Global Climatic Data for Crop Water Requirement Calculations

CLIMWAT is a climatic database containing data from 3,262 meteorological stations across 144 countries. It was developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for use with the CROPWAT program to calculate crop water needs and irrigation schedules. The database was published in 1994 as FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 49.

Use Cases

• Calculate crop water requirements using station-specific climatic parameters like temperature, humidity, and wind speed.
• Model irrigation supply and scheduling for various crops based on station precipitation and evapotranspiration data.
• Compare climatic conditions and irrigation needs across 144 countries using the station location metadata.
• Calibrate the CROPWAT program using the provided station data for local agricultural water management.

Strengths

• Data from 3,262 meteorological stations provides broad spatial coverage.
• Includes stations from 144 countries, enabling multi-regional analysis.

Limitations

• Data is from 1994 and may not reflect current climatic conditions.
• Specific row counts, column names, and data granularity are not detailed in the provided description.

Provenance

Source

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Collection Method

Compiled from meteorological station records worldwide.

Time Range

Historical data up to its publication in 1994.

Geography

Global, with stations in 144 countries.