dataset · Global
TerraClimate
[TerraClimate](http://www.climatologylab.org/terraclimate.html) is a dataset of monthly climate and climatic water balance for global terrestrial surfaces from 1958 to the present. These data provide important inputs for ecological and hydrological studies at global scales that require high spatial resolution and time-varying data. All data have monthly temporal resolution and a ~4-km (1/24th degree) spatial resolution. This dataset is provided in [Zarr](https://zarr.readthedocs.io/) format.
Visit source ↗Source details
Licence: CC0-1.0
Evidence quality: 34.4
Listed in planetary-computer public catalogue API on 2026-10-16; relevance/value screened (haiku).
Metadata checked: 2026-10-14T13:20:00.000Z
What's in it
- Data offered llm-inferred
- monthly climate variables · monthly climatic water balance
- Coverage llm-inferred
- Global terrestrial surfaces · 1958 to present
- Resolution llm-inferred
- ~4 km (1/24th degree) spatial; monthly temporal
- Formats llm-inferred
- Zarr
- Access llm-inferred
- Open, CC0-1.0 licence; no authentication listed
Useful for
- Use cases llm-inferred
- Long-term monthly climate context (1958-present) for climate-change baselines on overseas or global project sites · Water balance inputs for coarse hydrological screening where UK gridded data does not apply · Monthly climate baseline for ecological habitat assessments
- Audience llm-inferred
- hydrologists · ecologists · GIS analysts · water resources consultants
Limitations
- Constraints llm-inferred
- Global dataset, not UK-specific · Monthly temporal resolution; cannot resolve storm or flood events · ~4 km grid is coarse for site-scale work · Zarr format requires compatible tooling
Evidence
- https://planetarycomputer.microsoft.com/api/stac/v1/collections/terraclimate
- https://planetarycomputer.microsoft.com/dataset/terraclimate
Check upstream coverage, uncertainty and licence before use. Station observations are not forecasts or design levels.