Directions for monthly mean time series generation page

The primary data set if the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis. The data set consists of a subset of various variables on pressure levels or at the surface. The other datasets provided are the Kaplan SST, U of Delaware, and the NOAA Interpolated OLR . The options are as follows

1. Select a variable (for NCEP data set only)
2. Select a level (for NCEP variables only). Not all levels/variable combinations available.
3. Select a latitude range. Enter north to south (e.g.90 to -90). For one grid, use the same value.
4. Select a longitude range. Values are interpreted as going eastward. Negative values are used to represent west longtiude. Some valid inputs are -180 to -10, 50 to 270, 0 to 360. For one grid, use the same value.
5. Choose monthly values (you will get all 12 for each year) or a seasonal average (1 value per year returned). You cannot return a subset of months unless you ask for a seasonal average. Specify the season by setting the first and las months. If any part of a season is missing, the whole season will be missing.
6. Choose Get values or plot data. Monthly values output can be used on monthly composite page (https://psl.noaa.gov/data/composites/ or https://psl.noaa.gov/data/usclimdivs/ OR the correlation pages: https://psl.noaa.gov/data/correlation/ or https://psl.noaa.gov/data/usclimdivs/correlation/.

Comments: NCAR/NCAR R1 data is updated near the beginning of each month for the previous month. It can be late. The OLR is updated irregularily. Plots are rudimentary. It is not anticipated that this page will be improved. Instead, see the WRIT time-series webtool which can plot more datasets and perform more analysis.

To get data:

See PSL's gridded climate research data access.

The data sets consists of temperature, precipitation and the Palmer Drought Index for each of the 344 climate divisions as defined by NCEI. The options are as follows

1. Select a state (Alaska and Hawaii are NOT available).
2. Select a climate division from that state. A list of available divisions and a map are located after the submit button.
3. Select a year range. Data is available 1895-present. Data for a season that spans Dec is not available for 1895.
4. Choose a type of output. Mean (individual values), Anomaly (difference from 1950-1995 climatology), Climatology (1950-1995) and ranked values are available. Ranking is done relative to the years you select in your year range. Anomalies have each months climatology subtracted the mean value.
5. Choose monthly values (you will get all 12 for each year) or a seasonal average (1 value per year returned). You cannot return a subset of months unless you ask for a seasonal average. For precipitation, you get the average. This will be changed to total. Specify the season by setting the first and las months. If any part of a season is missing, the whole season will be missing.
6. Choose Get values or plot data. Monthly values output can be used on monthly composite page (https://psl.noaa.gov/data/composites/ or https://psl.noaa.gov/data/usclimdivs/ OR the correlation pages: http://psl.noaa.gov/data/correlation/ or http://psl.noaa.gov/data/usclimdivs/correlation/. A plot of the ranked values makes no sense. All the other types work.
7. For plot: (optional) Set y range sets the top/bottom values on the x-axis. Choose values with data range.
8. For plot: (optional) Plot a line plot or plot a box plot.

Comments: The data is updated near the beginning of each month (around the 7th) for the previous month. It can be late. For ranks, I ignore ties. Order of ties is arbitrary. Note that because of the actual precision of the data, apparent non-ties may not represent real differences in the years. Plots are rudimentary. I plan to add more options at a later date.

To get data:

We do not provide the datasets. Please go to NCEI's web-site for more information.