Regional Updating and Expansion of the Global Historical Climate Network (GHCN) Database: High Mountain Areas of Central Asia

University Of Colorado At Boulder, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

The primary objective is to update and expand the Global Historical Climate Network (GHCN) database, focused on the high-mountain areas of Central Asia. The data set will be compiled from meteorological measurements conducted by the National Hydrometeorological Services (NHMS) of the Central Asian states in the Former Soviet Union. The goal is to extend the time series of 40 climate stations from Central Asia that are currently in the GHCN database, and add 200 stations to that data set. Most of the new stations are located above the 1000m elevation. Monthly mean data for air temperature and cumulative monthly precipitation values collected by NHMS, along with a subset of maximum/minimum monthly temperature data will be constructed. The database will include three different data sets: (i) the original data; (ii) a homogeneity-adjusted data set that has undergone rigorous quality assessment and control; and (iii) station metadata. The data set will be archived at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The work is important because it will result in a climate database useful to assess long-term climate in a region known to be a sensitive indicator of climate change.