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Our Impact

The National Centers for Environmental Information uses data to develop scientific products and services that are valuable resources for industries affected by weather and climate conditions.

Our data and access tools can be used in both public and private sectors throughout the U.S. economy to address specific challenges and reduce risk and exposure to environmental hazards.

Featured Sectors

Architecture and Engineering

Architecture and Engineering

By improving access to environmental data that informs building design, codes, and standards, we are supporting architects and engineers in building weather-resilient communities, improving energy efficiency, and reducing construction and maintenance costs.

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Insurance and Reinsurance

Insurance and Reinsurance

We are developing environmental information references to support faster recovery from extreme events and inform decision making surrounding insurance pricing and individual risk.

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Retail

Retail

By improving functionality of data products, we are supporting retailers’ efforts to enhance supply chain resilience, protect economic investments, and safeguard personnel.

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Additional Industry Information

Ariel photo of two tractors on farmland.

Agriculture

NCEI’s data-driven products and information help farmers make informed and economically optimal decisions and have billions of dollars of impact on the U.S. economy and federal aid allocation.

Learn More About Agriculture

Roads Leading to the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina

Transportation

The transportation sector relies on NCEI’s climate and weather data to avoid delays and accidents, enhance safety, and plan and optimize performance.

Learn More About Transportation

Jackets on a rack.

Retail and Trade

The retail trade sector relies on NCEI’s data to optimize merchandise allocation, budget for expenses, and understand the overall influence of weather and climate on sales to inform decision-making. 

Learn More About Retail and Trade

Courtroom interior, OCK law school.

Legal Services

The $250.3 billion legal services sector relies on NCEI certified meteorological data to serve as evidence when weather is a factor in legal proceedings. 

Learn More About Legal Services

Windmill Farm.

Energy and Utilities

Energy and utility companies rely on NCEI’s data to predict energy demand, strategic planning, risk management, and protection of assets. 

Learn More About Energy and Utilities

Front columns of the New York Stock Exchange building.

Finance and Insurance

The financial sector relies on NCEI’s climate and weather data to set insurance premiums and payouts for losses due to extreme events, inform investment decisions, and drive trading transactions. 

Learn More About Finance and Insurance

Healthcare worker in scrubs and a surgical mask.

Health

Relevant climate information is essential for understanding how climate trends and weather patterns affect personal health and for developing appropriate planning, adaptation, and mitigation strategies. 

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Alaska 1964 Good Friday earthquake and tsunami damage.

Coastal Hazards

Useful and timely information that aids decision makers in reducing vulnerability and increasing resiliency is critical to protecting people and maintaining healthy ecosystems and robust economies. 

Learn More About Coastal Hazards

One Tree Reef. Cespitularia sp soft coral.

Ecosystems

Information on how weather and climate trends affect ecosystems and local communities is essential for developing adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Learn More About Ecosystems

Scenic overlook in Grand Canyon National Park

Tourism

Relevant climate information is essential to understand how weather patterns and climate trends influence various aspects of the tourism industry and to effectively plan for the future.

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Reservoir at Mt. Tabor Park in Portland, Oregon.

Water Resources

Relevant climate information is essential to understand how weather patterns and climate trends influence various aspects of the tourism industry and to effectively plan for the future.

Learn More About Water Resources

Manchester Bridge over the James River in Richmond, Virginia.

Civil Infrastructure

Relevant long- and short-term weather and climate information is critical for setting and regulating standards, designing and constructing buildings and systems, and operating and managing these facilities and systems.

Learn More About Civil Infrastructure

Resources for Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers

Heating, refrigerating, and air-conditioning engineers rely on global weather and climate information to build sustainable, efficient systems, measure indoor air quality, and calibrate refrigeration needs. Engineers may find these resources helpful in their efforts to advance building standards and technologies.

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Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

A frost protected shallow foundation (FPSF) is a practical alternative to deeper, more-costly foundations in cold regions with seasonal ground freezing and the potential for frost heave. An FPSF incorporates strategically placed insulation to raise the frost depth around a building.

Learn more about FPSF

Climate Monitoring Tools

NCEI's Climate Monitoring Services provide several tools that correlate with sector specific needs for energy, agriculture, and disaster relief.

Climate at a Glance

Climate at a Glance is an interactive tool that provides analysis of near real time precipitation and temperature data on global and national (U.S.) scales. It can be used to compare current conditions with the historical record, and is designed for climate variability and change research applications. Each spatial scale includes mapping, timeseries, ranking, and Haywood plotting applications, along with information about the project’s history and development.

Launch Climate at a Glance

Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index (REDTI)

The REDTI is based on population weighted heating and cooling degree days, and is a valuable tool for explaining year-to-year fluctuations in energy demand for residential heating and cooling. Residential energy consumption rises and falls in tandem with the increase and decrease of the number of heating and cooling degree days. Because of this strong correlation, seasonal changes in the REDTI can provide a good indication of the nation's fluctuating energy demands.

Launch REDTI

Crop Moisture Stress Index (CMSI)

The Moisture Stress Index for corn and soybean crops is a measure of the effects of drought and catastrophic wetness on national crop yield and is calculated through the use of a drought index (the Palmer Z Index) and annual average crop productivity values within each U.S. climate division.

Launch CMSI

U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters

Information and interactive tools on economic losses, deaths, and other impacts for U.S. weather and climate disasters where overall damages/costs reached or exceeded $1 billion.

Launch Billion Dollar Disasters

Many organizations and businesses use NCEI’s environmental data to make informed decisions about their goods and services.  A farmer may use our climate records to know when to plant crops; a retail chain may decide the exact time to add sweaters or rain gear to the shelves. The following case studies highlight specific products, use cases, and systems that rely on NCEI data to protect life and property, save money, and conserve natural resources. 

NCEI hosts workshops and forums in conjunction with partners to help businesses and decision makers engage with climate data and information.

2019 User Conference