GHRSST Level 3C North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature from SNPP/VIIRS and Metop-A/AVHRR

Four six-hourly files per day provide sea surface temperature (SST) data for the North Atlantic Region on a regular 2km grid. The European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility (OSI SAF) produces this dataset in near real time from Metop/AVHRR and SNPP/VIIRS satellites. SST is retrieved using a multispectral algorithm and the product is compliant with the GHRSST Data Specification version 2.

Use Cases

• Modeling ocean heat content and climate patterns based on six-hourly sea surface temperature observations.
• Validating regional ocean circulation models based on 2km resolution satellite-derived temperature data.
• Monitoring marine heatwave events in the North Atlantic based on near real-time temperature retrievals.
• Assimilating satellite SST data into numerical weather prediction models based on GHRSST GDS V2 compliant format.

Strengths

• Data is produced in near real time, supporting operational monitoring.
• Product is delivered on a regular 2km grid, providing consistent spatial resolution.
• Dataset is compliant with the international GHRSST Data Specification version 2, ensuring interoperability.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale ML training.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility (OSI SAF).

Collection Method

SST retrieved from AVHRR and VIIRS infrared channels using a multispectral algorithm; data acquired via EUMETCAST and direct readout.

Time Range

Near real time production; Metop-A platform launched 19 Oct 2006.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:33:23.386190; freshness should be verified.

Geography

North Atlantic Region (NAR).