The United States National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), which was once called the National Weather Records Center (NWRC), is located in Asheville, North Carolina. It was the biggest collection of weather information in the world.

In 2015, the NCDC merged with two other government agencies that collect environmental data to become the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

History

In 1934, the U.S. government created a data processing unit in New Orleans, Louisiana, to organize weather records. In 1936, climate records and upper air observations were recorded on cards. This organization moved to Asheville, North Carolina, in 1951, where it became the National Weather Records Center (NWRC). The NWRC was located in the Grove Arcade Building in Asheville, North Carolina.

Climate data was processed at Weather Records Processing Centers in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Kansas City, Missouri; and San Francisco, California, until January 1, 1963, when these centers were combined with the NWRC.

In 1967, the agency was renamed the National Climatic Data Center.

In 1995, the NCDC moved to the newly completed Veach-Baley Federal Complex in downtown Asheville.

In 2015, the NCDC merged with the National Geophysical Data Center and the National Oceanographic Data Center to form the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

Climate focus

The Center provided past information about climate. This information was important for studies on global climate change, the greenhouse effect, and other environmental issues. The Center kept important information that was useful for many areas, such as industry, agriculture, science, hydrology, transportation, recreation, and engineering. These services continue to be offered by the NCEI.

Associated entities

NCDC managed the World Data Center for Meteorology in Asheville. The four World Data Centers in the United States, Russia, Japan, and China work together to share data and information freely. NCDC also managed the U.S. Climate Reference Network data sets and many other climate monitoring products.