LBA Regional Climate Data Grid for South America, 1960-1990

This dataset is a 0.5-degree gridded subset of temperature and precipitation data for the Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) study area, covering 10° N to 25° S, 30° to 85° W. It contains monthly mean air temperature and total precipitation time series and climatologies for the period 1960-1990, along with cross-validation error estimates. The data, originally created by Willmott and Webber, is provided by the ORNL DAAC.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term monthly temperature trends using the 'monthly mean air temperatures for 1960-1990' time series.
• Studying precipitation climatology patterns across South America using the 'climatic means of monthly and annual precipitation totals'.
• Evaluating interpolation method accuracy by comparing standard and 'DEM assisted interpolation' temperature data with their associated 'cross validation errors'.
• Modeling hydrological cycles by correlating 'monthly precipitation totals' with 'monthly mean air temperatures' across the 0.5-degree grid.

Strengths

• Provides a 31-year continuous monthly time series from 1960 to 1990 for climate trend analysis.
• Includes cross-validation error estimates for both standard and enhanced interpolation methods, allowing for uncertainty assessment.
• Covers a specific, scientifically significant region defined by the LBA experiment (10° N to 25° S, 30° to 85° W).
• Data is available on multiple authoritative platforms (NASA Earthdata, Data.gov), indicating vetting and reliability.

Limitations

• The exact row count, file size, and specific column names are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the 'last updated' date, with one listing 2026-03-13 and another 1990-12-31.
• The data is historical, ending in 1990, and does not include recent decades.

Provenance

Source

Subset of the Willmott and Webber 1998 gridded climate data set for South America, provided by ORNL DAAC for the LBA project.

Collection Method

Gridded interpolation of station data, with versions using DEM-assisted and climatologically-aided interpolation techniques.

Time Range

1960-01-01 to 1990-12-31

Freshness

2026-03-13

Geography

South America, specifically the LBA study area from 10° N to 25° S, 30° to 85° W.