Gridded Fields
Climatological monthly mean fields of meteorological parameters are provided in an easy-to-use format. Decadal mean fields for those parameters with sufficient data for a decadal analysis are included. These fields are based on the best available products improved, when possible, with new data obtained for this Atlas.
Browse files are .gif format images with a color bar and contours. These allow you to quickly visualize the content of the corresponding ASCII data files. The ASCII EASE-Grid format files have a cell size of 250 km. Please read the technical documentation for the parameter of interest to find complete information on data sources and methods of compiling these fields. The documentation contains a section commenting on the seasonal cycle of the parameter written by M. Serreze. The fields are:
Two-meter air temperature: Monthly means, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation for 1980s and 1990s.
Sea level pressure: Decadal monthly means for 1950s through 1990s; long-term monthly means for 1951 through 1990; long-term monthly means for 1961 through 1990 (the WMO period); and fields of anomaly, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation.
Precipitation: Monthly mean fields 1951 to 1990.
Cloud: Decadal monthly mean fields of total and low cloud cover (percent) for 1952 through 1995; long-term monthly mean fields of total and low cloud cover (percent) for 1952 through 1995.
Snow: Monthly mean snow depth fields for land for the period 1966 through 1982; monthly mean snow depth fields for the Arctic Ocean 1954 through 1991; monthly mean snow water equivalent fields for the Arctic Ocean 1954 through 1991.
Global solar radiation: Climatological monthly means. In addition, the "Gridded Fields" section of the Atlas contains a climatology of direct, total (or global) and net radiation compiled and scanned at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) from Russian and other sources by M. S. Marshunova.