Products produced and management decision made using cooperator climate data base

Rainfall data collected by the cooperator network  reported daily through the ROSA system and monthly by the B-91 forms are used to produce the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) index,  a measurement of the departure of the moisture supply conditions from the standardized condition. . Palmer based his index on the supply-and-demand concept of the water balance equation, taking into account more than only the precipitation deficit at specific locations. The PDSI is computed weekly and monthly but requires long terms records of 30 years or more to compute the mean values from which departure occurs. The PDSI is used by states drought task forces to determine drought status in different climate divisions of the state and to make recommendation to the Governor of a state on the need to request from the federal government a declaration of drought disaster in order for the state to receive federal assistance during the disaster time period. The deceleration of disaster status is by counties and not the whole state.

The NWS uses the the cooperative climate rainfall data collected in real time through the ROSA system to help improve their determination  of sever weather conditions and post sever weather warnings. The data is also used in flood control and operation of reservoirs. Rainfall data from the cooperative network is augmented by computerized weather stations. However, the rain gage used in automated weather stations generally are not as accurate as measurements made by the cooperative weather observers.

Long term cooperative climate data is the only data available to study Global Climate Change and the economic impact of global climate change and the federal regulations to control are still being evaluated.

Regional climate change is affected by El Nino and the long term cooperative temperature and rainfall data is correlated with the El Nino condition to improve the long term -next six month to a year prediction on weather patterns.

The cooperative climate data collected through the ROSA system can be used to schedule   irrigation to conserve water and schedule the application of pesticides to minimize pollution to the environment.

Consequently, the economic impact of decision made based on the cooperative climate data is tremendous and impacts on every person in the United States.