Climate of Rockingham County
The climate links that I will be looking into for my study area of Rockingham County are rainfall, seasonal temperatures, and natural disaster events. I found these three factors to be very influential to the biodiversity of the area as rainfall is needed for forage grasses and plants to grow to support wildlife and even provide habitat; seasonal temperatures can dictate movement and habitat preferences in wildlife and other organisms; and probability or frequency of natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires can have various impacts on all organisms.
According to past data collection, on average the Rockingham County area sees roughly 36.2 inches of rain a year. Also, may is usually the month with the most average rainfall of 3.7 inches. These totals allow for good forage growth in the spring and fall from cool season grasses. Due to the karst geology of the area, groundwater moves relatively quickly and there are a number of springs and streams that run through the county providing habitat and water for organisms.
Looking into seasonal temperatures, Winter sees an average of 47 degrees Fahrenheit, Spring see temperatures around 40-60 degrees, Summer temps are usually around the mid 80s, and Fall temperatures span from mid 60s to 50s. With Rockingham county having a temperate climate, there a number of species of trees and plants that can survive. The same goes for animals.
Natural Disaster events in Rockingham County are usually fairly rare. Since the county is located in the Shenandoah Valley, it is rare to see tornadoes and even hurricanes pass through with great force. Common natural disasters are floods, wildfires, and sometimes even landslides. The climate of the area can have an effect on the probability of these disasters as more rainfall than more spawns flooding, and less rainfall, coupled with the low humidity this areas typically sees, spurs wildfires in the vast forested areas.
The factors of climate present support for biodiversity and also create some challenges for it. Given the amount of data we do have, it can be used to help create a path for increase biodiversity in all levels of organisms.
Data derived from: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/past-weather/22801
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