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Climate Prediction Center (CPC) meteorologists and oceanographers review climate and weather observations and data along with model results; assess their meaning, significance, and current status; and likely future climate impacts. Their findings are issued as assessments, advisories, special outlook discussions, and bulletins.
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Assessments

Assessments are reviews of current weather and climate information issued on a routine basis.

  • Hazards Assessment

    From Monday-Friday, the CPC issues an assessment of weather- and climate-related hazards to the United States for the next three to fourteen days.

  • ENSO Assessment:
    Weekly Update


    On Monday the CPC updates a PowerPoint Powerpoint Viewer 2003 and PDF Adobe PDF Reader presentation on the recent evolution, current status and predictions of conditions in the tropical Pacific related to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle.

  • MJO Weekly Assessment Adobe PDF Reader

    On Monday, the CPC provides an assessment of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) which includes a description of the recent evolution, current status and forecasts of the MJO.

  • Experimental Global Tropics Benefits/Hazards Assessment

    On Monday, the CPC produces a benefits/hazards assessment for the global tropics for the upcoming 1-2 week time period. The product includes collaboration from other NOAA centers and synthesizes information from a number of CPC assessment activities and other operational monitoring products.

  • Drought Assessment

    On each Thursday, the CPC, together with the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Drought Mitigation Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, and NOAA's National Climatic Data Center issues a weekly drought assessment called the United States Drought Monitor. The Monitor provides a consolidated depiction of national drought conditions based on a combination of drought indicators and field reports. The CPC issues the Seasonal United States Drought Outlook each month in conjunction with the Thursday release of the long-lead temperature and precipitation outlooks near the middle of the month. Updates to the Seasonal United States Drought Outlook are issued the first Thursday of each month.

  • Degree Days Assessment

    On Monday, the CPC issues the weekly Degree Day Assessment, which reviews temperature and degree day statistics for the heating or cooling season to date, as well as the past week, and provides an outlook for the coming week.

  • Climate Assessments

    Technical review of global climate variations and their global impacts on seasonal and annual time scales.

Diagnostic Discussions

Diagnostic Discussions are issued to keep people informed of major climate events that have an impact on their daily lives.

  • El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion

    The CPC issues the ENSO Diagnostic Discussion around the middle of the month. The discussion addresses the current oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the Pacific and the seasonal climate outlook for the following one to three seasons. An online archive of the ENSO Diagnostic Discussions (since 2001) is also available.

Special Outlook Discussions

Special Outlook Discussions focus on seasonal climate events that have a near-term impact on our lives. An archive of past special outlook discussions can be found under Outreach/Publications.

  • Hurricane

    In May and August, the CPC posts the Atlantic Hurricane Outlook Discussion, which analyzes climate influences on and expected hurricane activity for the Atlantic and Caribbean basins during June to November. Also in May, the Tropical Eastern North Pacific Hurricane Outlook is released. The eastern Pacific hurricane region covers the eastern Pacific Ocean east of 140oW north of the equator.

  • United States Winter

    In October the CPC posts the Winter Outlook, which reviews climate influences on the upcoming winter season and the likely weather impacts on various regions of the United States.

  • African Seasonal Rainfall

    The CPC produces seasonal rainfall outlooks for various African regions prior to their rainy season.

Bulletins

Bulletins primarily review past climate conditions.

  • Climate Diagnostics Bulletin

    The monthly Bulletin reports on the previous months status of the ocean-atmosphere climate system in the tropics and extratropics and provides various seasonal outlooks. It is issued by the fifteenth of the month.

  • Annual Winter Stratospheric Ozone Bulletin

    This annual Bulletin reviews stratospheric ozone variability and temperatures in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The Northern Hemisphere Bulletin is issued in April and the Southern in December.

  • The Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin

    This Bulletin, a joint United States Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and United States Department of Agriculture publication, reports on United States weather and crop status for the past week as well as growing conditions around the world. The bulletin is published on Tuesday.


NOAA/ National Weather Service
National Centers for Environmental Prediction
Climate Prediction Center
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Camp Springs, Maryland 20746
Page Author: Climate Prediction Center Internet Team
Page last modified: June 26, 2008
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