# Presentation: 253725

## What is theColorado Climate Center?

- Nolan Doesken
- Atmospheric Science Department
- Colorado State University
- _[http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu](http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/)_
- Presented to Subregion Climate Services Workshop
- August 24, 2004, Boulder, Colorado

- Prepared by Odie Bliss

## Beginnings

- After the state climatologist position was abolished in 1974 by the federal government, the State of Colorado, through the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station funding, established the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University.

## Where are we located?

- Atmospheric Science Department,
- 	Colorado State University, Foothills campus, West LaPorte Street

**Colorado Climate Center**

## Who are we?

- Roger A. Pielke, Sr.
- Professor, Atmospheric Science and State Climatologist, _[pielke@atmos.colostate.edu](mailto:pielke@atmos.colostate.edu)_
- Nolan J. Doesken
- Climatologist and Senior Research Associate,
- _[nolan@atmos.colostate.edu](mailto:nolan@atmos.colostate.edu)_
- Odie Bliss
- Coordinator, _[odie@atmos.colostate.edu](mailto:odie@atmos.colostate.edu)_
- Tony Arcieri
- System Administrator

## What we do....

## Data acquisition and archive

- Elements: temperature, precipitation, snow, wind, solar, evaporation, soil temperatures, humidity, cloud cover

## Monitor the climate of Colorado

- Drought, flooding, blizzards, tornadoes, temperature extremes, Heating/Cooling Degree Data, etc.

## Climatic research

- Instrument Comparison Studies, Drought, Snow, Variability and Trends, Impacts and Modeling, etc.

## Disseminate information

- Farmers, ranchers, consultants, engineers, water resources, utilities, construction, lawyers, federal, state and local governments, schools, universities, and many others.
- HOW? Website, phone, fax, email
- _[http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu](http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/)_
- (970) 491-8545 phone
- (970) 491-3314 fax

## http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu 

## Fort Collins Historic Weather Station

- Continuous observations from 1889 to present

## CoAgMetWeather data for agriculture

- CoAgMetWeather data for agriculture

*Automated weather stations with daily and hourly readings of:*
*Temperature*
*Humidity*
*Wind*
*Precipitation*
*Solar energy*
*Evapotranspiration*
_**          **_

- _[http://www.coagmet.com](http://www.coagmet.com/)__ _

## Colorado Climate Magazine

- Articles about the climate of Colorado -- recent and historic
- $15 for four issues, subscription pays printing and mailing costs
- Phone: 970-491-8545 or email: odie@atmos.colostate.edu

- _[http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/magazine.php](http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/magazine.php)__ _

## The Pielke Research Group

- Articles and Research Papers available:
- 	_[http://blue.atmos.colostate.edu](http://blue.atmos.colostate.edu/)__ _
- 		Click on “Publications”
- 		Click on “Presentations”

## CoCo RaHSCommunity Collaborative Rain and Hail Study

- http://www.cocorahs.org

- Over 1,000 volunteers participate in rain, hail and snow measurements.
- More accurate maps, verifies forecasting, radar research, crop damage, drought/flooding, educational purposes.

## Slide 16

## CoCo RaHS Volunteers of all ages helping scientists study storms. The exploration begins in your back yard!

## CoCo RaHS                         Simple tools to study rain

- Rain Gauge

- Example Station

## CoCo RaHS gauge in March 2003 

- CoCo RaHS gauge in March 2003
- snowstorm

- Arapahoe County CoCo RaHS observer near Cherry Creek, Colorado

## CoCo RaHS                         Simple tools to study hail

- Hail Pad

- Damaged Hail Pad

## Example Hail Pad Stands

## The Origin of CoCo RaHS

- The Fort Collins Flood of July 28, 1997

## CoCo RaHSSupplementing NWS Cooperative Program to improve precipitation measurements.

## Fort Collins daily rainfall examples

## Colorado HailstormJuly 10, 2002, Parker, CO

- Damaged Hailpad.

- One of the culprits.

## Example page from CoCo RaHS web site

- of damaged Hail Pads

## Expanded hail 

- Expanded hail
- information from
- web site.

## How many volunteers do we need?

- Our goal is at least one per square mile over urbanized areas.
- As many as we can find in rural areas.

## CoCo RaHS is Growing!

- More states,
- More staff,
- More collaboration,
- More science,
- More education,
- and
- Way more participants.

## 4-state map from new CoCo RaHS web site

## NeRAIN Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network 

- _[http://dnrdata.dnr.state.ne.us/NeRAIN/index.asp](http://dnrdata.dnr.state.ne.us/NeRAIN/index.asp)_

## For more information visit theCoCo RaHS Web sitehttp://www.cocorahs.org 

- Support for this project provided by Informal Science Education Program,
- National Science Foundation
- and
_*many*_ local charter sponsors.

## Colorado Climate Center

- Data and Power Point Presentations available for downloading
- _[http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu](http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/)__ _
-   click on “Drought”
- 	then click on “Presentations”