Climate

The climate is an important aspect of the environment we live in, affecting the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Humans are connected to and are a part of their natural environment, meaning that the climate we live in impacts our health and quality of life. In recent years, concerns about the influence of human activities on climate change have increased. Regardless of the political and social debates, changes in the climate have the potential to affect the public's health.

There is an important difference between "weather" and "climate". "Weather" is what happens in a specific place in the atmosphere on a given day. "Climate" refers to weather patterns over a period of time. As meteorologists say, "climate is what you expect, weather is what you get."

The Tracking Network has data and information on the climate conditions of temperature and precipitation. The intent is to show this data together with other measures like heat related illness, heart attacks, and air quality to identify trends that would inspire further research to investigate links between climate exposure and health outcomes.