Maine Climate News

About Us

Recognizing the need for a centralized, neutral source of climate information specific to Maine, University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Maine Sea Grant created Maine Climate News in partnership with George Jacobson, Maine State Climatologist, in 2009. The site is intended to be a portal to climate change science and research at the University of Maine and beyond, as well as a resource for news and climate-related activities throughout the state. The site is updated quarterly.

Climate change is a complex and dynamic issue. It can seem overwhelming. Maine Climate News provides information you can use, and presents the results of research you can trust. If you have suggestions for content or questions for the Maine State Climatologist, please contact project leader Esperanza Stancioff.

The site is intended to provide useful information and perspectives about Maine’s climate. Because climate represents long-term patterns (as opposed to the short-term weather records that are provided daily by the National Weather Service), we will review what is known about the past (paleoclimate), the present (weather data compiled from roughly the past century, the time of modern instrumental measurements), and the future (estimated from computer simulations of various kinds).

Among the regular features of this site we will bring:

1. Updates concerning ongoing research projects of faculty and graduate students at the University of Maine and other partner institutions and organizations;
2. Connections to a variety of sources of information about weather data and climate patterns;
3. A special emphasis on hydrology (precipitation and water flow);
4. A way to ask questions of the Maine State Climatologist and other researchers;
5. Opportunities to be involved in collecting data that can help reveal statewide patterns. For example, many Mainers might like to participate in the CoCoRaHS (Community Cooperative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network) program, through which citizens help to collect real-time precipitation data and share that information through an easy-to-use web connection).

Those of us involved in this site welcome ideas you might have for other useful information or services.

Project leader:
Esperanza Stancioff, Climate Change Educator;
UMaine Cooperative Extension & Maine Sea Grant
377 Manktown Road,
Waldoboro, ME 04572
Phone: (207) 832-0343 or
800-244-2104 (in Maine)
esp@maine.edu

Managing editor:
Catherine Schmitt, Maine Sea Grant

Assistant editor:
Laura Poppick

Staff scientists:
George Jacobson, Maine State Climatologist, Climate Change Institute
Shaleen Jain, Hydrologist, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering