Keeping an eye on Delaware weather

Hurricane Sandy takes aim at the Mid-Atlantic Coast.
Hurricane Sandy takes aim at the Mid-Atlantic Coast.

In this interview, we visited with Dan Leathers, Delaware State Climatologist and a professor in UD’s department of Geography. We had a far-ranging conversation, talking about climate change, variations in Delaware’s weather, hurricanes–in general and specifically, and emergency management.

The Office of the Delaware State Climatologist (ODSC) is the principal scientific extension service for weather and climate information for the State of Delaware. The Office resides within the Department of Geography and the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment at the University of Delaware.

The mission of the ODSC is to serve the State of Delaware through the collection, archiving and dissemination of weather and climate data, through ongoing research pertaining to the weather and climate of Delaware and the mid-Atlantic Region, and to education across the State.

The ODSC makes Delaware specific weather and climate information accessible to the citizens of Delaware through its web page, media interviews, monthly publications and through other extension activities.

The ODSC is associated with the Delaware Environmental Observing System (DEOS) which serves as a support tool for decision makers involved with emergency management, natural resource monitoring, transportation, and other activities throughout the State of Delaware, providing state agencies and the citizens of Delaware with immediate information about environmental conditions in and around the State. DEOS also archives data for historical environmental studies and research.

Dan Leathers, Delaware State Climatologist and Professor, Geography
Dan Leathers, Delaware State Climatologist and Professor, Geography

Listen to the interview

Dan Leathers, Delaware State Climatologist and Professor, UD Department of Geography
29:04
27.9 MB

About our guest

Dan Leathers serves as a Professor in the Department of Geography within the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment. In addition, he serves as Delaware State Climatologist and as an Associate Director of Research for the Delaware Environmental Observing System. His major research interests include understanding the role of snow cover in the global climate system, the influence of land-surface changes (natural and human induced) on regional climates, environmental monitoring and the integration of environmental data sources, and the climate of the northeast United States. He has previously served the University as the Chair of the Department of Geography and as Deputy Dean of the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment.

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