Did you know that Asheville is home to the world’s largest repository of weather and climate data?
In 1951, the U.S. Government moved all weather archives from the U.S. Weather Bureau, Air Force and Navy to create what is now NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center (part of the Centers for Environmental Information) located at the Federal Building at 151 Patton Ave.
At first, the archive was located in the Grove Arcade, which was big enough to store the 150 million pages of paper records, and thousands of trays of computer punch cards (used for early coding). It was also safe enough to protect the data from attack + natural disasters. We all know the Grove Arcade is basically indestructible.
Now in the Federal Building, the data is stored in 17 petabytes (as of 2014, so that number is much higher now) and those are stored on high-performance servers with robotic data retrieval. To put it into perspective, if the data was in DVD format, it would be 4.4 million discs and stack 3.7 miles high. Talk about a digitizing project.
This data isn’t only for archiving but used daily around the world for business leaders to make business decisions. You can search + map data trends, and access specialized tools at Climate Data Online.
Because of National Climatic Data Center’s HQ in Asheville, the city has become a hub for climate data innovation.
In 2016, The Collider was founded in order to bring together a diversity of expertise surrounding market-driven climate solutions. It’s a coworking space + membership program for the climate industry.
Some of its members include The Climate Listening project, American Association of State Climatologists, Climate Interactive, HealtheWeather, National Environmental Modeling & Analytic Center, StatWeather Institute, and dozens of others.
This week, they’re putting on the first annual Climate Con, Asheville’s first conference for climate professionals. While the sessions are pretty industry-specific, Asheville has come together for The Climate City Experience, happening until Sunday. Dozens of businesses are offering climate-specific products, putting on climate-themed art exhibitions, or brewing special beers (like the EPA beer at Highland Brewing). Bonus: UNC Asheville is hosting sustainable agriculture workshops Saturday at the Roots Garden + Sunday at the Sol Garden. Celebrate Climate Experience Week with these events + deals.
We asked two Collider members, the CEO of The Climate Service and the Director of the Center for Weather & Climate about why they’re based in Asheville.
James McMahon, CEO, The Climate Service
2. Why is your organization working in Asheville? All the amazing climate experts!
3. It’s pretty unique to have so many climate organizations in one city. Why do you think this is such a hotbed for climate research? NOAA’s NCEI and its predecessors have been here since 1952.
4. Do you work closely with any other organizations in Asheville? If so, which ones + why? I’m involved with the Venture Asheville program - a great way to build the entrepreneurial ecosystem!
5. What are the most pressing issues for our climate and how can Asheville work to create positive change within this issue? Need to quantify the impacts in financial terms - that’s what we’re doing!
6. What is your organization working on, and how can Ashevillians get involved? We help corporations worldwide understand their climaterisks and opportunities in financial terms so that they can take action.
7. What can Ashevillians do to get behind Asheville’s Climate City? Support The Collider with your contributions, your time, and attendance at public events.
Michael Tanner, Director of the NCEI Center for Weather and Climate
2. Why is your organization working in Asheville? In 1951 the Federal Government moved all climate and weather records to Asheville and formed the National Weather Records Center (NWRC). The NWRC became part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1970. That same year, the NWRC changed its name to the National Climatic Center, ultimately becoming the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in 1982. In 2015, NCDC merged with the National Geophysical Data Center and the National Oceanographic Data Center to become the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).
2. It’s pretty unique to have so many climate organizations in one city. Why do you think this is such a hotbed for climate research? Part of the reason is the vast archive of weather and climate information stored here since 1951 and the expertise and opportunities that grew up within the Federal Government around those records. The collocation of U.S. Air Force and Navy meteorological presences, along with the atmospheric sciences program at the University of North Carolina - Asheville, only helped to cultivate and strengthen the local weather and climate culture.
3. Do you work closely with any other organizations in Asheville? If so, which ones + why?
NCEI provides free and open access to all users. That means we work with anyone needing data and information. This helps enable the private sector and spur business. Additionally, NCEI reaches out to the community by providing educational resources and serving as a resource to local schools.
5. What are the most pressing issues for our climate and how can Asheville work to create positive change within this issue? One of the pressing issues for climate is the desire by decision-makers, private companies, and the general public to better understand the impacts of weather and climate on almost everything we do. Incorporating weather and climate into business decisions and policies, as well as decision by the public, will help grow the economy and make people and business less susceptible to weather and climate events.
6. What is your organization working on, and how can Ashevillians get involved?
NCEI is committed to ensuring the integrity of the data it archives and provides.Doing so makes NCEI the authoritative source for environmental data that can be relied upon for making weather and climate impacted decisions.
7. What can Ashevillians do to get behind Asheville’s ClimateCity? Become familiar with the information and experts at NCEI and use the information to inform daily decisions for life and business.
