The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a world leader in climate research, including active research in climate modeling, regional climate modeling, remote sensing, ecology, agronomy and plant sciences, health, and Extension. The Wisconsin State Climatology Office is poised to be a valuable partner in these efforts.
Recent Research Highlights
Wisconsin Rainfall Project
Provides improved statistics of extreme precipitation in Wisconsin; calculates extreme precipitation estimates for the present climate and projections for future climates.
Extreme Weather Index (EWI)
Quantifies extreme weather in Wisconsin by equally weighting temperature and precipitation rankings on timescales of at least one month.
Cause of Decades-Long, Increasing Precipitation Trend in Madison
Analysis showing the primary contributor is more frequent “moderate extremes” (daily precipitation amounts of 1 to 2 inches).
Rock River Flooding
Investigates potential causes of the increased flooding of Wisconsin’s Rock River and analyzes the future of the floodplain.
Research Topics In Progress
How and why is Wisconsin becoming warmer and wetter?
The climate trends are clear: Wisconsin is experiencing higher temperatures and more precipitation statewide in every season. But are these trends caused solely by global-scale warming or also by regional-scale atmospheric circulation patterns that favor more heat and moisture in Wisconsin?
Tracking Wisconsin’s “Goldilocks days”
Wisconsinites know to savor those seemingly rare days that are not too hot, not too cold, but just right. These so-called “Goldilocks days” are also an important component of the climate. Our office is studying the characteristics of Goldilocks days in terms of their frequency, trends, and spatial coverage.
Frequency of freezing conditions
Arguably, the most important temperature threshold is the freezing point (32 degrees), which determines whether precipitation falls as rain or snow, whether snow cover and lake ice persist, and more. We are studying how often locations experience freezing weather as a measure of how climate change is affecting Wisconsin’s winters.
Is Wisconsin becoming snowier?
The data suggest that the state has experienced a pronounced increase in annual snowfall since records began in the late 1800s, but are the data reliable, or is this trend an artifact of changing methods for measuring snowfall?
Submit a Research Idea
Do you have a Wisconsin climate question that could be investigated by the State Climatology Office? Share your inquiry by emailing us at stclim@aos.wisc.edu.