| Abstract: |
Weather and climate impact every locale uniquely. Local weather hazards, climate extremes, socioeconomic vulnerability, and the sensitivity of local economic activities vary widely from one location to the next. As such, the weather-sensitive decisions that need to be made, and the subsequent need for local weather and climate information to support those decisions, vary as a function of local threat hazards and vulnerability. To better understand the decision-making, needs and gaps in weather and climate services across Kentucky, the Kentucky Climate Center hosted a 1.5-day workshop to better quantify these needs and gaps. The workshop was organized around six specific weather-sensitive sectors: (1) energy and transportation; (2) water and agriculture; (3) environment and conservation; (4) industry and commerce; (5) media and forecast providers; and (6) hazard mitigation and emergency management. The primary needs expressed by all sectors included more local, more frequent observations and more precise, longer-range forecasts. In addition, much greater organization of all available data and products would enable much broader adoption of these tools. This paper summarizes the findings from this workshop in the hope of providing an example and template for others to follow. |
