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U.S.
Climate Normals
1971-2000

Inventories

Go to Top of Page Station Selection

    Monthly normals are computed for as many stations as practical.  In order to be included, a station must have at least 10 years of monthly temperature data or 10 years of monthly precipitation data for each month in the period 1971-2000.  In addition, a station had to be active since January 1, 1999 OR had to be included as a normals station in the 1961-1990 normals.

    In 1989, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) prescribed standards of data completeness for stations that were subsequently included in the 1961-1990 WMO Standard Normals (WMO, 1989).  For full qualification, the thirty-year month-year sequential file had to have no more than three consecutive year-month values missing for a given month or no more than five overall values missing for a given month.  Less than fully qualified stations were included in the standard normals if they had a minimum of 10 year-month values for each month.

    The requirement for a minimum of 10 years of monthly data in the 1971-2000 period assures that all stations minimally meet  standard normals requirements articulated by WMO.  Out of 7937 stations included in the 1971-2000 normals, approximately 5200 are fully qualified under the WMO guidelines, with the remaining meeting minimal requirements (except for supplemental ASOS stations; see below).  Stations meeting the full qualifications under the WMO guidelines are noted with a flag in the normals station inventory.  All stations except supplemental ASOS stations are considered official normals for the United States for the 1971-2000 period.

    During the 1990s, the National Weather Service (NWS) modernized its station network, principally through the introduction of Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) instrumentation.  As of January 2001, some 860 ASOS sites were commissioned and operational, primarily at airport locations administered by NWS or the Federal Avaiation Administration (FAA).  The introduction of ASOS has profound implications for the computation of 1971-2000 normals at impacted sites, as instrumentation and site changes, coupled with staggered implementation, calibration, and data ingesting transition schedules throughout the 1990s yielded data inhomogeneities.

    To address computation of normals at ASOS locations, NCDC has grouped the 860 ASOS sites into several classes.  506 ASOS sites were cross-referenced to a Cooperative Network Identification number.  Of these, 355 stations were direct successors to previously existing stations at the same (generally airport) location.  The other 151 stations were linked to surrogate cooperative stations, meaning that a neighboring cooperative station was selected by NCDC or the ASOS program office to provide initial 1961-1990 normals for the station.

    1971-2000 normals will be provided using established adjustment procedures for the 355 successor ASOS stations.  These stations will be included in the official normals release.  Adjustment strategies for the 151 surrogate ASOS stations are under review, and since these stations will have fewer than 10 years of data, they will likely be provided with the normals release as supplemental rather than official stations.  This grouping should not markedly impact the official provision of data for First-Order sites, as nearly 95% of all NWS sites are part of the 355 successor stations.

Go to Top of Page State Inventories

    Data for the 1971-2000 normals are available for 7937 total stations (including 5556 temperature and precipitation stations). The locations represent sites that are part of the Cooperative Network, National Weather Service offices, and principal climatological stations in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Pacific Island locations.  These locations are shown in Figure 1 for (from top to bottom) the contiguous United States, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and Pacific Island locations.

Figure 1
CLIM81 Station Locations

Maps of station locations in U.S. and possessions, click for larger image.

Go to Top of Page Divisional Inventories

    There are 344 climate divisions in the contiguous United States, with each state subdivided into as many as 10 climate divisions.  The division boundaries generally coincide with county boundaries, but frequently coincide with drainage basins in the western part of the U.S. (Guttman and Quayle, 1995).  The Climate Division Map (Adobe PDF Format) shows the climate divsions.  Table 3a lists each of the 344 climate divisions by state (Note:  There is no division 04 in Nebraska), while Table 3b lists the climate divisions for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Pacific Islands.

    Table 3a
    Listing of Climate Divisions for Contiguous U.S. (by State)

Code Name Code Name Code Name Code Name
ALABAMA   IOWA NEBRASKA PA
0101 Northern Valley 1301 Northwest 2501 Panhandle 3608 South Central Mtns.
0102 Applachian Mountain 1302 North Central 2502 North Central 3609 Southwest Plateau
0103 Upper Plains 1303 Northeast 2503 Northeast 3610 Northwest Plateau
0104 Eastern Valley 1304 West Central 2505 Central 3701 RHODE ISLAND
0105 Piedmont Plateau 1305 Central 2506 East Central SOUTH CAROLINA
0106 Prairie 1306 East Central 2507 Southwest 3801 Mountain
0107 Coastal Plain 1307 Southwest 2508 South Central 3802 Northwest
0108 Gulf 1308 South Central 2509 Southeast 3803 North Central
ARIZONA 1309 Southeast NEVADA 3804 Northeast
0201 Northwest KANSAS 2601 Northwestern 3805 West Central
0202 Northeast 1401 Northwest 2602 Northeastern 3806 Central
0203 North Central 1402 North Central 2603 South Central 3807 Southern
0204 East Central 1403 Northeast 2604 Extreme Southern SOUTH DAKOTA
0205 Southwest 1404 West Central NEW HAMPSHIRE 3901 Northwest
0206 South Central 1405 Central 2701 Northern 3902 North Central
0207 Southeast 1406 East Central 2702 Southern 3903 Northeast
ARKANSAS 1407 Southwest NEW JERSEY 3904 Black Hills
0301 Northwest 1408 South Central 2801 Northern 3905 Southwest
0302 North Central 1409 Southeast 2802 Southern 3906 Central
0303 Northeast KENTUCKY 2803 Coastal 3907 East Central
0304 West Central 1501 Western NEW MEXICO 3908 South Central
0305 Central 1502 Central 2901 NW Plateau 3909 Southeast
0306 East Central 1503 Blue Grass 2902 Northern Mountains TENNESSEE
0307 Southwest 1504 Eastern 2903 NE Plains 4001 Eastern
0308 South Central LOUISIANA 2904 SW Mountains 4002 Cumberland Plateau
0309 Southeast 1601 Northwest 2905 Central Valley 4003 Middle
CALIFORNIA 1602 North Central 2906 Central Highlands 4004 Western
0401 North Coast Drng. 1603 Northeast 2907 SE Plains TEXAS
0402 Sacramento Drng. 1604 West Central 2908 Southern Desert 4101 High Plains
0403 Northeast Interior Basins 1605 Central NEW YORK 4102 Low Rolling Plains
0404 Central Coast Drng. 1606 East Central 3001 Western Plateau 4103 North Central
0405 San Joaquin Drng. 1607 Southwest 3002 Eastern Plateau 4104 East Texas
0406 South Coast Drng. 1608 South Central  3003 Northern Plateau 4105 Trans Pecos
0407 Southeast Desert Basins 1609 Southeast 3004 Coastal 4106 Edwards Plateau
COLORADO MAINE 3005 Hudson Valley 4107 South Central
0501 Arkansas Drng. Basin 1701 Northern 3006 Mohawk Valley 4108 Upper Coast
0502 Colorado Drng. Basin 1702 Southern Interior 3007 Champlain Valley 4109 Southern 
0503 Kansas Drng. Basin 1703 Coastal 3008 St. Lawrence Valley 4110 Lower Valley
0504 Platte Drng. Basin MARYLAND (& DC) 3009 Great Lakes UTAH
0505 Rio Grande Drng. Basin 1801 Southeastern Shore 3010 Central Lakes 4201 Western
CONNECTICUT 1802 Central Eastern Shore NORTH CAROLINA 4202 Dixie
0601 Northwest 1803 Lower Southern 3101 Southern Mountains 4203 North Central
0602 Central 1804 Upper Southern 3102 Northern Mountains 4204 South Central
0603 Coastal 1805 Northeastern Shore 3103 Northern Piedmont 4205 Northern Mountains
DELAWARE 1806 Northern Central 3104 Central Piedmont 4206 Unita Basin
0701 Northern 1807 Appalachian Mountain 3105 Southern Piedmont 4207 Southeast
0702 Southern 1808 Allegheny Plateau 3106 Southern Coastal Plain VERMONT
FLORIDA MASSACHUSETTS 3107 Central Coastal Plain 4301 Northeastern
0801 Northwest 1901 Western 3108 Northern Coastal Plain 4302 Western
0802 North 1902 Central NORTH DAKOTA 4303 Southeastern
0803 North Central 1903 Coastal 3201 Northwest VIRGINIA
0804 South Central MICHIGAN 3202 North Central 4401 Tidewater
0805 Everglades and SW Coast 2001 West Upper 3203 Northeast 4402 Eastern Piedmont
0806 Lower East Coast 2002 East Upper 3204 West Central 4403 Western Piedmont
0807 Keys 2003 Northwest Lower 3205 Central 4404 Northern
GEORGIA 2004 Northeast Lower 3206 East Central 4405 Central Mountain
0901 Northwest 2005 West Central Lower 3207 Southwest 4406 Southwestern Mtn.
0902 North Central 2006 Central Lower 3208 South Central WASHINGTON
0903 Northeast 2007 East Central Lower 3209 Southeast 4501 West Olympic Coastal
0904 West Central 2008 Southwest Lower OHIO 4502 NE Olympic San Juan
0905 Central 2009 South Central Lower 3301 Northwest 4503 Puget Sound Lowlands
0906 East Central 2010 Southeast Lower 3302 North Central 4504 E Olym. Cascade Foothill
0907 Southwest MINNESOTA 3303 Northeast 4505 Cascade Mtns. West
0908 South Central 2101 Northwest 3304 West Central 4506 East Slope Cascades
0909 Southeast 2102 North Central 3305 Central 4507 Okanogan Big Bend
IDAHO 2103 Northeast 3306 Central Hills 4508 Central Basin
1001 Panhandle 2104 West Central 3307 Northeast Hills 4509 Northeastern 
1002 North Central Prairies 2105 Central 3308 Southwest 4510 Palouse Blue Mountains
1003 North Central Canyons 2106 East Central 3309 South Central WEST VIRIGINIA
1004 Central Mountains 2107 Southwest 3310 Southeast 4601 Northwestern
1005 Southwestern Valleys 2108 South Central OKLAHOMA 4602 North Central
1006 Southwestern Highlands 2109 Southeast 3401 Panhandle 4603 Southwestern
1007 Central Plains MISSISSIPPI 3402 North Central 4604 Central
1008 Northeastern Valleys 2201 Upper Delta 3403 Northeast 4605 Southern
1009 Upper Snake River Plains 2202 North Central 3404 West Central 4605 Northeastern
1010 Eastern Highlands 2203 Northeast 3405 Central WISCONSIN
ILLINOIS 2204 Lower Delta 3406 East Central 4701 Northwest
1101 Northwest 2205 Central 3407 Southwest 4702 North Central
1102 Northeast 2206 East Central 3408 South Central 4703 Northeast
1103 West 2207 Southwest 3409 Southeast 4704 West Central
1104 Central 2208 South Central OREGON 4705 Central
1105 East 2209 Southeast 3501 Coastal Area 4706 East Central
1106 West Southwest 2210 Coastal 3502 Willamette Valley 4707 Southwest
1107 East Southeast MISSOURI 3503 Southwestern Valleys 4708 South Central
1108 Southwest 2301 Northwest Prairie 3504 Northern Cascades 4709 Southeast
1109 Southeast 2302 Northeast Prairie 3505 High Plateau WYOMING
INDIANA 2303 West Central Plains 3506 North Central 4801 Yellowstone Drng.
1201 Northwest 2304 West Ozarks 3507 South Central  4802 Snake Drainage
1202 North Central 2305 East Ozarks 3508 Northeast 4803 Green and Bear Drng.
1203 Northeast 2306 Bootheel 3509 Southeast 4804 Big Horn
1204 West Central MONTANA PENNSYLVANIA 4805 Pwder, LMo.,Tongue Dg.
1205 Central 2401 Western 3601 Pocono Mountians 4806 Belle Fourche Drng.
1206 East Central 2402 Southwestern 3602 East Central Mtns. 4807 Cheyenne Niobrara Dg.
1207 Southwest 2403 North Central 3603 Southeastern Piedmont 4808 Lower Platte
1208 South Central 2404 Central 3604 Lower Susquehanna 4809 Wind River
1209 Southeast 2405 South Central 3605 Middle Susquehanna 4810 Upper Platte
2406 Northeastern 3606 Upper Susquehanna
2407 Southeastern 3607 Central Mountains

Table 3b
Listing of Climate Divisions for Alaska, Hawaii, and Territories

Code Name Code Name Code Name Code Name
ALASKA HAWAII PUERTO RICO VIRGIN ISLANDS
5001 Southeastern 5101 Island of Kauai 6601 North Coastal 6701 St. Thomas
5002 South Coast 5102 Island of Oahu 6602 South Coastal 6702 St. Croix
5003 Southwestern Islands 5103 Island of Molokai 6603 Northern Slopes 6703 St. John
5004 Copper River 5104 Island of Lanai 6604 Southern Slopes PACIFIC ISLANDS
5005 Cook Inlet 5105 Island of Maui 6605 Eastern Interior 9102 East of 180th Meridian
5006 Bristol Bay 5106 Island of Hawaii 6606 Western Interior 9103 Western Pacific Islands
5007 West Central  5107 Island of Kahoolawe 6607 Outlying Islands 9104 Caroline and Mariana Islands
5008 Interior Basin
5009 Arctic Drainage

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