GOSIC Banner
 
Facilitating Access to Global Observing Systems Data and Information

GCOS Atmospheric Surface ECV*
Precipitation

*over land, sea and ice

  • Definition: Precipitation (frequency, intensity, quantity and type) is a key variable for specifying the state of the climate system. It varies considerably in space and time and requires a high-density network to observe its variability and extremes on regional scales. Precipitation is perhaps the single most important climate variable for societal use. (from the Systematic Observation Requirement for Satellite-Based Products for Climate - GCOS-17)
  • Atmospheric Surface Domain
  • Specific Issues: Since precipitation often occurs on small space and time scales, the density of the networks appropriate for surface temperature and pressure is insufficient for precipitation.  Many nations have organized and operate special rain gauge and radar networks devoted to the observation of precipitation amount, type (rain, snow etc.) and distribution on fine space and time scales. Daily and if possible hourly data are required for studies of extremes and precipitation characteristics. The GCOS requirement for global and regional analyses of precipitation can be significantly improved by the incorporation of observations from these networks.  Meeting this requirement means that all nations must routinely provide all their current precipitation gauge observations to the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre and the global archives at WDC Asheville, as promptly as possible. Continuing research and instrument intercomparisons are required to overcome some outstanding measurement problems, such as undercatch of snow. National radar data need to be exchanged in a standard format and combined with gauge data to contribute to global estimates of precipitation.
     
    Even with the efforts of many nations, precipitation observations are still not available with adequate density to define the distribution of precipitation in many parts of the globe, including the oceans and many land areas. Estimates of precipitation derived from satellite observing systems have been used to map the distribution of precipitation over some of these regions, and have proven essential for global analyses when combined with surface-based precipitation observations. Stable continuation and enhancement of the satellite systems contributing to precipitation observation (such as passive microwave and, with limitations, high-frequency IR geostationary measurements) is required to ensure accurate global precipitation monitoring. The WMO Space Programme, in cooperation with the GCOS Secretariat, will continue to inform the space agencies through the CGMS and CEOS of the need to build this requirement into their medium and long-range planning. The CEOS Precipitation Constellation has been set up to establish an international framework to guide, facilitate and coordinate the continued advancements of multi-satellite global precipitation products.
     
    Some observations of precipitation over the oceans are particularly important for the validation and refinement of satellite-derived precipitation products. The OOPC will work with the Ocean Reference Mooring Network to ensure the required observations     are obtained from key locations, including necessary technical developments.  

    The Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) has devised and implemented an initial quasi-operational strategy, including in situ observations and estimates derived from radar and satellite data, for providing global analyses of precipitation. This strategy must be periodically reviewed and enhanced to take advantage of improvements in technology and data availability, to accommodate the full suite of GCOS requirements. Estimates of precipitation in high latitudes remain a challenge.     (Source: WMO/IOC Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC (2010 Update) GCOS-138/GOOS-184/GTOS-76/WMO-TD/No. 1523)
  • Satellite Observations
  • Atmosphere Surface Domain ECVs
  • News: The NOAA/NCDC Climate Analysis Branch is pleased to announce the release of the Global Historical Climatology Network - Monthly (GHCNM) version 3.0 (beta).  The public is encouraged to provide feedback during this beta phase to help improve and enhance the dataset.  To direct questions, comments, or feedback, specific to the GHCNM please e-mail at: NCDC.GHCNM@noaa.gov . For more information see below.
  • References:

Data, Product, Metadata and Information Access
[ECV Matrix Main Page] [About the ECV Matrix] [Reference Documents] [Contact] [Updated May 18, 2011]

Non-satellite or in-situ Satellite
  • GHCN DAILY Version 2.1 - Daily Global Historical Climatology Network Data (NOAA/NCDC) is a database of temperature, precipitation and pressure records managed by the National Climatic Data Center, Arizona State University and the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center. The aggregate data are collected from many continuously reporting fixed stations at the Earth's surface and represent the input of approximately: 6000 temperature stations, 7500 precipitation stations, 2000 pressure stations. This work is often used as a foundation for reconstructing past global temperatures, and is used in two of the official reconstructions, that prepared by the NCDC, and that prepared by NASA as its Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) temperature set. The earliest data included in the database were collected in 1697. (data access) (metadata) (data documentation) (GISTEMP products using GHCN data) (contact)
  • GHCNM Version 2.0 and 3.0 beta - Monthly Global Historical Climatology Network Data (NOAA/NCDC) is a database of temperature, precipitation and pressure records managed by the National Climatic Data Center, Arizona State University and the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center. The aggregate data are collected from many continuously reporting fixed stations at the Earth's surface and represent the input of approximately: 6000 temperature stations, 7500 precipitation stations, 2000 pressure stations. This work is often used as a foundation for reconstructing past global temperatures, and is used in two of the official reconstructions, that prepared by the NCDC, and that prepared by NASA as its Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) temperature set. The earliest data included in the database were collected in 1697. (version 3.0 beta data access) (version 3.0 beta ftp download) (version 2.0 data access) (version 2.0 ftp download) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)
  • GCOS Surface Network (GSN) Monitoring Centre Monthly Data (GSNMC) (DWD) In order to offer an earlier access to the GSN data, a so called "quick" GSN data set is provided as soon as it becomes available (about day 23 of the following month). This data set is marked by a 'Q' in the table (see data access below) and does NOT include any information about data quality. The quality flags included are all set by default to "1". The final GSNMC data set, market as 'F', is sent on a monthly basis to the WDCA for Meteorology in Asheville, NC, USA, after the QC of the CLIMAT temperature and precipitation data has been completed (in general about 2 months after the end of the observation month) (See the GSNMON dataset above).The GSN is a global network of  approximately 1000 stations selected from the network of many thousands of existing meteorological stations. The GSN is intended to comprise the best possible set of land stations with a spacing of 2.5 to 5 degrees of latitude, thereby allowing coarse-mesh horizontal analyses for some basic parameters. (data access) (products) (metadata) (data documentation) (program information) (contact)
  • GCOS Surface Network (GSN) Monthly Data (GSNMON) (NOAA/NCDC) is a global network of  approximately 1000 stations selected from the network of many thousands of existing meteorological stations. The GSN is intended to comprise the best possible set of land stations with a spacing of 2.5 to 5 degrees of latitude, thereby allowing coarse-mesh horizontal analyses for some basic parameters. These data are archived at NCDC after QC of the CLIMAT temperature and precipitation data have been completed (in general about 2 months after the end of the observation month) (see GSNMC data sets below) (data access) (metadata) (data documentation) (program information) (contact)
  • Global Surface Summary of Day Data (GSOD) (NOAA/NCDC) is produced by the NOAA/NCDC. The input data used in building these daily summaries are the Integrated Surface Data (ISD), which includes global data obtained from the USAF Climatology Center. The latest daily summary data are normally available 1-2 days after the date-time of the observations used in the daily summaries.  The online data files begin with 1929, and are now at the Version 7 software level.  Over 9000 stations' data are typically available.  Includes GSN data submitted by GTS but not by individual countries (variables) (data access) (metadata) (station list) (data documentation) (contact)
  • IPCC High Resolution Observational Climatologies (IPCC) Access to the Climate Research Unit (CRU) high resolution climate data, version 2.1. Further details about this data can be found in a Tyndall Centre Technical report. A description of the methods used is given in: Mitchell TD and Jones PD (2005) An improved method of constructing a database of monthly climate observations and associated high-resolution grids. International Journal of Climatology 25, 693-712 (doi:10.1002/joc.1181). (data access) (metadata) (data documentation) (metadata ) (contact)
  • Global Precipitation Climatology Centre Reanalysis Data Version 5 (DWD/GPCC) The GPCC Full Data Reanalysis uses the complete GPCC station database (ca. 64.400 stations with at least 10 years of data) available at the time of analysis and therefore is recommended to be used for global and regional water balance studies, calibration/validation of remote sensing based rainfall estimations and verification of numerical models. When interpreting applications and assessments based on GPCC Full data reanalysis users should carefully take into account the number of stations available for a specific analysis grid in a specific month. (data product access) (products documentation) (GPCC Visualizer) (metadata) (contact)
  • Tropical Moored Buoys Data (TAO/TRITON (Pacific); PIRATA (Atlantic); and RAMA (Indian Ocean) Arrays (NOAA/NDBC) The TAO array became the TAO/TRITON array on 1 January 2000. This name change recognizes the introduction of TRITON (Triangle Trans-Ocean Buoy Network) buoys in the western Pacific by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). TRITON buoys have replaced ATLAS buoys at 12 sites along 137°E, 147°E, and 156°E beginning in 1999 as indicated in the table below. TRITON has been implemented in close collaboration with TAO under the auspices of CLIVAR, GOOS, and GCOS. TRITON buoys are serviced by the Japanese research vessel MIRAI. The TAO Project at NOAA / PMEL worked closely with the TRITON project at JAMSTEC to maximize consistency in sensor types and sampling schemes between TAO and TRITON buoys. TAO and TRITON buoys were also deployed side-by-side at several sites in the western Pacific for six month to one year check-out periods in 1998-99 to assure that parameters were consistently being measured by the two buoy systems. Finally, JAMSTEC and PMEL have worked together to assure that the TRITON buoy data are subject to free, open, and timely exchange. The combined TAO/TRITON data are managed and distributed as a unified and integrated data set by the TAO Project. (data access) (metadata)(data documentation) (contact)
  • US Climate Reference Network (USCRN) (NOAA/NCDC) (air temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, wind speed, soil moisture) USCRN darta consists of 114 stations developed, deployed, managed, and maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the continental United States for the express purpose of detecting the national signal of climate change. The vision of the USCRN program is to maintain a sustainable high-quality climate observation network that 50 years from now can with the highest degree of confidence answer the question: How has the climate of the nation changed over the past 50 years? These stations were designed with climate science in mind. (data access) (metadata) (data documentation) (map) (contact)
  • U.S. Historical Climatology Network - Version 2 (USHCN) (NOAA/NCDC) Since 1987, NCDC has used observations from the USHCN to quantify national- and regional-scale temperature changes in the conterminous United States. To that end, USHCN temperature records have been “corrected” to account for various historical changes in station location, instrumentation, and observing practice. The USHCN is actually a designated subset of the NOAA Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) Network the USHCN sites having been selected according to their spatial coverage, record length, data completeness, and historical stability. The USHCN, therefore, consists primarily of long-term COOP stations whose temperature records have been adjusted for systematic, nonclimatic changes that bias temperature trends (data access) (map interface) (metadata) (data documentation) (GISTEMP products using USHCN data) (contact)
  • Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) Observations (NOAA/NDBC) Volunteer crew members on nearly 1,000 ships around the world observe the weather at their location, encode each observation in a standard format, and send the data over satellite or radio to the many national meteorological services that have responsibility for marine weather forecasts. The US VOS Project services about one quarter of the world's VOS fleet, providing ships' crews with weather observer training, handbooks and forms, observation encoding software, barometer calibration, the Mariners Weather Log, and weather observing tools. Located in the major ports around the country, Port Meteorological Officers are the VOS Project's field representatives and primary points of contact for ships. (variables) (data access) (metadata) (data documentation) (Program Information) (contact)
  • Global Precipitation Analysis (Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP)), (NASA/GSFC) (Goddard Profilling Algorithm (Derived from SSMI), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)), (Global Real-Time 3-Hourly Precipitation Analysis, Global Daily and Monthly Merged Precipitation Analyses of GPCP, Precipitation Patterns in the Tropical Pacific) (data/products access) (metadata) (contact)