HIGH-QUALITY SPATIAL CLIMATE DATA SETS FOR THE UNITED STATES AND BEYOND

Abstract

A number of peer-reviewed, spatial climate data sets of excellent quality and detail for the United States arenow available. The data sets are suitable for a variety of modeling, analysis, and decision-making activities. Theseproducts are the result of collaboration between Oregon State Universitys Spatial Climate Analysis Service and USDANRCS, NOAA Office of Global Programs, NOAA National Climatic Data Center, NASA, Environment Canada, and otheragencies. The development of these high-quality maps was made possible through the development and use of PRISM, aknowledge-based climate analysis system that uses point climate data, a digital elevation model, and other spatial datasets to generate gridded, GIS-compatible estimates of annual, monthly and event-based climatic elements. Mappedelements currently available for the United States include 1961-1990 mean monthly and annual precipitation, maximumand minimum temperature, dew point temperature, relative humidity, snowfall, heating and cooling degree days, growingdegree days, median last spring and first fall frost dates, median freeze-free season length, and others. In addition,century-long gridded time series of monthly precipitation and minimum and maximum temperature for the lower 48 stateswill be available in 2001. Map products for other countries, including China and Canada, are nearing completion.