Press Release, November 8, 2003

A New Weather Center Brightens Utah's Virtual Skies
Website gives extensive information on Utah's climate and weather

Mark Twain once said that "Everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it." Unfortunately, he didn't know that two Utah public school teachers would eventually prove him wrong. Recently, these two teachers put their new Utah Center for Climate and Weather (UCCW) on the Internet (www.utahweather.org), and it has extensive information about Utah's climate and weather.

According to Clayton Brough, KTVX climatologist and geography teacher at Eisenhower Junior High and director of the UCCW, "Our intention is to make the UCCW a reliable site for students, scientists and members of the general public who want to learn more about Utah's climate and weather. The site will be run by professional public educators but will not be controlled by any educational institution or government agency. Also, the site will not cater to commercial sponsors--so it won't have annoying pop-up commercials." David James, a geographer and earth science teacher at Pleasant Grove Junior High and assistant director of the UCCW, says, "The amount of information and links on the site is very minimual to what it will contain within the next twelve months. And while some people may only visit the site to get their local forecast, others may find its information and links useful in their education or jobs."

Brough and James, who also serve as adjunct geography instructors for Brigham Young University, stated that other professional educators and atmospheric scientists are invited to freely join its "Board of Consultants," and that they "hope to begin a number of independent research projects within the next twelve months that are related to better understanding and predicting Utah's weather and climate."

According to its website, the "Utah Center for Climate and Weather (UCCW) is a premier site for anyone wanting accurate information about Utah's climate and weather. The UCCW is a cooperative effort among educators and scientists to share accurate and useful information with students and the general public about Utah's past, present and future climate and weather. Cooperation and collaboration-not competition or commercialism-is the driving force behind the UCCW. All professionals involved in the atmospheric sciences are invited to freely submit appropriate material and links for consideration of inclusion on UCCW's website. Reputable businesses and organizations are welcomed to financially support the educational efforts and research work of the UCCW."

Information about the UCCW and links to its website have appeared in a number newspapers and on educational and government websites. For example, click on the following:
Deseret News newspaper
National Weather Service - Salt Lake City Forecast Office
Ogden Standard Examiner (February 13, 2005)
OnLineUtahcom - Educational Link
Utah Climate Center - Utah State University
Utah Science Site - Utah State Board of Education