To conduct fundamental and use-inspired research that contributes to the understanding of the Earth system and its interaction with society; extend the capabilities of the scientific community; and transfer knowledge and technology for the betterment of society.
I have a very strong feeling that science exists to serve human betterment and improve human welfare. - Walter Orr Roberts, First NCAR Director
As wildfires threaten much of the West during another hot and dry year, NCAR scientists are researching key aspects of these destructive events. 
April 1, 2022 - 2:00pmCongratulations to RAL's team for winning the High Performance Computing (HPC) User Forum Innovation Excellence Award for their entry "Better wildfire models save property and life: refined fidelity of predictive models using AI.” The 
Scientists have used artificial intelligence techniques to create a publicly available dataset of the underwater topography, or bathymetry, of more than 1.4 million inland lakes and reservoirs around the world.
NCAR researchers seek to use weather information to improve the efficiency of autonomous vehicles.
February 18, 2022 - 9:30amFog is the second most common cause of weather-related aviation accidents behind strong winds. The impact of fog on the operations of the national airspace system can cost as much as $200,000 for just one single airport. Air traffic safety and efficiency would be improved if fog events were more accurately forecast by weather service providers. This improvement would give aviation operations and transportation departments enough lead time for alerts and avoidance measures to be put in place.
August 12, 2020 - 12:00pmResponding to extreme heat conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic could place many vulnerable populations at further risk during the warm summer months when many people leave their houses to escape the heat and visit cooling centers and other public spaces. People's vulnerability is likely to vary over time and space, shifting with the extent of exposure to extreme heat, differences in policy and community response, and disease pressure from COVID-19.
