The U.S. Federal Government has collected statistical information about weather and climatological changes since the 1850's. This data includes temperature highs and lows, precipitation, snowfall, wind, and related information. It has been collected on hourly, daily, and monthly basis at weather stations throughout the world. Some has also been collected on a 15 minute basis since the 1980s. As with all statistics, coverage may vary depending on how it was collected and where, i.e. weather stations have been re-located, increased and decreased as the nation changed.
This guide is a selected list of resources held at the IUB Libraries and housed in Government Information, Maps and Microform Services, to assist in identifying and using the data.
Quick Links to Major Sites with Climate Information:
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- World Resources Institute
Current Local Weather & Maps
- Indiana University Bloomington, Weather Station Data (NOAA)
- Indiana Climate Page. Indiana State Climate Office at Purdue University
Other Web quick links
- World Weather Records: "Have been published since 1927, and include monthly mean values of pressure, temperature, precipitation, and where available, station metadata notes documenting observation practices and station configurations."
- National Climate Data Center Weather Archives: Excellent site for acquisition of historical weather data.
- Heliophysics at the National Space Science Data Center: Includes information and links to NASA weather related data.
- Storm Prediction Center: Provides links to various storm data including the Monthly Tornado Statistics and other reports on hail, wind, and severe weather archives.
- Hydrologic Information Center: Includes links to the National Flood Summary, River/Streamflow Conditions, Droughts, Hydrometeorological Outlooks, Water Supply.
- National Snow and Ice Data Center
CD-ROM Products available
For large quantities of data including historical access, it is sometimes easier to use the data from a number of products produced on CD-ROM. A few of the more heavily used are listed as examples. Check IUCAT for other holdings or ask Reference staff of GIMMS in the Wells library.
Title: Cooperative Summary of the Day [1993-1997,2001]
Description: Is one of a set containing the ASCII data files and associated documentation for the Surface/Land, Daily Cooperative Summary of the Day, the National Climatic Data Center's Tape Deck 3200.
Call No: GIMMS WELLS: C 55.281/2-4:
Title: Global Daily Summary: Temperature and Precipitation, 1977-1991
Call No: C 55.281/2:
Title: NCDC 15 Minute Precipitation [1996,2004,2007]
Call No: QC925.1 .U63 1996
Title NCDC Hourly Precipitation, [East, Central, West 1 &2 regions available] [1996,2004,2007]
Call No: QC925.1 .U8 C4 1996
Title: Radiosonde Data of North America, 1946-1989; 1990-2000
Call No: C 55.281/2-2:R 11
Title: Tide & Tidal Current Tables
Call No: C 55.421/5:
Title: U.S. Navy Marine Climatic Atlas of the World [1995]
Call No: D 201.40:AT 6/CD
In addition, Government Information, Maps and Microforms Services receives individual studies and publications from the NOAA's National Weather Service, including items like the Forecasters Handbook, histories of tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes; directories of seismograph stations, among others. We also receive publications from the World Meteorological Organization. Check IUCAT or consult the reference staff (libgimms@indiana.edu).
Return to Government Information, Maps, and Microform Services.
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