Missouri Climate Center

The primary functions of the Missouri Climate Center are: 1) develop advanced databases containing atmospheric conditions, climate variations, and ecosystem changes in the State of Missouri, 2) produce value-added products from available weather data and disseminate the products to statewide users, 3) continuously monitor and document the climate change, and 4) apply the atmospheric research tools, e.g., statistical analysis and evaluation and atmospheric/climate modeling, to assess and predict the climate change and its effects on regional atmospheric environment and ecosystem response. The center provides needed information for effective planning and management of state agriculture, industry, and natural resources.

The research and service activities of the Missouri Climate Center are sponsored by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Department of Conservation, the University of Missouri-Columbia and by the National Biological Service through its Ozark Highlands Global Change Research Program. The Center is home to the Missouri State Climatologist.

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 Missouri Climate Center is recognized by the AASC.

Phone: (573) 882-5908

Related Organizations:

• National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
• University of Missouri
• American Association of State Climatologists (AASC)
• Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, Snow (CoCoRaHS)