Data to Decisions
High Plains Regional Climate Center
Providing timely climate data and information for the public for cost effective decision-making
The High Plains Regional Climate Center (HPRCC) serves to increase the use and availability of climate data and information. We achieve this by providing climate services, developing climate data and information products, engaging our stakeholders, and conducting applied climate research. Our six-state region covers Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The Regional Climate Centers (RCCs) are supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as part of a three-tiered approach, emphasizing services that are local, regional, and national in scope.
Expertise Within the Center
The HPRCC supports seven full time employees, one post-doctoral researcher, two graduate students, and three undergraduate interns. HPRCC employees collectively have over 90 years of experience working in the areas of:
- Climate services
- Database and product development
- Stakeholder engagement and outreach
- Climate monitoring
- Applied climate research
Serving the Region and Beyond
The customer base for the Center is large and varied, including researchers, educators, NGOs, utilities, insurance, legal, media, engineering, and the private sector, in addition to federal, tribal, and state government, among others.
In the past 5 years alone, the HPRCC has served the applied climate data needs of every state in the nation and over 20 countries and U.S. territories.
Turning Data into Useable Information
The HPRCC serves as a provider of value-added weather and climate information that is critical to the region and nation. Our wide array of services include:
- Customized access to data from regional and national networks
- Summary maps incorporating real-time data
- Monthly and seasonal summaries of climate conditions and impacts
- Drought monitoring tools
- Agricultural-related tools for water resource management
Engaging Stakeholders
Through direct interaction and engagement, the HPRCC works with stakeholders to determine and develop appropriate climate information products and tools. Embedded within this engagement process is often the interpretation of climate data and the subsequent translation into understandable language for the stakeholder.
The Center works closely with many local, state, and federal agencies as well as tribal governments and university researchers. For instance, the HPRCC provides support to NOAA, USDA, and DOI on climate-related topics, such as flooding and drought in the Missouri River Basin. The Center collaborates with the National Drought Mitigation Center to enhance drought monitoring, early warning, and mitigation efforts. University research and extension also use the Center's data and services for a wide variety of applications, often beyond the weather and climate fields.