CLIMATE - Database

Source
General Climate Characteristics
Adapted from: Climatic Research Unit, 0.5x0.5 Degree 1961-1990 Mean Monthly Climatology

Evapotranspiration
Adapted from: Global Agro-Ecological Zones CD-ROM Ver. 1.0, 2000. FAO Land and Water Digital Media Series 11.

Climatic Stations
Savin I., Land Resources of Russia CD-ROM.

Technical Description
The temperature and precipitation coverages provided on this CD-ROM were generated from the Climatic Research Units global dataset of mean monthly surface climate interpolated from station data to 0.5 degree lat/lon for precipitation and mean temperature. For a complete techincal description of how this data was created please refer to their link above.

The evapotranspiration coverage was created from the Global Agro-Ecological Zones CD-ROM, please refer to this link above for a complete technical description.

The climatic stations data was converted into a spatial coverage from a database containing x and y coordinates. A full description of the attribute database is described below under Attribute Description.

Coverage Definition

Attribute Definition
Climatic Stations - Air Temperature
Igor Savin

Temperature measured by a thermometer set up at 2 m above the earth's surface, protected from the effect of direct solar radiation and well aired is recognized as air temperature under network meteorological observations near earth surface. In practice, an August dry-bulb thermometer in a psychrometer booth is employed. Maximum and minimum thermometers are also applied to register extreme temperatures over a period of time. Air temperature is measured in degrees Celcius.
The minimum temperature is the lowest air temperature value observed at a certain point during a certain continuous time interval. The average minimum temperature is an arithmetic mean from minimum temperatures over a certain time interval.
The maximum temperature is the highest air temperature value observed at a certain point during a certain continuous time interval. The average maximum temperature is an arithmetic mean from maximum temperatures of a certain calendar day, month or year for many years.
Information on average monthly values of minimum (TMIN 1-12) and maximum (TMAX 1-12) air temperatures has been put into the database.

Climatic Stations - Precipitation
Igor Savin

Precipitation is the amount of water that falls out of the atmosphere at a certain place over a day, month, year, etc. or over a certain time interval. Usually the phrase used is total precipitation.
Measurements are carried out with the help of a pluviometer bucket set up on a wooden post, inside a special cone-shaped protection (Nifer protection, lath protection), and a pluviometer glass for measurement of a collected precipitation amount. In winter, snow accumulates in the pluviometer bucket, and precipitation is measured after the snow melts. The amount of precipitation is expressed in millimeters (mm) of water, which accumulates if it does not evaporate, does not infiltrate into the ground, or does not drain off. Information on the average multi-annual amount of precipitation (PR 1-12) has been put into the database.
At the network meteorological stations, the number of days with precipitation is also taken into consideration. A day with precipitation is considered to be one when at least 0.1 mm of moisture is collected during the warm period. In the cold period (after introduction of moistening correction), 0.0 mm and over is considered to be a day with precipitation. In the database, average multi-annual values of the number of days with precipitation (ND 1-12) are presented.

References
Averkiev M.S. 1951. Meteorology. Moscow State University, Moscow. [In Russian]
Alisov B.P. and B.V. Poltaraus. 1974. Climatology. Moscow State University, Moscow. [In Russian]
Baranov A.M. 1975. Aviation Meteorology. Gidrometeoizdat, Leningrad. [In Russian]
Khromov S.P. and L.I. Mamontova. 1974. Meteorological Dictionary. Gidrometeoizdat, Leningrad. [In Russian]

Top of Page