Washington state tree ring data provides a chronology for climate reconstruction from 625 to 268 calendar years before present. The dataset is archived by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information under its World Data Service for Paleoclimatology. The data was last updated in the NOAA system in 1682.
Use Cases
- Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies using tree ring width measurements.
- Calibrate radiocarbon dates by aligning the tree ring chronology with known timelines.
- Analyze climate periodicity and extreme events from the multi-century time-series record.
- Validate regional climate model simulations for the Pacific Northwest over the last ~2000 years.
Strengths
- Chronology spans 357 years (625 to 268 BP), providing a multi-century climate record.
- Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA NCEI World Data Service.
Limitations
- The temporal coverage is limited to a specific 357-year period, not continuous to present day.
- The geographic scope is restricted to a single site (Willapa Bay/Palix River, Washington).
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
- Collection Method
- Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology) of snags (standing dead trees).
- Time Range
- 625 to 268 calendar years before present (BP).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Willapa Bay/Palix River, Washington, United States of America.