Most of these records are now part of an open and unrestricted NOAA data base enabling the records to be distributed to scientists, educators and even farmers.

In 2005, Dr. Crouthamel retired and formed IEDRO to continue to assist NOAA. Since that time, he and 23 volunteers have located, imaged, and digitized millions of historic hydrometeorological observations from 18 developing countries.

NOAA, with cooperating federal agencies, provided digital cameras, computers, copy stands and software to six African countries: Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, and Zambia to locate, image, and digitize historic hydrometeorological data at risk of disappearing forever.

In 2000, Dr. Sharon E. Nicholson, Ph.D. worked with NOAA’s National Weather Service’s International Activities Office (IAO) to form the Climate Data Modernization Program (CDMP) to locate and rescue historic climate data in Africa.

covering the last120 years was available at the Bangladeshi National Meteorological Service. Unfortunately, the data was all on paper and unavailable to the farmer hundreds of miles away. Dr. Crouthamel realized that with the assistance of NOAA, he could help keep similar tragedies from occurring.

Tragically, the farmer lost his two daughters to starvation during a drought. If he had known the frequency of drought over the last 100 years, he could have adjusted his planting schedule or saved extra crops- saving his kids from starvation. What made the situation sadder was the fact the data...

After witnessing a horrible situation, IEDRO’s founder, Dr. Rick Crouthamel, D.Sc. realized a lack of access to weather data is a life-or-death situation. He saw a farming family in Bangladesh starve because they did not know when to expect droughts.

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Meteorological and Hydrologic Services (NMHS) organizations of developing countries to carry out this mission.
It is joined in its efforts by a global set of talented and committed collaborating organizations and partners.

We do this so information about our past can help today’s computer models protect the lives of those most at risk before these historical records are lost forever through neglect and disaster.
IEDRO works closely with the World Meteorological Organization...