Global Historical Climatology Network - Monthly (GHCN) (DSI-9100)
Entry ID:
gov.noaa.ncdc.C00422
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Summary
Abstract:
Global Historical Climatology Network is digital data set DSI-9100, archived at the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) is a comprehensive, global, surface, baseline, climate data set designed for monitoring and detecting climate change. Comprised of surface station observations of temperature, precipitation, and pressure, all GHCN data are ... monthly. GHCN is produced jointly by the NCDC, Arizona State University, and the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). GHCN version 1 was released in August of 1992 and has data from ~6,000 Temperature stations ~7,500 Precipitation stations ~2,000 Pressure stations The earliest station data was from 1697. The most recent is from 1990. Version 1 was created from 15 source data sets. Quality Control included visual inspection of graphs of all station time series, tests for precipitation digitized 6 months out of phase, tests for different stations having identical data, and other tests. The GHCN version 2 temperature data set was released in 1997, while the version 2 precipitation data was made available in July 1999. Version 2 has significant improvements over version 1: more data (e.g., the precipitation data set has data from over 20,000 stations) from more sources (over 30 different sources including the Colonial Era Archive Project contributed to version 2), more elements (mean monthly maximum and minimum temperature data as well as mean temperature), better Quality Control, homogeneity adjustments, and a wider selection of metadata. Version 2 will also be regularly updated and irregularly have data from additional stations added to the data set. Therefore, with the release of GHCN version 2 temperature and precipitation data, NCDC has removed GHCN version 1 temperature and precipitation data from its anonymous ftp site. There are many unique features in GHCN version 2. For example, there are many cases where different sources have provided different mean temperature time series for the same station. Because meteorologists calculate daily mean temperature many different ways, there can be many different "correct" mean temperatures. Therefore, for many stations, GHCN provides more than one mean temperature time series. Also, GHCN version 2 has some unique and potentially very useful station metadata such as population and vegetation indicators. 
Purpose:
To make a wide range of climatic data available to researchers and the public.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: data set
CURRENTNESS REFERENCE: Ground Condition
Pricing is dependent on customer order specifications. Please contact NCDC for information on fees and terms for retrieving the Data Set or Product.
Geographic Coverage
(Click for Interactive Map)
Spatial coordinates
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N: 90.0
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S: -90.0
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E: 180.0
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W: -180.0
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Data Set Citation
Dataset Originator/Creator:
National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Dataset Title:
Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) (DSI-9100)
Dataset Release Date:
Unknown
Data Presentation Form:
tabular digital data
Online Resource:
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/res40.pl?page=ghcn.html
Temporal Coverage
Start Date:
1697-01-01
Stop Date:
1990-12-31
Quality
ATTRIBUTE ACCURACY REPORT: Not provided
LOGICAL CONSISTENCY REPORT: Unknown
COMPLETENESS REPORT: Completeness information not available.
LINEAGE/PROCESS STEP:
PROCESS DESCRIPTION: Unknown
PROCESS DATE: Unknown
Access Constraints
ACCESS CONSTRAINTS: None
DISTRIBUTION LIABILITY: Every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of current NOAA quality control procedures. NOAA can only certify that the data provided to its customers is an authentic copy of the records which were accepted for inclusion in NOAA archives. NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
Use Constraints
None
Data Set Progress
COMPLETE
Distribution
Distribution Format:
ASCII
Fees:
Please See Summary
Personnel
Role:
DIF AUTHOR
Phone:
828-271-4800
Fax:
828-271-4876
Email:
ncdc.orders at noaa.gov
Contact Address:
151 Patton Avenue, Room 120
City:
Asheville
Province or State:
NC
Postal Code:
28801-5001
Country:
USA
Creation and Review Dates
DIF Creation Date:
2006-08-24
Last DIF Revision Date:
2011-07-21
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