This data set comprises global, monthly satellite-derived snow water equivalent (SWE) climatologies from November 1978 through May 2007, and is updated with more recent data periodically. Global data are gridded to the Northern and Southern 25 km Equal-Area Scalable Earth Grids (EASE-Grids). Global snow water equivalent is derived from Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) and selected Special Sensor Microwave/Imagers (SSM/I). Northern Hemisphere data are enhanced with snow cover frequencies derived from the NOAA Northern Hemisphere EASE-Grid Weekly Snow Cover and Sea Ice Extent Version 2 data (the snow charts were not produced for the Southern Hemisphere). These data are suitable for continental-scale time-series studies of snow cover and water equivalent.
Technical Notes
These files are on the EASE grid. Some users have found have found these grids difficult to interpolate to grid structures commonly used in climate studies.
Years of Record
Formats
Timestep
Spatial Resolution
Vertical Levels
Data Access: Please Cite data sources, following the data providers' instructions.
- Armstrong, R.L., M.J. Brodzik, K. Knowles and M. Savoie. [insert year you obtain data]. Global Monthly EASE-Grid Snow Water Equivalent Climatology. Boulder, CO: National Snow and Ice Data Center. Digital media.
- Tedesco, M., R. Kelly, J. L. Foster, and A. T.C. Chang. 2004. AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids. Version 2. [indicate subset used]. Boulder, Colorado USA: National Snow and Ice Data Center.