An experiment in state climate services: the CalClim project

CalClim, a project to monitor California climate and provide better access to climate data, is now in its second year. CalClim is unique in that a state has provided resources for personnel at a Regional Climate Center (RCC) for the benefit of primarily in-state users of climate information. We will present successes and lessons learned so far in this “experiment”, as well as our directions for the next year and a half. Other questions to be addressed include: What can other states and RCCs learn from CalClim? What circumstances are necessary for such a model to prove successful in other states or regions? How has CalClim contributed to knowledge of California climate? And, how can a RCC assist and facilitate internal development of a state climate program? We will discuss the many small projects that further the development of CalClim and the California Climate Data Archive, including the monthly newsletter California Climate Watch.