# Presentation: 540464

## Academic’s View of Climate Services

**Patrick S. Market**
*Department of Soil, Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences*
*University of Missouri-Columbia*
*Presented to the** *
**Sub-Regional Climate Services Meeting – Columbia, MO**
**20 July 2004**

## Introduction

***Warning!!!***
- Presentation by a synoptician underway!

## Introduction

- Data from Climate Services are crucial for ***education ***_***and***_*** research***:
- Case studies and event reconstruction
- May provide data simply unavailable from the   synoptic network
- Allow for mesoscale relief      in precipitation fields
- Forensic analyses
- (the *other* CSI)

## An Example

- Thundersnow
- Southwest Missouri
- 10 December 2003

## Introduction

- Convective snowfall event over SW MO
- 10 December 2003
- 06-09 UTC in particular
- Snowfall totals:
- 14.5” - Carthage, MO
- 10” - Lamar, MO
- Event occurred WSW of well-developed ETC near “tip” of *trowal*

**© *****Joplin Globe*****  2003**

## 1

**1**

**2**

**4**

**2**

**1**

**4**

**6**

**8**

**10**

## 09Z/10  Surface Analysis

***L***

##      SGF 88D STP 0740Z/10      NCDC Summary 09Z/10

## Impact of Climate Services

- Preliminary storm reports supported with data from Missouri Climate Center
- Radar summaries from NCDC helpful in defining meso- banded nature of event

## An Example (Redux)

- Thundersnow
- Wisconsin
- 23 March 1966

## CLIMVIS Storm Total Snowfall (in.)24 hr accumulations ending 6 pm, 3/24/1966

## Storm Total Snowfall (inches)48 hr accumulations ending 6 pm, 3/23/1966

- Storm Total Snowfall (inches)48 hr accumulations ending 6 pm, 3/23/1966

- 1”

- 1”

- 1”

- 5”

- 5”

- 10”

- 10”

- 1”

- 1”

- 1”

- 10”

- 15”

- 10”

- 5”

- 5”

- 5”

- 15”

- 10”

- 15”

- 5”

- 1”

- 5”

- 1”

- 1”

- 1”
- 5”
- 10”
- 15”

- 1”

## Impact of Climate Services

- CLIMVIS good for a “first guess” on storm behavior
- Coop data necessary for understanding actual snowfield structure
_*One small request*_*:  Upgrade CLIMVIS, or offer a portal to create the latter analysis with a minimum of fuss*

## Another Example?!?

- Is all thundersnow heavy snow?

## Counts of thundersnow events from 3-hourly SA observations (1961-1990) from 227 stations in the U.S. (SAMSON) revealed the analysis of intensity shown here

Intensities are instantaneous
Complete observations available only every 3 hours
Sound of thunder travels

Co-op snow data acquired through MCC from MRCC 
Ongoing research...

- Intensities are instantaneous
- Complete observations available only every 3 hours
- Sound of thunder travels
- Co-op snow data acquired through MCC from MRCC
- Ongoing research...

**Climate Services Data Addressing Fundamental Questions**

## Climate Services Data Addressing Fundamental Questions

- Several dozen cases of thundersnow have been identified during 1961-1990
- Some _*may*_ only have featured light snowfall
- Reconstruction of snow fields is underway to establish
- total snowfall in each case
- bandedness of snow
- intensity of snow relative to reports of thunder

## Last Example...

- Preliminary Forensic Analysis

## A recent St. Louis event forced that question

NCDC data examined:
Storm Events Database
HDSS NEXRAD Level II data
Surface observations (via Station Locator)

Even if the lawyer is unhappy, excellent case studies result nonetheless

- NCDC data examined:
- Storm Events Database
- HDSS NEXRAD Level II data
- Surface observations (via Station Locator)
- Even if the lawyer is unhappy, excellent case studies result nonetheless

**Was the hail large enough?**

## Data from Climate Services useful for both
Research
Education

Research case studies provide “answer keys”
Students access same data, learning
What is available online
How to access it
How to process it, and
How to interpret it

- Research
- Education
- Research case studies provide “answer keys”
- Students access same data, learning
- What is available online
- How to access it
- How to process it, and
- How to interpret it

**Conclusions**

## Improvements in forecast skill and meteorological understanding depend heavily on climate services
Those interested in winter weather are
   especially interested in unique data
   streams
Snow data!

Special Thanks to:
Missouri Climate Center
Midwest Regional Climate Center
National Climatic Data Center

- Improvements in forecast skill and meteorological understanding depend heavily on climate services
- Those interested in winter weather are
-    especially interested in unique data
-    streams
- Snow data!
- Special Thanks to:
- Missouri Climate Center
- Midwest Regional Climate Center
- National Climatic Data Center

**Conclusions**