World AgroMeteorological
Information Service

Tools and Resources

The following tools and resources were compiled from different sources to aid WMO Members in improving their agrometeorological bulletins and increasing their knowledge of available agrometeorological-related resources.

Climate Forecasts | Data Management | Dissemination | Drought | Feedback | Forestry/Fire | GIS | GRADS | Irrigation/Drainage | Natural Disasters | Observations | Online Training | Phenology | Plant/Animal Health | Rainfall Monitoring | Remote Sensing | Soil Erosion | Statistics | Weather/Climate Data


Climate Forecasts and Agriculture


 

Dissemination: Selected Papers


Data Management

    • An Expert Team Meeting on Software for Agroclimatic Data Management was held in Washington, D.C., USA in October 2000 to assess the current status of software for agroclimatic data management and determine the future needs for more efficient management of agroclimatic data to foster improved agroclimatic applications. Participants in the meeting discussed climatic data management, crop and soil data management, remotely sensed data management and integrated packages.

 


Drought

    • National Drought Mitigation Center in Lincoln, NE provides some excellent resources (see the following links) on drought definition, planning, monitoring, and mitigation.
    • Canadian Drought Watch Web Page Produced by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, provides articles on drought related topics such as crops, livestock, pasture, pest management, and water.


Feedback: Selected Papers


Forestry and Fire Weather

    • Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) The GFMC is an activity of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and is hosted by the University of Freiburg, Germany. Selected GFMC web sited are listed below.
      • International Forest Fire News (IFFN) IFFN is an activity of the Joint FAO/ECE/ILO Committee on Forest Technology, Management and Training, and the GFMC, in cooperation with the many other co-sponsors and partners. There is an archive of the semi-annual reports back to 1998 and country reports back to 1990.
    • Global Forest Resources Assessment Portal This Remote Sensing Survey portal provides access to global sample tiles and it enables the search, display and download of tile information, associated satellite imagery and auxiliary data. Coordinated by FAO with USGS, EC-JRC, Jena University, and South Dakota State University as partners.


GIS/Analytical Tools

    • GEO Data Portal – access to UNEP’s online database of over 450 different parameters
    • Online AWIPS Map Database A listing of over 20 datasets and links for the US and North America from the U.S. National Weather Service
    • USGS GIS Tutorials Tutorials from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) on Arcview, ArcviewIMS, ARC/INFO, GRASS, and IDRISI
    • ARCUSER Magazine Link to website of ArcUser Magazine published by ESRI. Contains current issues, articles, and an archive of previous issues.
    • ARCNEWS Newsletter Link to website of ArcNews Newsletter publsihed by ESRI. Contains current issues, articles, and an archive of previous issues.
    • Google Earth Software Free Viewer and Search software of sateillite imagery, maps, and other geographic information for the world
    • EarthBrowser Software 3D model of the earth with weather and geological information. Free Demo version available but full version must be purchased.


GrADS (Grid Analysis and Display System)

    • GrADS Home Page Free Analytical Software from the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) Maryland, USA


Irrigation and Drainage


Natural Disasters and Agriculture


Observations

    • Web Portal on Automatic Weather Stations: The Instruments and Methods of Observation Programme (IMOP) of the World Weather Watch (WWW) of the WMO provides an excellent web portal on the Development, Maintenance and Operation of Instruments, Observing Methods and Automatic Weather Stations. With over 50 links, topics include: Operational Guides & Guidelines, Siting and Exposure, Maintenance & Repairs, Methods of Observation, Algorithms & Procedures, Quality Assurance / Quality Control, Instruments Intercomparisons, New Sensor Developments, Papers & Presentations (presented at Conferences), Training Materials, and IMOP Reports.


Online Training Resources

    • COMET METED Online Training Modules UCAR’s COMET website has a METED section with over 100 online modules ranging over 17 topics. Registration is free. Below are some modules of particular to agrometeorologists.


Phenology


Plant And Animal Diseases/Health

    • PLASMO Model Online The PLASMO model simulates grapevine downy mildew biological cycle on the basis of agrometeorological parameters and predicts the best timing for fungicide treatments. Provided by the Italian Institute of Biometeorology (IBIMET – Bologna).


Rainfall Monitoring

    • African Precipitation Products NOAA’s Climate Prediciton Center (CPC) provides many precipiation products at many timescales (7-day, 30-day, 90-day, 180-day)


Remote Sensing, GIS, and Satellites


Soil Erosion / Land Degradation

    • Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) Handbook (PDF) PDF version of USDA’s Agricultural Handbook 703 – Predicting Soil Erosion by Water: A Guide to Conservation Planning With the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). Link provided by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Technology Transfer.
    • Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) Software The WEPP model is a process-based, distributed parameter, continuous simulation, erosion prediction model for use on personal computers running Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP. This link is provided by Purdue University.
    • Wind Erosion Research Unit This USDA-ARS web site provides an several links on wind erosion including Wind Erosion Simulation Models (WEPS).


Statistics


Weather and Climate Data