The United States National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), previously known as the National Weather Records Center (NWRC), in Asheville, North Carolina, was the world's largest active archive of weather data.

In 2015, the NCDC merged with two other federal environmental records agencies to become the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

thumb|350px|right| Courtesy of: National Climatic Data Center, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, February 2015.

History

In 1934, the U.S. government established a tabulation unit in New Orleans, Louisiana, to process weather records. Climate records and upper air observations were punched onto cards in 1936. This organization was transferred to Asheville, North Carolina, in 1951, where the National Weather Records Center (NWRC). It was housed in the Grove Arcade Building in Asheville, North Carolina.

Processing of the climate data was accomplished at Weather Records Processing Centers at Chattanooga, Tennessee; Kansas City, Missouri; and San Francisco, California, until January 1, 1963, when it was consolidated with the NWRC.

In 1967, the agency was renamed the National Climatic Data Center.

In 1995, the NCDC moved into the newly completed Veach-Baley Federal Complex in downtown Asheville.

In 2015, the NCDC merged with the National Geophysical Data Center and the National Oceanographic Data Center to become the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

</blockquote>

Associated entities

NCDC also maintained World Data Center for Meteorology, Asheville. The four World Centers (U.S., Russia, Japan and China) have created a free and open situation in which data and dialogue are exchanged.

NCDC maintained the U.S. Climate Reference Network datasets and a vast number of other climate monitoring products.

See also

  • Climate Prediction Center
  • Environmental data rescue
  • Monthly Climatic Data for the World
  • National Severe Storms Laboratory
  • NOAA National Operational Model Archive and Distribution System (NOMADS)
  • State of the Climate
  • Storm Prediction Center

References