Core Public Dataset
The Core Public Dataset is a set of climate variables and indexes aggregated over base and future periods. These data are derived from raw climate model output and have been formatted for use in Geographic Information System (GIS) software packages. See Updated national climate projections for Aotearoa New Zealand for more information.
Raster Data
The data for each variable is available below as a zipped file. This includes netcdf files for every model, including the ensemble model, in the one file. If instead downloading and processing specific files is preferred, a manifest file is provided that references each file, it’s metadata, and the relative path in this site to access that file. Processing this with a scripting language to download those files you want it recommended.
A second metadata file provides a wide form metadata view of each variable-model combination describing the number of expected files, and the units for base values and change values.
Data File Description
The data is provided as NetCDF files using the CF-1.7 Conventions. NetCDF files can be opened and viewed in ArcGIS and QGIS as well as loaded in python (using xarray) or R (using netcdf4).
Data is provided for both baseline values and future change values of each model.
- MMM (multi model mean)
- NorESM2-MM
- AWI-CM-1-1-MR
- GFDL-ESM4
- ACCESS-CM2
- EC-Earth3
- CNRM-CM6-1
For future change values, there is one file per combination of:
- climate variable
- future period (which can be a future period in time or a global warming level)
- annual period (which can be ‘annual’ and/or ‘spring’,’summer’,’autumn’,’winter’)
- baseline (historical) period
- model
- SSP-RCP scenario
The values for variables represent an annual or seasonal average, averaged over specific time periods. The time periods represented are:
- Two base periods: “1986-2005” and “1995-2014” - each value is an absolute value in the relevant units of measure for the variable.
- Three future time periods: “2021-2040”, “2041-2060”,”2081-2100” - each value is a “change” in value from the baseline value in units relevant to representing change for that variable.
- Four global warming levels: “1.5°C”, “2°C”, “3°C”, “4°C” - each value is a “change” in value from the baseline value in units relevant to representing change for that variable.
Not all global warming levels are available for each SSP-RCP scenario. A minimum of 4 climate models need to reach a warming level for this warming level to be included in the mean model (MMM).
The following table shows the Warming Levels that are available for each SSP scenario. Green means that this Warming Level is available for this SSP scenario.
The dimensions and coordinates used for the variables are:
- Latitude (260 values)
- Longitude (243 values)
- Time (1 values)
Latitude and Longitude represent the coordinates of grid squares of approximately 5 km^2 in area over a rectangular extent covering all New Zealand. The centroids of grid squares over the New Zealand land mass align with NIWA’s Virtual Climate Station Network grids [1] and [2]. Of the 63,180 grid points, only 11,491 cover VCSNs. Only these coordinates have data for the climate variables.
The Date/Times provided in each file represent the mid-point of the respective base or future time period, and in the case of global warming levels, the date/time has no meaning.
Each combination of variables and dimensions is provided as an individual file in a nested directory based on variable ID. The variable and dimension attributes are encoded in the file name. The following lists examples of the naming convention, however file references and variable attributes are also provided in a csv format.
TX30_historical_MMM_CCAM_base_bp1995-2014_ANN_NZ5km.nc
- TX30 = the variable (hot days > 30 deg C)
- historical = the scenario goes here, or in this case “historical” because historical data does not have scenarios
- MMM = multi model mean
- CCAM = Conformal Cubic Atmospheric Model i.e., the 12 km model used for dynamical downscaling.
- base = notes that the data is the base magnitudes, not the projected change or projected future magnitude
- bp1995-2014 = base period 1995-2014
- ANN = annual (as opposed to a specific season)
- NZ5km = NZ 5 km resolution grid
PR_ssp126_MMM_CCAM_change_fp2080-2099_bp1995-2014_SON_NZ5km.nc
- PR = the variable (precipitation)
- ssp126= the scenario: SSP1-2.6
- MMM = multi model mean
- CCAM = Conformal Cubic Atmospheric Model i.e., the 12 km model used for dynamical downscaling.
- change = notes that the data is the projected change, not the base magnitudes or projected future magnitudes
- fp2080-2099 = future period 2080-2099
- bp1995-2014 = change is relative to base period 1995-2014
- SON = September, October, November (i.e., seasonal data for spring)
- NZ5km = NZ 5 km resolution grid
T_ssp245_MMM_CCAM_change_wl2_bp1986-2005_JJA_NZ5km.nc
- T = the variable (mean temperature)
- ssp245= the scenario: SSP2-4.5
- MMM = multi model mean
- CCAM = Conformal Cubic Atmospheric Model i.e., the 12 km model used for dynamical downscaling.
- change = notes that the data is the projected change, not the base magnitudes or projected future magnitudes
- wl2 = warming level of 2.0 degrees
- bp1986-2005= change is relative to climate of the base period (1986-2005)
- JJA = June, July, August (i.e., seasonal data for winter)
- NZ5km = NZ 5 km resolution grid
Vector Data
The raster NetCDF data has also been converted into point vector data. This is provided in two complementary file types:
- A parquet file type where each row of a data set represents a value from a specific VCSN station represented by integer IDs
- A geopackage file that map the VCSN station IDS to the geospatial locations
VCSN agent data
The column vcsn_agent in an integer column that represents a VCSN Agent ID. The VCSN agents are the locations of the points for which the grids of the NetCDF data files represent. The grid-coordinates of non-null values in a NetCDF file match the coordinates of the VCSN agents.
To locate each data value in the vector point datasets here, you will typically want to join the geospatial information for the agent ids to the vcsn_agent id in the dataset rows.
We have provided the geospatial files for these agents in the geopackage format and in 3 different coordinate reference systems.
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| index_grid_points_vcsn_filtered_2193.gpkg | VCSN Agents in CRS 2193 |
| index_grid_points_vcsn_filtered_4167.gpkg | VCSN Agents in CRS 4167 |
| index_grid_points_vcsn_filtered_4272.gpkg | VCSN Agents in CRS 4272 |
Vector data column metadata
The following table describes each column of the vector data provided in the parquet and csv files.
| column_name | column_type | description |
|---|---|---|
| model | VARCHAR | Model |
| base_period | VARCHAR | Base period |
| future_period | VARCHAR | Future Period |
| scenario | VARCHAR | Scenario |
| season | VARCHAR | Season |
| vcsn_agent | BIGINT | VCSN Agent ID |
| CD18_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for CD18 |
| CD18_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for CD18 |
| CD18_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for CD18 |
| CD18_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for CD18 |
| CD18_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for CD18 |
| CD18_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for CD18 |
| DD1mm_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for DD1mm |
| DD1mm_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for DD1mm |
| DD1mm_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for DD1mm |
| DD1mm_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for DD1mm |
| DD1mm_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for DD1mm |
| DD1mm_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for DD1mm |
| DTR_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for DTR |
| DTR_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for DTR |
| DTR_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for DTR |
| DTR_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for DTR |
| DTR_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for DTR |
| DTR_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for DTR |
| FD_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for FD |
| FD_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for FD |
| FD_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for FD |
| FD_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for FD |
| FD_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for FD |
| FD_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for FD |
| GDD10_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for GDD10 |
| GDD10_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for GDD10 |
| GDD10_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for GDD10 |
| GDD10_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for GDD10 |
| GDD10_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for GDD10 |
| GDD10_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for GDD10 |
| GDD5_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for GDD5 |
| GDD5_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for GDD5 |
| GDD5_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for GDD5 |
| GDD5_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for GDD5 |
| GDD5_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for GDD5 |
| GDD5_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for GDD5 |
| HD18_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for HD18 |
| HD18_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for HD18 |
| HD18_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for HD18 |
| HD18_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for HD18 |
| HD18_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for HD18 |
| HD18_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for HD18 |
| PEDsrad_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for PEDsrad |
| PEDsrad_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for PEDsrad |
| PEDsrad_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for PEDsrad |
| PEDsrad_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for PEDsrad |
| PEDsrad_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for PEDsrad |
| PEDsrad_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for PEDsrad |
| PR_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for PR |
| PR_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for PR |
| PR_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for PR |
| PR_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for PR |
| PR_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for PR |
| PR_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for PR |
| R99pVAL_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for R99pVAL |
| R99pVAL_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for R99pVAL |
| R99pVAL_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for R99pVAL |
| R99pVAL_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for R99pVAL |
| R99pVAL_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for R99pVAL |
| R99pVAL_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for R99pVAL |
| R99pVALWet_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for R99pVALWet |
| R99pVALWet_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for R99pVALWet |
| R99pVALWet_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for R99pVALWet |
| R99pVALWet_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for R99pVALWet |
| R99pVALWet_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for R99pVALWet |
| R99pVALWet_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for R99pVALWet |
| RR1mm_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for RR1mm |
| RR1mm_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for RR1mm |
| RR1mm_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for RR1mm |
| RR1mm_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for RR1mm |
| RR1mm_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for RR1mm |
| RR1mm_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for RR1mm |
| RR25mm_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for RR25mm |
| RR25mm_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for RR25mm |
| RR25mm_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for RR25mm |
| RR25mm_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for RR25mm |
| RR25mm_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for RR25mm |
| RR25mm_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for RR25mm |
| T_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for T |
| T_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for T |
| T_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for T |
| T_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for T |
| T_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for T |
| T_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for T |
| TN_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for TN |
| TN_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for TN |
| TN_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for TN |
| TN_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for TN |
| TN_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for TN |
| TN_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for TN |
| TNn_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for TNn |
| TNn_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for TNn |
| TNn_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for TNn |
| TNn_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for TNn |
| TNn_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for TNn |
| TNn_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for TNn |
| TX_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for TX |
| TX_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for TX |
| TX_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for TX |
| TX_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for TX |
| TX_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for TX |
| TX_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for TX |
| TX25_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for TX25 |
| TX25_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for TX25 |
| TX25_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for TX25 |
| TX25_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for TX25 |
| TX25_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for TX25 |
| TX25_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for TX25 |
| TX30_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for TX30 |
| TX30_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for TX30 |
| TX30_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for TX30 |
| TX30_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for TX30 |
| TX30_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for TX30 |
| TX30_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for TX30 |
| TXx_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for TXx |
| TXx_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for TXx |
| TXx_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for TXx |
| TXx_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for TXx |
| TXx_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for TXx |
| TXx_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for TXx |
| Wd10_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for Wd10 |
| Wd10_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for Wd10 |
| Wd10_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for Wd10 |
| Wd10_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for Wd10 |
| Wd10_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for Wd10 |
| Wd10_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for Wd10 |
| Wd99pVAL_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for Wd99pVAL |
| Wd99pVAL_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for Wd99pVAL |
| Wd99pVAL_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for Wd99pVAL |
| Wd99pVAL_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for Wd99pVAL |
| Wd99pVAL_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for Wd99pVAL |
| Wd99pVAL_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for Wd99pVAL |
| hurs_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for hurs |
| hurs_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for hurs |
| hurs_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for hurs |
| hurs_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for hurs |
| hurs_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for hurs |
| hurs_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for hurs |
| rsds_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for rsds |
| rsds_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for rsds |
| rsds_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for rsds |
| rsds_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for rsds |
| rsds_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for rsds |
| rsds_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for rsds |
| sfcWind_value_change | FLOAT | Change of value for sfcWind |
| sfcWind_value_change_units | VARCHAR | Units of change of value for sfcWind |
| sfcWind_value_base_period | FLOAT | Base period value for sfcWind |
| sfcWind_value_base_period_units | VARCHAR | Units of base period value for sfcWind |
| sfcWind_value_future | FLOAT | Future value for sfcWind |
| sfcWind_value_future_units | VARCHAR | Units of future value for sfcWind |