The global historical climate database HCLIM

Area of Science:

• Climatology
• Meteorology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Growing demand for historical weather and climate data for scientific research and policy-making.
• Need for a consolidated, quality-controlled global dataset of early instrumental climate records.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compile and construct a global, multivariable monthly instrumental climate database.
• To integrate existing early instrumental time series with newly rescued data.
• To provide a comprehensive resource for climate reconstructions and analyses.

Main Methods:

• Compilation of climate series starting before 1890 from existing and newly acquired data.
• Rigorous quality control procedures applied to all data series.
• Processing of subdaily data to monthly means and deduplication based on coordinates and correlations.

Main Results:

• Creation of a global monthly climate database with 12,452 meteorological records across 118 countries.
• Inclusion of variables such as air temperature, pressure, precipitation sum, and precipitation days.
• Dataset represents the most extensive global monthly climate data collection for the preindustrial era.

Conclusions:

• The compiled dataset offers a robust foundation for historical climate research.
• The data facilitates improved climate reconstructions and analyses.
• This resource is crucial for understanding long-term climate variability and change.