International Climate Benchmarks and Input Parameters for a Stochastic Weather Generator, CLIGEN

This dataset represents CLIGEN input parameters for locations in 68 countries. CLIGEN is a point-scale stochastic weather generator that produces long-term weather simulations with daily output. The input parameters are essentially monthly climate statistics that also serve as climate benchmarks. Three unique input parameter sets are differentiated by having been produced from 30-year, 20-year and 10-year minimum record lengths that correspond to 7673, 2336, and 2694 stations, respectively. The primary source of data is the NOAA GHCN-Daily dataset, and due to data gaps, records longer than the three minimum record lengths were often queried to produce the needed number of complete monthly records. The vast majority of stations used at least some data from the 2000's, and temporal coverages are shown in the Excel table for each station. CLIGEN has various applications including being used to force soil erosion models. This dataset may reduce the effort needed in preparing climate inputs for such applications.

Revised input files added on 11/16/20. These files were revised from the original dataset. Fixed metadata issues with the headings of each file. Fixed inconsistencies with MX.5P and transition probability values for extremely dry climates and/or months.

Second revision input files added on 2/12/20. A formatting error was fixed that affected transition probabilities for 238 stations with zero recorded precipitation for one or more months. The affected stations were predominantly in Australia and Mexico.

• Resource Title: 30-year input files.

  File Name: 30-year.zip

  Resource Description: CLIGEN .par input files based on 30-year minimum record lengths. May be viewed with text editor.

  Resource Software Recommended: CLIGEN v5.3,url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/west-lafayette-in/national-soil-erosion-research/docs/wepp/cligen/




• Resource Title: 20-year input files.

  File Name: 20-year.zip

  Resource Description: CLIGEN .par input files based on 20-year minimum record lengths. May be viewed with text editor.

  Resource Software Recommended: CLIGEN v5.3,url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/west-lafayette-in/national-soil-erosion-research/docs/wepp/cligen/




• Resource Title: 10-year input files.

  File Name: 10-year.zip

  Resource Description: CLIGEN .par input files based on 10-year minimum record lengths. May be viewed with text editor.

  Resource Software Recommended: CLIGEN v5.3,url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/west-lafayette-in/national-soil-erosion-research/docs/wepp/cligen/




• Resource Title: Map Layer.

  File Name: MapLayer.kmz

  Resource Description: Map Layer showing locations of the new CLIGEN stations. This layer may be imported into Google Earth and used to find the station closest to an area of interest.

  Resource Software Recommended: Google Earth,url: https://www.google.com/earth/




• Resource Title: Temporal Ranges of Years Queried.

  File Name: GHCN-Daily Year Ranges.xlsx

  Resource Description: Excel tables of the first and last years queried from GHCN-Daily when searching for complete monthly records (with no gaps in data). Any ranges in excess of 30 years, 20 years and 10 years, for respective datasets, are due to data gaps.




• Resource Title: 30-year input files (revised).

  File Name: 30-year revised.zip

  Resource Description: CLIGEN .par input files based on 30-year minimum record lengths. May be viewed with text editor. Revised from the original dataset. Fixed metadata issues with the headings of each file. Fixed inconsistencies with MX.5P and transition probability values for extremely dry climates and/or months.

  Resource Software Recommended: CLIGEN v5.3,url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/west-lafayette-in/national-soil-erosion-research/docs/wepp/cligen/




• Resource Title: 20-year input files (revised).

  File Name: 20-year revised.zip

  Resource Description: CLIGEN .par input files based on 20-year minimum record lengths. May be viewed with text editor. Revised from the original dataset. Fixed metadata issues with the headings of each file. Fixed inconsistencies with MX.5P and transition probability values for extremely dry climates and/or months.

  Resource Software Recommended: Cligen v5.3,url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/west-lafayette-in/national-soil-erosion-research/docs/wepp/cligen/




• Resource Title: 10-year input files (revised).

  File Name: 10-year revised.zip

  Resource Description: CLIGEN .par input files based on 10-year minimum record lengths. May be viewed with text editor. Revised from the original dataset. Fixed metadata issues with the headings of each file. Fixed inconsistencies with MX.5P and transition probability values for extremely dry climates and/or months.

  Resource Software Recommended: Cligen v5.3,url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/west-lafayette-in/national-soil-erosion-research/docs/wepp/cligen/




• Resource Title: 30-year input files (revised 2).

  File Name: 30-year revised 2.zip

  Resource Description: CLIGEN .par input files based on 30-year minimum record lengths. May be viewed with text editor. Fixed formatting issue for 238 stations that affected transition probabilities.

  Resource Software Recommended: Cligen v5.3,url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/west-lafayette-in/national-soil-erosion-research/docs/wepp/cligen/




• Resource Title: 20-year input files (revised 2).

  File Name: 20-year revised 2.zip

  Resource Description: CLIGEN .par input files based on 20-year minimum record lengths. May be viewed with text editor. Fixed formatting issue for 238 stations that affected transition probabilities.

  Resource Software Recommended: Cligen v5.3,url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/west-lafayette-in/national-soil-erosion-research/docs/wepp/cligen/




• Resource Title: 10-year input files (revised 2).

  File Name: 10-year revised 2.zip

  Resource Description: CLIGEN *.par input files based on 10-year minimum record lengths. May be viewed with text editor. Fixed formatting issue for 238 stations that affected transition probabilities.

  Resource Software Recommended: Cligen v5.3,url: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/west-lafayette-in/national-soil-erosion-research/docs/wepp/cligen/