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The UK climate
UKCIP02
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UKCIP02 guidance
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Documentation
UKCIP02 extras
FAQ
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Useful links
Online sources of data related to the UKCIP02 scenarios:
- Met Office Hadley Centre modelling output
The UKCIP02 scenarios have been developed from model data produced by the Met Office Hadley Centre's climate models. The raw data is also available, including the full daily data time series, from the LINK project archive maintained by the British Atmospheric Data Centre (BADC). For specialist analysis, It may be appropriate to consult with the LINK project to obtain the raw model data (e.g. for continuous simulation modelling). However, in most cases it is not advisable to import raw data directly into an impacts model without further analysis and development (see frequently asked questions). The LINK project can also provide Met Office Hadley Centre data for the whole globe to facilitate projects outside the UK.
- Met Office observed UK baseline climate
A Met-Office maintained web-facility provides easy access to observed baseline climate averages. The baseline climate information is provided in map and table formats, for regions and individual places in the UK. Two baseline periods are available, 1961-1990 and 1971-2000.
The Met Office has also developed a series of 5km-gridded baseline climatology datasets as a component part of (and in the same format as) the UKCIP02 scenarios. Full monthly datasets are available for a wide range of variables from 1961 to 2000.
An archive of Met Office weather station records, consisting of daily and hourly observations, is available for over 1,400 locations across the UK. Daily observations are available from 1853 to 2000, for weather variables including temperature, rainfall, sunshine, snow, hail, wind and thunder). Hourly observations are available from 1985. The archive is hosted by the British Atmospheric Data Centre (BADC) and can be accessed free of charge for bona fide research purposes.
- BETWIXT
As part of the EPSRC-funded Building Knowledge for a Changing Climate (BKCC) initiative, computer-based weather generators were used to develop high-resolution (daily) future climate projections for key locations in the UK that are consistent with the UKCIP02 scenarios. Full details of the project and the daily-time series data produced are available on the BETWIXT website.
- IPCC Data Distribution Centre (DDC)
Data from other climate models as well as the Hadley Centre is made available through the IPCC DDC . At the present time, only data from GCMs can be obtained, with no RCM (regional climate model) runs yet available. However, it is advisable for detailed impacts assessments to consider the results from other models, especially if major adaptation strategies are being considered.
Perhaps the easiest way to access the results from other global models is via the IPCC-DDC visualisation tool, which allows the results of seven IPCC modelling centres to be viewed and the results to be downloaded as text files. It should be noted that no modelling centres other than the Hadley Centre have produced climate scenarios for the UK with such a fine spatial resolution (50km).
Other relevant online data archives, projects and resources:
- British Atmospheric Data Centre (BADC)
BADC hosts a variety of atmospheric and climatological data for the UK and abroad.
- Met Office Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction
The Met Office Hadley Centre have available various observed climate datasets, including global mean temperature, Central England temperature, England and Wales precipitation and air flow indices.
- Rapid Climate Change
RAPID is a six-year (2001-2007) programme of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The programme aims to improve our ability to quantify the probability and magnitude of future rapid change in climate, with a main focus on the role of Thermohaline Circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean.
- Climatic Research Unit (CRU)
CRU, based at the University of East Anglia, offer a variety of datasets and Information Sheets relating to observed climate records. This includes Information sheets on the global temperature record, UK temperature and precipitation trends, the changing intensity of rainfall over Britain and indicators of climate change in the UK.
- Sea temperature and salinity trends
Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science) is home to an archive of long-term observed sea surface temperatures and salinity trends for numerous locations around the coast of England and Wales.
- PRUDENCE, STARDEX & MICE portal
A co-operative cluster of EU Framework 5 projects which explore future changes in extreme events in response to climate change:
PRUDENCE (Prediction of Regional Scenarios and Uncertainties for Defining European Climate Change Risks and Effects) aims to quantify our confidence and the uncertainties in predictions of future climate and its impacts.
STARDEX (Statistical and Regional dynamical Downscaling of Extremes for European regions) uses statistical downscaling techniques to produce data and software relating to future scenarios of extreme weather events across Europe.
MICE (Modelling the Impacts of Climate Extremes) examines the impact of climate extremes.
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European Solar Radiation Atlas
A project that aims to integrate and exploit international solar radiation databases.
- SoDA project
A toolkit to explore solar radiation data for Europe.
- Weather generators
Several weather generators have been developed to downscale GCM or RCM output in to higher resolution climate time-series. Some are now freely-available in the public domain:
Statistical DownScaling Model – a decision support tool for assessing local climate change impacts using a robust statistical downscaling technique.
LARS Weather Generator – has been used recently to develop high temporal (daily) and spatial (site) resolution climate change scenarios based on UKCIP02 and HadRM3 projections.
RainClim – developed by the University of Newcastle to generate rainfall time series for the present day and future time periods up to 2100. It is available for use by BKCC academic partners.
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