Climate Indices
Climate indices are simple diagnostic quantities that are used to characterize an aspect of a geophysical system such as a circulation pattern. They track droughts, ENSO events, wind patterns, internal modes of climate variability, and extreme events like wildfires and heatwaves. Climate indices play a key role in climate monitoring and prediction. The climate index overview page summarizes the philosophy of climate indices.
To find a specific climate index, jump to the search box below or click your desired index from among the blue sub-category buttons.
To see only the indices with in-depth commentary, select the "Datasets with guidance" button when using the search box.
Dataset Overviews
Climate datasets
![timeseries of signal and noise in the SOI](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2023-09/soi3.gif?itok=jYDJ17xv)
Years of record
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The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) is a time series used to characterize the large scale sea level pressure (SLP) patterns in the tropical Pacific. Monthly mean SLP at…
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Timestep
- Monthly
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Domain
- Australia, Pacific Ocean, Tropics
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Collections
- Climate Analysis Section (CAS) Data Catalog
Experts contributing reviews
- Trenberth, Kevin
![Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI)](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/palmer_0.gif?itok=tk8OkLjH)
Years of record
- N/A
The Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) uses readily available temperature and precipitation data to estimate relative dryness. It is a standardized index that generally…
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Timestep
- Monthly
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Domain
- Global
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Collections
- Climate Analysis Section (CAS) Data Catalog
Experts contributing reviews
- Dai, Aiguo
![Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI)](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/SPEI.png?itok=64dJ85gE)
Years of record
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The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) is an extension of the widely used Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). The SPEI is designed to take into…
Main variables and Earth System components
N/AExperts contributing reviews
- Vicente-Serrano, Sergio M.
![Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI)](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/6mSPIDataUS.png?itok=enhxxSU0)
Years of record
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The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is a widely used index to characterize meteorological drought on a range of timescales. On short timescales, the SPI is closely…
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Formats
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Timestep
- Monthly
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Domain
- N/A
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Collections
- N/A
Experts contributing reviews
- Keyantash, John
![FWI p95 in ERAI and CESM1-LE (contributed by Danielle Touma)](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2023-08/Touma-FW_-Fig2.png?itok=d6KLSghy)
Years of record
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Fire weather indices are used to quantify the meteorological conditions that can lead to fire ignition and spread. They are used to communicate fire danger levels to…
Main variables and Earth System components
Atmosphere-
Formats
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Timestep
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Domain
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Collections
- N/A
Experts contributing reviews
- Touma, Danielle
![Drought atlases from tree rings Drought atlases from tree rings](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2022-03/drought-atlases.png?itok=Jg903iiq)
Years of record
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Tree-ring drought atlases provide a paleoclimate analog to modern drought indices, most commonly the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). Produced on a regular lat-…
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Timestep
- Annual
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Domain
- North America
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Collections
- N/A
Experts contributing reviews
- Cook, Edward