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We are developing environmental data and information references that enhance supply chain resilience, protect economic investments, and safeguard personnel.

As the largest private sector employer in the U.S. economy (representing 6.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in 2023), the retail sector has significant demand for timely and relevant weather data to inform its strategy, plans, and operations.

Overhead view of a container ship entering from the right side of the frame with a wake streaming behind it; open ocean fills the rest of the image.
Credit: Adobe Stock, provided by moofushi

 Since 2021, NOAA has been working with the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and others to identify the data, products, and services the industry relies on. NOAA and RILA are partnering to build useful and user-friendly data products that equip retailers of all sizes with robust and reliable supply chains and assets to build environmental and economic resilience.

Our Goal

By improving the access to and functionality of informational products and services, NOAA is advancing retailers’ capacity to strategically manage supply chains, protect assets, and maximize efficiencies in an effort to build more resilient businesses and strengthen the economy.

A woman is seated at a desk, pointing to a radar map on a computer screen; her male coworker looks on, smiling. Additional computer screens in front of them feature presentation slides, maps, and spreadsheets.
Credit: NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory

Data-Driven Impacts for Retail

The retail sector utilizes NOAA data and information products that offer regionally relevant historical and future-facing weather intelligence and real-time hazard tracking to inform crucial strategic planning and operational decisions.

Using NOAA data, retailers can identify new site locations, streamline shipping paths, and manage inventory by predicting consumers’ needs based on weather trends and patterns. With accurate information readily available, businesses and organizations of all sizes can better anticipate and rapidly respond to extreme weather events by delivering critical goods to communities and businesses, securing warehouses and distribution facilities, protecting personnel, and developing economically smart business plans for future growth.

"This is about the livelihoods of homes, communities, schools, and hospitals, and ensuring those supply materials are readily available. It’s about using data to understand our changing environment; it’s about preparedness to support the thriving economy of our communities."

Jenny Dissen
Engagement and Partnerships, NOAA Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth System Studies

Through regular working group meetings, NOAA is working collaboratively with retailers to prioritize the development of new and updated data products, improve data accessibility, and ensure industry partners can easily find and use the information they need. This webpage is a curation of key datasets and products identified by retailers, including:

An updated and comprehensive Storm Events Database interface and a high-impact Event Catalog (new product in development) to help retailers categorize trends and improve strategic planning by anticipating impacts of extreme weather on specific regions and disruptions to supply chains.

New products in development that support decision making for long-term success include an in-depth Climate Atlas which offers customizable climatological maps that can support retailers with seasonal stock planning and inventory management, and the Wind Climatology tool that will provide retailers with insights to strategically plan for wind and possible wildfire conditions to protect their assets and personnel.

A curated selection of Hurricane Data Resources and Products, including ADT-HURSAT, a dataset of storm intensity estimates with use-case examples (building off the existing HURSAT dataset), and the IBTrACS product that visualizes regional trends and historical information.

These products, as well as Case Studies that share examples of users effectively using weather data, can assist the retail industry in numerous ways, from long-term strategic sales planning to on-the-ground decision making to prepare for both acute and long-term weather events and mitigate effects on the supply chains, their assets, their employees, and their communities.

Products

ADT-HURSAT

ADT-HURSAT

Period of record: 1979–2024

This product applies the Automated Dvorak Technique (ADT) to the existing HURSAT dataset, producing a record of climate quality storm intensity estimates from 1979 through 2024. The interface will include the dataset and will have direct download functionality, Python notebooks to aid users in the data download process, and simple use case examples within the notebook for retailers to integrate into hurricane preparedness. This update is expected by winter 2025. 
Credit: Flickr, National Museum of the U.S. Navy

Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS)

Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS)

Period of record: 1901–Present

Retailers depend on a resilient and efficient supply chain to source products, protect their profit margin and business continuity, and ensure products are available for customers and communities. ASOS provides essential weather data for aviation across the United States, ensuring people and cargo are transported securely. To ensure long-term sustainability, NOAA is revising the back-end code that manages this data to meet modern coding standards. 
Credit: Flickr, Oli Lynch

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Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (BDD)

Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (BDD)

Period of record: 1980–2024

The BDD offers risk assessments at the county level for retailers and is responsible for tracking 400 historical weather and climate events totalling $2.785 trillion in damages. By combining extreme weather and economic data, this product quantifies previous national disasters and provides risk metrics based on disaster exposure. The data covers hazards like droughts, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires.
Credit: U.S. Army National Guard photo courtesy of SC-HART

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Climate Atlas

Climate Atlas

Period of record: 1895–Present

NOAA is combining U.S. Climate Atlas and U.S. Maps into one application that will provide access to a collection of customizable climatology maps as well as additional variables and functionality. Included datasets will be updated on an ongoing monthly basis. Retailers can integrate this collection of monthly pre-generated temperature, precipitation, and degree-day maps for inventory management and seasonal stock planning. This update is scheduled for the winter of 2025-2026.
Credit: Flickr, NOAA Photo Library

Event Catalog

Event Catalog

Period of record: 2010–Present

This product will feature an interactive map with a searchable index of historical weather events including severe convective storms (tornadoes, hail, and severe wind), tropical cyclones, winter storms, and wildfires. A spatial map will be drawn to define the area, or footprint, that the weather event physically impacted and will also feature specific event details along with downloadable reports. This catalog of historical events will help retailers categorize recent trends in extreme weather and develop proactive disaster response and recovery guidance. This is a new resource with a phased development schedule; the initial product will focus on severe convective hazards and is expected by the spring of 2026.
Credit: Flickr, Yellowstone National Park

International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS)

International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS)

Period of record: 1842–Present

By combining recent and historical global cyclone data, IBTrRACS creates a comprehensive collection of tropical cyclone tracks, allowing retailers to visualize regional trends, and better assess how risks are evolving over space and time. NOAA is updating this product to include a modernized web page with interactive maps, event-specific details, and automated reporting for custom user needs. This product will aid retailers with improving their emergency response to hurricanes. This update is scheduled for release in the summer of 2025.
Credit: NASA Johnson Space Center, Mike Trenchard, Earth Sciences & Image Analysis Laboratory

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Storm Events Database (SED)

Storm Events Database (SED)

Period of record: 1950–Present

The SED contains data from high-impact weather events used to support inventory planning for retailers and guide the design of weather-resilient infrastructure. NOAA updated the SED to include interactive maps, event-specific details, and automated reporting for user needs. This update was released in the summer of 2025.
Credit: NOAA Digital Collection, Sean Waugh

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Wind Climatology

Wind Climatology

Period of record: 1979–2024

This product is expected to launch by Fall 2026. The Wind Climatology tool will provide a spatially and temporally continuous wind climatology for the contiguous U.S. on a monthly basis. This new tool will benefit retailers by giving them the insights and support to strategically plan, protect their assets, and make decisions that foster long-term success. The accompanying dataset provides a means to better understand long-term trends in wind conditions by location.
Credit: Flickr, NPS Climate Change Response

Hurricane and Data Related Products

NOAA Hurricane Resources

Hurricane Preparedness

Story Maps

NOAA Resources