Network Analysis of the Former USRCRN Stations across New Mexico

The former NOAA US Regional Climate Reference Network (USRCRN) was phased out in 2013 due to federal budget cuts and ownership and control of the sites located in the Four Corner states and Alabama were turned over to the State Climate Offices of each respective state. Of the 21 that were originally installed in New Mexico, 16 remain active as of 2017. Although only 2-meter air temperature and precipitation are measured at these stations, the important fact is that these were sited at locations where landuse is anticipated to remain relatively unchanged in the future. Most of the stations were installed by late 2011, three have been in place since late 2009. This presentation will summarize an analysis of the former USRCRN data collected in New Mexico to look at siting, landuse, distance and correlations with other meteorological networks, and trends over time.