NCEP NARR
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 cycle and land-atmosphere interaction. As such, it can be considered a second generation reanalysis. A unique feature is the direct assimilation of observed precipitation.
Cite this page
Acknowledgement of any material taken from or knowledge gained from this page is appreciated:
National Center for Atmospheric Research Staff (Eds). Last modified "The Climate Data Guide: NCEP NARR.” Retrieved from https://climatedataguide.ucar.edu/climate-data/ncep-narr on 2025-07-21.
Citation of datasets is separate and should be done according to the data providers' instructions. If known to us, data citation instructions are given in the Data Access section, above.
Acknowledgement of the Climate Data Guide project is also appreciated:
Schneider, D. P., C. Deser, J. Fasullo, and K. E. Trenberth, 2013: Climate Data Guide Spurs Discovery and Understanding. Eos Trans. AGU, 94, 121–122, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013eo130001
Key Figures
NARR daily precipitation for April 11, 1979. Data are plotted on a Lambert Conformal projection. The values are the mean of eight 3-hourly values. (Climate Data Guide; D. Shea)
NARR daily mean temperature for April 11, 1979. Data are plotted on a Lambert Conformal projection. The values are the mean of eight 3-hourly values. (Climate Data Guide; D. Shea)
Other Information
standard reanalysis sources; precipitation, TOV-1B radiances
32km
32km x 45 eta
2003