1. PRISM Update: Climate and Weather Initiatives to Improve the Nation’s Crop Insurance Program
Christopher Daly, Ph.D.
Dylan Keon, Ph.D.
PRISM Climate Group
Northwest Alliance for Computational Science and Engineering
Oregon State University
RMA Business Analytics User Group Meeting
13-14 September 2017
Davis, CA
GROUP
PRISM

2. What is this? An A-Bomb?

3. Close – A “Microburst” Phoenix, AZ, 19 July 2016

4. PRISM Update Topics PRISM Introduction
PRISM/RMA Public and Adjuster Portals (brief updates)
New PRISM/RMA Underwriting Portal (demo)
Drought Monitoring – RMA and FSA interfaces
SE Colorado Precipitation Investigation
Biofuel/Biomass Resources Mapping
Development of Chilling Index Maps

5. PRISM Public Data Portal
More and more climate-driven modeling and analysis activities are performed within computer mapping environments that need high-quality weather and climate grids
The PRISM public portal provides access to these grids
Climate Elements
Precip, tmin, tmax, tmean, dew point,
min and max vapor pressure deficit
Time Periods
monthly normals
Monthly Time Series: 1895-present
Daily Time Series: 1981-present

7. PRISM Data Explorer Example: Daily precipitation for Las Cruces, NM
1 July – 8 September
New multi-point version now available (up to 500 locations)

8. PRISM Drought Indicator
Example:
Precipitation % of normal, August 2017

9. RMA/PRISM Public Portal Data Downloads (Cumulative)

10. PRISM Compliance Support
Purpose: Provide high-quality weather and climate data to expedite claims
Did the claimed damaging event occur?
Short time scale: Daily and monthly weather maps over the lower 48 states in near real time
Was the event unusual enough to support a loss claim?
Long time scale: Climate maps to provide context for the event
Can the assessment process be made quick and easy?
PRISM/RMA Adjuster portal
PRISM’s main goals for crop insurance compliance are to aid adjusters in determining if the claimed damaging event occurred, and whether it was unusual enough to justify a claim. To make the assessment process quick and easy, a compliance web portal was opened to RMA and the insurance companies.

11. PRISM/RMA Adjuster Portal
Password protected
Designed for use by AIP claims adjusters and USDA RMA personnel
Satisfies RMA weather documentation requirements

12. RMA/PRISM Compliance Portal Accounts

13. RMA/PRISM Compliance Portal Visits