7.7
Deployment of the U.S. Climate Reference Network: FY2000 Status
Richard R. Heim Jr., NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC, Asheville, NC
Recent reports by the World Climate Research Programme (1997) and the National Research Council (1999) have noted the inadequacies of current observational networks to monitor the Earth's climate system. The U.S. Climate Reference Network (CRN) is being created to correct these shortcomings and to meet the challenge of climatic monitoring and climate change detection in the U.S. in the 21st Century. Daily and monthly summary statistics of temperature and precipitation will be generated from hourly data that are transmitted on a real-time basis. Additional variables, including wind speed, solar radiation, humidity, and soil moisture and temperature, will be measured as resources permit. The optimal wind shield design will be identified to minimize the wind undercatch frequently observed for precipitation gauges. This paper will summarize the progress that has been made during Fiscal Year 2000, including the deployment of the inaugural station at the North Carolina Arboretum.
Session 7, Role of Observing Systems
Thursday, 18 January 2001, 1:30 PM-5:15 PM
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