Empowering Climate-Sensitive Decisions: The Next-Generation Local Climate Analysis Tool

The Local Climate Analysis Tool (LCAT), developed in 2013 by the National Weather Service (NWS), delivers vital climate services and supports localized climate studies and assessments. Utilizing trusted scientific techniques and authoritative data sources, LCAT enables users to conduct comprehensive analyses of climate variability and change, driving climate-sensitive decision making. NWS is launching the next-generation LCAT in December 2023 to improve the user experience and increase utility to climate service providers. LCAT offers diverse climate-relevant observations at individual stations, spatial divisions, and gridded outputs, now including data on extremes and hazards beyond average temperature and total precipitation. Users can customize analyses from an extensive array of datasets, enhancing the relevance and accuracy of climate assessments. Advanced methods within LCAT apply trend-fitting techniques to assess local climate change rates and composite analyses to uncover relationships between local climate and modes of variability like El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and other teleconnection indices. The tool's new web interface featuring dynamic mapping and station/region selection for analysis generates tailored graphical and tabular data for download, complemented by dynamically-generated interpretation statements for easy comprehension and application of scientific results. LCAT empowers NWS local office staff to deliver Impact-based Decision Support Services (IDSS) to decision-makers with invaluable guidance on weather and climate-related matters. Its applicability spans sectors such as energy, water resources, coastal management, emergency preparedness, agriculture, health, and social media, facilitating climate-sensitive planning and risk mitigation. Users can generate annotated reports and utilize IDSS sector presets as templates, streamlining climate applications for specific sectors. With expanded functionalities and data offerings, the next generation LCAT serves as a powerful resource for climate understanding, resilience, and informed decision-making, bolstering society's preparedness to address the challenges of a changing climate.