LibGuides: Geological Sciences: Climate Data

How to retrieve monthly rainfall/climate data from NowData?

NOWData (NOAA Online Weather Data)

Notes: M stands for Missing. T stands for Trace. FAQs

Heating Degree Day (HDD): The number of heating degrees in a day is defined as the difference between 65°F and the mean temperature (average of the daily high and daily low).

Cooling Degree Day (CDD): The number of cooling degrees in a day is defined as the difference between the mean temperature (average of the daily high and daily low) and 65°F.

Growing Degree Days (GDD): Calculated by subtracting the plant's lower base or threshold temperature of 50°F from the average daily air temperature in °F.

How to use NOAA Online Weather Data (NOWData)?

Selected Data Tools

Data Tools: Find a Station (Retrieve weather records from observing stations by entering the desired location, data set, data range, and data category. Location can be specified as city, county, state, country, or ZIP code).

NCDC (The Image and Publications System (IPS) includes monthly publications for a variety of datasets along with Serial Publications and Other Documents (most of which are PDFs). To view PDF files, you must have Adobe Reader installed. All users may freely access publications online).

Weather.gov (Current and past data sets)
e.g., Weather.gov > Los Angeles, CA > Historical Observations

NOAA OneStop (NOAA OneStop can be used to search for any NOAA data with a metadata record. It is an interoperable tool designed to explore data from across scientific disciplines, formats, time periods, and locations. OneStop’s wide range of filtering options can pinpoint specific collections or granules that may not be discoverable in other mediums).

Extreme Weather Records by State (What were the highest and lowest temperatures in your state, and when and where were they measured? This site shows records for every state in categories such as temperature, total amount of rain or snow in 24 hours, weight and diameter of hail-stones, and highest wind gusts).

State Cimate Extremes Committee (SCEC) (The State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) was created in 2006 in response to the need for proper and comprehensive evaluation of meteorological observations which may have tied or exceeded existing statewide all–time record values).

Weather Underground (Find historical weather by searching for a city, zip code, or airport code. Include a date for which you would like to see weather history. You can select a range of dates in the results on the next page).

Extreme Weather Watch (Information by State and City)

Climate data from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Climatological Data Monthly editions contain station daily maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation. Some stations provide daily snowfall, snow depth, evaporation, and soil temperature data. Each issue also contains monthly summaries for heating and cooling degree days (65 degrees Fbase).
Climatological Data National Summary Data includes a national general summary of weather conditions, observed extremes of temp & precip by states, climatological data by station, heating degree/cooling degree days, flood data and losses, and storm summaries. Upper air data, sunshine and solar radiation data are also summarized.
Cooperative Observations (State) A monthly log that includes a daily account of temperature extremes (participating locations) & precipitation, snow, and snow depth. Available for thousands of sites which are a part of the cooperative observing network in the US. This data has a lag time of 2-3 months.
Cooperative Observations (Non-US Territory) A monthly log that includes a daily account of temperature extremes (participating locations) & precipitation, snow, and snow depth. Available for thousands of sites which are a part of the cooperative observing network in the US. This data has a lag time of 2-3 months.
Local Climatological Data (LCD) contains summaries from major airport weather stations that include a daily account of temperature extremes, degree days, precipitation amounts and winds. Also included are the hourly precipitation amounts and abbreviated 3-hourly weather observations.
Monthly Climatic Data for the World Monthly Climatic Data for the World (MCDW) contains monthly mean temperature, pressure, precipitation, vapor pressure, and hours of sunshine for approximately 2,000 surface data collection stations worldwide and monthly mean upper air temperatures, dew point depressions, and wind velocities for approximately 500 observing sites.
Past weather by location
Climate at a Glance National Mapping Climate at a Glance was developed at the request of NOAA Headquarters for near real-time analysis of monthly temperature and precipitation data across the contiguous U.S. and intended for the study of climate variability.
Climate.gov Daily Temperature and Precipitation Reports - Data Tables
Drought.gov The National Integrated Drought Information System is a multi-agency partnership that coordinates drought monitoring, forecasting, and planning. It collects and integrates information on the key indicators of drought and offers usable, reliable, and timely drought forecasts and assessments of associated risks to facilitate proactive decision making. At Drought.gov, you'll find information about current drought conditions, historical drought, drought impacts, outlooks, forecasts, reports, research, events, and news at the local to international level.
Weather and Climate ToolKit NOAA's Weather and Climate Toolkit (WCT) is free, platform independent software distributed from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). The WCT allows the visualization and data export of weather and climate data, including Radar, Satellite and Model data. The WCT also provides access to weather/climate web services provided from NCEI and other organizations. The WCT provides tools for background maps, animations and basic filtering. The export of images and movies is provided in multiple formats. The data export feature supports conversion of data to a variety of common formats including GeoJSON, KMZ, Shapefile, Well-Known Text, GeoTIFF, ESRI Grid and Gridded NetCDF. These data export features promote the interoperability of weather and climate information with various scientific communities and common software packages such as ArcGIS, Google Earth, MatLAB, QGIS, R and many more. Advanced data export support for Google Earth enables the 2-D and 3D export of rendered data and isosurfaces.
Climate Data Online Climate Data Online (CDO) provides free access to NCDC's archive of global historical weather and climate data in addition to station history information. These data include quality controlled daily, monthly, seasonal, and yearly measurements of temperature, precipitation, wind, and degree days as well as radar data and 30-year Climate Normals. Customers can also order most of these data as certified hard copies for legal use.

Precipitation (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Hourly Precipitation Data (State) This publication contains hourly precipitation amounts obtained from recording rain gages located at National Weather Service, Federal Aviation Administration, and cooperative observer stations. Published data are displayed in inches to tenths or inches to hundredths at local standard time. HPD includes maximum precipitation for nine (9) time periods from 15 minutes to 24 hours, for selected stations.
Storm Data Storm Data (SD) monthly publications contains a chronological listing, by states, of storm occurrences and unusual weather phenomena. Reports contain information on storm paths, deaths, injuries, and property damage. An "Outstanding storms of the month" section highlights severe weather events with photographs, illustrations, and narratives.

Other Resources

THE CLIMATE EXPLORER The Climate Explorer gives users a way to check how climate conditions in the United States are projected to change over the coming decades. This information—derived from global climate models—is available for counties and county-equivalents for all 50 states and U.S. territories in the United States.
Climate Data Guide (or "Guide") The Climate Data Guide (or "Guide") is an expert knowledge portal providing concise and reliable information on the strengths and limitations of the climate data that are essential for measuring and predicting physical climate risk.
California Weather Database he weather database stores current and past data. Current data are supplied by "automatic," "TouchTone," and "PestCast" stations. Data for climate stations are recent, but always three-to-six-months old. Automatic stations: microprocessor-based, part of the CIMIS Network operated by California Department of Water Resources (DWR). Automatic (.A) stations supply current daily values of several agriculturally important variables. Data are collected daily by DWR, which then provides them to UC IPM. TouchTone stations: provide current weather data from agricultural locations that report weather variables important to agriculture. Volunteers record observations daily and transmit them to the UC IPM computer. PestCast stations: provide current weather data monitored inside crop canopies in several research and extension networks. These stations also supply hourly or more frequent data. Data are collected automatically once or twice daily over land-line telephone, cellular phone, or radio telemetry. Historical records are supplied primarily by "climate stations." Climate stations provide long-term records, for most stations since 1951. Stations are maintained by U.S. Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The stations also provide current weather data for dates prior to the last three to six months (we receive the data several months after observation). The stations available here have been selected for their long periods of record, as well as for their locations that represent different climates in California. Long-term (30-year) averages are available for all climate stations. Some Automatic and TouchTone stations have records that start as early as 1981.
Global Climate Change-- NASA An extensive collection of global warming resources for media, educators, weathercasters, and public speakers.
Climate Change - EPA EPA research improves knowledge of the impacts of climate change on human health and the environment. The scientific information and tools can be used by communities to effectively, equitably and sustainably tackle the climate crisis.