Climate Change in Central America : Why Weather Data Matters

Central America, one of the world’s most vulnerable regions, is no stranger to climate change.  Small scale farmers from Mexico through Panama are facing challenges as weather patterns change and extreme weather events become more common. 

Catholic Relief Services, CIMMYT in October 2012, entitled ‘Tortillas on the Roaster,’ discusses the climate realities facing Central American Maize and Bean farmers.  The report findings suggest a 1°-2° C rise by 2050, resulting in water shortages, land degradation and increased crop losses. 

These realities demand action- this was a major driving force behind aWhere’s recent expansion of the Platform to provide free access to gridded weather data in Mexico and Central America.  Accessible and locally relevant weather information, limited in this region by a lack of meteorological stations, provides insight into weather patterns and allows farmers to make informed decisions.

aWhere’s gridded weather data are available at a 5 arc-minute resolution (approximately 9x9 km grid cell).  These ‘synthetic’ weather stations offer visibility into localized weather content.

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