Meteorological Indicators
Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere, such as seasons, climate, precipitation, storms, temperature, and air pressure. Meteorological indicators may be one of the most valuable methods of determining whether a climate is changing or not. Following trends for meteorological indicators allows the scientific community to determine if temperatures are increasing, if precipitation events are altering, and if extreme weather events are occurring more frequently.
Changes in temperature, precipitation, and extreme weather events have the ability to negatively affect the health of populations throughout Utah and the entire world. Meteorological changes can negatively impact agriculture, increase heat waves, reduce air quality, and increase food-, water-, and animal-borne diseases.
Utah's geographic diversity may allow for certain Utah communities to be unequally affected over others. This is why extensive study of meteorological indicators is necessary: to establish which populations within Utah will be the most vulnerable to adverse health outcomes due to climate change.
Climate change affects everyone.
Reducing the risk of adverse health outcomes lies mostly in preparing for climate change. This includes
- Tracking weather patterns and disasters to look for trends,
- Increasing education and awareness about climate issues,
- Ensuring food security,
- Protecting water supplies, sources, and infrastructure,
- Strengthening disaster response capability, and
- Protecting the environment, such as mangrove forests and coral reefs .
Resources
- EnviroAtlas home page - EnviroAtlas is a tool provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EnviroAtlas provides interactive resources for exploring the benefits people receive from nature, or "ecosystem goods and services." It uses seven broad categories to organize its information and data: clean air; clean and plentiful water; natural hazard mitigation; climate stabilization; recreation, culture, and aesthetics; food, fuel, and materials; and biodiversity conservation.
- Natural Events and Disasters - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- National Climatic Data Center - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- What Wildland Fire Fighters Need to Know about Rhabdomyolysis
Meteorological
Wildland Fires
- Number of Smoke Days by Year, Statewide
- Number of Smoke Days by County
- Number of Smoke Days by Weather Forecast Zone
Floods
Smoke Days from Wildfires
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The Utah EPHT Network receives meteorological data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)
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