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Spatial Extent: |
Conterminous USA |
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Spatial Resolution: |
0.5 degree gridded |
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Temporal Characteristics: |
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Date Classes Represented: |
Time-Series |
Time Steps Available: |
Annual |
Dates represented: |
1895-2100 |
Please review the VEMAP2 Data Policy and register with VEMAP prior to ordering or using data from EOS-WEBSTER.
Please acknowledge the University of New Hampshire, EOS-WEBSTER Earth Science Information Partner (ESIP) as the data distributor for this dataset.
Summary:
Data used in the 2000 U.S. National Assessment were provided by the Vegetation/Ecosystem Modeling and Analysis Project (VEMAP) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). These data are gridded monthly time series climate data for the United States at 0.5 x 0.5 degree spatial resolution.
Datasets within the collection include:
- historical climate (1895-1993)
- future climate scenarios
Scenarios used:
- Canadian
Climate Center -- CGCM1 scenario:
- increasing CO2 (IS92a global yearly dataset); 1895-2100
- UKMO/Hadley
Center -- HadCM2 scenario:
- increasing CO2 (IS92a global yearly dataset); 1895-2099
For more information about the VEMAP datasets distributed by EOS-WEBSTER, please see the VEMAP Transient Dynamics and VEMAP Reference Data Guides.
For more US National Assessment data and information products please view the NAST Project Page.
Background:
The National Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change is a landmark in the major ongoing effort to understand what climate change means for the US. Climate science is developing rapidly and scientists are increasingly able to project some changes at the regional scale, identifying regional vulnerabilities, and assessing potential regional impacts. Science increasingly indicates that the Earth's climate has changed in the past and continues to change, and that even greater climate change is very likely in the 21st century. This Assessment has begun a national process of research, analysis, and dialogue about the coming changes in climate, their impacts, and what Americans can do to adapt to an uncertain and continuously changing climate. This Assessment is built on a solid foundation of science conducted as part of the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP).
The following variables are available for the U.S. National Assessment datasets:
| Dataset(s) | Variable | Description | Unit |
| NAST2000 | min temperature | mean annual minimum air temperature | deg. C |
| NAST2000 | max temperature | mean annual maximum | deg. C |
| NAST2000 | precipitation | mean annual precipiation | mm/yr |
| NAST2000 | relative humidity | mean annual relative humidity | percent |
| NAST2000 | solar radiation | mean annual solar radiation (sunshine) | kJ/m2/day |
NAST Gazetteer:
During a series of regional Climate Change Workshops, the NAST (National Assessment Synthesis Team) defined 16 distinct regions. To assist regional groups in using the time-series data sets, EOS-WEBSTER developed a gazetteer. The NAST gazetteer is made up of a polygon for each NAST region, and an additional set of NAST watersheds. These polygons were used to create regional subsets on-the-fly from the VEMAP data sets. NAST Regions as defined by the Regional Workshops:
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NAST regions as defined digitally in the EOS-WEBSTER Gazetteer:
To explore the gazetteer, please go to our Data Page.
NAST Regions and Watersheds:
| NAST Regions: | NAST Watersheds: | NAST Megaregions: |
| Appalachians California Central Great Plains Eastern Midwest Great Lakes Gulf Coast Mid-Atlantic New England Northern Great Plains Pacific Northwest Rocky Mountains and Great Basin South Atlantic Coast and Carribean Southeast Southwest (Colorado) Southwest (Rio Grande) |
Arkansas-White-Red California Great Basin Great Lakes Lower Colorado Lower Mississippi Mid Atlantic Missouri New England Ohio Pacific Northwest Rio Grande Souris-Red-Rainy South Atlantic-Gulf Tennessee Texas-Gulf Upper Colorado Upper Mississippi |
Central Grasslands Midwest Northeast Pacific Northwest Southeast Southwest |
Data Providers:
The VEMAP Data Group at NCAR (contacts: Nan Rosenbloom and Cristina Kaufman), VEMAP Participants, and Ben Felzer. National Center for Atmospheric Reasearch P.O. Box 3000 Boulder, CO 80307-3000. Phone: (303) 497- 1000. Email: User Support .
Last Data Update:
12/20/2002
Last Doc. Updated:
3/24/2004
Doc. Updated By:
Annette Schloss
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