A Comprehensive, High-Resolution Database of Historical and Projected Climate Surfaces for Western North America

• DOI: 10.1175/bams-d-12-00145.1
• Publication Date: 2013-02-19T21:11:50Z
• Authors: Andreas Hamann; Tongli Wang; David L. Spittleh...; Trevor Q. Murdock
• Keywords: Baseline (sea); Data set; Frost (temperature); Cru

We present a comprehensive set of interpolated climate data for western North America, including monthly the last century (1901–2009), future projections from atmosphere–ocean general circulation models (A2, A1B, and B1 scenarios WCRP CMIP3 multimodel dataset), as well decadal averages multiple normals century. For each these time periods, we provide large basic derived biologically relevant variables, such growing chilling degree days, season length descriptors, frost-free extreme minimum temperatures, etc. To balance file size versus accuracy approximately 20,000 surfaces, stand-alone software solution that adds or subtracts historical medium-resolution anomalies (deviations) high resolution 1961–90 baseline normal dataset. The program further downscales through combination bilinear interpolation elevation adjustment using partial derivative functions. Observations 3,353 weather stations were used to evaluate estimates our downscaling algorithms. found algorithms substantially improved prediction especially temperature variables. They eliminated up 65% unexplained variance in observed temperatures reduced standard errors by 40%.