Data / Links
Global Data Archive: Gridded Data
This page provides data sets that document the spatial distribution and temporal variability of numerous climate parameters:
Simple maps can be produced through the Live Access Server (LAS). The data are served en masse in this link and links to individual data sets will soon be provided in the tables below.
Data file formats:
- netCDF (network common data form, a self-describing file format). All data sets in the tables below are written in this format, and they conform to the Cooperative Ocean-Atmosphere Research Data Service (COARDS) netCDF standard.
- ASCII, netCDF, and ArcView gridded formatted files of the data can be downloaded through the Live Access Server (LAS). The data are served en masse in this link and links to individual data sets will soon be provided in the tables below.
- OPeNDAP (formerly known as DODS) is sort of a formatless way to ingest datasets into your software, including datasets residing at other institutions. All data sets in the following tables will have OPeNDAP addresses soon. A WWW page that demonstrates MATLAB OPeNDAP access is linked here.
Software to access "self-describing file format" files:
- MATLAB scripts for reading and writing data in netCDF.
- MATLAB scripts for reading FITS-format files.
- MATLAB OPeNDAP/DODS access.
- MATLAB code for reading data written in hierarchical data format (HDF).
- NOAA CDC FORTRAN and IDL routines to read netCDF files.
- netCDF (command line) operators (NCOs) to manipulate netCDF and HDF files.
- ASCII dumps of netCDF files (how to read them).
- GrADS command lines for reading a netCDF file.
- NCAR command line (NCL) software to manipulate netCDF, HDF, GRIB format files
Precipitation
| Name | Temporal Resolution |
Spatial Resolution |
Range of Years | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain gauge | ||||
| GPCC | monthly | 2.5, 1° | 1986-98 | totals & climatology |
| GPCP | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-Jan2002 | totals |
| NASA GISS | monthly | 2.5° | 1850-1996 | anomalies |
| NCDC GHCN | monthly | 5° | 1900-present | anomalies |
| NCEP CPC | daily, monthly | 0.25, 1° | 1948-98 | Pacific Northwest & US |
| University of Delaware | monthly | 0.5, 1.0 ° | 1950-99 | totals & climatology |
| University of East Anglia | monthly | 2.5x3.75° | 1900-98 | totals & climatology |
| University of Washington | daily | "50" km | 1949-94 | Pacific Northwest |
| DoE (Eischeid et al.) | seasonal | 4x5° | 1851-1989 | anomalies |
| Merged satellite, gauge, & model | ||||
| CMAP monthly | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-Sep2004 | |
| CMAP pentad | pentad | 2.5° | 1979-2002 | Merged satellite & gauge |
| CAMS-OPI | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-July2000 | |
| CMAP monthly | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-Sep2004 | |
| CMAP pentad | pentad | 2.5° | 1979-2002 | |
| GPCP monthly | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-Jan2005 | |
| GPCP pentad | pentad | 1, 2.5° | 1979-Nov2006 | |
| GPCP daily | daily | 1° | 1997-May2004 | |
| Legates/MSU | monthly | 2.5° | climatology | Satellite |
| GPI | monthly/pentad/daily | 2.5° | 1987 - May 1996 | |
| MSU | monthly | 2.5° | 1979 - July 1997 | oceans only |
| OLR | monthly | 2.5° | 1974-Nov98 | |
| SSM/I (NESDIS) | monthly | 2.5° | 1987 - Oct 1996 | |
| SSM/I (RSS) | monthly | 0.25, 0.5° | 1987 - Jul 2002 | totals and climatology |
Surface Temperature
| Name | Temporal Resolution |
Spatial Resolution |
Range of Years | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land Only | ||||
| NCDC GHCN | monthly | 5° | 1880-present | anomalies |
| University of Delaware | monthly | 0.5, 1.0° | 1950-99 | anomalies |
| University of East Anglia | monthly | 5° | 1851-present | anomalies |
| Land and ocean | ||||
| IABP / POLES | monthly | other, 1° | 1979-present | |
| Legates and Willmott | monthly | 0.5, 2.5° | ||
| merged Arctic | monthly | 1° | 1950-99 | |
| NASA GISS | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-97 | |
| UEA / UKMO | monthly | 5° | 1856-present | sea sfc. temperatures (SSTs) |
| COADS climatology | monthly | 1, 2° | ||
| Concatenated NCEP EOF and OI | monthly | 2° | 1950-May99 | |
| LDEO | monthly | 5° | 1856-1991 | anomalies |
| NCDC extended reconstructed | monthly | 2° | 1854-June2005 | |
| NCEP EOF-filtered | monthly | 2° | 1950-2000 | totals and climatology |
| NOAA optimal interpolation | monthly, weekly | 1° | November 1981-July 2002 | version 2 |
| Sadler | monthly | 2° | tropical clim. | |
| Reduced resolution COADS SST and sfc. air temperature anomalies | monthly | 4x6° | 1800-2002 | |
Sea-Level Pressure (SLP)
| Name | Temporal Resolution |
Spatial Resolution |
Range of Years | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COADS climatology | monthly | 2° | global | |
| LDEO | monthly | 4° | Apr1854-1992 | |
| NCAR (Trenberth) | monthly | 5° | 1899-Mar2003 | 90-12.5N |
| Reduced resolution COADS anomalies | monthly | 4x6° | 1800-2002 | |
| Sadler (COADS) climatology | monthly | 2° | tropics only | |
| selected NCEP / NCAR reanalysis fields | pentads monthly |
2.5° 2.5° |
1948-2002 1950-79 climatology |
Surface or 10-m Vector Wind & Surface Vector Stress
| Name | Temporal Resolution |
Spatial Resolution |
Range of Years | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COADS Vector Sfc. Wind | monthly | 2° | climatology | global, marine |
| ERS-1 10-m Vector Wind | monthly | 1° | 1992-95 |
|
| Reduced resolution COADS vector sfc. wind anomalies | monthly | 4x6° | 1800-2002 | |
| Sadler Vector Sfc. Stress | monthly | 2° | climatology | tropical, marine |
| Sadler Vector Sfc. Wind | monthly | 2° | climatology | tropical, marine |
| SSM/I (RSS) 10-m wind speed | monthly | 0.25, 0.5° | 1987 - Jul2002 |
Miscellaneous
| Name | Temporal Resolution |
Spatial Resolution |
Range of Years | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COADS cloudiness | monthly | 2° | climatology | global, marine |
| Elevation data sets (land and sea) | various° | global | ||
| Land vegetation (NDVI) | monthly | 1° | 1981-2001 | |
| MSU stratosphere and troposphere temperatures | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-April 2003 | anomalies |
| NOAA percentage sea ice | monthly,weekly | 1° | November1981-July2002 | version 2 |
| oceanic low-clouds | seasonal | 2.5° | climatology | |
| Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) | monthly | 2.5° | 1974-Nov98 | |
| Planetary albedo | monthly | 2° | climatology | |
| Reduced resolution COADS cloudiness anomalies | monthly | 4x6° | 1800-2002 | |
| SeaWiFS marine chlorophyll and aerosol | monthly, pentad | 0.5,1,2.5° | 1997-2002 | |
| selected NCEP / NCAR reanalysis fields | pentads monthly |
2.5° 2.5° |
1948-2002 1950-79 climatology |
|
| SSM/I (RSS) water vapor and cloud water | monthly | 0.25, 0.5° | 1987 - Jul 2002 | |
| Tropical cyclone positions and number | daily | historical | global |
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