Climate data, including past weather conditions and long-term averages, for specific observing stations around the United States is only a few clicks away.

Certified weather data for use in litigation is available only through the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Ordering instructions are located online at:http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/about/ncdcordering.html#CERTIFICATION or by phone at (828) 271-4800.

 Preliminary, and therefore unofficial, data for other purposes can be found on the Web sites belonging to one of the nation’s 122 Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs).

• First, find the location you need climate data for on the following map:http://www.weather.gov/ and click on that region.
   
• The Web site of the local WFO will then appear. On the left side of the page there will be a section called Climate in yellow-colored text. You may have to scroll down the page.
   
• Several links may appear in the Climate section. Click on the one that applies to you. Some links may say: local climate; past weather; or list a specific segment of the state in which you’re searching.
   
• The page that follows will feature numerous categories and links. Climate data may be arranged on a daily, monthly and annual basis. Click the links and use any pull-down menus to navigate to the information you desire.

Month-to-date data likely will appear on this climate page and is among the most popular. This table, known as the preliminary Local Climatological Data (LCD) or F-6 form, lists the weather summary on a daily basis in each row. A summary of the month’s weather to date is available at the bottom. Codes used on this form are explained here:http://www.erh.noaa.gov/lwx/f6.htm

It’s important to double check the station name, month, and year listed at the top of the page to ensure you have the correct location and time that you’re looking for. These stations are a specific point, typically an airport, and the data listed may not reflect the extreme weather reported nearby through radar estimates, storm spotters and emergency officials of which the media may broadcast.