Climate Data Sources

ERA5-Land is a land-surface reanalysis dataset produced by ECMWF for the Copernicus Climate Change Service. It uses ERA5 atmospheric forcing and a consistent land model to provide spatially complete estimates of land-surface climate variables.

The ERA5-Land data downloaded by MetriClima use a 0.1° latitude–longitude grid. Because this is a geographic grid, its physical east–west spacing varies with latitude; it should not be described as one fixed ground distance everywhere.

CHELSA provides global high-resolution climate products generated with its terrain-informed downscaling model. Its published products span daily, monthly, climatological, and bioclimatic timescales.

The intended CHELSA-daily V2.1 source uses a 30 arc-second latitude–longitude grid, approximately 1 km at the equator. This is distinct from the other CHELSA products that the dataset family also offers.

Beck et al. published global Köppen–Geiger climate classification maps for present-day conditions (1980–2016) and projected future conditions (2071–2100). The present-day product uses an ensemble of high-resolution climate datasets and includes classification-confidence information.

The published grid is 0.0083°, described by the authors as approximately 1 km at the equator. As with any latitude–longitude grid, physical spacing varies geographically.