Publications by Dataset

Local Climatological Data

Local Climatological Data (LCD) publications contain summaries, primarily from major airport weather stations, that include a daily account of temperature extremes, degree days, precipitation amounts, and winds. LCD summaries also include hourly precipitation amounts and abbreviated three-hourly weather observations. The annual LCD publication contains a summary of climate conditions for the year, including monthly means and extremes for elements such as temperature, humidity, precipitation, degree days, pressure, winds, and cloudiness. Monthly issues ended December 2017.

A dynamically generated LCD product is available through the Climate Data Online Data Tools page and the NCEI Data Search Application. Current annual and historical editions of the edited LCD publication will continue to be available through IPS. ASCII text files are no longer available.

LCD Data Publications

Climatological Data

Monthly and annual Climatological Data (CD) publications contain station daily maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation amounts. Some stations provide daily snowfall, snow depth, evaporation, and soil temperature data. Each issue also contains monthly summaries for heating and cooling degree days (65°F base). The July issue includes monthly heating degree days and snow data for the preceding July through June. The annual issue incorporates monthly and annual averages of temperature, precipitation amounts, temperature extremes, freeze data, soil temperatures, evaporation, and a recap of monthly cooling degree days. This is the final quality-controlled copy, and generally has a lag time of four to six months. There are more than 8,000 active stations nationwide.

These data are also available with a lag time of only one day as part of the Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily (GHCN-D) dataset and can be accessed via Climate Data Online or Data Access. Monthly summary statistics with less lag time are available as part of the Global Summary of the Month (GSOM) dataset, which also is available via the same links.

Notice: A change to the number of days with precipitation in all CD Publications took effect with the March 2017 data month. The number of days exceeding the thresholds of  0.10", 0.50", 1.0" changed to the thresholds of 0.01", 0.10", and 1.0". Users should be aware that the number of days with precipitation exceeding 0.01" and 0.10" were incorrectly labeled as 0.10" and 0.50", respectively, in the monthly publications for March 2017 through December 2018 inclusive. 

Climatological Data

Hourly Precipitation Data

The final issue of the Hourly Precipitation Data publication was published in December, 2012. Historical issues of this publication will continue to be available through IPS. Hourly precipitation data for stations previously included in the HPD Publication, and that are still operating (approximately 1900 stations), are available in the COOP HPD version 2 dataset. These data can be accessed in PDF and csv formats, and as bulk data. For  questions/concerns regarding these access methods, contact NCEI Customer Service at 828-271-4800.

Hourly Precipitation Data (HPD) publications contain hourly precipitation amounts obtained from recording rain gauges located at National Weather Service, Federal Aviation Administration, and cooperative observer stations. Published data are displayed in inches to tenths of inches to hundredths at local standard time. HPD includes maximum precipitation for nine time periods, from 15 minutes to 24 hours, for selected stations. It includes an hourly account of precipitation amounts for many locations within a chosen state.

Hourly Precipitation

Storm Data

Storm Data (SD) monthly publications contain a chronological listing of storm occurrences and unusual weather phenomena for each state. These publications are available from 1959–November 2018*.  Reports contain information on storm paths, deaths, injuries, and property damage. An "Outstanding Storms of the Month" section highlights severe weather events with photographs, illustrations, and narratives. 

*Historical data as well as data in the period since the Publication ended are available in NCEI Storm Events Database where events can be searched by storm type, state/county, and time.

Storm Data

Monthly Climatic Data for the World

Monthly Climatic Data for the World (MCDW) publications contain monthly mean temperature, pressure, precipitation, vapor pressure, and hours of sunshine for approximately 2,000 surface data collection stations worldwide, and monthly mean upper air temperatures, dew point depressions, and wind velocities for approximately 500 observing sites. The publication was issued monthly until December 2018.

MCDW data are still updated monthly and available in digital format.

Monthly Climatic Data for the World

COOP Data/Record of Climatological Observations Form

COOP Data/Record of Climatological Observations Form is an electronic form containing the daily observations made by observers that are part of the US Cooperative Observer Program (COOP).  These forms provide a daily account of high and low temperatures and precipitation, along with snowfall and snow depth data at many locations. They are available for thousands of sites that are part of the cooperative observing network in the United States, and have a lag time of one to two months.

COOP Data/Record of Climatological Observations

Climatological Data National Summary

The Climatological Data National Summary was published from 1950–1980. This report included a national general summary of weather conditions, observed extremes of temperature and precipitation by states, climatological data by station, heating and cooling degree days, flood data and losses, and storm summaries. Upper air data, sunshine, and solar radiation data are also summarized. The annual issue includes the year's short rainfall duration statistics, hurricane and typhoon data and storm tracks for various basins, tornado information, and long-term statistics.

Climatological Data National Summary