Near-Real-Time High-Resolution Monthly Average Maximum/Minimum Temperature for the Conterminous United States

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
• Spatial_Reference_Information
• Entity_and_Attribute_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

Chris Daly, Wayne Gibson, Matthew Doggett, and Joseph Smith of the Spatial Climate Analysis Service at Oregon State University

Originator:

George Taylor of the Oregon Climate Service at Oregon State University

Publication_Date: Updated Monthly

Title:

Near-Real-Time High-Resolution Monthly Average Maximum/Minimum Temperature for the Conterminous United States

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: raster digital data

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Corvallis, Oregon, USA

Publisher: Spatial Climate Analysis Service, Oregon

Online_Linkage: <http://prismclimate.org>

Description:

Abstract:

Spatially distributed monthly and annual average maximum/minimum temperature. Each file represents 1 month of 1 year for the period January 1997 to the present. Distribution of the point measurements to a spatial grid was accomplished using the PRISM model, developed by Christopher Daly, Director, Spatial Climate Analysis Service, Oregon State University. Care should be taken in estimating temperature values at any single point on the map. Temperature estimated for each grid cell is an average over the entire area of that cell; thus, point temperature can be estimated at a spatial precision no better than half the resolution of a cell. For example, the temperature data were distributed at a resolution of approximately 4km. Therefore, point temperature can be estimated at a spatial precision no better than 2km. However, the overall distribution of temperature features is thought to be accurate. For further information, the online PRISM homepage can be found at <URL:http://prismclimate.org>.

Purpose:

Display and/or analyses requiring spatially distributed monthly or annual average maximum/minimum temperature for the period 1997-Present

Supplemental_Information:

There are many methods of interpolating temperature from monitoring stations to grid points. Some provide estimates of acceptable accuracy in flat terrain, but few have been able to adequately explain the extreme, complex variations in temperature that occur in mountainous regions. Significant progress in this area has been achieved through the development of PRISM (Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model). PRISM is an analytical model that uses point data and a digital elevation model (DEM) to generate gridded estimates of monthly and annual average daily maximum/minimum temperatures (as well as other climatic parameters). PRISM is well suited to regions with mountainous terrain, because it incorporates a conceptual framework that addresses the spatial scale and pattern of temperature. Temperature was modeled monthly. For this application, PRISM was parameterized to use existing 1971-2000 mean daily maximum/minimum temperature grids as the predictor grids in the interpolation. The PRISM weighting functions for distance, "elevation" (now the 1971-2000 climatology), topographic facet, atmospheric layer, orographic effectiveness, and coastal proximity were all retained. This allowed observed deviations from normal to be interpolated with sensitivity to physiographic factors. An annual average was produced by averaging the monthly grids.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Multiple_Dates/Times:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: Single Month

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: Annual

Currentness_Reference: Month and year for which point observations were taken

Status:

Progress: Ongoing

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: Monthly

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -125.020833333333

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -66.47916757

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 49.93750000

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 24.06250000000

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: raster data

Theme_Keyword: temperature

Theme_Keyword: grid cell

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Place_Keyword: Conterminous USA

Place_Keyword: CONUS

Access_Constraints: n/a, no restrictions apply

Use_Constraints:

Acknowledgement of the following agencies in products derived from these data: USDA Forest Service (USFS), Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), PRISM Model, and the Spatial Climate Analysis Service (SCAS) and the Oregon Climate Service (OCS) at Oregon State University.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: George Taylor

Contact_Organization: Spatial Climate Analysis Service

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing address

Address: 316 Strand Ag Hall

Address: Oregon State University

City: Corvallis

State_or_Province: OR

Postal_Code: 97331-2209

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 541-737-5705

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 541-737-5710

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: taylor@coas.oregonstate.edu

Security_Information:

Security_Classification_System: None

Security_Classification: Unclassified

Security_Handling_Description: None

Native_Data_Set_Environment:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Version 5.0 (Build 2195) Service Pack 4; ESRI ArcCatalog 8.3.0.800

Data_Quality_Information:

Logical_Consistency_Report:

All ground based observations were passed through QA/QC procedures developed at the Spatial Climate Analysis Service at Oregon State University. For further information, see <URL:http://prismclimate.org>

Completeness_Report:

Point estimates of monthly temperature originated from the following sources: National Weather Service Cooperative (COOP) stations, 2) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) SNOTEL, and 3) local networks

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

Accuracy of this data set is based on the original specification of the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) 1 degree digital elevation models (DEM). The stated accuracy of the original DEMs are 130 m circular error with 90% probability.

Quantitative_Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Value: 130 m with 90%

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: The broad DMA production objective for 1-degree DEM's.

Lineage:

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)

Title: Summary of the Day Cooperative (SOD) Data Set.

Series_Information:

Series_Name: TD3200

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Asheville, NC, USA

Publisher: National Climatic Data Center

Type_of_Source_Media: digital files

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1997

Ending_Date: Current

Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Summary of the Day

Source_Contribution:

Location and values of known daily maximum and minimum temperature

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Natural Resources Conservation Service

Title:

Cooperative Snow Survey Data of Federal -State - Private Cooperative Snow Surveys

Series_Information:

Series_Name:

Cooperative Snow Survey Data of Federal - State - Private Cooperative Snow Surveys

Issue_Identification: Annual issue for Western

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Portland, OR, USA

Publisher:

Natural Resources Conservation Service, Water and Climate Center

Type_of_Source_Media: digital files, paper reports, online

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1997

Ending_Date: Current

Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: SNOTEL (SNOwpack TELemetry)

Source_Contribution:

Location and values of known daily maximum and minimum temperatures

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Spatial Climate Analysis Service

Publication_Date: 2002

Title:

2.5 arc-minute 1971-2000 Mean monthly maximum/minimum temperature grids for the conterminous United States

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Corvallis, OR

Publisher: Oregon State University

Online_Linkage: <http://prismclimate.org>

Type_of_Source_Media: digital files

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1971

Ending_Date: 2000

Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: PRISM

Source_Contribution:

2.5 arc-minute 1971-2000 mean monthly maximum/minimum temperature grids for the conterminous United States

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Publication_Date: 2004

Title: ASSAY Monthly QC

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Corvallis, OR

Publisher: Spatial Climate Analysis Service

Type_of_Source_Media: Proprietary software

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: ASSAY QC

Source_Contribution:

ASSAY QC is a knowledge-based interpolation system that makes jacknifed predictions (i.e. predictions without the observation at the location in question) at individual locations in space using an underlying climate grid and observations from surrounding stations. ASSAY QC is a modified version of PRISM which is unique in that it incorporates expert knowledge of rain shadows, temperature inversions, coastal effects, and more. Predicted values are then compared to the actual observations using empirical relationships to determine whether the observation is an outlier.

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

It is beyond the scope of this metadata to document the processes involved in generating spatially gridded temperature using the PRISM model. However, the processes are documented in numerous conference proceedings and journal articles. The references can be found online at

<URL:http://prismclimate.org>.

Process_Date: 200207

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Raster

Raster_Object_Information:

Raster_Object_Type: Grid Cell

Row_Count: 621

Column_Count: 1405

Vertical_Count: 1

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Geographic:

Latitude_Resolution: .04166666666

Longitude_Resolution: .04166666666

Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees

Planar:

Planar_Coordinate_Information:

Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: row and column

Coordinate_Representation:

Abscissa_Resolution: 0.041667

Ordinate_Resolution: 0.041667

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: World Geodetic Spheroid 1972 (WGS72)

Ellipsoid_Name: WGS72

Semi-major_Axis: 6378135.0

Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.26

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: Temperature

Entity_Type_Definition: ASCII values

Entity_Type_Definition_Source: Self-evident

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Value

Attribute_Definition: Average Maximum/Minimum Temperature

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: degrees Celsius * 100

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Enumerated_Domain:

Enumerated_Domain_Value: -9999

Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: No Data

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

To convert to real values, divide the integer gridcell values by 100.

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: Spatial Climate Analysis Service

Contact_Person: George Taylor

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing address

Address: 316 Strand Ag Hall

Address: Oregon State University

City: Corvallis

State_or_Province: OR

Postal_Code: 97331

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 541-737-5705

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 541-737-5710

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: taylor@coas.oregonstate.edu

Resource_Description: Downloadable Data

Distribution_Liability:

This digital data set publication was prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or misuse of the data, or for damage, transmission of viruses or computer contamination through the distribution of these data sets or for the usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those!

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name: ASCII

Format_Specification: Gzipped ArcInfo ASCII GRID

Transfer_Size: Approx 1 MB

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Online_Option:

Computer_Contact_Information:

Network_Address:

Network_Resource_Name: <http://prismclimate.org/pub/prism/us/grids/tmax>

Network_Resource_Name: <http://prismclimate.org/pub/prism/us/grids/tmin>

Ordering_Instructions: Download from the SCAS website.

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20040617

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Wayne Gibson

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing address

Address:

Strand Ag Hall 326, Spatial Climate Analysis Service, Oregon State University

City: Corvallis

State_or_Province: OR

Postal_Code: 97331-2209

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (541) 737-5696

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (541) 737-5710

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: gibson@coas.oregonstate.edu

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998

Metadata_Time_Convention: local time

Metadata_Security_Information:

Metadata_Security_Classification_System: None

Metadata_Security_Classification: Unclassified

Metadata_Security_Handling_Description: None

Metadata_Extensions:

Online_Linkage: <http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html>

Profile_Name: ESRI Metadata Profile