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Wetlands Climate Tables

In order to identify the physical characteristics of wetlands adequately, the NRCS Climate Analysis for Wetlands Tables (WETS Tables), were developed.

Wetlands are an important component to healthy ecosystems. And, climate plays an important role in the genesis and identification of wetlands. In order to identify the physical characteristics of wetlands adequately, the NRCS Climate Analysis for Wetlands Tables, also known as WETS Tables, were developed.

The WETS Tables define the normal range for monthly precipitation and growing season required to assess the climatic characteristics for a geographic area over a representative period of time. The Tables gives a month-by-month summary and probability analysis of temperature and precipitation. The Tables also provide the average length of the growing season using three index temperatures (32, 28, and 24 degrees Fahrenheit) at 50% and 70% probabilities.

WETS Tables data is accessible using the Agricultural Applied Climate Information System (AgACIS). Learn how to retrieve WETS Tables data.

About Wetlands Climate Tables

Data Sources and Collection
Climatic Data Elements
Probability Categories
Example and Definitions
Accomodating Missing Temperature and Precipitation Data
Growing Season Dates and Length
Usage Guidelines

Additional Information


References

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  • Kite, G. W., 1977, "Frequency and Risk Analyses in Hydrology," Water Resources Publication, Ft. Collins, Colorado, pp. 57.
  • National Climatic Data Center, 1984a, Atlas of Monthly and Seasonal Temperature Departures from the Long-Term Mean (1895-1983) for the Contiguous United States, Historical Climatology Series 3-4, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC.
  • National Climatic Data Center, 1984b, Climatography of the United States No. 20: Climatic Summaries for Selected Sites, 1951-80, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC.
  • Reek, T., S. Doty, and T. Owen, 1992, A Deterministic Approach to Validation of Historical Daily Temperature and Precipitation Data from the Cooperative Network, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Vol. 73, No. 6, pp. 753-762.
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  • Thom, H.C.S., and R.H. Shaw, 1958, Climatological Analysis of Freeze Data For Iowa, Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 86, pp. 251-257.
  • Thom, H.C.S., and Shaw, R.H., 1959, The Distribution of Freeze-Date and Freeze-Free Period for Climatological Series with Freezeless Years, Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 87, pp. 136-144.
  • Vestal, C.K., 1970, Freeze Date Computations, Memo to All State Climatologists Southern Region and Commonwealth Climatologist, San Juan, Puerto Rico, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Weather Service, Southern Region.
  • Vestal, C.K., 1971, First and Last Occurrences of Low Temperatures During the Cold Season, Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 99, pp. 650-652.