NWS Daily Climatology Data: 1985 (SNF)

1985 weather data was collected by the National Weather Service in International Falls, Minnesota, about 80 miles from the Superior National Forest (SNF). Total solar insolation measurements were made at Fall Lake Dam in Winton, Minn. by Prof. Donald Baker of the University of Minnesota, using a Yellow Springs solar cell calibrated against an Eppley Pyranometer. The dataset likely contains daily records of atmospheric temperature, solar radiation, precipitation, and water vapor indicators.

Use Cases

• Analyzing daily temperature trends based on atmospheric temperature columns.
• Modeling solar energy potential using measured solar insolation data.
• Studying precipitation patterns from the precipitation amount indicators.
• Correlating atmospheric water vapor with other meteorological variables.
• Validating regional climate models with ground-based weather station data.

Strengths

• Data originates from authoritative sources: the National Weather Service and a University of Minnesota professor.
• Solar insolation measurements were made with a calibrated instrument (Yellow Springs cell vs. Eppley Pyranometer).
• The dataset is available on multiple platforms (Data.gov and NASA Earthdata), indicating recognized importance.

Limitations

• Column names and exact data structure are unknown, limiting immediate usability.
• Conflicting metadata: one source lists a last update in 2026, while another indicates the data is from 1985.
• The dataset's size, row count, and specific file formats within the listed archive types (ZIP, etc.) are not provided.

Provenance

Source

National Weather Service (International Falls, MN) and Prof. Donald Baker, University of Minnesota.

Collection Method

Weather data collected by NWS; solar insolation measured with a calibrated Yellow Springs solar cell.

Time Range

1985

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:30:10.459377 (Data.gov), but this conflicts with the 1985 date from NASA Earthdata.

Geography

International Falls, Minnesota, and Fall Lake Dam in Winton, Minnesota; representative of the Superior National Forest area.