Welcome to the JHU/APL Weather Education page. This page provides weather data summaries and other helpful information that can be used in the classroom and for research and personal interest to increase your general knowledge about weather in general and our local area weather in particular. For example, here are links to often-requested APL historical weather observations from the JHU/APL weather station that date back to June 1996 and tables of APL sunrise and sunset times from 1996-2010. Links to daily observations from the Atlantic Coast Observer Network (ACON) and temperature, precipitation, and climate data from the Washington-Baltimore Climate Review (WBCR) are also available. National Weather Service monthly weather summaries for the Washington, DC - Baltimore, MD area are given in the "PRESTO" link. A table of meteorological conversion factors is provided to convert between the most commonly used weather units. There is also a set of links to various weather glossaries and instructional material on the Web. Be sure to check back periodically as additions to this page are made in the future.

ACON Weather Data

Historical weather observations from the Atlantic Coast Observer Network (ACON) are archived since January 1992 for Maryland, Delaware, Washington, DC, and a few other nearby areas.

ACON weather observation summaries are available in four different file types: a monthly summary report, a monthly statistical data summary, a daily temperature observation table, and a daily precipitation observation table.

• MD/DE/DC ACON data files

If you are interested in joining the MD/DE/DC chapter of ACON, click here to obtain more information.

Links to historical weather data from other ACON chapters:

• ACON VA/NC/SC Chapter

• ACON MA/RI Chapter

Washington-Baltimore Climate Review (WBCR)

The WBCR is a detailed monthly report of weather observations, event highlights, and analyses derived from weather observers in the Washington, DC-Baltimore, MD area. After decades of being distributed only as paper copies, WBCR reports are now available in electronic format for the first time. Current WBCR reports will be made available on this web site as they are compiled and scanned. Older reports will also be placed on this web site as time allows. Please check back to this site from time to time to see the months and years that are available. Click on the link below to direct you to the WBCR report archives.

• WBCR Reports

From time to time, interesting weather and observing topics will be extracted from the WBCR reports and placed below. Just click on the links in the following list to obtain the topic of interest.

•  Preferred Thunderstorm Patterns Over the DC-Baltimore Area, March 2004   (3.5 MB)

Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network

CoCoRaHS is a grassroots volunteer network of backyard weather observers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow) in their local communities. By using low-cost measurement tools, stressing training and education, and utilizing an interactive Web-site, CoCoRaHS aims to provide the highest quality data for natural resource, education and research applications. The only requirements to join are an enthusiasm for watching and reporting weather conditions and a desire to learn more about how weather can effect and impact our lives.

If you want to find out more about CoCoRaHS, are interested in joining, or would like to view precipitation reports, click here to obtain more information.

Precipitation Summary and Temperature Observations (PRESTO)