GIS in Weather and

Society

Olga Wilhelmi
National Center for Atmospheric Research
Institute for the Study of Society and Environment

WAS*IS Summer 2007

Geographic Information Systems
 A science and a technology that
includes elements of computer
visualization, database management
and spatial analysis of geographically
referenced data.
 A GIS stores information as a
collection of thematic layers that can
be linked together by geography.
 In many disciplines and sectors GIS
is used for data integration, analysis
and decision making (common tool
for many stakeholders, i.e., local and
state governments).
Georeferenced Data
 Coordinates (X, Y) or geographic identifier (place
name) that can be linked to GIS data
 Vast collection of geographically referenced data
already exists in digital format
 Google for “your keyword GIS data download”
 Remotely sensed data – important source of
georeferenced data
 Paper maps can be scanned
 Data acquisition is usually the most time
consuming task
 Data quality
 Appropriate use of data (completeness, scale, content, etc.)
What can a GIS do?
 Geographic information links a place (and often a time), with
some property of that place
 “The temperature at 40 N, 105 W at noon local time on 07/16/07 was
25 Celsius.”

 GIS can store a vast number of these properties

 The GIS term is attributes.
 Attributes are nonspatial information about a geographic feature in
a GIS, usually stored in a table and linked to the feature by a
unique identifier.
 They can be physical, social, economic, demographic,
environmental, etc.
GIS Applications
 Visualization of information
 Spatial analysis
 Location (Where is it...)
 Condition (What is it...)
 Trend (What has changed...)
 Pattern (What is the pattern...)
 Routing (Which is the ’best’ way ...)
 Modeling (What if...)

 Integration of information
(interdisciplinary research;
quantitative and qualitative)
 Data distribution
Traditional use of GIS
Source of data: EM-DAT : The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database.
http://www.em-dat.net, UCL - Brussels, Belgium
 GIS Analysis and Integration

Tropical Storm Allison

Research studies on and emergency management of hurricane-

induced flooding involve integrating data from atmospheric sciences,
oceanography, hydrology, geology, geography, and social sciences.
Weather and Society Data in a GIS
A set of parameters (e.g., pressure,
temperature, wind speed) which
vary as continuous functions in 3-
dimensional space and time.

Social
Sciences
Data Integration /
Spatial Analysis Earth Sciences
Spatially and/or temporally
structured quantitative
(e.g., surveys), qualitative GIS
(e.g., interviews), often
context-specific pieces of Collection of features
information. (e.g., roads, soil types,
census blocks) with
geographic footprints
on the Earth surface.
Data can be vector
(points, lines, polygons)
or raster (grid cells).
 Weather and Climate
Data Model
2006

 Working dialog between ESRI

and weather and climate
community:
 Four workshops in 2004-2007
 The goal is seamless
integration of atmospheric
and oceanographic data:
 Observations
 Products
 Infrastructure
2005
Participants:
NCAR, Unidata/UCAR, NWS.
NOAA NCDC, University of
Oklahoma, Pacific Marine
Environment Lab, National Marine
Fisheries Service, NASA Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, ESRI,
George Mason University

http://www.gis.ucar.edu/sig
2004 2007
Weather and Climate Data Model
Data classified by usability in GIS
GIS Ready
 fully described, point and click -----------

GIS Friendly
 some effort to make GIS-Ready

GIS Alien
 cannot be fully described -----
Summary by Scott Shipley, GMU in
http://www.esri.com/library/newsletters/atmosphericfront/atmospheric-front-fall06.pdf
NetCDF Tools in ArcGIS 9.2
Toolbox: Multidimension Tools
• Make NetCDF Raster Layer
• Make NetCDF Feature Layer
• Make NetCDF Table View
• Raster to NetCDF
• Feature to NetCDF
• Table to NetCDF
• Select by Dimension
 Weather Models in a GIS
 Mesoscale weather
predictions
 Impacts of extreme
weather events
 Verification of model
outputs
 Decision support and
management
 Integration of weather
forecast with socio-
economic data
Total precipitation NAM CONUS 40km conduit 2007-02-05
 NWS GIS Radar Webpages

 GIS Radar images and

warning polygons are
displayed, time looped and can
be downloaded to a GIS
 1 Minute Polygon Warning
updates

http://radar.weather.gov
Keith Stellman, NWS
Watches & Warnings Ken Waters, NWS

Atmospheric Front

http://www.weather.gov/regsci/gis/
 GIS and Climate Data Online (CDO)
Simple access to NCDC data
archives while integrating new
and informative products

US Drought Indices

Rich Baldwin, NCDC

http://gis.ncdc.noaa.gov, http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov
http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov
 Climate Change in a GIS
 NCAR GIS Initiative
distributes CCSM IPCC
projections (monthly
averages) in a GIS format

http://www.gisclimatechange.org
 Users of NCAR GIS Portal
Biomass Salmon
Resource potential conservation
management

Climate Vegetation
change ecology
education

Water
resources
Vulnerability of Agriculture
population and
ecosystems

Human
health
Energy

~ 2000 registered users from 108 countries;

~ 30K CCSM files downloaded
Types of users: Research; Education; Government; GIS; Environmental; Military and defense;
Industry; Regional planning and economic development; Native American Tribes, Other…
Weather and Society Data in a GIS
A set of parameters (e.g., pressure,
temperature, wind speed) which
vary as continuous functions in 3-
dimensional space and time.

Social
Sciences
Data Integration /
Spatial Analysis Earth Sciences
Spatially and/or temporally
structured quantitative
(e.g., surveys), qualitative GIS
(e.g., interviews), often
context-specific pieces of Collection of features
information (e.g., roads, soil types,
census blocks) with
geographic footprints
on the Earth surface.
 Social Sciences and GIS
 “Spatial turn“ in social sciences, a new interest in location,
and a new "spatial social science" that crosses the traditional
boundaries between disciplines.
 Social processes can be examined in their geographic
settings.
 Resources:
 Center for Spatially Integrated Social Sciences (http://www.csiss.org/)
 "Geographic Information Systems for the Social Sciences:
Investigating Space and Place" by S. Steinberg and S. Steinberg,
2006
 Goodchild (2004) http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring04articles/social-sciences.html
GIS-based Risk Assessments: Spatial
Integration and analysis

Population: 1,5 M
Population density:
11,233/mi2

Wilhelmi, Uejio, Samenow (2007)

 Qualitative Data in a GIS:
Conceptual Integration
 Content-specific; snap shots
in time.
 Visualization of information
 Geographical referencing
(XY, place name, geographic
identifier) allows for mapping
data together to reach a
common interpretation
 Methodological differences
(concepts and study objects)
may create challenges

Perceptions of climate change

From S. McNeeley
In Summary

 GIS is a useful tool to study and solve problems

when location matters.
 GIS provides tools and methods for integrative,
interdisciplinary research and decision-making.
 Ongoing research in Atmo-GIS and spatial social
sciences offer many new potentials.
 Research challenges provide great topics for
students!
Contact

 E-mail: olgaw@ucar.edu
 GIS Initiative webpage: http://www.gis.ucar.edu
 ArcGIS Exercise
 Exploring societal risk to flash
flooding
 Flash flood in Fort Collins,
Colorado:
 5 people died
 US $250 M in damage
 Extreme precipitation event
Group Projects
 Group discussion
 Vulnerability mapping (what characteristics did
you select for vulnerability mapping and why?)
 Presentation of the results
• Does your map convey what you are trying to
present?
• Discuss and critic selection of scale, legend,
color schemes, other map elements
 Discuss the role of GIS in your work. If not used
already, imagine the potential use of GIS in your
weather and society applications. Discuss
challenges and opportunities.