ISLSCP Initiative II

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Hydrology, Soils, & Topography Data

Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) Version 2 Monthly Precipitation

The Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) Version 2 data sets include global, monthly precipitation rates and associated random errors (RMSE), and a monthly precipitation climatology derived as an average from all GPCP data sets from January 1979 to December 1999. The data sets are derived from measured gauge data and merged with satellite estimates of rainfall. This is a portion of the version 2 GPCP data sets and covers the ISLSCP2 period from 1986 to 1995. The original precipitation rates, errors and climatology at 2.5 degrees were re-gridded to a 1 degree spatial resolution by the ISLSCP2 staff. The documentation for this dataset is being reviewed and will be available shortly. Documentation for the original data sets can be obtained at the web site above.

Data Provider: George Huffman, David Bolvin, and Robert Adler

Data Files (ISLSCP II Disc #1)

Data Set Documentation

Image Viewing Tutorial

File Information

The following files are included:

• gpcp_psg_orig_YYYYMM.asc: 120 files with the original GPCP precip. rates (mm/day) at a 2.5 degree resolution. Here YYYY is the year from 1986 to 1995 and MM is the month from 01 to 12.
• gpcp_esg_orig_YYYYMM.asc: 120 files with the original GPCP precip. error estimates (mm/day) at a 2.5 degree resolution. Here YYYY is the year from 1986 to 1995 and MM is the month from 01 to 12.
• gpcp_clim_orig_1979-99MM.asc: 12 files with the original GPCP 1979 to 1999 precip. climatology (mm/day) at a 2.5 degree resolution. Here 1979-99 implies that this is an average for the particular month for the period 1979 to 1999. MM is the month from 01 to 12.
• gpcp_psg_1deg_YYYYMM.asc: Same as gpcp_psg_orig_YYYYMM.asc files but at a 1 degree spatial resolution.
• gpcp_psg_1deg_YYYYMM.asc: Same as gpcp_esg_orig_YYYYMM.asc files but at a 1 degree spatial resolution.
• gpcp_clim_1deg_1979-99MM.asc: Same as gpcp_clim_orig_1979-99MM.asc files but at a 1 degree spatial resolution.

ASCII Data Format

All files are in ASCII format. All values are written as floating point values with all values delimited by a single white space. Missing values are assigned the value of -999 on all data layers. All files are gridded to a common lat/long grid, where the coordinates of the upper left corner of the files are located at 180W, 90N and the lower right coordinates are located at 180 degrees E, 90 degrees S. The 2.5 degree original GPCP data sets are organized with 144 values per line and 72 total lines. The 1 degree resolution data sets contain 360 values per line and 180 lines.
      The data files are PKZip compressed. On UNIX, they can be decompressed using the "unzip -a" command. On Windows, they can be decompressed using WinZip or other PKZip software. On the Macintosh, they can be decompressed using Stuffit Expander.

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Revision Date: April 2, 2003