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met-office-cmip6 data on ASDI

This data is a replica of hindcast data published for the Decadal Climate Prediction Project by the Met Office data to CMIP6 via ESGF. Data is stored in collections of netCDF4 files structured and organised according to the Directory Reference Syntax recorded in the Global Attributes documentation for CMIP6.

Data structure

The directory structure is illustrated below

CMIP6/
    CMIP/MOHC/HadGEM3-GC31-MM/piControl/
        r1i1p1f1/
            fx/
                [variable name]/
                    gn/vYYYYMMDD/
                        [files]
            Ofx/
                [variable name]/
                    gn/vYYYYMMDD/
                        [files]
    DCPP/MOHC/HadGEM3-GC31-MM/dcppA-hindcast/
        s<start year>-r<ensemble index>i1p1f2/
            [table id]/
                [variable name]/
                    gn/vYYYYMMDD/
                        [files]

The "fixed" variables, i.e. those that do not vary in time, included from the HadGEM3-GC31-MM piControl (pre-industrial control) simulation include orography (fx/orog) and land-sea mask.

The hindcast data includes simulations starting each year between 1960 and 2018, with 10 ensemble members for each year. For example to obtain the monthly mean surface temperature for the seventh simulation starting in 1998 look here.

Files are named using the following naming convention (see link to Global Attributes document above for full details);

<variable name>_<table id>_HadGEM3-GC31-MM_dcppA-hindcast_s<start-year>-r<ensemble index>i1p1f2_gn_<start date>-<end date>.nc

Data for each year is stored separately and the start and end date format is YYYYMM for most files with the exception of those in the day table (daily frequency) for which the format is YYYYMMDD.

Examples of analysis

A Jupyter notebook describing the structure of the data and demonstrating how to access it can be found here (version without output here).

Table of variables

This table can be found in csv form here.

Table id	Variable Name	Frequency	Dimensions	Standard Name	Long Name	Comment	Modeling Realm	Units	Positive	Cell Methods	Cell Measures
AERday	zg500	day	longitude latitude time p500	geopotential_height	Geopotential Height at 500hPa	geopotential height on the 500 hPa surface	aerosol	m		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	clt	mon	longitude latitude time	cloud_area_fraction	Total Cloud Cover Percentage	Total cloud area fraction (reported as a percentage) for the whole atmospheric column, as seen from the surface or the top of the atmosphere. Includes both large-scale and convective cloud.	atmos	%		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	evspsbl	mon	longitude latitude time	water_evapotranspiration_flux	Evaporation Including Sublimation and Transpiration	Evaporation at surface (also known as evapotranspiration): flux of water into the atmosphere due to conversion of both liquid and solid phases to vapor (from underlying surface and vegetation)	atmos	kg m-2 s-1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	hfls	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_upward_latent_heat_flux	Surface Upward Latent Heat Flux	The surface called 'surface' means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. 'Upward' indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). The surface latent heat flux is the exchange of heat between the surface and the air on account of evaporation (including sublimation). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, 'flux' implies per unit area, called 'flux density' in physics.	atmos	W m-2	up	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	hfss	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_upward_sensible_heat_flux	Surface Upward Sensible Heat Flux	The surface sensible heat flux, also called turbulent heat flux, is the exchange of heat between the surface and the air by motion of air.	atmos	W m-2	up	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	hus	mon	longitude latitude plev19 time	specific_humidity	Specific Humidity	Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air.	atmos	1		time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	huss	mon	longitude latitude time height2m	specific_humidity	Near-Surface Specific Humidity	Near-surface (usually, 2 meter) specific humidity.	atmos	1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	pr	mon	longitude latitude time	precipitation_flux	Precipitation	includes both liquid and solid phases	atmos	kg m-2 s-1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	prsn	mon	longitude latitude time	snowfall_flux	Snowfall Flux	At surface; includes precipitation of all forms of water in the solid phase	atmos	kg m-2 s-1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	ps	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_air_pressure	Surface Air Pressure	surface pressure (not mean sea-level pressure), 2-D field to calculate the 3-D pressure field from hybrid coordinates	atmos	Pa		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	psl	mon	longitude latitude time	air_pressure_at_mean_sea_level	Sea Level Pressure	Sea Level Pressure	atmos	Pa		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	rlds	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air	Surface Downwelling Longwave Radiation	The surface called 'surface' means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. 'longwave' means longwave radiation. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean 'net downward'. When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called 'irradiance'. In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine- collector light-meter and sometimes called 'vector irradiance'. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, 'flux' implies per unit area, called 'flux density' in physics.	atmos	W m-2	down	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	rlus	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_upwelling_longwave_flux_in_air	Surface Upwelling Longwave Radiation	The surface called 'surface' means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. 'longwave' means longwave radiation. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean 'net upward'. When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called 'irradiance'. In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine- collector light-meter and sometimes called 'vector irradiance'. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, 'flux' implies per unit area, called 'flux density' in physics.	atmos	W m-2	up	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	rlut	mon	longitude latitude time	toa_outgoing_longwave_flux	TOA Outgoing Longwave Radiation	at the top of the atmosphere (to be compared with satellite measurements)	atmos	W m-2	up	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	rlutcs	mon	longitude latitude time	toa_outgoing_longwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky	TOA Outgoing Clear-Sky Longwave Radiation	Upwelling clear-sky longwave radiation at top of atmosphere	atmos	W m-2	up	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	rsds	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air	Surface Downwelling Shortwave Radiation	Surface solar irradiance for UV calculations.	atmos	W m-2	down	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	rsdt	mon	longitude latitude time	toa_incoming_shortwave_flux	TOA Incident Shortwave Radiation	Shortwave radiation incident at the top of the atmosphere	atmos	W m-2	down	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	rsus	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_upwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air	Surface Upwelling Shortwave Radiation	The surface called 'surface' means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. 'shortwave' means shortwave radiation. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean 'net upward'. When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called 'irradiance'. In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine- collector light-meter and sometimes called 'vector irradiance'. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, 'flux' implies per unit area, called 'flux density' in physics.	atmos	W m-2	up	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	rsut	mon	longitude latitude time	toa_outgoing_shortwave_flux	TOA Outgoing Shortwave Radiation	at the top of the atmosphere	atmos	W m-2	up	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	rsutcs	mon	longitude latitude time	toa_outgoing_shortwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky	TOA Outgoing Clear-Sky Shortwave Radiation	Calculated in the absence of clouds.	atmos	W m-2	up	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	sfcWind	mon	longitude latitude time height10m	wind_speed	Near-Surface Wind Speed	near-surface (usually, 10 meters) wind speed.	atmos	m s-1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	ta	mon	longitude latitude plev19 time	air_temperature	Air Temperature	Air Temperature	atmos	K		time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	tas	mon	longitude latitude time height2m	air_temperature	Near-Surface Air Temperature	near-surface (usually, 2 meter) air temperature	atmos	K		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	tauu	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_downward_eastward_stress	Surface Downward Eastward Wind Stress	Downward eastward wind stress at the surface	atmos	Pa	down	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	tauv	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_downward_northward_stress	Surface Downward Northward Wind Stress	Downward northward wind stress at the surface	atmos	Pa	down	area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	ts	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_temperature	Surface Temperature	Temperature of the lower boundary of the atmosphere	atmos	K		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	ua	mon	longitude latitude plev19 time	eastward_wind	Eastward Wind	Zonal wind (positive in a eastward direction).	atmos	m s-1		time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	uas	mon	longitude latitude time height10m	eastward_wind	Eastward Near-Surface Wind	Eastward component of the near-surface (usually, 10 meters) wind	atmos	m s-1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	va	mon	longitude latitude plev19 time	northward_wind	Northward Wind	Meridional wind (positive in a northward direction).	atmos	m s-1		time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	vas	mon	longitude latitude time height10m	northward_wind	Northward Near-Surface Wind	Northward component of the near surface wind	atmos	m s-1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	wap	mon	longitude latitude plev19 time	lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure	Omega (=dp/dt)	Omega (vertical velocity in pressure coordinates, positive downwards)	atmos	Pa s-1		time: mean	area: areacella
Amon	zg	mon	longitude latitude plev19 time	geopotential_height	Geopotential Height	Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy. Geopotential height is the geopotential divided by the standard acceleration due to gravity. It is numerically similar to the altitude (or geometric height) and not to the quantity with standard name height, which is relative to the surface.	atmos	m		time: mean	area: areacella
Eday	ta850	day	longitude latitude time p850	air_temperature	Air Temperature	Air temperature at 850hPa	atmos	K		area: time: mean	area: areacella
Omon	hfds	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_downward_heat_flux_in_sea_water	Downward Heat Flux at Sea Water Surface	This is the net flux of heat entering the liquid water column through its upper surface (excluding any 'flux adjustment') .	ocean	W m-2	down	area: mean where sea time: mean	area: areacello
Omon	mlotst	mon	longitude latitude time	ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_sigma_t	Ocean Mixed Layer Thickness Defined by Sigma T	Sigma T is potential density referenced to ocean surface.	ocean	m		area: mean where sea time: mean	area: areacello
Omon	so	mon	longitude latitude olevel time	sea_water_salinity	Sea Water Salinity	Sea water salinity is the salt content of sea water, often on the Practical Salinity Scale of 1978. However, the unqualified term 'salinity' is generic and does not necessarily imply any particular method of calculation. The units of salinity are dimensionless and the units attribute should normally be given as 1e-3 or 0.001 i.e. parts per thousand.	ocean	0.001		area: mean where sea time: mean	area: areacello volume: volcello
Omon	sos	mon	longitude latitude time	sea_surface_salinity	Sea Surface Salinity	Sea water salinity is the salt content of sea water, often on the Practical Salinity Scale of 1978. However, the unqualified term 'salinity' is generic and does not necessarily imply any particular method of calculation. The units of salinity are dimensionless and the units attribute should normally be given as 1e-3 or 0.001 i.e. parts per thousand.	ocean	0.001		area: mean where sea time: mean	area: areacello
Omon	thetao	mon	longitude latitude olevel time	sea_water_potential_temperature	Sea Water Potential Temperature	Diagnostic should be contributed even for models using conservative temperature as prognostic field.	ocean	degC		area: mean where sea time: mean	area: areacello volume: volcello
Omon	tos	mon	longitude latitude time	sea_surface_temperature	Sea Surface Temperature	Temperature of upper boundary of the liquid ocean, including temperatures below sea-ice and floating ice shelves.	ocean	degC		area: mean where sea time: mean	area: areacello
Omon	uo	mon	longitude latitude olevel time	sea_water_x_velocity	Sea Water X Velocity	Prognostic x-ward velocity component resolved by the model.	ocean	m s-1		time: mean
Omon	vo	mon	longitude latitude olevel time	sea_water_y_velocity	Sea Water Y Velocity	Prognostic y-ward velocity component resolved by the model.	ocean	m s-1		time: mean
Omon	volo	mon	time	sea_water_volume	Sea Water Volume	Total volume of liquid sea water.	ocean	m3		area: sum where sea time: mean
Omon	wo	mon	longitude latitude olevel time	upward_sea_water_velocity	Sea Water Vertical Velocity	A velocity is a vector quantity. 'Upward' indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward).	ocean	m s-1		time: mean
Omon	zos	mon	longitude latitude time	sea_surface_height_above_geoid	Sea Surface Height Above Geoid	This is the dynamic sea level, so should have zero global area mean. It should not include inverse barometer depressions from sea ice.	ocean	m		area: mean where sea time: mean	area: areacello
Omon	zossq	mon	longitude latitude time	square_of_sea_surface_height_above_geoid	Square of Sea Surface Height Above Geoid	Surface ocean geoid defines z=0.	ocean	m2		area: mean where sea time: mean	area: areacello
SImon	siconc	mon	longitude latitude time typesi	sea_ice_area_fraction	Sea-Ice Area Percentage (Ocean Grid)	Percentage of grid cell covered by sea ice	seaIce	%		area: mean where sea time: mean	area: areacello
SImon	sistrxdtop	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_downward_x_stress	X-Component of Atmospheric Stress on Sea Ice	X-component of atmospheric stress on sea ice	seaIce	N m-2	down	area: time: mean where sea_ice (comment: mask=siconc)
SImon	sistrydtop	mon	longitude latitude time	surface_downward_y_stress	Y-Component of Atmospheric Stress on Sea Ice	Y-component of atmospheric stress on sea ice	seaIce	N m-2	down	area: time: mean where sea_ice (comment: mask=siconc)
SImon	sithick	mon	longitude latitude time	sea_ice_thickness	Sea Ice Thickness	Actual (floe) thickness of sea ice (NOT volume divided by grid area as was done in CMIP5)	seaIce ocean	m		area: time: mean where sea_ice (comment: mask=siconc)	area: areacello
SImon	siu	mon	longitude latitude time	sea_ice_x_velocity	X-Component of Sea-Ice Velocity	The x-velocity of ice on native model grid	seaIce	m s-1		area: time: mean where sea_ice (comment: mask=siconc)
SImon	siv	mon	longitude latitude time	sea_ice_y_velocity	Y-Component of Sea-Ice Velocity	The y-velocity of ice on native model grid	seaIce	m s-1		area: time: mean where sea_ice (comment: mask=siconc)
day	huss	day	longitude latitude time height2m	specific_humidity	Near-Surface Specific Humidity	Near-surface (usually, 2 meter) specific humidity.	atmos	1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
day	pr	day	longitude latitude time	precipitation_flux	Precipitation	includes both liquid and solid phases	atmos	kg m-2 s-1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
day	psl	day	longitude latitude time	air_pressure_at_mean_sea_level	Sea Level Pressure	Sea Level Pressure	atmos	Pa		area: time: mean	area: areacella
day	rsds	day	longitude latitude time	surface_downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air	Surface Downwelling Shortwave Radiation	Surface solar irradiance for UV calculations.	atmos	W m-2	down	area: time: mean	area: areacella
day	sfcWind	day	longitude latitude time height10m	wind_speed	Daily-Mean Near-Surface Wind Speed	near-surface (usually, 10 meters) wind speed.	atmos	m s-1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
day	sfcWindmax	day	longitude latitude time height10m	wind_speed	Daily Maximum Near-Surface Wind Speed	Daily maximum near-surface (usually, 10 meters) wind speed.	atmos	m s-1		area: mean time: maximum	area: areacella
day	tas	day	longitude latitude time height2m	air_temperature	Near-Surface Air Temperature	near-surface (usually, 2 meter) air temperature	atmos	K		area: time: mean	area: areacella
day	tasmax	day	longitude latitude time height2m	air_temperature	Daily Maximum Near-Surface Air Temperature	maximum near-surface (usually, 2 meter) air temperature (add cell_method attribute 'time: max')	atmos	K		area: mean time: maximum	area: areacella
day	tasmin	day	longitude latitude time height2m	air_temperature	Daily Minimum Near-Surface Air Temperature	minimum near-surface (usually, 2 meter) air temperature (add cell_method attribute 'time: min')	atmos	K		area: mean time: minimum	area: areacella
day	uas	day	longitude latitude time height10m	eastward_wind	Eastward Near-Surface Wind	Eastward component of the near-surface (usually, 10 meters) wind	atmos	m s-1		area: time: mean	area: areacella
day	vas	day	longitude latitude time height10m	northward_wind	Northward Near-Surface Wind	Northward component of the near surface wind	atmos	m s-1		area: time: mean	area: areacella

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