| Title |
Investigators | Department | Objectives | Approach Keywords | Progress Reports | Impact Statements | Publications | |
Project * COL00703 | |
| Title | Monitoring Colorado's Climate for Applications in Agriculture and Natural Resources |
| Investigator(s) | Doesken, NJ; |
| Department | Atmospheric Science |
| Objectives | This project will provide intensive assessments of current and historic climatic conditions in Colorado. By monitoring key elements of our climate on local and regional scales, we will provide crucial data to study and describe relationships with agricultural production, water supplies, energy development, other natural resources and societal and economic responses. Our specific objectives are: 1) Conduct and coordinate statewide climate monitoring and research. 2) Identify trends and variations in key climatic elements such as temperature, precipitation, snow accumulation and evapotranspiration. 3) Facilitate the Colorado Agricultural Meteorological Network (COAGMET) and extend this network to dryland farming and grazing areas. 4) Develop and test new uses and applications of COAGMET weather data in cooperation with agricultural practitioners and researchers. 5) Maintain the historic Fort Collins weather station. 6) Engage the citizens of Colorado in backyard climate monitoring through the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network (CoCoRaHS). 7) Disseminate climatic information, expertise and applications and assist others in applied climate research. |
| Approach | Seasonal cycles, variations, extremes and trends in climate affect many aspects of life. Our ability to understand the climate system and its impacts is tied to the quality, representativeness and availability of basic climate data used to describe and track local, regional and global climate. This project is focused on climate monitoring and research in Colorado. The Colorado Climate Center will play a key role in gathering specialized data from agricultural regions of the state. These data will be combined with climate information resources from a variety of state and federal agencies to form a comprehensive monitoring system for current climate conditions. In addition, we will encourage citizen participation in backyard climate monitoring to better engage and inform the public. Then, through the integration and archival of these data resources and creative means of analyzing and displaying results, we will enable a broad base of scientists, practitioners and the public to incorporate basic climate data, information and expertise in design, planning, operations, education and research. |
| Keywords | Agricultural Climate, Agricultural Meteorology, Automated Weather Stations, Climate, Climate Variability, Climate Change, Cloudiness, Colorado Climate, Hail, Humidity, Precipitation, Renewable Energy, Solar Radiation, Soil Moisture, Soil Temperatures, Snowfall, Temperature, Wind and Tornadoes, Water Resources, Weather Observations |
| Progress Reports | |
| 1993 | Climatic data for 1993 from more than 200 locations throughout Colorado showedì this to be the 1st year with above average mountain snowfall and subsequentì surface water supplies since the mid 1980s--a boon to agricultural,ì recreational & urban water users. Colorado experienced its second consecutiveì cool summer--the coolest back-to-back summers in more than 40 years. Inì combination with an early freeze over NE Colorado, local crop losses wereì realized. Tools for depicting duration and severity of drought were tested forì areas in & adjacent to Colorado which showed Colo. had no significant impactì from drought in 1993. Results suggesting high probabilities for drought withinì the next few years were provided to State officials. An evaluation ofì high-elevation climate data to meet engineering needs was begun. Methods toì identify inconsistencies in long-term climate records were improved to supportì studies of the effects of automation on climate records. Special investigationsì of Colorado snowfall, growing degree days, winds & extreme temperatures wereì completed. The monthly publication, Colorado Climate, has now been producedì continuously since 1977 providing detailed information about temp, precip,ì solar radiation, soil temperatures, degree days & damaging weather events to aì wide array of data users. Information & research results have been disseminatedì to users through invited talks to groups, requests from users, Coloradoì Climate monthly report, & participation on state & regional committees. |
| 1994 | Drought conditions returned to portions of Colorado in 1994. Data received from 200+ weather stations showed a mild and dry spring followed by a very hot and windy summer. Reduced crop yields in some areas, reservoir depletion and extreme wildfire problems resulted. Several studies developing climate information to address issues of social and economic concern in Colorado are inprogress. Drought and water supply investigations continue. Snowfall probabilities for recreation and snow removal planning were generated. Preferred times and locations for hail damage were determined. Extreme rainfallrates at high elevations affecting reservoirs and diversion structures, fog characteristics and climate conditions associated with extreme wildfire potential were also investigated. These were reported in Doesken and McKee (1994b). Research on incorporating automated weather station data into the nation's historical climate data continued. Integration of climate data from State, federal and private sources to more effectively monitor climatic conditions is being explored. Information and research results were disseminated to users by means of publications, classroom presentations, invited talks, electronic responses to hundreds of climate information requests and through participation on state and regional committees. The monthly report, Colorado Climate, is now sent to more than 900 receipients. |
| 1995 | Climate anomalies challenged agricultural activities severely during 1995. Extremely cool, wet spring weather for Colorado replenished water supplies but caused local flooding and delayed spring planting. Very hot and dry summer weather continued into Sept but ended abruptly with a damaging early snow and freeze. Agricultural climate monitoring activities were expanded by combining the Colorado Agricultural Meteorological network with existing climate databases and providing access via the Internet. New weather instruments were installed at the CSU campus weather station improving availability of temperature, humidity, wind and soil temperature data. Steps were taken to begin sharing data among many organizations currently collecting climate information. Focused research was conducted on temperature data from electronic sensors. A major study of extreme rainfall continues which could greatly affect engineering and planning activities for high elevation reservoirs. Investigation of snowfall characteristics and snow measurement problems to help improve future snow data in the U.S. is nearing completion. Methods for monitoring drought conditions and providing usable information for drought response and planning continued to be tested. Research results were disseminated by means of publications, invited talks, lectures, participation on state and national committees and responses to information requests. A World Wide Web Home Page was established to help provide climate information electronically. |
| 1996 | Climate anomalies in Colorado during 1996 presented more serious challenges to agricultural production. Extreme drought during the spring in southeast Colorado reduced crop production, and all-year drought in southwest Colorado significantly reduced irrigation water supplies. Heavy summer rains ended the drought over eastern Colorado, but hail pummelled crops over broad areas of the eastern plains. Climate monitoring was enhanced by combining data from the Colorado Agricultural Meteorological network (COAGMET) with National Weather Service (NWS) data sources. Efforts to coordinate climate data collection activities among additional agencies was explored. Primary research included 1) the completion of an in-depth study of historic extreme rainfall events in the mountains of Colorado, 2) the completion of a book describing snow, its importance and details of how to measure it accurately (the first printing of 2000 copies have been sold), 3) completion of research determining the impacts of NWS automation of temperature measurements. Ongoing and new research included work on an historical drought summary, communicating drought information to the public, and research on the effects on climate data continuity of automating precipitation measurements. 1996 progress also included enhancing historic and real-time climate data dissemination via the Internet which had more than 87000 accesses. Research results were also disseminated by publications, lectures, and invited talks. |
| 1997 | Drought continues to be a concern for both agriculture and water supply in the Western U.S. This project developed a method to define drought, apply the methods to monitor drought and assess the history of drought in Colo. and the U.S. during the 20th century. A method has been developed using the Standardized Precipitation Index with a variety of time scales to define and monitor both drought and wet periods. The results show that much of the U.S., particularly the upper mid-west and northeast has been getting wetter in the past 25 years with more concern for floods than droughts. Nationwide short term droughts have continued to occur but long-term multiyear droughts have become much less likely since the 1960s in the U.S. The impact of this research is to provide better information to monitor and improve decision making during drought and wet periods. Demand for data and information from the Colorado Agricultural Meteorology network of automated weather stations (COAGMET) has grown this year. Several enhancements were made to COAGMET to provide improved information. An automated redialing system was developed to reduce the frequency of missing data for system users. Insect pest models were programmed and added to the COAGMET system to utilize real-time weather data in insect pest predictions. Special analyses of historic temperature and precipitation data were performed to help evaluate benefits and risks associated with alternative cropping systems for dryland agriculture. An increased number of farmers, consultants and researchers are making use of COAGMET data and the traditional climatic databases maintained by the Colorado Climate Center. Climate fluctuations in Colorado have significant impacts on water supplies, agriculture and most other activities. Detailed statewide climate monitoring continued in 1997 utilizing data from more than 200 NWS cooperative observers plus several other data sources. Summaries generated each month were made available on the Internet and presented to the Colorado Water Availability Task Force and other forums. Results showed 1997 was an extremely wet year for most of Colorado with 25% more precipitation than average, and abundant surface water supplies. Severe summer flash floods and a crippling October blizzard claimed several human lives and killed thousands of livestock . Extreme rainfall events pose a serious threat to life and property. The design of dams is based on assumptions of how heavy it could rain in the future. A major study of extreme rainfall events in Colorado was completed in which more than 300 major rainstorms of the past century were analyzed. A set of 36 storms was identified as the most important for providing insight into the question of how heavy can it conceivably rain. In July 1997 extreme rainfall magnitudes fell in parts of Colorado. These storms, particularly the Fort Collins storm of 7/28/97 were investigated in great detail to document accurately the rainfall area, duration and intensity. The results are being used by many flood plain managers, emergency management professionals, consultants and engineers in the re-evaluation of catastrophic flooding in Colorado. |
| 1998 | Climate variations pose many challenges for agriculture and natural resource in Colorado. Several activities were conducted during 1998 to evaluate climate variations and extremes. Extreme El Nino conditions early in 1998 (unusually warm ocean surface waters over the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean) followed by rapid cooling later in the year focused keen interest on climate variations and predictions. A study was begun to investigate the predictability of Colorado precipitation patterns and water supply from mountain snowpack associated with variations in ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation). Early results suggested a tendency for below average precipitation over Colorado's northern mountains during El Nino years with better chances for above average winter precipitation during the cold phase of ENSO . Conditions were reversed over the southern Rockies. These results are of considerable interest to water managers and the winter recreation industry in Colorado. Statewide climate monitoring was continued utilizing daily and monthly data from more than 200 National Weather Service cooperative stations in Colorado. The winter and early spring were drier than average over much of the mountains and over portions of northeastern Colorado but was excessively wet over portions of southern and southeastern Colorado - fairly consistent with the ENSO-based predictions. The growing season was wetter than average over much of eastern Colorado, but the summer was again fairly dry over western Colorado. Long-term trends in Colorado precipitation were evaluated. At no time in the past century have summers been as consistently wet in southeastern Colorado as they have been this decade. 1998 brought fewer extreme storms than 1997. Detailed studies of local rainfall patterns and intensities for two flash flood producing storms in July 1997 were completed based on specially assembled rainfall data sets. Results are providing administrators, planners, engineers, businesses and individuals with better information on heavy rainfall probabilities as well as the intensity, area and duration of extreme storms. An outgrowth of these activities was the creation of a special science-education project, the Colorado Collaborative Rain and Hail Study (CoCo RaHS). Students grades 4-12, as well as adults and seniors, helped gather data on localized rain and hail patterns from summer storms. The Internet was utilized to assemble data from volunteers and display maps each day that clearly showed the extreme local variability in rain and hail associated with summer storms. Results were used by researchers, local water and stormwater utilities, insurance companies, agribusinesses and other organizations interested in the impacts of variations in rainfall and hail patterns over short distances. Other important activities included improvements to the COAGMET (Colorado Agricultural Meteorology) network for monitoring weather conditions affecting crop growth, water use, disease and pest development. A major study of the history of drought in Colorado affecting water supplies for both dryland and irrigated farming was nearly completed. |
| 1999 | Colorado's complex climate, with its dramatic variations and extremes, poses a great challenge to agricultural production and effective natural resources utilization and management. The focus of this project is detailed statewide monitoring of climatic conditions on a variety of scales in support of broad-based research as well as business and economic applications. Four specific climate monitoring activities were carried out in 1999. 1) Statewide monitoring of temperature, precipitation and snowfall using daily data provided to the Colo Climate Center from over 220 National Weather Service cooperative and automated weather stations. 2) Cooperative agricultural climate monitoring based on hourly, daiy and monthly information collected by the Colorado Agricultural Meteorology Network (CoAgMet). This network is made up of more than 30 remote automated weather stations located throughout Colorado's primary irrigated agricultural areas. Stations are automatically contacted daily and weather information are then made available to users via the Internet and also through a commercial satellite communications system. 3) Monitoring of long-term climate variability and change at the historic Colorado State University main campus climate observatory where continuous uninterrupted records have been maintained since 1889. 4) Intensive small-scale monitoring of highly localized rainfall and hail patterns using several hundred volunteers in northern Colorado participating in the science-education focused Colorado Collaborative Rain and Hail Study (CoCo RaHS). Results showed the 1999 was one of the warmest years in recorded history over portions of Colorado as a result of extremely mild temperatures during the normally cold winter months. It was also one of the wetter years of the 20th Century. Growing season temperatures were close to the long-term average. After a very dry start to the year, a dramatic weather pattern shift in April brought excessive precipitation and subsequent severe flooding to some areas of eastern Colorado. Wet weather with high humidity (for this part of the country) and very frequent showers during July and August helped late-season dryland crops but enhanced fungal and disease problems in irrigated crops. During the fall, extreme dry weather returned with growing concerns over emerging drought conditions. Colorado has not experienced widespread or long lasting drought for nearly 20 years making this the longest prolonged period without significant drought since 1905-1920, just prior to the onset of the 'Dustbowl' drought of the 1930s. Years of drought research culminated in several publications in 1999. The Colorado Climate Center has now completed its 25th year of climate monitoring, research and service. With the help of Internet communications and traditional publications, more researchers, media, government and businesses than ever before made use of climate monitoring results. Applications included land and water resources management and planning, crop and disease modeling, infrastructure design and engineering and remote sensing verifications. |
| 2000 | The variations and extremes that are a part of Colorado's climate have significant impacts on Colorado's agricultural industry and on the management of the state's natural resources. Monitoring and documentation of Colorado's climate and its variations are very important in order to help agriculture, natural resources and other industries be better prepared for and adapted to our variable climate. Four separate activities were conducted in 2000 to comprehensively monitor and document statewide climatic conditions. 1) Data from over 220 National Weather Service stations representing every county in the state were processed each month to assess temperatures, precipitation and snowfall on a daily basis. 2) The Colorado Agricultural Meteorology Network, in collaboration with other groups at CSU, tracked weather conditions on an hourly and daily basis from primarily irrigated agricultural areas both east and west of the mountains. Several new stations and collaborators were added to this network in 2000. 3) Climate anomalies, extremes and long-term variability were assessed via the historic Colorado State University main campus weather station which completed its 112th consecutive year of comprehensive twice-daily weather observations complemented by continuous updates available on the World Wide Web. 4) The Colorado Climate Center continued to expand its high-resolution precipitation monitoring network composed of students and adult volunteers . This program grew to 365 active participants monitoring daily rain and hail. Expansion was concentrated in east central Colorado in conjunction with a special thunderstorm research program. The combined results from each of these activities showed that Colorado experienced its driest year since the 1970s. It was also one of the three warmest years on record until temperatures took a nosedive in November. Rapidly developing drought conditions following a very mild winter and an unusually dry spring led to major impacts on agricultural production. This also helped fuel several large and destructive wildfires. Reservoir water supplies were rapidly depleted. Dissemination of climate information was accomplished via Internet communications, invited presentations, media, and conventional publications and conferences. In addition, the Colorado Climate Center re-established the 'Colorado Climate' newsletter in a new magazine-style format. In addition to climate monitoring, the Center participated in several other research activities including an interdisciplinary wheat stress study. Effects of changes in land use on Colorado's climate were also investigated using both numerical simulations and observations. |
| 2001 | Four distinct climate monitoring activities were carried out during 2001 to track the climatic variations and extremes that are so important to the agricultural industry and the overall economy and society of Colorado. 1) COAGMET, the Colorado Agricultural Meteorology Network was operated throughout the year with stations primarily in irrigated agricultural areas of the state. This was the 10th year with continuous agricultural weather observations. 2) The long-term collaboration with the National Weather Service was continued. Data from more than 220 NWS stations were gathered and analyzed each month in order to track statewide temperature , precipitation and snowfall patterns on a daily and monthly basis. 3) The historic Fort Collins weather station on the campus of Colorado State University was utilized to closely track long-term climatic data and assess climatic fluctuations and impacts. This station has now been operated continuously since 1889 providing one of the best available climate records in the Rocky Mountain Region. 4) Localized precipitation patterns including hail swaths were measured and displayed daily throughout the year with the help of a huge and growing network of volunteers linked to the Colorado Climate Center via the Internet. 2001 ended up the second consecutive dry year for Colorado with some areas experiencing the driest period since the 1970s. Streamflows were below average on many of Colorado's rivers and streams, and reservoir levels dropped below average for the first time in several years. Fortunately, a series of spring storms in April and early May brought much needed moisture to the Front Range and northeastern plains of Colorado which temporarily helped rangeland forage production and winter wheat growth and reduced early season irrigation water demand. Late spring storms produced tornadoes and damaging hail that were responsible for millions of dollars in property and crop damage. Late freezes in May and mid June also had local impacts. The crop of berries in the mountains was greatly reduced resulting in limited food supplies for Colorado's bear population. Temperatures for the year ended up above average once again, particularly during the summer and fall contributing to increased demand for water for irrigation and urban uses. Summer precipitation was favorable in some parts of the state and localized flooding and excessive precipitation in isolated locations. The summer was also characterized by high humidity east of the mountains, and timely periods of wet weather in the mountains that limited the number of large wildfires. The Colorado State Climatologist was elected President (August 2002 - August 2003) of the American Association of State Climatologists. Information about Colorado's climate was distributed via the internet, the 'Colorado Climate' magazine, scientific journals and also the news media. Presentations were given at several conferences and workshops. |
| 2002 | 2002 was a year of severe drought in Colorado. Project resources and priorities were adjusted to respond to broad interdisciplinary demands for timely updates on developing drought conditions and impacts. Historic climate information was utilized in the development of planning tools to help project risks and probabilities for severe sustained drought. The Colorado Agricultural Meteorological Network (COAGMET) became a critical information source for tracking evapotransipiration rates (ET) from all of Colorado's primary agricultural regions to aid in scheduling irrigation as water resources became increasingly scarce. Upgrades were made to COAGMET to improve data retrieval and graphical display via the Internet . Our traditional local and statewide climate monitoring activities continued. Long-term National Weather Service data resources proved extremely valuable in providing a statewide and century-long perspective on the area, severity and duration of drought conditions. These data showed that the 2002 drought was not unprecedented in terms of local precipitation deficits in many areas, but was unusual in terms of encompassing the whole state and surrounding states at the same time. The data collected at the 114-year old Fort Collins Weather Station maintained by this project showed that 2002 summer temperatures were the highest ever recorded and were accompanied by record-breaking evaporation rates, low humidities and high solar radiation consistent with severe drought conditions. The Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study (CoCo RaHs) provided a successful avenue for involving citizens of all ages in intensive local precipitation and water resource monitoring. This low-tech volunteer program has helped establish partnerships and collaboration with more than 20 federal, state and local organizations working together to improve climate monitoring at the local community level. Response to statewide drought conditions also resulted in a collaborative effort with NOAA to develop and implement new climate divisions for climate monitoring and research. DroughtLab was established at Colorado State University as an interdisciplinary team approach to drought research, impact assessment, response and mitigation. The Colorado Climate Center webpage, http://climate.atmos.colostate.edu, was revamped to more clearly provide current and historic climate information with a focus on the current drought. Update schedules for many climate information products were increased from the traditional frequency of once per month, to weekly or sometimes daily with some help from CSU Cooperative Extension and the University Relations staff. |
| 2003 | The impacts of extreme drought during 2002 carried over into 2003, and the demand for climate monitoring and climate information services remained extremely high during all of 2003. Poor snow accumulation continued through late winter 2003. A rare extreme snowstorm over north central Colorado March 17-19th brought drought relief in the form of up to 8 inches of water content to the mountains and 3-5 inches of water to the cities of the northern Front Range in just over 48 hours. This storm, followed by relatively wet and cool weather through June 2003 helped fill reservoirs more than was anticipated and greatly improved surface water supplies. These weather patterns also contributed to a better than expected wheat harvest. Extreme hot dry conditions returned later in the summer, unfortunately, and dryland summer crops in Colorado did very poorly. Range conditions remained poor over much of the state. Climate monitoring activities in 2003 consisted of utilization of existing federal data sources such as the National Weather Service and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. These traditional sources were augmented by the detailed hourly agricultural weather data from all across the state collected by the Colorado Agricultural Meteorological Network (COAGMET). 2003 also saw considerable growth of the Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study (CoCo RaHS) which expanded from a primarily Front Range project to statewide--now consisting of over 750 volunteer observing sites for rain, hail and snow. This dense network is allowing a much more accurate depiction of local precipitation patterns. The historic Fort Collins Weather station completed its 115th year of complete and uninterrupted operation on the campus of Colorado State University. 2003 ended up as one of the 3 hottest years in recorded history, but precipitation was above average for the first time since 1999. 2003 was also a challenging year for the station as nearby capital construction threatened to severely impact observed long-term weather records. In the end, the station was saved and will be given special historical designation. Research results were shared widely during the year via news media, traditional publications, through the Colorado Climate magazine, through numerous oral presentations at agricultural, natural resources and water management meetings statewide and through the web at http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu. The Colorado Climate Center worked very closely with CSU Cooperative Extension on drought related strategic planning and outreach. |
| 2004 | Drought concerns remained on the forefront in Colorado in 2004. The winter was fairly dry, and March was abnormally warm and dry leading to early wild fire concerns and one large wildfire in Larimer County. Fortunately, April brought much above average precipitation to many parts of Colorado. While May was fairly warm and dry, it was followed by three consecutive summer months with cooler than average temperatures over all of eastern Colorado and mostly above average precipitation. It was the coolest summer in several years. This resulted in less demand for irrigation water but also slower maturing of summer crops. Meanwhile drought conditions continued in western Colorado all summer until a series of storms arrived in September bringing widespread heavy rains. National Weather Service and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service data sources were used extensively for state and regional climate monitoring in 2004. To help monitor precipitation, which is so locally variable, nearly 500 new volunteers, under the leadership of Nolan Doesken were recruited in 2004 bringing the total to well over 1000 active volunteers reporting rain, snow and hail. Enhancements were made to the website to accommodate the large number of participants and data users: http://www .cocorahs.org. Efforts to improve data accuracy and accessibility from the Colorado Agricultural Meteorology network (COAGMET) were continued with collaborative planning efforts to add several new automated weather stations in agricultural areas of southern and southeastern Colorado. Through cooperation with CSU and the City of Fort Collins, new fencing and landscaping was installed around the 116-year old Fort Collins weather station to provide a vegetation buffer to reduce the impacts from nearby construction. Climate data continuity analysis continued. During fall 2004, new instrumentation to automatically measure and report snow depth was installed. This is a part of a national snow measurement study coordinated here by the Colorado Climate Center. Research results were shared widely via news media, traditional publications, the Colorado Climate magazine produced by this project, via the web (http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu) and through numerous invited presentations at agricultural, natural resources and water management and planning meetings across Colorado. We continued to be an active participant on the Colorado Water Availability Task force as well as the State Flood Task Force. Many presentations were also given at meetings and conferences outside of Colorado. |
| 2005 | Weather Summary: 2005 brought gradual drought recovery to Colorado. Precipitation totals were near 1971-2000 averages over most of the eastern 3/4th of the state while western Colorado was much wetter. A few locations exceeded their average precipitation for the year by 30% or more including areas from Grand Junction to near Glenwood Springs and parts of Moffat and Rio Blanco counties in NW Colorado. Another very wet area was Huerfano County (Walsenburg) and parts of south central Colorado. SW Colorado had a wet start with the help of a mountain snow blitz in early Jan. Snow melt runoff and water supplies were above average over southern Colorado for the first time in several years; but drier than average conditions returned to southern Colorado. Drier than average conditions were fairly common east of the mountains where a dry May, July and Sept made it tough on those farmers who rely on summer rains to help crops. Water year precipitation ended up between 70 and 85% of average from parts of Weld and Morgan counties south through Limon and Hugo to the Arkansas River. Some of these areas continued to suffer long-term impacts from drought but were greatly aided by the soaking rains that followed in Oct 2005. As much as 4 inches of rain fell over several counties of NE Colo in Oct. Temperatures were above average statewide for the year, this was the 12th consecutive warmer than average winter (Dec 2004-Feb 2005). Extreme heat affected much of Colorado in July, but the summer as a whole was only modestly warmer than average. Climate Monitoring: Colorado Climate Center led 4 major climate monitoring projects. 1) Several hundred new volunteer weather stations measuring rain, hail and snow were added as a part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (www.cocorahs.org). This project also expanded to new states including KS and NM. 2) Colorado Agricultural Meteorology network (COAGMET) added several new observing sites in S and SE Colorado. All current and historic data are made available for agricultural applications via www.coagmet.com. 3) Recently refurbished historic Fort Collins weather station completed 117 years of uninterrupted daily weather observations. Several climate observational studies were completed including evaluations of various types of rain gauges, thermometer intercomparisons , and an assessment of recently installed ultrasonic instrumentation to automatically measure and report snow depth. This is a part of a national snow measurement study coordinated by the Climate Center. 4) Recent and historic wind gust data were collected to help develop a new wind load map for structural engineers and building code officials. Outreach: This project provides climate expertise to the citizens of Colorado. Research results were shared during 2005 via news media, traditional publications, Colorado Climate magazine, via web at ccc .atmos.colostate.edu, and numerous invited presentations at agricultural, natural resources and water management and planning meetings. Continued active participant on the Colorado Water Availability Task force, the State Flood Task Force, and other committees and organizations. |
| 2006 | Colorado's 2006 statewide climate patterns were actively monitored by the Colorado Climate Center. The year was characterized by extreme variations and contrasts. The midwinter months (2005-06) brought generous snowfall to the high elevations of the northern and central mountains while leaving southern Colorado and the Front Range very dry. For some of the state , this was the 13th consecutive warmer than average winter continuing to fuel 'climate change' concerns. But some mountain valleys, like Gunnison, had a colder than average winter. The spring and early summer was abnormally dry and warm statewide bringing a quick return of drought conditions and concerns to many parts of the state. Beginning in early July, moisture began streaming into Colorado from the south, and beneficial and locally heavy rains fell throughout the summer over portions of the southern 2/3 of the state. Rains were sufficient to reduce irrigation demands and in some cases increased reservoir levels. At the same time, northern counties of Colorado continued very dry, as part of a large drought-stricken area of the northern plains states. The fall and early winter were characterized by normal to cooler than average temperatures and several large storms. Two major snowstorms in the last 2 weeks of December paralyzed large areas across the eastern half of Colorado and resulted in federal disaster declarations for many counties. Snow was actually deeper at the end of the year in cities such as Denver, Greeley, Longmont and Trinidad than in many of the state's mountain communities, a rare midwinter event. Noteworthy climate monitoring and research activities included: 1) The completion of the 118th year of continuous climate monitoring at the official Fort Collins weather station on the CSU campus. 2006 was 20% drier than average and one of the warmest years in history at this premier long-term station. 2) Coordination and leadership of the Colorado Agricultural Meteorological Network (CoAgMet)--a 60-station statewide network of automated weather stations serving Colorado's agricultural and water management decision-making needs. Current and historic data as well as data analysis tools are provided via www.coagmet.com. Efforts to improve data quality from this network highlighted 2006 activities. 3) The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network (CoCoRaHS) has now grown from a local precipitation resource to a national effort expanding into many other states. This network provides data updated daily from close to 1000 backyard weather stations across Colorado and has become a platform for cooperation among many of Colorado's weather, agric. and natural resources organizations. Data are available for research and monitoring at www.cocorahs.org. 4) We are leading a national effort to use new technologies to improve the quality and availability of snow fall and snow depth data (snowstudy.cocorahs.org). Outreach: All of the above efforts involve a strong outreach component to the state of Colorado with publications, websites, classroom instruction, year-round community seminars, invited presentations and close relations with the state's print and broadcast media. |
| Impact | |
| 1999 | Climate variations and extremes continue to impact all aspects of life in Colorado from agriculture and natural resources to recreation and transportation. It has been nearly 20 years since Colorado's last significant widespread drought. With the dramatic increase in population during that period, it is imperative that water users and planners realize that supplies may not always be as plentiful as they were in 1999. |
| 2000 | Climate information gathered and dissemination during 2000 were used extensively for assessing enegy drought conditions and water supplies in both rural and urban areas of Colorado. Based on the experience of 2000, the worst statewide drought since 1977, efforts are currently underway to assess state water needs in light of competing demands among agriculture, municipalities, recreation and wildlife. |
| 2001 | Availability of detailed weather data from this project representing most agricultural areas of the state provides useful information for irrigation scheduling and monitoring evapotranspiration. Data are also critical inputs for a growing number of disease, pests, and crop development models that are helping Colorado farmers reduce production costs while increasing yields. Statewide climate monitoring is helping the state detect the magnitude, severity, and duration of drought and is leading to better water planning and drought mitigation strategies. The 'Colorado Climate' magazine helping Colorado teachers appreciate the value of our climate as a natural resource and is giving these teachers ideas on how to teach students of all ages about Colorado's fascinating climate. |
| 2002 | Accurate and timely climate information effectively communicated via multiple media to the citizens of Colorado is leading to better projections of current and future water supplies and demands and is helping guide and shape water conservation efforts. Climate information such as drought indexes and probability assessments are providing farmers and resource managers realistic climate-based data and projections to use in risk management and other planning and decision-making procedures and tools. While not necessarily resulted in increased yields, our goal is to avoid overstressing critical resources such as ground water, forests, forage, and soil nutrients while maintaining acceptable environmental quality even in the face of very extreme drought conditions. |
| 2003 | Detailed climate monitoring on very localized scales is helping Colorado track and adapt to highly variable climatic conditions. Through diverse means of climate monitoring and many channels of information delivery, this project is helping the citizens of Colorado see and understand how climate affects their lives and livelihoods. From climate-based water development and conservation, cropping systems planning and irrigation scheduling to long-term planning and climate-sensitive architecture and design, Colorado is making good use of current and historic climate information to be better prepared for the future. |
| 2004 | Collaborative efforts to monitor and understand the climate of Colorado continually pays benefits to the state of Colorado. From better assessment and use of water supplies, to the development of a more adaptive infrastructure, better climate information is important for operational decision making, planning, and the management of climate-sensitive risks. Weather and climate effects not only agriculture but recreation, transportation, and resource management. Through diverse means of climate monitoring and many channels of information delivery, this project is helping the citizens of Colorado see and understand how climate affects their lives and livelihoods. |
| 2005 | The Colorado Climate Center is a climate information resource to the state of Colorado and beyond. By knowing current climate conditions, local and regional climate variability and how current conditions compare to the past, we help assess current and future water supplies, agricultural production, and other natural resources. Weather and climate effects not only agriculture but recreation, transportation, and resource management. Climate information is important for operational decision making, planning, development of adaptive infrastructure and the management of climate-sensitive risks. Through diverse means of climate monitoring and many channels of information delivery, this project is helping the citizens of Colorado see and understand how climate affects their lives and livelihoods. |
| 2006 | The Colorado Climate Center is a climate information resource to the state of Colorado and beyond. Weather and climate affects agriculture but also recreation, transportation, and resource management. Based on website activity, thousands are accessing climate information each week. By knowing current climate conditions, local and regional climate variability and how current conditions compare to the past, we provide critical support to help sustain a viable agricultural economy in an environment where water supplies are limited, and competition for these natural resources is high. Through diverse means of climate monitoring and many channels of information delivery, this project is helping the citizens of Colorado see and understand how climate affects their lives and livelihoods. Helping state officials document recent winter weather extremes helped bring critical disaster relief to the State. |
| Publications | |
| 1993 |
CHANGNON, D., MCKEE, T.B., and DOESKEN, N.J. 1993. Annual snowpack patterns and long-term variability across the Rockies using 500 mb synoptic patterns. Mon. Wea. Rev., 121, 3(March), 633-647. DOESKEN, N. 1993. Something altogether different!--Climatologist offers tips on measuring snow . American Weather Observer, Volume 10, 11(November), pp. 3-4. DOESKEN, N.J. and GILLESPIE, M.A. 1993. A review of the 1992 water year in Colorado. Proceedings, 13th Annual AGU Hydrology Days, 30 March-2 April, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, pp. 1-16. MCKEE, T.B., DOESKEN, N.J. and KLEIST, J. 1993. The relationship of drought frequency and duration to time scales. Preprints, 8th Conf on Applied Climatology, 17-22 January, Anaheim, CA, pp 179-184. REDMOND, K., and DOESKEN, N.J. 1993. Precipitation data in the mountains of the western United States: Do we have what we need. Proceedings, ASCE International Symposium on Engineering Hydrology, 25-30 July, San Francisco, CA. |
| 1994 |
DOESKEN, N.J. and GILLESPIE, M.A. 1994. A review of the 1993 water year in Colorado. Proceedings, AGU 14th Annual Hydrology Days, 5-8 April, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. pp. 57-73 DOESKEN, N.J. and MCKEE, T.B. 1994. Colorado Climate water-year series (October 1992-September 1993). Climo Report 94-2. Atmospheric Science Department, Colorado State University, March. 153 pp DOESKEN, N.J. and MCKEE, T.B. 1994. Colorado Climate water-year series (October 1993-September 1994). Climo Report 94-4. Atmospheric Science Department, Colorado State University, December. 149 pp |
| 1995 |
CLEMENT, P.C. 1995. A comparison of radar-derived precipitation and rain gage precipitation in northeastern Colorado. M.S. Thesis, Colo State Univ, Fort Collins, CO, 92 pp CLEMENT, P.C., MCKEE, T.B., and DOESKEN, N.J. 1995. Precipitation--A comparison of radar and surface observations in Colo. 9th AMS Conf on Applied Clim, 15-20 Jan, Dallas, TX, 19-20 DOESKEN, N.J. and GILLESPIE, M.A. 1995. A review of the 1994 water year in Colorado. 15th Annual Hydrology Days, 3-7 April, Fort Collins, CO, 17-32 DOESKEN, N.J. and MCKEE, T.B. 1995. Colorado Climate water year series (October 94-September 95). Climo Rpt 95-1, Atmos Sci Dept, Colo State Univ, Ft Collins, CO, 147 pp DOESKEN, N.J., MCKEE, T.B., and J.W. HARRINGTON. 1995. MMTS--10 years after. 9th AMS Conf on Applied Clim, 15-20 Jan, Dallas, TX, 21-24 MCKEE, T.B., DOESKEN, N.J., and KLEIST, J. 1995. Drought monitoring with multiple time scales. 9th AMS Conf on Applied Clim, 15-20 Jan, Dallas, TX, 233-236 |
| 1996 |
DOESKEN, N.J. and GILLESPIE, M.A. 1996. A review of the 1995 water year in Colorado. 16th Annual Hydrology Days, Colo State Univ, Fort Collins, April 15-18, 119-133 p DOESKEN, N.J. and JUDSON, A. 1996. The Snow Booklet. A guide to the science, climatology and measurement of snow in the United States. Atmos. Sci. Dept., Colo State Univ. ISBN #0-9651056-1-x. June, 84 p DOESKEN, N.J., MCKEE, T.B., and KLEIST, J. 1996. Climate data continuity with ASOS (Report for period September 1994 - March 1996). Climo Report 96-1, Atmos Sci Dept, Colo State Univ, Fort Collins, March, 117 p. -- |
| 1997 |
DOESKEN, N.J., and GILLESPIE, M.A. 1997. A review of the 1996 Water Year in Colorado. Preprints, 17th Annual Hydrology Days, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, April 14-18, pp. 65-79 EDWARDS, D.C, MCKEE, T.B., DOESKEN, N.J., and KLEIST, J. 1997a. Historical analysis of drought in the United States. Preprints, 7th Conference on Climate Variations, February 2-7, Long Beach, CA, Paper 4.10, pp. 129-139 EDWARDS, D.C., and MCKEE, T.B. 1997. Characteristics of 20th century drought in the United States at multiple time scales. M.S. Thesis. Climatology Report 97-2. Atmospheric Science Paper No. 634. Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1371, May, 155 pp EDWARDS, D.C., MCKEE, T.B., DOESKEN, N.J. and KLEIST, J. 1997b. A description of changes in drought events in the United States during the 20th century. Preprints, 10th Conference on Applied Climatology, 20-24 October, Reno, NV, Paper 5B.5, pp. 188-189 MCKEE, T.B., and DOESKEN, N.J. 1997. Colorado extreme storm precipitation data study. Final report: Summary of accomplishments and work performed February 15, 1995 through October 31, 1996. Climatology Report 97-1, Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1371, May, 107 pp |
| 1998 |
Butler, R.D., and McKee, T.B. 1998. ASOS heated tipping bucket performance assessment and impact on precipitation climate continuity. M.S. Thesis. Climatology Report 98-2 and Atmospheric Science Paper 655, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, 83 pp Doesken, N.J. 1998. High plains water and weather impacts. Proceedings, Ogallala Aquifer Symposium, February 12, Sterling, CO, pp. 57-63 Doesken, N.J., and Gillespie, M.A. 1998. A review of the 1997 Water Year in Colorado. Proceedings, 18th Annual AGU Hydrology Days, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 , March 30 - April 3 Doesken, N.J., and McKee, T.B. 1998. An analysis of rainfall for the July 28, 1997 flood in Fort Collins, Colorado. Climatology Report 98-1, Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1371, 55 pp Doesken, N.J., Duke, H.R., Hamblen, B.L., Kleist, J., McKee, T.B., McMillan, M.S. and Schwartz , H.F. 1998. The Colorado Agricultural Meteorological Network (COAGMET) -- A unique collaborative system supporting Colorado agriculture. Preprints, 23rd Conference on Agriculture and Forest Meteorology, 2-6 November 1998, Albuquerque, NM, pp. 240-242 Grigg, N.S., Doesken, N.J., Frick, D.M., Grimm, M., Hilmes, M., McKee, T.M., and Oltjenbruns, K.A. 1998. Fort Collins flood 1997: Lessons from an extreme event. Proceedings, Fort Collins Flood 1997, Water Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, pp. 123-15 Weaver, J.F., Petersen, W.A., and Doesken, N.J. 1998. Some unusual aspects of the Fort Collins , Colorado flash flood of 28 July 1997. Preprints, 8th AMS Conference on Mountain Meteorology, Flagstaff, AZ, pp. 310-316 |
| 1999 |
Grigg, N.S., Doesken, N.J., Frick, D.M., Grimm, M., Hilmes, M., McKee, T.B., and Oltjenbruns, K.A. 1999. Fort Collins flood 1997: comprehensive view of an extreme event. J. Water Resources Planning and Management, Vol. 125, No. 5, Sept/Oct, pp 255-262 McKee, T.B., Doesken, N.J., and Kleist, J. 1999. Historical dry and wet periods in Coloado. Climatology Report 99-1, Part A. Technical Report, Part B. Appendices. Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 400 pp McKee, T.B., Doesken, N.J., Kleist, J., Shrier, C.J., Stanton, W.P. 1999. A history of drought in Colorado: lessons learned and what lies ahead. Water in the Balance, Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, No. 9, December, 20 pp |
| 2000 |
Doesken, N.J. and Judson, A. 2000. Density of freshly fallen snow in the Central Rocky Mountains. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. 81(7):1577-1587. Doesken, N.J. and Weaver, J.F. 2000. Microscale rainfall variations as measured by a local volunteer network. Preprints, 12th Conf on Applied Climatology, 8-11 May, Asheville, NC, Amer. Meteor. Soc, Boston, MA, 308-311. Doesken, N.J., and Duba Hayes, S. 2000. Rainfall frequency data--They really do matter. Preprints, 12th Conf on Applied Climatology, 8-11 May, Asheville, NC, Amer. Meteor. Soc, Boston, MA, 269-271. Doesken, N.J., and Gillespie, M.A. 2000. A review of the 1999 Water Year in Colorado. Proceedings, 20th Annual AGU Hydrology Days, Colo State Univ, Fort Collins, CO, 3-6 April, pp 47-62. McKee, T.B., Doesken, N.J., and J. Kleist, J. 2000. Results of 23 years of drought monitoring and research in Colorado. Proceedings, 12th Conf on Applied Climatology, 8-11 May, Asheville, NC, Amer Meteor Soc., Boston, MA, 220-223. |
| 2001 |
Doesken, N.J. 2001. CoCo RaHS (Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study) simple science with significant results. Extended Abstracts, 10th AMS Symp. on Education, Boston, MA. Doesken, N.J. and Gillespie, M.A. 2001. A review of the 2000 water year in Colorado. 21th Annual Hydrology Days Proceedings, Colo State Univ, pp. 42-57. Pielke Sr., R.A., Chase, T.N., Kittel, T.G.F., Knaff, J.A., and Eastman, J. 2001. Analysis of 200 mbar zonal wind for the period 1958-1997. J. Geophys. Res. 106:27287-27290. Pielke Sr., R.A., Doesken, N.J., and Salas, J.D. 2001. Drought threat to Colorado water. Colorado Water, CWRRI, Colo State Univ. pp. 7-10. Pielke Sr., R.P. and Doesken, N.J. (editors). 2001. Colorado Climate. Vol. 1:1-4 (Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall). Colo. State Univ. |
| 2002 |
Doesken, N.J. 2002. The health of the National Weather Service Cooperative Program -- One state's perspective. Preprints, 13th AMS Conf. on Appld. Climatology, Portland, OR, 4-6. Doesken, N.J. 2002. What good is a dense volunteer network for measuring rain and hail? Preprints, 13th AMS Conf. on Appld. Climatology, Portland, OR, 7-10. Doesken, N.J., and Pielke, R.A., Sr. 2002: The drought of 2002 -- How did we get into this mess? What comes next? Proceedings, R.E. Taylor Beef Symposium 2002, Cooperative Extension, Colo. State Univ., C1-C14. Doesken, N.J., Bliss, O.A., and Pielke, R.A., Sr. 2002. Colorado Climate, A magazine dedicated to applied climatology. Preprints, AMS 13th Conf. on Appld. Climatology, Portland, OR, 305-307 . Doesken, N.J., Gillespie, M.A. 2002. A review of the 2001 water year in Colorado. Proceedings, 22nd Annual AGU Hydrology Days, Colo. State Univ., 342-352. Pielke, R.A., Sr., Stohlgren, T., Schell, L., Parton, W., Doesken, N., Redmond, K., Moeny, J., McKee, T., and Kittel, T.G.F. 2002. Problems in evaluating regional and local trends in temperature: An example from eastern Colorado, USA. Int. J. Climatol. 22:421-434. |
| 2003 |
Doesken, N.J. 2003. Challenge of Snow Measurements. Chapter 50, Handbook of Weather, Climate, and Water: Dynamics, Climate, Physical Meteorology, Weather Systems, and Measurements (ed. T.D . Potter and B.R. Colman). John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 927-949. Doesken, N.J. 2003. CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study)-Observing the water cycle in your own community. Combined Preprints, CD ROM, 12th Symp on Education, Long Beach, CA, paper 4.1. Doesken, N.J. and Bauder, T. 2003. CoAgMet - Weather data helps Colorado agriculture manage water. Colorado Water Newsletter, 12-14. Doesken, N.J. and Gillespie, M.A. 2003. Severe Drought: A review of the 2002 water year in Colorado. Proceedings, 23rd Annual AGU Hydrology Days, Fort Collins, CO. Doesken, N.J. and Pielke, R.A., Sr. 2003. Drought of 2002. Proceedings, The High Plains No-Till Conference, Greeley, CO, Section A. Pielke, R.A., Sr. 2003. Drought in Colorado - Where are we in 2003? Proceedings, 23rd Annual AGU Hydrology Days, Fort Collins, CO. |
| 2004 |
Doesken, N.J. 2004. A rich harvest of climate information from the National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Program. CD-ROM Combined Preprints, 14th Conference on Applied Climatology, paper 3.1. Doesken, N.J. 2004. Saving the Fort Collins Weather Station, Part 2. The Climate Station Chronicles, NOAA CDMP, No. 9 (December), 1-5. Doesken, N.J. 2004. Saving the Fort Collins Weather Station, Part 1. The Climate Station Chronicles, NOAA CDMP, No. 8 (October), 1-5. Doesken, N.J., and Pielke, Sr., R.A. 2004. The drought of 2002 in Colorado. CD-ROM Combined Preprints, 14th Conference on Applied Climatology, JP3.6. Doesken, N.J., Gillespie, M.A. 2004. A review of the 2003 Water Year in Colorado. Proceedings, 24th Annual AGU Hydrology Days. March 10-12, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 261-272. Doesken. N.J. 2004. CoCoRaHS - Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study. CD-ROM Combined Preprints, 13th Symposium on Education, paper P.1.24A. Lang, T.J., Miller, L.J., Weisman, M., Rutledge, S.A., Barker, L.J., Bringi, V.N, Chandrasekar , V., Detwiler, A., Doesken, N., Helsdon, J., Knight, C., Krehbiel, P., Lyons, W.A., MacGorman , D., Rasmussen, E., Rison, W., Rust, W.D. and Thomas R.J. 2004. The Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study (STEPS). Bul. Amer. Met. Soc., August, 1107-1125. Pielke, Sr., R.A. 2004. A broader perspective on climate change is needed. Global Change Newsletter, No. 59 (September), 16-19. Pielke, Sr., R.A., Doesken, N.J., and Bliss, O.A.P. (Editors) 2004. Colorado Climate. Vol. 3, No. 2 (Spring 2002). Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Pielke, Sr., R.A., Doesken, N.J., and Bliss, O.A.P. (Editors) 2004. Colorado Climate. Vol. 3, No. 3 (Summer 2002). Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. |
| 2005 |
Brazenec, W.A. 2005. Evaluation of ultrasonic snow depth sensors for automated surface observing systems (ASOS). M.S. Thesis. Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Watershed Stewardship, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, Fall 2005, 134 pp. Brazenec, W.A., and Doesken, N.J. 2005. Ultrasonic snow depth sensors for measuring snow in the United States. Extended Abstract JP1.25, 15th AMS Conference on Applied Climatology, Savannah, GA, June. Brazenec, W.A., Doesken, N.J., and Fassnacht, S.R. 2005. Evaluation of two ultrasonic snow depth sensors for National Weather Service Automated Surface Observation System Sites. Hydrology Days 2005, April, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Cifelli, R., Doesken, N., Kennedy, P., Carey, L.D., Rutledge, S.A., Gimmestad, C., and Depue, T. 2005. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network: Informal education for scientists and citizens. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., Vol. 86, 8(August), 1069-1077. Davey, C.A., and Pielke, Sr., R.A. 2005. Microclimate Exposures of Surface-Based Weather Stations, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc, Vol. 86, 4(April), 497-504. Doesken, N., and Gillespie, M. 2005. A Review of the 2004 Water Year in Colorado, Hydrology Days 2005, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, April, pp. 279-291. Doesken, N.J. 2005. Ten-year comparison of daily precipitation from the 4 inch diameter clear plastic rain gauge versus the 8 inch diameter metal standard rain gauge. Extended Abstract 2.2 , AMS 13th Symposium on Meteorology, Observations and Instrumentation, Savannah, GA, June. Doesken, N.J. 2005. The Climate of Colorado: Update and status report. Proceedings, 17th Annual Winter High Plains No-Till Conference, Island Grove Park, Greeley, Feb 1-2, pp. A4-A5. Doesken. N.J. 2005. The National Weather Service MMTS (Maximum-Minimum Temperature System)--20 years after. Extended Abstract JP1.26, 15th AMS Conference on Applied Climatology, Savannah, GA, June. Pielke, Sr., R.A., Doesken, N., Bliss, O., Green, T., Chaffin, C., Salas, J.D., Woodhouse, C., Lukas, J.L., and Wolter, K. 2005. Drought 2002 in Colorado--An unprecedented drought or a routine drought? Pure Appl. Geophys., Special Issue in honor of Prof. Singh, 162, 1455-1479, doi:10.1007/200024-005-2679-6. Pielke, Sr., R.A., Doesken, N.J., and Bliss, O.A. (editors). 2005. Colorado Climate, Fall 2002 , Vol. 3, No. 4, 17 pages and Water Year 2003, Vol. 4, No. 1-4, 21 pages, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. |
| 2006 |
Brazenec, W.A., Doesken, N.J. and Fassnacht, S.R. 2006. Ultrasonic snow depth sensors for measuring snow in the U.S. Preprints, 10th AMS Symposium on Integrated Observing and Assimilation Systems for the Atmosphere, Oceans, and Land Surface (IOAS-AOLS), Atlanta, GA, Paper 4.4. Doesken, N. 2006. CoCoRaHS -- Monitoring Colorado's Water Resources through Community Collaborations. Proceedings, Sustaining Colorado Watersheds: Science and Restoration Through Collaboration, Breckenridge, CO. Doesken, N. and Pielke, Sr., R.A. 2006. The Climate of Colorado. 2006 Colorado Agricultural Outlook Forum, Denver, CO, pp 6-8. Reges, H.W., Cifelli, R.C., Doesken, N.J. and Turner J. 2006. CoCoRaHS -- 'Hands-on' science for communities right in their own backyards. Preprints, 15th AMS Symposium on Education, Atlanta, GA, Paper 1.6A. |