Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

Updating PRISM Climate Maps for Alaska (using 1981 -2010 data) and Developing Monthly Time Series Maps for Temperature and Precipitation

Project ID: P14AC01244

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: Oregon State University

Fiscal Year: 2014

Initial Funding: $115,000

Total Funding: $115,000

Project Type: Research

Project Disciplines: Physical

National Park: Alaska Region I-M multi networks

Principal Investigator: Daly, Christopher

Agreement Technical Representative: Sousanes, Pam

Abstract: This is a multi-phase project between the Oregon State University (OSU) PRISM Climate Group and the National Park Service (NPS) to produce high.-resolution data sets for precipitation and temperature for the current 30-year climate normal period (1981-2010) for the state of Alaska, including all of the park lands in the four Alaska NPS Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Networks. The distribution of single station measurements to a spatial grid will be accomplished using the Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM), developed by Dr. Christopher Daly at OSU. After the update is complete, the second phase of the project will develop historical, high-resolution, monthly time series maps for temperature and precipitation using available data from as many station networks and data sources in Alaska as possible. The datasets will be modeled using climatologically-aided interpolation (CAl), which uses the long-term pattern (the updated 1981-2010 averages) as first-guess of the spatial pattern of climatic conditions for any given month or day. Subsequent work may involve developing the operational data ingestion, quality control, and modeling infrastructure required to produce monthly lime series maps in near-real time. PRISM is a knowledge-based system that-uses point measurements of precipitation and temperature to produce continuous, digital grid estimates of, monthly climate parameters while taking into account the major factors that affect spatial climate patterns such as complex topography, inversions, and rain shadows. This modeling effort is considered the “gold standard” for climate maps and will be a valuable addition to the Alaska NPS I&M information base. This type of information can be used for park natural resource assessments, climate change scenario planning, strategic community planning, statewide climate change assessments, and more. The public will have access to the updated PRISM temperature and precipitation maps through a publicly available NPS web site.

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