Climate Voyager

an online tool for visualizing model-based future climate scenarios

You can find Climate Voyager here: http://climate.ncsu.edu/voyager/index.php

The Climate Voyager tool is developed and maintained by the State Climate Office of North Carolina. 

Summary

Climate Voyager provides maps of historical average and model-based future climate (temperature and precipitation) predictions for:

• USDA Hardiness Zones

• Summer temperatures

• Minimum temperature thresholds

• Summer precipitation

Climate voyager displays predictions in 20-year windows through 2100 for two carbon emission scenarios: current emissions (high) and reduced emissions.  It uses a 3-map layout to show a range of future climate predictions for the variables listed above. 

Behind the scenes, Climate Voyager uses ensemble modeling data and statistical techniques to create the displays of likely future climates.  The FAQ describes the methods in detail, and we have included a quick overview of potentially tricky points in the ‘Things to note’ below.

Three Things to Try with this Tool

• Check the predicted winter severity in your area by viewing the change in number of days with freezing temperatures.

• View the predicted 2080-2099 USDA hardiness zone for your area. For example, under a reduced carbon emission scenario the lowest likely predicted zone for Amherst MA is 6a, the mean predicted zone is 7a, and the highest likely zone is 7b. 

• Use the summer temperature and precipitation tools to contrast potential changes in temperature and precipitation in your management area.

Utility for Management

• View future climate predictions (temperature and precipitation) for your specific management area.  This could be useful to understand future climate impacts on the species already present in the management area.

• View the spatial pattern of regional changing climate patterns surrounding the specific management area.  This might be useful to anticipate future the movement of range-shifting species into your management area.

• The excellent maps could be useful in education and outreach efforts.