Minnesota State Climatology Office
The Minnesota State Climatology Office (MN SCO) exists to manage, analyze, and disseminate climate information, to develop and implement or improve technical means for such activities and to coordinate the activities of data producers or suppliers to ensure the availability of high quality climate data for the State of Minnesota and its citizens.
The MN SCO assists its customers in their investigations of the climate's impact on various components of the natural environment, and on socio-economic activities. The MN SCO uses its climate monitoring resources to quantify weather conditions and to place these conditions within historical and geographical context. The MN SCO also provides quantitative summaries of historical climate conditions, allowing users to make informed decisions about future activities.
State Climate Offices are an integral component of the National Climate Service Partnership, which also includes NOAA's National Climatic Data Center and six Regional Climate Centers (RCCs). State climate offices recognized by the American Association of State Climatologists (AASC) work closely with one another, and with the regional and national counterparts, to provide climate data and services at the local level. Specifically, AASC recognized state climate offices (or ARSCOs) provide one or more of the following services:
1) Coordinate and collect weather observations for the purpose of climate monitoring; 2) Summarize and disseminate weather and climate information to the user community; 3) Demonstrate to the user community the value of climate information in the decision making process; 4) Perform climate impact assessments and weather event evaluations; 5) Conduct climate research, diagnosis, and projections.
The Minnesota State Climatology Office is recognized by the AASC.
Phone: (651) 296-4214
Related Organizations:
- National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
- University of Minnesota
- American Association of State Climatologists (AASC)
