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Climate & Weather Resources: Home

This guide contains selected climate and weather resources available on the Internet. Included are links to science and government data and disaster planning resources, as well as local weather data and reports.
Last Updated: Jan 8, 2024 3:44 PM

Weather


Local Weather

  • National Weather Service Buffalo, New York. Weather and climate reports, forecasts, data.
  • Buffalo Weather Report (Intellicast: Weather Services International). UB Weather.
  • Buffalo Weather Interactive Map (Intellicast). Detailed weather reporting and forecast models. View different features (e.g., wind speed, radar, precipitation) by selecting from a list of topics. Map should direct to your current location but may you may need to input location data to see your area.
  • Buffalo Weather (Weather Channel).
  • Weather Summaries: Buffalo, NY (enter KBUF for Station ID): Daily Climatic Summaries, Monthly Climatic Summaries, 1940-present.
  • Snow Closing Information WNY. WIVB official list of closings. Updated as it happens.
  • UB Severe Weather Closing, call: 645-NEWS (645-6397).
  • New York State Highway Conditions. Includes conditions for State, City, and regional roads.
  • Buffalo Traffic Report. Main Thruway/expressway routes and major roads; map has links to webcams and conditions. Also provides a trip assistance calculator so you can plot an efficient route using current conditions.
  • Sigalert.com. Locate traffic cams on the map, then view the current weather and traffic on the road. Also lists accidents. Link is set to show Buffalo/Erie County.
  • Weather Cams. Regional video cameras provide real time looks at the weather around Western New York:

National and International Weather

  • Interactive Weather Information Network (IWIN (National Weather Service)). Source of weather forecasts and data.
  • Weather.com Home Page. The Weather Channel Home Page
  • Weather Page. Intellicast (Weather Services International). Weather forecasts, predictions, data, history, and educational materials.
  • The Weather Underground. Weather and weather data, current and historical.
  • OSU Weather (Ohio State University). Climate and weather data, current data summaries, other materials for on demand reference/research. Special emphasis on tornadoes.
  • Old Farmer's Almanac. Weather forecasts that "are determined by the use of a secret formula (devised in 1792 by the founder of this Almanac, Robert B. Thomas), enhanced by the most modern scientific calculations based on solar activity, particularly sunspot cycles."
  • STORMFAX® Weather Services. Weather and climatologic services, historical, and other data. Current information on hurricanes, tropical storms, and other weather activities, as well as information/links on such topics as: Ocean temperatures and conditions, tides, sunrise/moonrise, pollen, pollution, and UV conditions, weather lore and history, and many others.

National Severe Storm Warning and Watches


Government Sites

  • Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms (CAPS--University of Oklahoma in Norman), is a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center whose mission is to demonstrate the practicability of small-scale numerical weather prediction with an emphasis on deep convection.
  • Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS--National Ocean Service) collects, analyzes and distributes historic and real-time observations and predictions of water levels, coastal currents and other meteorological and oceanographic data.
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Official home page. News, photographs, maps and charts, services, etc. Use "Site Index" to locate specific data. Includes:
    • Earth Observing System. Global study and data collection of Earth's climate and weather cycles.
    • Global Systems Division (GSD) of the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL). Formerly the Forecast Systems Laboratory. Maps, charts, and data on current global weather activities.
    • Climate and Weather Predictions and Tracking
      • Climate Prediction Center. Assesses and forecasts impacts of short-term climate variability, emphasizing enhanced risks of weather-related "extreme events."
      • Severe Weather. All U.S. severe weather events.
      • Storm Prediction Center. Monitors tornadoes, lake-effect storms, and other severe weather in the U.S.
    • NOAA Paleoclimatology. Pre-historic (pre-instrument) climate/weather data.
  • National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (formerly: National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). World's largest active archive of weather data, maps, and images. NCEI produces numerous climate publications and responds to data requests from all over the world. NCEI operates the World Data Center-A, Meteorology, collocated at:
    • Climate Resources (from NCEI).
    • NCEI Dataset Documentation & Metadata. Includes:
      • Local Climatological Data Publications for Buffalo, NY. Includes monthly and annual cumulations of climate/weather data from the Buffalo weather station for years 1908-present. To use: select New York,  then select Buffalo NY (by date).
      • Monthly Climatic Data for the World (MCDW)
      • Storm Events Database (SED)
      • Local Climatological Data, Edited (LCD)
      • Climatography of the U.S., Clim 81 Sup 3., U.S. maps of mean air temperature, precipitation, heating/cooling degree data
      • Climate of the World Publication of average temperature and precipitation data for over 800 stations (PDF report)
      • Wind Climatology 1996 (PDF).
        Wind Climatology for selected U.S. Cities
      • Freeze/Frost data for the U.S. (PDF)
      • Selected Freeze/Frost Maps
  • National Ocean Service. News, maps and charts, data, and links to related sites.
  • National Weather Service. "The National Weather Service™ (NWS) provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy." Includes data, maps, predictions, historical data sets, and links to regional offices and sites. Some critical topic sites include:
  • National Data Buoy Center. Oceanographic and meteorological measurement data from ocean and lake buoys around the world. Run by the National Weather Service. Offers phone service called Dial a Buoy.
  • World Meteorological Organization (WMO). United Nations agency, WMO coordinates global scientific activity to allow increasingly prompt and accurate weather information and other services for public, private and commercial use.

Climate

Climate

Start here: National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Primary source for climate and long-term weather data, maps (formerly: National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)).


Disaster Planning

  • The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Learn about and prepare for disasters.
  • Hazards Assessment (NWS). Weather disaster areas; source of identification.
  • Severe Weather (NOAA). Data and reports on all severe weather situations.
  • Storm Ready! (NWS). Awareness and planning on a community level. Learn how to coordinate with municipal and governmental emergency support, how to be prepared, how to get help in a disaster, and other topics. Describes situations and their likelihood. Also includes special topic resources, such as Severe Weather In My Community.

UB Libraries Resources

Reference Books

  • Local Climatological Data, Buffalo (1958-Present) UGL/SEL REF QC 983 A533
  • Survey of Climatology v.11 UGL/SEL REF QC 981 W67
  • Climates of the States v.2 UGL/ SEL REF QC 983 C 56 1985
  • Climatic Atlas of the United States SEL Map Rm Atlas G 1201 C8 U57 1993
  • Solar Energy Atlas for New York State. James Healey, Richard T. Nelson, Ronald Stewart. Albany: Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, SUNY Albany, 1975.
    UGL/SEL Ref QC894 N7 H4 1975.
  • Solar Radiation Energy Resource Atlas of the United States. Solar Energy Research Institute, 1981. SEL Map Rm Ref QC911.82.U5 S64 / UGL/SEL REF QC911.82.U5 S64
    The only source of solar radiation data for the Buffalo area.
  • Weather of U.S. Cities v.2 UGL/SEL REF QC 983 W393

Books

  • Elements of Geography UGL G126 T7 1967
    Describes climatic regions of the United States (Koppen system)
  • Snow Cover Surveys Lockwood GB 2416 E 28

Journals

  • Climate Change v.3 (1980/1981)- Present SEL Per QC981.8.C5 C54
    "An interdisciplinary, international journal devoted to the description, causes and implications of climatic change."

Government Documents

  • Common Questions About Climate Change SEL Documents US C 55.2: C 61/ 7

Just for Educators and Students

Teachers

  • Educational Activities. (NCDC). Climate/weather educational materials.
  • Educator's Bridge. (National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research: NCDC affiliate). Climate/weather educational materials and links; arranged by grade level.
  • Bridge (Sea Grant Ocean Sciences Education Center). Educational materials, activities, climate/weather/environmental news, and issues.
  • Water Cycle Teachers Page (University of Washington). Study guides and course materials on the entire water cycle.
  • Chasing the Storm: Weather Photography. View weather topics and effects, shown with photographs.

Storm Chasing (Videos, documentaries, etc.)

Kids

  • FEMA for Kids (The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Helps kids learn about and prepare for disasters.
  • Lesson Plans from the Weather Channel has lesson plans and guides for teachers of grades K-12. Includes the Weather Classroom.
  • Projects and Activities page. Learn weather and climate concepts by performing experiments, taking readings, and other activities.

Librarian

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Fred Stoss
Contact:
105 Lockwood Memorial Library
716-645-1337
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