The training courses here can help you acquire the tools, skills, and knowledge you need to manage your climate-related risks and opportunities. All courses are free of charge, and are offered in at least one of three formats: online audio-visual presentations ("Online, Self-Guided" and "Tool Tutorial"), training webinars ("Online, Scheduled Lecture Series"), and residence training courses ("Onsite, Instructor-Led"). Each training module is accompanied with a test to help you evaluate your knowledge. These courses feature scientific information adapted from authoritative sources, prepared by recognized subject matter experts. The courses have been pilot tested with users and other subject matter experts and may be updated periodically, as needed.
This three-day residence training course provides advanced knowledge in climate modeling, downscaling, attribution of extreme weather and water events to climate, and approaches and tools for developing local climate studies.
The National Estuarine Research Reserves, a network of 29 coastal sites along U.S. Coasts and the Great Lakes, host a range of education, outreach, and training opportunities through their Coastal Training Programs. The overarching goal of these programs is to provide current science and skill-building opportunities for decision-makers in coastal communities. The Coastal Training Programs increase audience understanding of the environmental, social, economic, and policy consequences of human activities, and facilitates coordination among stakeholders to support evidence-based policies and actions.
Each Reserve’s program is different, and many sites host trainings related to resilience and climate change. Some sites have the flexibility to meet the needs of specific decision makers at specific times by organizing or developing custom trainings for local or regional decision makers. Reserves also frequently host the NOAA Digital Coast trainings.
To access training opportunities, or find contact information for program coordinators, select a reserve from the national map. View the Reserve page, and then go to the Reserve Website (under Important Links). Check the Reserve Website for Training, Education, and Outreach opportunities.
These guidelines provide the steps to obtain flood threshold guidelines for a study area, calculate total water level using the Inundation Analysis Tool, and calculate flooding statistics considering future sea level rise scenarios.
This module explains how climate models work. Because the modeling of both weather and climate share some similarities, the content throughout this module compares and contrasts the two, explaining how and why climate models differ from weather models. The module discusses how models are built to simulate climate and generate the statistics that describe it, and concludes with a discussion of how models are tuned and tested.
The objective of this training is to enable National Weather Service field staff to correctly locate and interpret the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) product suite, including outlooks and monitoring products. They will also need to explain the basis of the CPC forecast techniques and communicate the performance characteristics of the tools and forecasts. This is the third of six Professional Competency Units (PCU) in the National Weather Service Climate Services Professional Development Series.
The objective of this training module is to enable National Weather Service staff to extend their knowledge of NOAA climate products, tools, and services in order to provide locally-tailored products, services, and studies to local partners, stakeholders, and users. This is the fourth of six Professional Competency Units (PCU) in the National Weather Service Climate Services Professional Development Series.
The objective of this training is to enable National Weather Service field staff understand the need for accurate, consistent, timely, and quality controlled observational data. They will also learn that the stewardship of this data is important not only for the current users but also for those that will be looking at the archive of the observational record. This will include learning how the observational record fits into the NOAA mission and who the users of the data are. This is the final of six Professional Competency Units (PCU) in the National Weather Service Climate Services Professional Development Series.
Learn the importance of understanding drought, its impacts, and methods to monitor it. The module also covers types of drought, drought indicators, drought resources, and analysis tools.
This narrated module is appropriate for anyone wanting to learn the basic concepts of drought. It is also part of Instructional Component 2.3: Seasonal to Interannual Climate Variability in the NWS's PCU 2: Understand Climate Variability and Change and Apply to Local Services.
