Historical climate data management for agriculture : a microcomputer-based methodology

Abstract By using readily available microcomputer hardware and a commercial database management system, a tool was developed to improve access to and useability of historical climate data for agricultural applications. The menu-driven, user-friendly system provides quick summaries of maximum temperature, minimum temperature and precipitation data on a daily, weekly, monthly or 30-year normals basis and selective retrieval of weather records meeting certain user specified critical conditions. Data reports can be output to the computer screen, a printer or ASCII data files. The climate data information system was initially developed for 13 Iowa reporting stations and 34 years of daily temperature and precipitation data (1951–1984), but has also been adapted for 24 Illinois stations and as many as 89 years of data (1901–1989). The tool is being used by agricultural meteorologists, climatologists and State Extension staff to aid in climate-related agricultural research and information delivery.