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
![Figure 2: Map of the locations for all available IGRA v2.2 stations.](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2023-09/IGRAv22StationsAll.png?itok=3ysf0PCG)
Years of record
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The largest publicly available collection of quality-controlled, globally-distributed, historical radiosonde and pilot balloon observations is the Integrated Global…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Dew Point Temperature Geopotential Height Multiple variables Relative Humidity WindExperts contributing reviews
- Durre, Imke | Korzeniewski, Bryant
![Marshall Southern Annular Mode (SAM) Index (Station-based) Marshall Southern Annular Mode (SAM) Index (Station-based)](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/Marshall-SAM-F2.png?itok=wnSHfVmE)
Years of record
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The station-based index of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is based on the zonal pressure difference between the latitudes of 40S and 65S. As such, the SAM index…
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Formats
- ascii
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Timestep
- N/A
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Collections
- N/A
Experts contributing reviews
- Marshall, Gareth
![NCEP NARR NCEP NARR](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_661.png?itok=euFHNzjQ)
Years of record
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A high resolution (32km x 29 pressure levels) data set focused upon the North American Region. Relative to the NCEP-DOE (R2) it has a much improved land-hydrology, diurnal…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Air Temperature Geopotential Height Precipitable water Land-
Formats
- GRIB
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Timestep
- Climatology, Sub-daily, Monthly
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Domain
- North America
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Collections
- N/A
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A
![NCEP-NCAR (R1): An Overview NCEP-NCAR (R1): An Overview](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_667.png?itok=80jGFqhZ)
Years of record
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NCEP-NCAR (R1) is the original reanalysis effort. It uses a frozen global state-of-the-art global data assimilation system (as of 11 January 1995). The original database was…
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Timestep
- Sub-daily, Daily, Monthly
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Domain
- Global
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A
![JRA-55 JRA-55](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/JRA55-ncl8r28kXUAA9.tmpqq__0.gif?itok=BoM90udX)
Years of record
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Spanning 1958-present, JRA-55 is the longest third-generation reanalysis that uses the full observing system (in contrast, products like ERA-20C and NOAA 20CR assimilate a…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Air Temperature Geopotential Height Precipitable waterExperts contributing reviews
- Kobayashi, Shinya
![AIRS (Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder): Version 6 Level 2 AIRS (Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder): Version 6 Level 2](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_562.png?itok=VPLaqlOT)
Years of record
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AIRS Version 6 Level 2 data represent a significant improvement over AIRS Version 5 Level 2 products in terms of greater stability, yield, and quality. Several…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Aerosols Air Temperature CO Geopotential Height Ozone: Tropospheric Precipitable water Specific HumidityExperts contributing reviews
- N/A
![NOAA 20th-Century Reanalysis, Version 2 and 2c NOAA 20th-Century Reanalysis, Version 2 and 2c](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/CR_climo_5180.png?itok=7aCtP7CV)
Years of record
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The Twentieth Century Reanalysis (20CR) provides a comprehensive global atmospheric circulation data set spanning 1850-2014. Its chief motivation is to provide an…
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Timestep
- Sub-daily, Daily, Monthly
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Domain
- Global
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A
![Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR)](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_659.png?itok=S8slCXKx)
Years of record
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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
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Timestep
- Sub-daily, Monthly
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Domain
- Global
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Collections
- Climate Analysis Section (CAS) Data Catalog
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A
![NASA MERRA NASA MERRA](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_665.png?itok=ZJHGeVTc)
Years of record
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The Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) was undertaken by NASA’s Global Modeling and Assimilation Office with two primary objectives: to…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Air Temperature Geopotential Height Precipitable water Water Vapor-
Timestep
- Sub-daily, Monthly
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Domain
- Global
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A
![ERA-Interim ERA-Interim](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/teaser_images_663.png?itok=D-n1KfQJ)
Years of record
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Using a much improved atmospheric model and assimilation system from those used in ERA-40, ERA-Interim represents a third generation reanalysis. Several of the inaccuracies…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere Air Temperature Geopotential Height Precipitable water Precipitation-
Timestep
- Sub-daily, Daily, Monthly
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Domain
- Global
Experts contributing reviews
- Dee, Dick
![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
![Overview: Climate Indices Overview: Climate Indices](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/oni.monthly.smoo_stro_0.png?itok=sZjCFl2r)
Years of record
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A climate index is a simple diagnostic quantity that is used to characterize an aspect of a geophysical system such as a circulation pattern. A variety of methods have been…
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Formats
- N/A
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Timestep
- N/A
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Domain
- N/A
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Collections
- Overview / Comparison page
Experts contributing reviews
- N/A