GIS mapping of monthly outdoor and indoor equilibrium moisture content for the United States

Geographic information system (GIS) maps of monthly outdoor equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of wood in the contiguous United States were prepared from the 1961 to 1990 Global Climate Normals of the National Climatic Data Center. The data used to create the maps were consistent with those reported by the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory. The coasts of Washington and Oregon and the areas around the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes generally have high outdoor EMC; while Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas, and some parts of Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California are generally dry. Some localities such as Fresno, California show a wide variation in monthly outdoor EMC while others such as Colorado Springs, Colorado have almost constant EMC throughout the year. To generate the indoor EMC maps, it was assumed that the outdoor air is heated sensibly to an indoor temperature of 68?F (20?C). Sensible heating decreased indoor EMC especially during the winter months, with the colder northern regions of the country showing the most dramatic reduction in EMC. Just like outdoor EMC, the indoor EMC in southeastern states around the Gulf of Mexico was high throughout the year. Although the areas surrounding the Great Lakes have high outdoor EMC, their average indoor EMC was low and exhibited more monthly variation. States with low outdoor EMC like Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada also have low indoor EMC.

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