The Wisconsin State Climatology Office (SCO) advances regional climate science in support of a wide range of communities, businesses, and agencies within Wisconsin and the Midwest region.
In addition to gathering, analyzing, and delivering climate data and products, the office will provide specialized information and tools to benefit Wisconsin, including:
- Tailored tools for Wisconsin’s agricultural communities to better monitor climatic conditions and manage crops, including a consistent contribution to the U.S. Drought Monitor
- An active Mesonet (a dense network of weather and soil measurements), in combination with other networked observation systems (groundwater, buoys) to provide opportunities for tailored climate products for Wisconsin’s communities
Together with university and state partners, the SCO aims to integrate climate science into youth and adult education programs that address topics and issues that are relevant to the sustainability and vitality of our communities, from community economic development and food systems to water quality and agriculture.
The office will build on the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s reputation as a leader in climate research by expanding opportunities into adaptation, mitigation and action.
The Wisconsin State Climatology Office is housed within the Nelson Institute Center for Climatic Research (CCR) and affiliated with the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The State Climatology Office is part of UW–Madison’s Rural Partnerships Institute (RPI), a campus-wide organization supporting Wisconsin’s rural and tribal communities. Other elements of the RPI include the Wisconsin Mesonet and community research/outreach projects.
Our mission is to offer climate services that help Wisconsinites use weather and climate information most effectively.
These services are centered around three elements:
- Information: providing users with reliable weather and climate information
- Interpretation: assisting users in how to understand and apply this information
- Investigation: conducting basic and applied research on Wisconsin’s climate
We achieve this goal by:
- Providing climate data characterizing monthly, seasonal, and annual conditions
- Revealing evidence of long-term climate variability in Wisconsin
- Developing “value-added” products and decision-support tools
- Conducting applied climate research
Two close partners of this office are:
- The Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI), a collaboration of scientists and stakeholders who foster solutions to climate change impacts in Wisconsin.
- The Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC), which provides climate services for the entire Midwest.