

Erin continued to wrap up during the overnight hours, eventually forming anew eye,centered just north of El Reno at about 5 am. The circulation persisted for several hours, driving bands of moisture counter-clockwise around the eye.The slow-moving system dropped more than five inches of rainfall along its path, with over an inch common in a larger area from Erin's outer 'bands'. Of the Mesonet sites, Fort Cobb picked up the highest total - 9.24 inches.However, a CoCoRaHS (http://www.cocorahs.org)observerreported 11.00 inches northwest of Geary, noting "the amount was MORE than 11 inches. When I went out to check the gauge this morning, it was full, had clearly overflowed during the night, and I spilled some of the contents getting the gauge off the post. The majority of the rain occurred between 11 pm and 4 am."

The rainfall added by Erin was yet another blow to an already water-logged state, especially for central Oklahoma. Rainfall totals averaged over the central Oklahoma region stands at 43.14" since the beginning of the year,19.09" above normal - easily the wettest on record for the area.The previous mark was set in 1957 with a January 1-August 20 total of36.90". Statewide, the year thus far is the 4^th wettest on record with 31.96", 8.42" above normal.

The summer season through August 20 is the wettest on record statewide with a total of 15.46", 6.71" above normal. Central Oklahomais 14.45" above normal for the June 1-August 20 period with 23.23" of rainfall.

A Normal Summer Month, or Not?: July 2007 Climate Summary

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 9:00 CDT

On a statewide basis, July 2007 will be remembered as a summer month that was about as close to the long term average as one might expect. Based on a preliminary sampling of National Weather Service observing stations, the average temperature of 74.5 deg equaled the 1971-2000 average. The average precipitation of 4.54" was just 0.05" greater than the 30-year average.

However, statewide numbers can be deceiving, particularly when it comes to summer precipitation. The northern half of the Garden State experienced a rather wet July, with 5" to 7" falling in many locations (close to average up to 2" above average), while south Jersey totals were in the 1" to 4" range (about 1" to 2.5" below average). Within these two areas you can also find locations where totals fell outside of those ranges, thanks to hit and miss thunderstorms.

The wetter conditions in the north led to temperatures averaging a bit below average, while the dryness in the south resulted in slightly warmer than average temperatures. Absent were prolonged periods of excessively hot, humid weather, as occasional frontal passages kept conditions changing. In the process, the fronts brought timely rains to the north, yet failed to produce sufficient quantities of liquid for southern reaches.

Accumulating 30, 60 and 90 day negative precipitation departures will have to be watched closed in the coming weeks, particularly in the five southernmost counties of NJ. The US Drought Monitor has just begun to "paint" this area as "abnormally dry". While the mildest of the 5 categories depicted on this weekly map, this suggests that non-irrigated crops are being stressed and fire danger is on the rise.

A Mild and Moist Sixth Month: June 2007 Climate Summary

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:00 CDT

A sampler of all sorts of early summer weather conditions visited the Garden State in June 2007. The mean statewide temperature was 70.9 deg, which at 1.5 deg above normal makes this the 19th warmest since 1895. Daily maxima equaled or exceeded 90 deg at more than one station on 9 days. Only stations right along the coast failed to reach 90 deg on at least one occasion. The coolest morning of the month occurred following the summer solstice, on the 24th. Most of the state was in the upper 40s and low 50s, with the exception of the coast, where the temperature was near 60 deg and northwest Jersey valleys, where Walpack fell to 38 deg.

New Jersey fared rather well in the precipitation department this June. Precipitation totaled 4.45", which is 0.66" above normal, and the 32nd wettest. The largest event was on the 3rd and 4th when the remains of Tropical Storm Barry brought 1" to 2" of welcome rain to most of the state. Well-spaced thunderstorms brought the bulk of the remaining rain, with thunder reported somewhere in the state on at least 8 days. The fact that several lightning-related injuries and fires resulted from these storms emphasizes the importance of keeping a keen and respectful eye on the sky at this time of year.

New Jersey enters July with stream flow and ground water levels a bit below average, in part due to May being so dry. However thanks to a record wet April, reservoirs are at normal capacities. Drought conditions can arise rather quickly at this time of the year, so timely July and August rains will be most welcome.

AASC 2007 Annual Meeting

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:00 CDT

Idaho State Climate Services and the Office of the Washington State Climatologist are pleased to invite you to attend the

2007 Annual Meeting of the AASC In Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

July 17-19, 2007
(ice breaker on Monday evening, July 16)

Registration:
Click Here for Registration Options

Tentative Agenda & Schedule: Click Here

Lodging and Conference:
Best Western, Coeur d'Alene Inn and Conference Center
West 414 Appleway Avenue, Coeur d'Alene Idaho 83814
Reservations: 1-800-251-7829 or http://www.cdainn.com
Tel: 208-765-3200
Fax: 208-667-1495
Conference Rates: $99 night per room + 12% Tax = $110.88
(indicate that you are registering with the AASC for conference rates).

About Coeur d'Alene:
The city of Coeur d'Alene and surrounding area offer a vast array of activities for the rustic or the refined. Whether you like the sights and sounds of a campfire in the great outdoors, or the flavors of fine dining, North Idaho is sure to offer something for everyone! Home of the world's longest floating boardwalk, the world's only floating moveable golf green, a floating restaurant, and one of the world's longest gondola rides, Coeur d'Alene is a terrific place to visit for business or pleasure.
Coeur d'Alene Lake is one of 60 lakes within a 60-mile radius of the city. This particular lake is located 2128 feet above sea level. The lake is 25 miles long with over 135 miles of shoreline. Fishing is excellent as are boating, hunting, hiking and other outdoor past-times. Sapphire Lakes. Thick forests. Amazing wildlife. Fish. Canoe. Water-ski. Or just relax and enjoy a mountain sunset. Trail hike. Mountain bike. Take a drive. Scenic byways through towering white pine reveal bald eagles and osprey. Pick wild huckleberries, watch for deer, elk and moose, visit a theme park. Golf. Ski. Shop. Set your own pace to explore and enjoy all the beauty and adventure of North Idaho.
Other attractions include Silverwood Theme Park, boasting three roller coasters and Boulder Beach water park. (http://www.silverwoodthemepark.com/area.html), fly fishing the St. Joe River, and historic mining tours to relive the days of the silver and gold rushes of the Coeur d'Alene Mining District where more silver was produced than anywhere else in the world. Visit the Idaho Panhandle.
Coeur d'Alene Visitor's Bureau: http://www.coeurdalene.org/

Access By Air:
The Spokane, Washington International Airport is just 40 minutes west of Coeur d'Alene with non-stop flights arriving daily from cities including Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Boise, Vancouver, Calgary and others. There is ground transportation available from the Spokane Airport to Coeur d'Alene. Call 877-782-9232 for information. The following airlines provide service to Spokane International Airport: United Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Horizon Airlines, Air Canada, Big Sky Airlines, and America West Airlines. Most national car rental companies are represented in the Spokane International Airport.

Access By Car:
Coeur d'Alene is located on Interstate 90 in the Idaho Panhandle for those wishing to arrive by car. Mileages from Coeur d'Alene to a few cities are:
Boise, Idaho .......................................... 389
Butte, Montana ....................................... 286
Calgary, Alberta ..................................... 411
Cranbrook, British Columbia .................... 153
Missoula, Montana ................................... 167
Portland, Oregon ..................................... 377
Reno, Nevada ......................................... 785
Salt Lake City, Utah ................................. 687
San Francisco, California .......................... 897
Seattle, Washington ................................. 312
Spokane, Washington ............................... 32
Sun Valley, Idaho .................................... 481
Vancouver, British Columbia...................... 445
Yellowstone, Wyoming .............................. 483

Summer Climate Outlook

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 5:00 CDT

Tropical storm Barry brings drought relief to some areas, leaves out others - Tropical storm Barry came ashore in the Big Bend of Florida on June 2 bringing welcome widespread rainfall to most of Florida and eastern and southern portions of Georgia. The southeast coast of Florida received 3 to 7 inches of rainfall, as did east-central Georgia. Northern Florida and south Georgia, from the Big Bend to the Atlantic coast of Georgia saw a widespread 2 to 4 inches. These beneficial rains brought real relief to the fire ravaged areas of north Florida and Southeast Georgia. Continued thunderstorm activity since Barry has helped fire fighters gain control of the large fires in southeast Georgia and north Florida as well as aid farming operations. Please refer to our Agricultural Outlook for more information on how the ongoing drought will affect crops this summer.

Agricultural Outlook

Should La Ni?a develop as expected, the first impact would be on hurricane activity during the tropical season. Just as El Ni?o was responsible for the below-normal activity last year, La Ni?a is known to create an environment conducive for hurricane formation in the Atlantic Basin. Recent studies have shown that Atlantic storms are a little more prone to curve up the East Coast of the U.S. during La Ni?a, but all coastal areas are still at an increased risk. For more information on seasonal hurricane predictions, please see our hurricane forecast page or the hurricane return frequency tool on our sister site, CoastalClimate.org.

In the near future, the Southeast has entered into the summer rainy season. With the Pacific Ocean in neutral phase, there is no forcing in the Pacific Ocean that should either enhance or delay the onset of the convective rainy season. Even if La Ni?a were to develop in the next couple of months, it has little to no impact on summer climate patterns of the Southeast. Summer climate in the Southeast is characterized by hot, humid conditions and convective thundershowers. Coverage and frequency of these afternoon thunderstorms is higher in Florida and extreme South Georgia, but more "hit and miss" in the remainder of Georgia and Alabama. While normal summer rainfall is not enough to make up for the long term deficits, these rains may mitigate drought effects in selected areas. In addition, an active tropical storm and hurricane season has been announced. While this brings a chance of crop destruction, rains associated with summer storms are important in Georgia and Alabama and are needed to alleviate the current drought situation. With the kick from tropical storm Barry and the onset of the summer rainy season, the wildfire threat will be greatly reduced in Florida and South Georgia.

Looking further ahead, La Ni?a is known to increase the likelihood of a warm and dry fall and winter in the Southeast. The onset of this pattern usually begins in September. Should La Ni?a continue to develop, anticipate this pattern as a possibility. For more detailed information on El Ni?o climate shifts in your particular county, please refer to the Climate Risk Tool at AgClimate:

Climate Risk Tool

Drought plagues Mississippi

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 8:00 CDT

Most of the state of Mississippi is suffering from some level of drought this summer. In many locations, the amount of rainfall received through May 31 this year is the least for that time period since records have been kept. Statewide soil moisture is rated at 88% very short or short, and 12% adequate.

A Cold and Drier February

Thu, 24 May 2007 4:00 CDT

February 2007 was one of the fifteen coldest on record in PA and surprisingly, it was also rather dry. When compared to all previous February's for chill and dryness - the spring (March-April-May) that followed was definitely biased toward cooler than normal and much drier than average (See Division 1 - NE and 9 - SW):

Division 1:

Year	Departure from Normal Temperature	Departure from Spring Precipitation
1901	-1.78	3.38
1904	-1.98	-1.90
1905	-0.48	-4.48
1907	-3.38	-2.71
1914	-2.28	-2.16
1923	-2.08	-4.66
1934	-1.48	-1.04
1936	1.02	2.20
1968	0.92	0.95
1980	0.32	1.20
1987	0.22	-1.64
1994	-0.18	1.13

Division9:

Year	Departure from Normal Temperature	Departure from Spring Precipitation
1901	-0.86	1.51
1905	1.44	-0.88
1907	-1.26	-1.02
1917	-2.26	-1.94
1934	-0.16	-4.08
1941	-0.16	-4.11
1947	-2.76	-1.30
1958	-1.16	-1.18
1968	0.24	1.00
1977	3.64	-0.16
1978	-2.36	-1.13
1980	-1.66	1.19

A Wet One for the Record Books: April 2007 Climate Summary

Mon, 07 May 2007 4:00 CDT

April 2007 will go into the record book as New Jersey's wettest fourth month of the year in 113 years of statewide records. The 9.03" of precipitation is well above the monthly average of 3.93". Only 1983, with 8.91", rivals this past month for the top spot. The third wettest, April 1973 with 6.64", sits far behind.

Since 1895, only 14 other months (out of 1348) saw more rain fall across NJ. Once all stations have reported, should the average rise just 0.11", this month will jump to 10th greatest. In fact, only 5 previous months have received more than an inch more than April 2007. Making this month's total all the more impressive is the tendency for wetter months to occur during the warm season (July-September). Outside of these three warm months, only October 1903 (9.13"), January 1979 (9.09"), November 1972 (9.06") and October 2005 (the largest total of any month, with 11.98") saw more precipitation fall on the Garden State than this past April.

In the temperature department, the 48.7 deg average for April was 1.8 deg below the 1971-2000 mean. This ranked 35th coolest, but was the lowest average since 1992 and the third coolest in the past 32 years. Until above normal temperatures arrived on 9 of the last 11 days of the month, a decidedly March feel was in the air.

The month began with a few mild days, but by the 4th a cool regime set in that would not relinquish its grip until the 20th. A cold rain, with some snow and sleet in the mix at some locations, fell on the 4th. One of the coldest April weeks in years followed. This centered on Easter Sunday the 8th, when scattered snow flurries and squalls fell in spots and afternoon temperatures were colder than on Christmas Day 2006.

Temperatures moderated a bit the next week, but were still below average. The major story however was rain and more rain. Over an inch fell in many locations on the 12th, but that was only a minor precursor to the largest April rain event on record in the Garden State. Beginning in the early hours of Sunday the 15th, moderate to heavy rain fell for approximately the next 36 hours. By the time the storm came to an end, most rivers across the state were out of their banks. Coastal areas escaped with no more than several inches. However throughout the remainder of the state totals exceeded 4". Portions of central, northeast and northwest NJ measured 6-8", with a few reports as much as an inch higher (click here for a map of observed rainfall totals). New Brunswick received 6.43" of its 7.82" storm total in a 24 hour period, making this the 3rd wettest day on record (since 1912) at this station. Only August days in 1911 and 1971 exceeded this total. Visit this web site for a summary of storm totals, which will be posted as soon as most April reports are received.

As a result of the heavy rain falling on already wet ground, a number of rivers reached record or near record levels. For instance, the flood of record occurred on the Hackensack River, and some gauging stations in the Raritan basin reached levels that have only been surpassed in the past century by the flooding from Floyd in 1999. Also of note with this storm were exceedingly low pressures. The NJWxNet station at Sea Girt came in with a 28.58" reading, the lowest noted across the state. While rain fell in the north during the early hours of the 16th, the ground was briefly covered by snow in some southern reaches, as cold air rushed in as the intense storm slowly headed away.

Calm followed the storm, with a preview of early summer on the 22nd and 23rd, where away from the chilly coast and somewhat cooler hills, temperatures reached the low to mid 80s. As if not enough rain had already fallen, another storm on the 27th dumped over 2" in some areas, again bringing rivers such as the Millstone in the central portion of the state to bank full. As trees began a rapid late leafing out, April concluded with afternoon temperatures in the 70s to a few low 80s.

The May flowers should be enormous this year!

A Historic Review of the State/National Climate Program

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 8:00 CDT

North Dakota State Climate Office (NDSCO) has just published a recent work of Dr. John Enz, State Climatologist Emeritus. John Enz summarized a history of:

A Climatic Timeline of the US starting from the mid-1600s.

US National Climate Program

State Climate program with the emphasis of North Dakota State Climatologist

For more information on each program, go to:

http://www.soilsci.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndawn/aboutndsco/history/history.html

A printer friendly version and save as ?pdf? format are both available.

A Normal Month? March 2007 Climate Summary

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 10:00 CDT

Monthly climate averages can certainly deceive when it comes to defining what the weather conditions might have been on any given day during a month. Take March 2007 in the Garden State. With values already in hand from approximately half of the 28 official stations, the statewide mean temperature for March 2007 was 41.0 deg, which is exactly average for the month (based on the 1971-2000 interval). Precipitation (rain and melted snow/sleet) was 3.91", which is just slightly below the average of 4.17". However one might be hard pressed to call many a day this past month "normal". Or perhaps it wasn't all that unusual...

March began with a warm rain storm, with, in some locations, the two inches of rain that fell exceeding the total precipitation for February. Later that first week, one of the most impressive cold waves in recent Marches invaded the area. On the 6th and 7th, daytime temperatures in the teens and 20s were accompanied by strong winds. Light snow fell on the 7th, with reports of 2-3" not uncommon in the southern half of the state. This set the stage for what in many locations in central and southern NJ (where more snow sat on the ground than in the north) was the coldest morning temperature of the winter. The NJ Mesonet station at Miller Airpark in Berkeley Township, Ocean County dropped to -5 deg. This was the coldest temperature observed in NJ during the past winter, surpassing the -4 deg at the High Point Monument NJ SafetyNet station on February 5.

The second week of the month set the calendar ahead a month or more. Temperatures reached their apex on the 14th, when some stations reached 80 deg, topping out at 82 deg at the Sicklerville Mesonet station in Camden County. A strong sea breeze that afternoon kept high temperatures in the low 50s at coastal locations. This inland summer excursion rapidly disappeared, and by the late evening of the 15th a cold rain began to fall. This soon turned to sleet across all but southern and coastal reaches. Thus began what was arguably the most disruptive storm of the winter season, surpassing the Valentines Day event in many locations. Some areas experienced 24 consecutive hours of sleet, with remarkable totals of 4 or more inches the result. Northern counties saw snow and sleet, with the two combining for 6-10" totals in many locations, with as much as 13" in the highest elevations. Only the extreme southern counties escaped accumulating snow and ice.

Despite the strength of the mid March sun, it took several days for the "concrete" that enveloped large portions of the state to melt away. With more than a few piles of snow/ice remaining, summer once again returned on the 27th. Temperatures soared to 80 deg at 15 of the 39 Mesonet and SafetyNet stations across the state. Once again, Sicklerville took top honors at 83 deg.

Something tells this climatologist that April might hold more of the same wild variations. Spring will eventually win out, but winter seemingly refuses to go away quietly. But isn't that normally the case in March and April?

New Meteorologist for California State Climate Office

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 12:00 CDT

The California State Climate Office is happy to announce the hiring of a new senior meteorologist, Elissa Lynn, to the Flood Operations Section of the Department of Water Resources (DWR). Elissa comes to DWR after 10 years as chief meteorologist for KXTV in Sacramento. Elissa has a Master?s in Atmospheric Sciences, a Bachelor?s degree in Physics, and teaching credentials at the high school and college level. With 17 years of on-camera experience, she won an Emmy in 2003 for her broadcast on baseball weather, which was used in the Sacramento Rivercats? outreach program. She initiated the platform for the local Sacramento Bee weather page, as well as wrote a weekly weather column. Her annual 16-page Northern California Weather Wizard newspaper won the Golden State award from Newspapers in Education. She has received numerous scientific, journalism, and community service awards. Her role at DWR and the State Climate Office will be forecasting with the National Weather Service quantitative precipitation group at the California Nevada River Forecast Center, as well as doing media work, public outreach, and internal training videos.

2007 Dissertation Medal Announced

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 1:00 CST

Announcing The Dissertation Medal in Applied Climatology for 2007
Awarded By The American Association of State Climatologists

Application Information

Purpose
The American Association of State Climatologists (AASC) is pleased to announce itssecond annual Dissertation Medal in Applied Climatology for 2007 – to be awarded to a recent recipient of the Ph.D. degree in North America or U.S. Territories whose research is considered significant to applied climatology.

Eligibility
To be considered for the AASC medal, a nominee's Ph.D. must have been awarded within three calendar years prior to the award submission date (April 1, 2007).

Who Can Apply
Any recent Ph. D. graduate who has a galley-proof manuscript or a published journal article derived from dissertation workaccomplished while a student in North America or one of the U.S. Territories. Dissertations per se are not eligible for consideration.

Nominations
Nominations are solicited from graduates (or their sponsors) of universities in North America and the U.S. Territories. The nominator (e.g., State Climatologist, Regional Climatologist, Department Chair, or professional colleague) should submit an original letter of nomination. This letter should discuss the extent of independence exhibited by the nominee in the choice and execution of the dissertation research.
Four reprints of the dissertation research (as published in a refereed journal or in galley-proof format) must accompany the nomination.
Nominations received for the current year's competition remain under consideration for two additional calendar years following the initial year of eligibility.

Due Date
Nomination letters and the required reprints must be received in the offices of the AASC President on or before 1 April 2007.

Selection
A Dissertation Medal Committee will be appointed by the Executive Committee of the AASC to select the award recipient. If, in the opinion of the Committee, none of the nominees is sufficiently outstanding, the medal will not be given for that year. The award recipient along with other nominees will be notified by June 1, 2007 for presentation of the dissertation medal on July 18, 2007 at the Annual Meeting of the AASC.

The Award
The presentation will bestow a dissertation medal and a cash award of $500 to the winning nominee. The award also includes paid attendance at the Annual Meeting of the AASC that includes out-of-pocket travel expenses up to $1000 and the waiving of all registration fees.

Corresponding Address
Paul Knight, President
American Association of State Climatologists
Pennsylvania State Climate Office
503 Walker Building
University Park, PA 16802

Evaluation Criteria
Nominations and manuscripts submitted for the AASC Dissertation Medal will be evaluated based on the following scale (0 to 100 points):
* Clarity of the Manuscript (0 to 20 points)
* Organization/Figure Quality (0 to 20 points)
* Applicability to Climatology (0 to 10 points)
* Creativity (0 to 20 points)
* Scientific Merit (0 to 30 points)