Every morning, even on weekends and holidays, Pat Guinan grabs a coffee and opens his laptop to weather data from stations across Missouri.
Readings from the network of 40 connected weather stations — known as the Missouri Mesonet — help provide climate data used by scientists, government agencies, the public and others around the globe.
It’s part of a lifelong obsession with weather and climate data for Missouri’s official state climatologist.
“You can never have too much data,” Guinan said, “when it comes to weather.”
In the first week of January, Guinan will be retiring from the University of Missouri after 34 years in several roles, including serving as the state climatologist since 2005. Guinan wears so many hats that his job will be split into two positions: the director of the Missouri Climate Center and an assistant professor of climate science.
‘Bit by the weather bug’
Guinan’s lifelong habit of weather-watching started on his family’s farm in central Illinois. His father always tracked the weather in order to manage crops.
Each time it rained, the younger Guinan would check the rain gauge. The future climatologist became so curious about what rainfall would look like over time, that he began to check the rain gauge every day, and record the precipitation and temperatures in a spiral notebook.
“I got bit by the weather bug at an early age,” he said.
His fascination with weather and climate brought Guinan to the University of Illinois, where he got his bachelor’s degree in physical geography and his master’s in atmospheric science. Then, in 1988, he attended MU to pursue his Ph.D. in atmospheric science.
In 1992, Guinan co-founded the Missouri Mesonet alongside John Travlos after his adviser, Wayne Decker, had a vision to establish a network of weather stations across Missouri. The stations have monitored weather conditions for nearly 30 years.
Each station records data of air temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, and soil temperature every five minutes.
Guinan also co-leads a group of volunteer weather observers – nearly 1,800 Missourians – for the Missouri Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network alongside Anthony Lupo, professor of atmospheric science at MU.
The volunteers monitor a network of rain gauges across the state to provide information for drought assessment, flood monitoring, prediction research and education. All 114 counties in Missouri have been reporting daily precipitation since 2006.
Guinan finds weather data not only fascinating but important, as it can provide crucial context for the impacts of climate change on everything globally. With this data, people can learn what to expect in the future and have more time to prepare for extreme weather conditions, which can hit marginalized communities especially hard.
Doug Kluck, the climate service director for the central region of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, said there are few people who collect climate data like Guinan does, and fewer who do it well.
“It takes a special person to be able to translate all the very heavy science information out there to something people can understand and make use of,” Kluck said.
Dennis Todey, director of USDA Midwest Climate Hub, said Guinan was a great partner who was always thinking about how to serve the community.
“We couldn’t get off of weather, climate and agriculture conversations easily, and we would enjoy swapping details and agricultural impacts,” Todey said. “I’ll miss those conversations on a personal level.”
After more than three decades collecting weather data for the state of Missouri, Guinan will now be using his retirement to spend more time with his family and remain in Columbia. Guinan said weather and climate will always be a part of his DNA.
“I will continue to have a rain gauge in my backyard and take daily observations,” he says.
Below are more responses from Guinan, who reflected on his career in an interview with the Columbia Missourian.
In his own words
What has motivated you these last 34 years?
“I’ve always been passionate about weather, and it really helps when you’re in a career that you have a passion for.
“The role of being a state climatologist and director of the Missouri Climate Center are very important ones. I feel that I have an obligation to provide the guidance, the data, and the outreach to all Missourians. What I have realized over decades of working with climate, and climate services, is that the utility of climate data transcends all vocations. That includes education, research, agriculture, industry, business, law, and media, along with local, state and federal agencies. It’s a vital and valuable component of my program, and I see a role and responsibility to fulfill.”
What’s the hardest thing to say goodbye to?
“I think saying goodbye to all of the interactions and collaborations with so many people over the years, both on-campus and off-campus.
“I’ve really been fortunate to have the chance to travel throughout Missouri. We have weather stations from the northwest corner to the Missouri Bootheel. We have 114 counties in Missouri, and I think I’ve been to almost all of them. We make visits to these stations across the state to make sure they’re working properly. Over the years you get to know the people. I’ve really enjoyed generating these friendships.”
What is something you will always remember from your work?
“I enjoy knowing that people can use the data that we collect. We did some analytics, and in 2020, I believe we had 25 million hits on the websites where our data are published.
“I can look back, when I’m long gone, and we will have people that will keep this network up and running. The longer that you have a weather station that provides daily information, the more valuable that station becomes. Obviously, in the world of a changing climate, it’s important that we have a history to look back on.”
How do you talk about climate change without making it a partisan issue?
“The data provides a lot of evidence. Our volunteer observers, going back generations, provided this information that we’re able to show you today.
“Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. If you look at the chart going back to the mid-1800s, we see an incredible rise of the parts per million of carbon dioxide. Now, it’s more than 40% higher than it was back in the mid-1800s.
“If you put more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, you’re going to increase the temperature. There’s no argument against that. But where is this CO2 coming from? The majority of it is coming from fossil fuels. Mostly from transportation and energy. So I just will not leave that argument. I’ll talk until I’m blue in the face. If there’s more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, then you’re going to heat up that atmosphere, and that’s what we’re seeing.”
