Climate Change, Past, Present, Future: Mining Climate Clues from our Whaling Past presented by Professor Tim Walker and Dr. Caroline Ummenhofer

Westport Public Library, 408 Old County Road

Climate scientist Dr. Caroline Ummenhofer and Professor Tim Walker discuss how whaling logbooks are providing weather data to document climate change and predict future changes.

Captains and first mates of whaling ships kept a daily log of events including detailed records of wind speed and direction, sea conditions, and temperature. Moreover, whaling voyages covered vast areas of the ocean and provide data for remote locations. Ummenhofer and Walker have embarked upon a project to convert weather data into digital format, forming a team of oceanographers, climatologists, and historians to gain a better understanding of climate variability. Co-sponsored by Westport River Watershed Alliance. Suggested donation $5.