2007 Has Been Interesting Year For State Climatologist

October 26, 2007

Bowling Green, Ky. - For state climatologist Stuart Foster, 2007 has been one for the ages.

“The year’s not over yet, but it’s been remarkable,” said Dr. Foster, director of the Kentucky Climate Center at Western Kentucky University.
Some of the 2007 highlights:

“We hear a great deal of concern over the uncertainty of global climate change and what it could mean, but this year has highlighted the inherent variability in our weather and climate,” Dr. Foster said. “And that gives us plenty to deal with already.”

This year’s extreme drought showed how weather and climate affects everyone, he said. Farmers have borne the brunt of this year’s drought through lower crop yields and through reduced feed supplies which prompted many to sell their livestock, but the impact has been felt on the tourism industry and on municipal water supplies.

“The Kentucky Division of Water, in collaboration with other state and federal agencies, has a done a good job in terms of monitoring and responding to the drought this summer,” Dr. Foster said. “Given the concerns about global climate change and what that might mean for Kentucky, it certainly is important that we be well-prepared to deal with extreme weather and climate events.

“With the drought, as with any weather event, once it’s over we’ll be able to learn more that will help us deal with the future events.”

The record-breaking October rainfall has provided relief from the drought. “The recent precipitation certainly alleviates concern from an agricultural perspective going into next year,” he said. “From a hydrological perspective, in terms of groundwater supplies, streams and ponds, this certainly goes a long way toward recovery.”

Foster noted, however, that precipitation totals in many areas across the state remain 10 inches or more below normal. “We certainly hope the winter months bring us back to a more normal rainfall pattern and replenish water supplies,” he said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s winter outlook for the United States shows that Kentucky can expect an enhanced likelihood for above normal temperatures and precipitation. The persistence of a weak-to-moderate La Niña is a key factor in the outlook.

“Historically in Kentucky La Niña winters have been wetter than normal, but research we’ve done at the Kentucky Climate Center suggests this is not always true,” Dr. Foster said, adding that Kentucky’s most recent drought of 1999-2000 occurred in a La Niña period.

And, as 2007 has shown, weather and climate records are made to be broken.
More information about Kentucky’s weather and climate is available on the Kentucky Climate Center’s website at http://kyclim.wku.edu/.

         2007 precipitation and temperature data for Bowling Green

Note: October precipitation totals through Oct. 25; mean temperature is average of daily high and low.
               
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Stuart Foster at (270) 745-5983.