Data / Links
Global Data Archive: Gridded Data
This page provides data sets that document the spatial distribution and temporal variability of numerous climate parameters:
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.
- 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° | 1901-present | totals & climatology |
| GPCP | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-Jan 2005 | 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 ° | 1900-2008 | 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) | seasonal | 4x5° | 1851-1989 | anomalies |
| Satellite, rain gauge, & model | ||||
| CMAP monthly | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-Sep2004 | |
| CMAP pentad | pentad | 2.5° | 1979 - Mar 2009 | Satellite & rain gauge |
| CAMS-OPI | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-Jan 2009 | |
| CMAP monthly | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-Sep2004 | |
| CMAP pentad | pentad | 2.5° | 1979 - Mar 2009 | |
| GPCP monthly | monthly | 2.5° | 1979-Aug2009 | |
| GPCP pentad | pentad | 1, 2.5° | 1979-Apr2008 | |
| GPCP daily | daily | 1° | 1996-Apr2009 | |
| 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° | 1900-2008 | totals & climatology |
| University of East Anglia | monthly | 5° | 1851-present | anomalies sampling |
| 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 | anomalies sampling |
| NOAA | monthly | 5° | 1880-present | ERSST / GHCN | sea surface temperatures (SSTs) |
| COADS climatology | monthly | 1, 2° | ||
| Concatenated NCEP EOF and OI | monthly | 2° | 1950-May99 | |
| LDEO | monthly | 5° | 1856-1991 | anomalies |
| extended reconstructed | monthly | 2° | 1854-present | |
| 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 & Paolino) | monthly | 5° | 1899-Apr2009 | 90-12.5N |
| Reduced resolution COADS | monthly | 4x6° | 1800-2002 | anomalies |
| 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 | |
| UW Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrology model | monthly, daily, 3-hourly | 1/8° | 1950-July2000 | contiguous U.S. |
For Assistance
Contact Todd Mitchell ( mitchell@atmos.washington.edu , 206 685 3786 ).
