NOAA's Climate Divisional Database (nCLIMDIV)

This dataset replaces the previous Time Bias Corrected Divisional Temperature-Precipitation Drought Index. The new divisional data set (nCLIMDIV) is based on the Global Historical Climatological Network-Daily (GHCN-D) and makes use of several improvements to the previous data set. For the input data, improvements include additional station networks, quality assurance reviews and temperature bias adjustments. Perhaps the most extensive improvement is to the computational approach, which now employs climatologically aided interpolation. This 5km grid based calculation nCLIMGRID helps to address topographic and network variability. This data set is primarily used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) to issue State of the Climate Reports on a monthly basis. These reports summarize recent temperature and precipitation conditions and long-term trends at a variety of spatial scales, the smallest being the climate division level. Data at the climate division level are aggregated to compute statewide, regional and national snapshots of climate conditions. For CONUS, the period of record is from 1895-present. Derived quantities such as Standardized precipitation Index (SPI), Palmer Drought Indices (PDSI, PHDI, PMDI, and ZNDX) and degree days are also available for the CONUS sites. In March 2015, data for thirteen Alaskan climate divisions were added to the nCLIMDIV data set. Data for the new Alaskan climate divisions begin in 1925 through the present and are included in all nCLIMDIV monthly updates. Alaskan climate data include the following elements for divisional and statewide coverage: average temperature, maximum temperature (highs), minimum temperature (lows), and precipitation. The Alaska nCLIMDIV data were created and updated using similar methodology as that for the CONUS, but with a different approach to establishing the underlying climatology. The Alaska data are built upon the 1971-2000 PRISM averages whereas the CONUS values utilize a base climatology derived from the nCLIMGRID data set.

Data and Resources

Field Value
accessLevel public
accrualPeriodicity R/P1M
bureauCode {006:48}
catalog_@context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
catalog_conformsTo https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
catalog_describedBy https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
identifier gov.noaa.ncdc:C00005
language {en-US}
modified 2014-03-01
old-spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-180.0, 24.0], [-66.0, 24.0], [-66.0, 71.5], [-180.0, 71.5], [-180.0, 24.0]]]}
programCode {006:059}
publisher DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC > National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce (Point of Contact)
resource-type Dataset
source_datajson_identifier true
source_hash ca2ac9efab0e01351c962024f4f57830c4b587c6
source_schema_version 1.1
spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-180.0, 24.0], [-66.0, 24.0], [-66.0, 71.5], [-180.0, 71.5], [-180.0, 24.0]]]}
Groups
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • National Provider
  • North America
Tags
  • amerigeo
  • amerigeoss
  • atmosphere-atmospheric-temperature-air-temperature
  • atmosphere-atmospheric-temperature-degree-days
  • atmosphere-atmospheric-temperature-maximum-minimum-temperature
  • atmosphere-atmospheric-temperature-surface-air-temperature
  • atmosphere-atmospheric-temperature-temperature-anomalies
  • atmosphere-atmospheric-temperature-temperature-tendency
  • atmosphere-precipitation-precipitation-amount
  • atmosphere-precipitation-precipitation-anomalies
  • atmospheric-surface-air-temperature
  • atmospheric-surface-precipitation
  • ckan
  • continent-north-america-united-states-of-america
  • doc-noaa-nesdis-ncdc-national-climatic-data-center
  • fixed-observation-stations
  • geo
  • geoss
  • national
  • nesdis
  • noaa
  • north-america
  • rain-gauges
  • t-monthly-climatology
  • thermometers
  • u-s-department-of-commerce
  • united-states
isopen False
license_id notspecified
license_title License not specified
maintainer DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC > National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
maintainer_email ncdc.orders@noaa.gov
metadata_created 2025-11-21T17:39:25.042605
metadata_modified 2025-11-21T17:39:25.042609
notes This dataset replaces the previous Time Bias Corrected Divisional Temperature-Precipitation Drought Index. The new divisional data set (nCLIMDIV) is based on the Global Historical Climatological Network-Daily (GHCN-D) and makes use of several improvements to the previous data set. For the input data, improvements include additional station networks, quality assurance reviews and temperature bias adjustments. Perhaps the most extensive improvement is to the computational approach, which now employs climatologically aided interpolation. This 5km grid based calculation nCLIMGRID helps to address topographic and network variability. This data set is primarily used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) to issue State of the Climate Reports on a monthly basis. These reports summarize recent temperature and precipitation conditions and long-term trends at a variety of spatial scales, the smallest being the climate division level. Data at the climate division level are aggregated to compute statewide, regional and national snapshots of climate conditions. For CONUS, the period of record is from 1895-present. Derived quantities such as Standardized precipitation Index (SPI), Palmer Drought Indices (PDSI, PHDI, PMDI, and ZNDX) and degree days are also available for the CONUS sites. In March 2015, data for thirteen Alaskan climate divisions were added to the nCLIMDIV data set. Data for the new Alaskan climate divisions begin in 1925 through the present and are included in all nCLIMDIV monthly updates. Alaskan climate data include the following elements for divisional and statewide coverage: average temperature, maximum temperature (highs), minimum temperature (lows), and precipitation. The Alaska nCLIMDIV data were created and updated using similar methodology as that for the CONUS, but with a different approach to establishing the underlying climatology. The Alaska data are built upon the 1971-2000 PRISM averages whereas the CONUS values utilize a base climatology derived from the nCLIMGRID data set.
num_resources 11
num_tags 27
title NOAA's Climate Divisional Database (nCLIMDIV)