Developing value-added climate information for weather-sensitive organizations: Increasing opportunities for atmospheric scientists

Decision makers in weather-sensitive organizations often require climatological data, forecasts, information, and expertise when solving operational and long-term planning issues. Past providers of this value-added climate information included those in government agencies, private sector meteorological firms and academics. Together this group has successfully provided the necessary information for most decision makers. However, ongoing changes in the marketplace (e.g. weather derivatives) and increasing complexity of weather-related issues (e.g. deregulation in the utility industry) have created new opportunities for applying climate information. As the need for climate information grows in weather-sensitive organizations, who is best suited to spend time and resources to initiate communication with weather-sensitive decision makers, create the "enhanced" or "value-added" climate products and decision models, and keep abreast of user needs and alter products when necessary? Based on the success of the private sector in developing short-term meteorological forecast information, this author proposes that the majority of this "producer-user" climate interaction should also be completed by those in the private sector. However, if many meteorological forecast firms are going to become more heavily involved in applied climatology they will have to alter their activities, including where they allocate resources and personnel. Furthermore, it may be useful for these firms to establish partnerships with various government agencies and academics because much of the research that has gone into the development of climate data, information, and products used in "applied climate" activities has been completed by individuals in these organizations. If the knowledge and technology transfer between "providers" and "users" grows more successful it will lead to reduced losses associated with wise and timely mitigative activities for some and profits for others.