Atmosphere
Atmospheric variables include temperature, precipitation, wind, pressure, clouds, greenhouse gases, and much more. Overview pages summarize and compare selected datasets of a given variable.
To find a specific dataset or variable, jump to the search box below or click your desired variable from among the blue sub-category buttons. Note that the classification of datasets by variable is approximate, especially for large, multi-variable datasets like reanalyses.
To see only the datasets accompanied by in-depth commentary, select the "Datasets with guidance" button when using the search box.
Sub-categories
Climate datasets

Years of record
- to
Directly measured and continuous records of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) extend back to 1958. CO2 has also been measured in ancient air samples trapped in ice cores,…
-
Formats
- ascii
-
Timestep
- Daily, Monthly, Annual
-
Domain
- N/A
-
Collections
- Boundary Conditions, Carbon cycle, Overview / Comparison page
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A

Years of record
- N/A
AIRS provides satellite retrieval of mid-tropospheric carbon dioxide even under cloudy conditions, without the use of a priori information from models. AIRS retrievals use…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere CO Ozone: Tropospheric Biosphere CH4-Methane CO CO2-
Timestep
- Sub-daily, Daily, Monthly
-
Domain
- Global
-
Collections
- Carbon cycle
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A

Years of record
- to
The CFSR is a third generation reanalysis product. It is a global, high resolution, coupled atmosphere-ocean-land surface-sea ice system designed to provide the best…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Air Temperature Geopotential Height Precipitable water Ocean-
Formats
- GRIB
-
Timestep
- Sub-daily, Monthly
-
Domain
- Global
-
Collections
- Climate Analysis Section (CAS) Data Catalog
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A

Years of record
- to
The CERA-20C is a global, coupled reanalysis spanning 1901-2010 with a focus on low-frequency climate variability. Similar to ERA-20C, the surface observations…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Multiple variables Cryosphere Sea Ice Concentration OceanExperts contributing reviews
- Laloyaux, Patrick

Years of record
- to
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is scanning instrument that makes measurements in 36 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared at…
-
Timestep
- Daily, Monthly, Weekly
-
Domain
- Global
-
Collections
- Diagnostic Data Sets, NCAR-DOE-CESM, atmosdiagnostics, Obs4MIPS
Experts contributing reviews
- Pincus, Robert

Years of record
- to
The ECMWF's first atmospheric reanalysis of the 20th Century, ERA-20C, provides a long, gridded dataset of many climate variables, spanning 1900-2010. Observations…
-
Timestep
- Sub-daily, Daily, Monthly
-
Domain
- Global
Experts contributing reviews
- Poli, Paul

Years of record
- to
The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) project has generated decadal-length, global, gridded data sets of temperature and specific humidity for several standard levels in…
Experts contributing reviews
- Tian, Baijun

Years of record
- to
ARTMIP is the Atmospheric River Tracking Method Intercomparison Project. The goal of ARTMIP is to provide the community with the data necessary to quantify Atmospheric…
Main variables and Earth System components
AtmosphereExperts contributing reviews
- N/A