role of the maryland state climatologist kenneth e. pickering maryland state climatologist...

Role of the Maryland State Climatologist

Kenneth E. Pickering

Maryland State Climatologist

Department of Meteorology

University of Maryland

College Park

Maryland Climate Change Workshop

August 6, 2003

Functions of the Office of the State Climatologist

• Archive climatic data for the State of Maryland• Fulfill requests for data from the public• Maintain a web page for distribution of data and

climate information• Conduct special climate analyses

DroughtTemperature and precipitation trendsSnowfall frequency distributionsAgricultural applications

Functions (continued)

• Participate in media interviews• Presentations concerning Maryland Climate to

community groups• Data analyses in support of air quality modeling

efforts

Data Sources

• 36 current NWS Cooperative stations

• 18 former NWS Cooperative stations

• 3 NWS/FAA airport stations

• 30 “other” volunteer observer stations

• Meso-net stations (to be added)

• Aircraft profiles

Maryland State Climatologist Office2000-2002 Data Requests

5932 35

5124

5166

3243

56

213

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100

125

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175

200

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Examples of Material on Maryland State Climatologist Office Web Page

http://www.atmos.umd.edu/~climate/sc.html

• 30-year normals for NWS stations

• Growing season data

• Interannual variability

• Decadal trends

• Longer-term climate change

2001-2002 Drought

Maximum rainfall deficits:

Aug. 2001 – Aug. 2002

Conowingo Dam 20.96”

Vienna 18.28”

Baltimore City 17.97”

Salisbury 17.93”

Royal Oak 17.86”

Beltsville 17.79”

BWI Airport 17.59”

Drought Comparisons

8/01-8/02 17 to 21 inch deficits over much ofstate except Garrett Co.

7/98-7/99 12 to 21 inch deficits west of bay; 10 to 11 inch on Eastern Shore

5/64-5/65 15 to 18 inch deficits over much of state except Garrett Co.

8/65-8/66 15 to 19 inch deficits over much of state except Garrett Co.

1/30-1/31 16 to 26 inch deficit

4.09 deg./100 yrs.

0.55 deg/100 yrs.

12.93 deg./100 yrs.

1977-1999 Temperature Trends

• Baltimore City +9.88 oF/100 yr• Chestertown +8.95• Glenn Dale +12.04• Laurel +8.71• Oakland +9.67• Royal Oak +11.65• Salisbury +12.77• Woodstock +12.93

Temperature Departures From Normal (in Degrees Fahrenheit)

StationDec ’01 Dep. From Normal

Dec ’02 Dep. From Normal

Jan ’02 Dep. From Normal

Jan ’03 Dep. From Normal

Feb ’02 Dep. From Normal

Feb ’03 Dep. From Normal

BWI airport

+5.4 -2.4 +6.8 -4.0 +3.8 -5.3

Dulles airport

+5.9 -2.6 +7.4 -3.3 +4.1 -4.5

Reagan National airport

+6.1 -2.3 +6.7 -3.8 +4.5 -4.4

AUGUST

Baltimore City

Baltimore City

FEBRUARY

Comparison of Annual Precipitation Normals

Year BWI airport

Cumberland Conowingo Dam

Emmitsburg Mechanicsville Snow Hill

Rockville

1961-1990

40.76

in.

35.83

in.

45.48

in.

43.07

in.

44.71

in.

44.53

in.

41.11

in.

1971-2000

41.94

in.

37.21

in.

48.09

in.

45.34

in.

47.52

in.

46.18

in.

43.08

in.

% increase in normals

+2.81 +3.71 +5.43 +5.01 +5.91 +3.57 +4.57

Annual Mean # of Days with SnowfallFrederick County

9.3

6

1.30.30.4

2

7.5

10.9

0.11.1

4.1

5.7

0.2

1.2

4.2

6.5

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

> 1 in. > 2 in. > 5 in. > 10 in.snow (inches)

mea

n #

of

day

s

Catoctin

Emmitsburg

Frederick

Unionville

Base = 50oF

Study Area and Selected Locations of Fixed Position UMD Aircraft Spirals in 2002

43 spirals in MD*College Park, MD Cambridge, MD*Fort Meade, MD Annapolis, MD *Cumberland, MD Churchville, MD Easton, MD

56 spirals in VA*Richmond, VA Crewe, VA Luray, VA Quinton, VA Winchester, VA Tappahannock, VA Ashland, VA Wakefield, VA Louisa, VA

39 spirals in PA, NY, ME*Erie, PA, *Ithaca, NY*Saratoga Springs, NY *Augusta, ME*Bar Harbor, ME

Summary

• Please visit our web site to see the various types of climate information that we offer

• Please contact our office if you have specific data requests or have a need for specialized climate analyses

climate@atmos.umd.edu