Weather/Climate Monitoring Protocol - Pacific Island Network: Version 1.0
Schlappa K, Chu P, Ruan Y, Kozar K. 2011. Weather/Climate Monitoring Protocol - Pacific Island Network: Version 1.0. Natural Resource Report. NPS/PACN/NRR—2011/435. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
This vital sign monitoring protocol explains the procedures for monitoring weather and climate at Pacific Island Network (PACN) national park units. The Weather/Climate Monitoring Protocol consists of this protocol narrative, which includes several appendices as well as a set of standard operating procedures. The narrative gives the background, objectives and basic approach for this project; the appendices provide in-depth information on specific issues; and the standard operating procedures detail the tasks for various personnel. Climate is widely recognized as a major driver for terrestrial as well as marine ecosystems, affecting biotic as well as abiotic ecosystem attributes. Island ecosystems have been shown to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate variability and change. This weather/climate monitoring protocol enables the PACN Inventory and Monitoring Program to describe an important physical part of the ecosystems found in the national parks in Hawaii, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. The weather/climate monitoring protocol will be implemented in all PACN parks. The basic approach is to use data from existing weather stations belonging to major weather monitoring programs as well as some stations belonging to the National Park Service (NPS) and the Haleakala Climate Network (Hale-net). The PACN is adding stations in 2010. This project is dependent on the efforts of various agencies and institutions for maintaining stations as well as downloading and posting data. The objectives of this protocol are two-fold. First, tracking of weather elements to determine short and long-term trends and second, tracking of extreme weather events to determine frequency and patterns of droughts and periods of prolonged wind reversals and other extremes. Annual reports will provide data in tabular and graphic forms, showing monthly and annual data and their variability. In five-year intervals trend reports will be published, showing trends and long-term variability for stations with a long historic record. The aim is to provide data on weather patterns and trends that will characterize ecosystems and aid the interpretation of other natural resource monitoring data.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Schlappa, Karin; Chu, Pao-Shin; Ruan, Ying; Kozar, Kelly
- Date of Issue
- 2011-08
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- ALKA , AMME , HALE , HAVO , IMDP , KAHO , KALA , NPSA , NRSS , PACN , PUHE , PUHO , VALR , WAPA
- Keywords
- Climate, COOP, raws, Weather, weather monitoring, Weather Stations
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Weather and Climate | Weather and Climate , Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Geomorphology | Windblown Features and Processes