What is a State Climatologist?
Once upon a time, each state had a federally appointed State Climatologist. Budget cutting ended that. But most states have found ways to re-establish this vitally important post, which helps relate weather and climate patterns to the state’s economic activities. Only Pennsylvania and New Mexico do not have an official climatologist. They usually are associated with universities and play a key role in collecting weather data from a state’s cooperative observers, assembling reports of severe weather, and performing studies relevant to a state’s economic or safety interests.