GIS in Weather and Society

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GIS in Weather and Society

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

WASIS Summer 2007
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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).

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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.)

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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.

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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

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Traditional use of GIS
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Source of data EM-DAT The OFDA/CRED
International Disaster Database.
http//www.em-dat.net, UCL - Brussels, Belgium
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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.
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Weather and Society Data in a GIS
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Weather and Climate Data Model

• 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

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
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Weather and Climate Data Model Data classified
by usability in GIS

• GIS Friendly
• some effort to make GIS-Ready

• GIS Ready
• fully described, point and click -----------?
• GIS Alien
• cannot be fully described -----?

Summary by Scott Shipley, GMU in
http//www.esri.com/library/newsletters/atmospheri
cfront/atmospheric-front-fall06.pdf
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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

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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
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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
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Watches Warnings
Ken Waters, NWS
Atmospheric Front
http//www.weather.gov/regsci/gis/
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• 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
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Climate Change in a GIS

• NCAR GIS Initiative distributes CCSM IPCC
  projections (monthly averages) in a GIS format

http//www.gisclimatechange.org
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Users of NCAR GIS Portal
Biomass potential
Salmon conservation
Resource management
Climate change education
Vegetation ecology
Water resources
Agriculture
Vulnerability of 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
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Weather and Society Data in a GIS
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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

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GIS-based Risk Assessments Spatial Integration
and analysis
Population 1,5 M Population density 11,233/mi2
Wilhelmi, Uejio, Samenow (2007)
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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
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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!

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Contact

• E-mail olgaw_at_ucar.edu
• GIS Initiative webpage http//www.gis.ucar.edu

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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

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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.