Alabama Governor appoints Dr. Lee Ellenburg to succeed Dr. John Christy as State Climatologist
Dr. Lee Ellenburg in his office at the UAH Earth System Science Center.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has appointed Dr. Lee Ellenburg as the state’s new State Climatologist. The appointment marks a leadership transition for theAlabama Office of the State Climatologist, which is housed within The University of Alabama in Huntsville’s Earth System Science Center (ESSC) and serves as a primary source of climate monitoring, analysis and information for the state. Ellenburg succeeds Dr. John Christy, director of the ESSC, who has served as State Climatologist since 2000. UAH is part of The University of Alabama System.
“I am deeply honored to be named the Alabama State Climatologist,” Ellenburg says. “Serving Alabama in this role allows me to bring more than a decade of applied climate and water research into direct service of the State.”
Ellenburg has served as Associate State Climatologist since 2021 and has been closely involved in the office’s operations, research activities and outreach efforts. A UAH alumnus with doctoral training in civil and environmental engineering, he focuses on applied climate science that supports real-world decision making. His experience spans drought preparedness, agricultural risk management, land surface hydrology and climate data applications, with an emphasis on developing tools that are usable by agencies and communities.
The appointee has contributed to the development of statewide monitoring networks, including Alabama’s soil temperature and moisture monitoring system, expanded drought outreach and assessment efforts and strengthened collaboration with state partners such as the Alabama Office of Water Resources, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Alabama Forestry Commission. He serves as principal investigator on major federally funded projects related to drought monitoring, water resource management and agricultural resilience, and has authored numerous peer-reviewed research papers and applied climate products used across the Southeast.
Since its establishment, the Alabama Office of the State Climatologist has become a critical resource for the State. The office supports decision making in agriculture, water resources, emergency management, forestry and infrastructure planning by producing climate summaries, drought assessments and monitoring tools that help translate data into practical context. The organization also serves as Alabama’s lead contributor to the U.S. Drought Monitor and provides direct input to state drought planning through ongoing coordination with water resource managers and emergency response partners. Among its widely used tools is the Lawn and Garden Moisture Index, used extensively across the Southeast.
The office benefits as well from close integration with the university’s research infrastructure and academic expertise. This arrangement supports the delivery of timely and usable climate information and enables close coordination with federal partners such as NASA and the National Weather Service, also hosted within the university. As State Climatologist, Ellenburg will continue strengthening the office’s support for Alabama’s farmers, water managers, emergency responders, policymakers and communities by delivering reliable observations, actionable products and decision-relevant services.
“By maintaining a strong foundation in objective science and stakeholder engagement, the office will continue to serve as a trusted resource for all Alabamians,” the appointee says.
