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ClimateWNA

ClimateWNA is a computer program to provide selected climate variables for any point in western North America. Historic data and future GCM projections are elevation-corrected to any point. It can be used to create gridded historical data and future projections.

Additional Driving Files

(Updated Dec. 12, 2011) Revised PCIC ClimateWNA GCM driving data files are now available which correct a programming bug that affected precipitation data in previous file versions. An explanation of errata will be made available soon and added to the content of this page.

PCIC has created additional GCM input files for ClimateWNA which cover many of the GCMs used in the IPCC's Assessment Report 4 (AR4). These are divided up into two sets:

  • A limited subset (35 MB) of GCM driving files which includes all of those referred to in PCIC's Scenarios Guidance document.

  • A full set (163 MB) of GCM driving files which includes all of the model output for which we have sufficient data to generate driving files.

These were created using bilinear interpolation from GCM fields. The driving fields included with ClimateWNA use ANUSPLIN to interpolate them to the 1x1 degree resolution used within ClimateWNA so the files may differ by up to 0.3 degrees due to differences in interpolation.

Known Issues

Many of the files were created with average temperature in place of min and max temperatures. This is documented in this CSV file. In files where we have used average temperature as a proxy for minimum and maximum temperature, the following variables will contain incorrect results and should not be used:

  • Monthly and seasonal min and max temperature (TMX*, TMN*, TMIN*, TMAX*).
  • Number of frost-free days (NFFD).
  • Extreme minimum temperature (EMT).
  • Hargreaves reference evaporation, Hargreaves climatic moisture deficit (Eref, CMD).

Instructions for Use

  • Download either the limited subset or the full set of GCM driving files.
  • Extract it into the directory where you have ClimateWNA installed.
  • Start ClimateWNA.
  • Under Select Period, select Future Periods.
  • All of the new GCMs will be prefixed by PCIC_AR4 in this list. You may have to scroll down to see them.