Caribbean Monthly Precipitation

Total monthly precipitation modeled globally by NASA . The map shows monthly precipitation for the period of 2000 to the present, focused on the Caribbean.Precipitation is water released from clouds in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail. It is the primary source of recharge to the planet's fresh water supplies. This map contains a historical record showing the volume of precipitation that fell during each month from March 2000 to the present. Snow and hail are reported in terms of snow water equivalent - the amount of water that will be produced when they melt. Dataset SummaryThe GLDAS Precipitation layer is a time-enabled image service that shows average monthly precipitation from 2000 to the present, measured in millimeters. It is calculated by NASA using the Noah land surface model, run at 0.25 degree spatial resolution using satellite and ground-based observational data from the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS-1). The model is run with 3-hourly time steps and aggregated into monthly averages. Review the complete list of model inputs, explore the output data (in GRIB format), and see the full Hydrology Catalog for all related data and information!What can you do with this layer?This layer is suitable for both visualization and analysis. It can be used in ArcGIS Online in web maps and applications and can be used in ArcGIS for Desktop. It is useful for scientific modeling, but only at global scales.Time: This is a time-enabled layer. It shows the total evaporative loss during the map's time extent, or if time animation is disabled, a time range can be set using the layer's multidimensional settings. The map shows the sum of all months in the time extent. Minimum temporal resolution is one month; maximum is one year.Variables: This layer has two variables: rainfall and snowfall. By default the two are summed, but you can view either by itself using the multidimensional filter. You must disable time animation on the layer before using its multidimensional filter.Important: You must switch from the cartographic renderer to the analytic renderer in the processing template tab in the layer properties window before using this layer as an input to geoprocessing tools.This layer has query, identify, and export image services available.This layer is part of a larger collection of earth observation maps that you can use to perform a wide variety of mapping and analysis tasks.The Living Atlas of the World provides an easy way to explore the earth observation layers and many other beautiful and authoritative maps on hundreds of topics.Geonet is a good resource for learning more about earth observations layers and the Living Atlas of the World. Follow the Living Atlas on GeoNet.

Data and Resources

Field Value
dcat_issued 2020-03-19T21:17:42.000Z
dcat_modified 2020-03-20T03:54:30.000Z
dcat_publisher_name Caribbean GeoPortal
guid https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=0cd4f23e672143b1b135f7cebc0858f2
Tags
  • Caribbean
  • GLDAS
  • NASA
  • NOAH
  • Precip
  • Rain
  • Ranfall
  • Snowfall
  • earth observations
  • snow
isopen False
metadata_created 2025-09-18T19:30:39.168378
metadata_modified 2025-09-19T18:15:49.259796
notes <div><font face='Avenir Next W01, Avenir Next W00, Avenir Next, Avenir, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif'><span style='font-size: 16px;'>Total monthly precipitation modeled globally by NASA . The map shows monthly precipitation for the period of 2000 to the present, focused on the Caribbean.</span></font><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Precipitation is water released from clouds in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail. It is the primary source of recharge to the planet's fresh water supplies. This map contains a historical record showing the volume of precipitation that fell during each month from March 2000 to the present. Snow and hail are reported in terms of snow water equivalent - the amount of water that will be produced when they melt.</div><div><span style='font-size:small;'> </span><br /></div><div><span><font size='4'>Dataset Summary</font></span></div><div><span>The GLDAS Precipitation layer is a time-enabled image service that shows average monthly precipitation from 2000 to the present, measured in </span>millimeters<span>. It is calculated by NASA using the </span><a href='https://ral.ucar.edu/sites/default/files/public/product-tool/unified-noah-lsm/Noah_LSM_USERGUIDE_2.7.1.pdf' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>Noah</a> land surface model<span>, run at 0.25 degree spatial resolution using </span><span>satellite </span><span>and ground-based observational data</span><span> from the </span><a href='https://ldas.gsfc.nasa.gov/' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>Global Land Data Assimilation System</a><span> (GLDAS-1). The model is run with 3-hourly time steps and aggregated into monthly averages. Review the complete list of model </span><a href='https://ldas.gsfc.nasa.gov/gldas/GLDASforcing.php' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>inputs</a><span>, explore the </span><a href='https://hydro1.gesdisc.eosdis.nasa.gov/data/GLDAS/GLDAS_NOAH025_M.2.1/' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>output</a> data (in GRIB format), and see the full Hydrology <a href='https://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/datasets?keywords=Hydrology' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>Catalog</a> for all related data and information!</div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><p><font size='4'>What can you do with this layer?</font><br />This layer is suitable for both visualization and analysis. It can be used in ArcGIS Online in web maps and applications and can be used in ArcGIS for Desktop. It is useful for scientific modeling, but only at global scales.<br /></p><p><b><font color='#8b0000'>Time: </font></b>This is a time-enabled layer. It shows the total evaporative loss during the map's time extent, or if time animation is disabled, a time range can be set using the layer's multidimensional settings. The map shows the sum of all months in the time extent. Minimum temporal resolution is one month; maximum is one year.<br /></p><p><b><font color='#8b0000'>Variables: </font></b>This layer has two variables: rainfall and snowfall. By default the two are summed, but you can view either by itself using the multidimensional filter. You must disable time animation on the layer before using its multidimensional filter.<br /></p><p><b><font color='#8b0000'>Important: </font></b>You must switch from the cartographic renderer to the analytic renderer in the processing template tab in the layer properties window before using this layer as an input to geoprocessing tools.</p><div style='margin:0px; padding:0px;'><span>This layer has </span><a href='https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/desktop/latest/map/web-maps-and-services/querying-an-image-service-layer.htm' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>query</a><span>, </span><a href='https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/desktop/latest/map/working-with-layers/identifying-features.htm' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>identify</a><span>, and </span><a href='https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/desktop/latest/manage-data/raster-and-images/downloading-from-an-image-services.htm' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>export</a><span> image services available.</span><br /></div><div style='margin:0px; padding:0px;'><br /></div><div style='margin:0px; padding:0px;'><div style='margin:0px; padding:0px;'><span>This layer is part of a larger collection of </span><a href='https://www.arcgis.com/home/group.html?owner=esri_atlas&amp;title=Earth%20Observation%20Maps' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>earth observation maps</a><span> that you can use to perform a wide variety of mapping and analysis tasks.</span><br /></div><div style='margin:0px; padding:0px;'><div style='margin:0px; padding:0px;'><div style='margin:0px; padding:0px;'><br /></div><div style='margin:0px; padding:0px;'>The <a href='https://doc.arcgis.com/en/living-atlas/#s=0&amp;n=0&amp;d=1&amp;col=&amp;fs=0&amp;fn=30&amp;npp=120&amp;subCat=0' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>Living Atlas of the World</a> provides an easy way to explore the earth observation layers and many other beautiful and authoritative maps on hundreds of topics.</div><div style='margin:0px; padding:0px;'><br /></div><div style='margin:0px; padding:0px;'><a href='https://geonet.esri.com' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>Geonet</a> is a good resource for learning more about earth observations layers and the Living Atlas of the World. Follow the <a href='https://geonet.esri.com/groups/livingatlas?sr=search&amp;searchId=ec0b33d6-14bb-4319-8ad5-38961b68610e&amp;searchIndex=0' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>Living Atlas on GeoNet</a>.</div></div></div></div></div>
num_resources 1
num_tags 10
title Caribbean Monthly Precipitation
url https://www.caribbeangeoportal.com/maps/Caribbean::caribbean-monthly-precipitation