Asheville Climate Initiative

Asheville has a long and distinguished history as the center of our Nation's commitment to maintain datasets related to weather and climate. The datasets at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) are a national treasure representing conditions across the country, as well as around the globe, and are the largest collection of weather and climate information in the world.  Additionally, Asheville is home to the Department of Defense’s Strategic Climate Information Service, comprised of the U.S. Air Force’s 14th Weather Squadron and the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Detachment. As such, Asheville is at the center of our Nation’s efforts to identify the extent of, and address the possible impacts of the earth’s changing climate.

Recognizing the importance of the NCDC and the Defense Department's climate groups to the region's economy, local leaders launched a campaign to strengthen their support for these key assets. Over the past decade, significant improvements have been made to the infrastructure that helps to support and service the federal presence in Asheville, including:

  • Dramatic expansion of the Broadband and Internet infrastructure that services NOAA's NCDC - providing the bandwidth needed to ensure safe passage of the immense amount of data that streams into the archive everyday
  • Advocacy and support for NOAA's Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites - located in Asheville and College Park, Maryland
  • Expanded educational programs at area colleges and universities
  • The development of partnerships with other federal agencies - including the U.S. Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • The development of partnerships with local economic development organizations and local leaders to support the growth of the NCDC and related private sector businesses
  • Partnerships with leading universities across the country to enhance climate-related research and the transition to operations.


CECI is the central point of collaboration for the various organizations that work as a part of the Asheville climate initiative, helping to provide leadership and coordinate efforts among the many partners.