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
![Cloud Dataset Overview Cloud Dataset Overview](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/cloud-dataset-overview.png?itok=4K0op3KS)
Years of record
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Clouds cover about 70% of the earth's surface. They are important components of the cliimate's water and energy budgets. Historically, cloud reports have come from station…
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Formats
- N/A
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Timestep
- Climatology, Monthly
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Domain
- Global
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Collections
- Overview / Comparison page
Experts contributing reviews
- Stubenrauch, Claudia
![Extended Edited Synoptic Cloud Reports Archive (EECRA) from Ships and Land Stations Over the Globe Extended Edited Synoptic Cloud Reports Archive (EECRA) from Ships and Land Stations Over the Globe](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/CumuloNimbus.BigThompson.jpg?itok=FjQWjflI)
Years of record
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"The Extended Edited Synoptic Cloud Reports Archive makes use of routine synoptic observations made by humans on ships over the ocean and at weather stations over land.…
Experts contributing reviews
- Norris, Joel
![ISCCP: International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project ISCCP: International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_658.png?itok=Wj44RMc2)
Years of record
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The International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) makes use of routine observations by operational weather satellites to provide a long-term (1983-2009), gridded…
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Timestep
- Climatology, Sub-daily, Monthly
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Domain
- Global
Experts contributing reviews
- Pincus, Robert
![Gridded Climatology of Clouds from Surface Observations Worldwide (1971-2008) Gridded Climatology of Clouds from Surface Observations Worldwide (1971-2008)](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/ClimateAtlasClouds.LowLevelAmount.jpg?itok=qhzZC-iQ)
Years of record
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This digital archive provides multi-year monthly, seasonal, and annual averages in 5x5-degree grid boxes (or 10x10-degree boxes for some quantities over the ocean). Daytime…
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Formats
- ascii
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Timestep
- Climatology, Monthly, Seasonal
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Domain
- Global
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Collections
- Diagnostic Data Sets, NCAR-DOE-CESM, atmosdiagnostics
Experts contributing reviews
- Norris, Joel
![) Example of CloudSat and CALIPSO cloud mask along a single orbit. (contributed by Leah Bertrand)](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2023-08/CDG_fig01.png?itok=lfxlGJPG)
Years of record
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A global (82S-82N) cloud fraction data set, providing a unique view of cloud vertical structure, has been developed based on the complimentary spaceborne remote sensing…
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Formats
- netCDF
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Timestep
- Monthly, Seasonal, Annual
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Domain
- Global
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Collections
- Diagnostic Data Sets, NCAR-DOE-CESM, atmosdiagnostics
Experts contributing reviews
- Bertrand, Leah | Kay, Jennifer
![CLARA-A1: Cloud properties, surface albedo and surface radiation products based on AVHRR CLARA-A1: Cloud properties, surface albedo and surface radiation products based on AVHRR](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/CLARA-A1.png?itok=5OWrcFaM)
Years of record
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"CLARA-A1 (CLoud, Albedo and RAdiation dataset, AVHRR-based, version 1) is a global dataset of cloud properties, surface albedo and surface radiation products, generated by…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Cloud Properties Liquid Water Path Radiation Surface albedo-
Formats
- netCDF
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Timestep
- Daily, Monthly, Pentad
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Domain
- Global
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Collections
- Climate Data Record
Experts contributing reviews
- Stengel, Martin
![Cloud observations from MODIS Cloud observations from MODIS](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_576.png?itok=kTu6tfms)
Years of record
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The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is scanning instrument that makes measurements in 36 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared at…
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Timestep
- Daily, Monthly, Weekly
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Domain
- Global
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Collections
- Diagnostic Data Sets, NCAR-DOE-CESM, atmosdiagnostics, Obs4MIPS
Experts contributing reviews
- Pincus, Robert
![CERES EBAF: Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy Systems (CERES) Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF) CERES EBAF: Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy Systems (CERES) Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF)](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_657.png?itok=4z1i7917)
Years of record
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The CERES-EBAF product provides 1-degree regional, zonal and global monthly mean Top-of-Atmosphere (TOA) and surface (SFC) longwave (LW), shortwave (SW), and net (NET)…
Experts contributing reviews
- Loeb, Norman
![COSP: Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project (CFMIP) Observation Simulator Package COSP: Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project (CFMIP) Observation Simulator Package](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_629.png?itok=yxqf0chO)
Years of record
- N/A
Cloud processes and feedbacks are recognized as the largest uncertainty in climate model projections of climate change. Progress in understanding the roles of clouds in…
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Formats
- N/A
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Timestep
- N/A
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Domain
- Global
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Collections
- Diagnostic Data Sets, NCAR-DOE-CESM, atmosdiagnostics
Experts contributing reviews
- Kay, Jennifer
![CloudSat CloudSat](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_579.png?itok=Ne8-JK5P)
Years of record
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CloudSat is a satellite mission designed to measure the vertical structure of clouds from space. The radar data produces detailed images of cloud structures. CloudSat is…
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A
![AIRS and AMSU: Tropospheric air temperature and specific humidity AIRS and AMSU: Tropospheric air temperature and specific humidity](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_577.png?itok=Mg72txGV)
Years of record
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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
![CALIPSO CALIPSO](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_578.png?itok=cAxU8Hk_)
Years of record
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CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations ) was launched on April 28, 2006 to study the impact of clouds and aerosols on the Earth's…
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A
![GPCP (Daily): Global Precipitation Climatology Project GPCP (Daily): Global Precipitation Climatology Project](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/cdgbutterflygpcp.jpg?itok=4OND8QPv)
Years of record
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The 1DD product provides precipitation estimates on a 1-degree grid over the entire globe at 1-day (daily) for the period October 1996 - present. Both the Pentad and 1DD…
Experts contributing reviews
- Pendergrass, Angeline
![ICOADS Surface Marine Weather Observations ICOADS Surface Marine Weather Observations](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_670.png?itok=0NHCxRjj)
Years of record
- N/A
ICOADS (International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set) is the most comprehensive archive of global marine surface climate observations available. Variables include…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Air Temperature Budget Cloud Properties Latent & sensible heat flux Sea Level Pressure Specific Humidity Wind Ocean SST - sea surface temperatureExperts contributing reviews
- Deser, Clara
![Surface Flux and Meteorological Dataset: National Oceanography Centre (NOC) V2.0 Surface Flux and Meteorological Dataset: National Oceanography Centre (NOC) V2.0](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/noc_net_flux_seasonal_maps.png?itok=pKnbfctm)
Years of record
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The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) Version 2.0 Surface Flux and Meteorological Dataset is a monthly mean gridded dataset of marine surface measurements and derived…
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Formats
- netCDF
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Timestep
- Monthly
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Domain
- Global
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Collections
- Climate Data Record
Experts contributing reviews
- Kent, Elizabeth
![CRU TS Gridded precipitation and other meteorological variables since 1901 CRU TS Gridded precipitation and other meteorological variables since 1901](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/CRUTS_climo_Lamb.png?itok=CvdkTRa7)
Years of record
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The CRU TS series of data sets (CRU TS = Climatic Research Unit Timeseries) contain monthly timeseries of precipitation, daily maximum and minimum temperatures, cloud cover…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Air Temperature Cloud Properties Maximum Air Temperature Minimum Air Temperature Potential Evapotranspiration PrecipitationExperts contributing reviews
- N/A
![TRMM: Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission TRMM: Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/TRMM_CLM.V7_July_0.png?itok=LC9AjTaq)
Years of record
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The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is a joint space mission between NASA and Japan's National Space Development Agency designed to monitor and study tropical and…
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Timestep
- Sub-daily, Daily, Monthly
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Domain
- Tropics
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Collections
- Climate Analysis Section (CAS) Data Catalog, Obs4MIPS
Experts contributing reviews
- Huffman, George J. | Pendergrass, Angeline
![NASA's MERRA2 reanalysis NASA's MERRA2 reanalysis](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/merra-grab.png?itok=ekoJ4nIp)
Years of record
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The Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) is a global atmospheric reanalysis produced by the NASA Global Modeling and…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Aerosols Air Temperature Geopotential Height Precipitable waterExperts contributing reviews
- Bosilovich, Michael | Cullather, Richard