What's happened
The National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, NC, remain offline due to catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Helene. This outage is expected to delay critical climate data updates, impacting agencies like NASA and Berkeley Earth that rely on NOAA's data for global temperature assessments. Recovery efforts are ongoing as the facility faces significant operational challenges.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Axios, the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) in Asheville, NC, are offline due to flooding from Hurricane Helene, which has delayed critical climate data updates. NOAA spokesperson John Bateman confirmed that while the building has power, water services are down, complicating recovery efforts. The New York Times reported that the facility's data archive remains safe, but many systems are still offline, affecting agencies that rely on this data for climate assessments. Eric Berger from Ars Technica emphasized the unprecedented nature of the flooding, noting that Helene's rapid inland movement created a historic moisture transport, leading to extreme rainfall in areas not typically affected by such storms. This situation underscores the urgent need for improved climate resilience measures, as highlighted by the GAO's findings.
How we got here
Hurricane Helene caused unprecedented flooding in western North Carolina, severely impacting the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). The facility, which houses vital climate data, has been rendered inoperable due to loss of water and network services, complicating recovery efforts.
Common question
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How has Hurricane Helene affected NOAA's climate data collection?
Hurricane Helene has caused significant disruptions to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) data collection efforts. With the National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, NC, offline due to catastrophic flooding, researchers and policymakers are left grappling with the implications of delayed climate data. Below, we explore the impact of this situation and answer common questions related to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
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How has Hurricane Helene affected NOAA's climate data updates?
Hurricane Helene has caused significant disruptions to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) in Asheville, NC, leading to critical delays in climate data updates. This situation raises important questions about the implications for various agencies that rely on this data for climate assessments and the broader impact on climate research.
More on these topics
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is an American scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce that focuses on the conditions of the oceans, major waterways, and the atmosphere.
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North Carolina is a state in the southeastern region of the United States. North Carolina is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the 50 United States.
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Asheville is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 12th-most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina.