TOC > MSC data > CMIP5 > CMIP5 on MSC Datamart
Climate scenarios datasets based on an ensemble of global climate model projections from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) in NetCDF format
Multi-model ensembles of modelled output and projected change are available for historical simulations and three emission scenarios, RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, at a 1x1 degree grid resolution. Projected changes are expressed as anomalies with respect to the reference period of 1986-2005.
Data location
MSC Datamart data can be automatically retrieved with the Advanced Message Queuing Protocol (AMQP) as soon as they become available. An overview and examples to access and use the Meteorological Service of Canada's open data is also available.
The data is available via the HTTPS protocol. It is possible to access it with a standard browser. In this case, we obtain a list of links giving access to a NetCDF file.
The data can be accessed at the following URLs :
- https://dd.weather.gc.ca/climate/cmip5/netcdf/historical/annual/{[anomaly,absolute]}
- https://dd.weather.gc.ca/climate/cmip5/netcdf/historical/seasonal/{[DJF,MAM,JJA,SON]}/{[anomaly,absolute]}
- https://dd.weather.gc.ca/climate/cmip5/netcdf/historical/monthly_ens/absolute
- https://dd.weather.gc.ca/climate/cmip5/netcdf/scenarios/{[RCP2.6,RCP4.5,RCP8.5]}/annual/{[anomaly,absolute,avg_20years]}
- https://dd.weather.gc.ca/climate/cmip5/netcdf/scenarios/{[RCP2.6,RCP4.5,RCP8.5]}/seasonal/{[DJF,MAM,JJA,SON]}/{[anomaly,absolute,avg_20years]}
- https://dd.weather.gc.ca/climate/cmip5/netcdf/scenarios/{[RCP2.6,RCP4.5,RCP8.5]}/monthly_ens/absolute
where :
- historical : Historical simulations from 1950-2005
- scenarios : Refers to different emission scenarios [RCP2.6, RCP4.5,RCP8.5] from 2006-2100
- seasonal : The standard meteorological seasons are used: (March to May (MAM, spring), June to August (JJA, summer),September to November (SON, autumn/fall), and December to February (DJF, winter)]
- avg_20year : 20-year averages of projected change are available for four future time periods: 2021-2040; 2041-2060; 2061-2080; 2081-2100
- Anomaly : Represents projected change to the reference period, 1986-2005
- Absolute : Represents the multi-modelled ensemble projections (actual value)
File name nomenclature
NOTE : ALL HOURS ARE IN UTC.
- CMIP5_hist_TemporalResolution_Value_ProjectionResolution_Variable_pctlPP_TimeStep.nc
- CMIP5_rcpx.y_TemporalResolution_Value_ProjectionResolution_Variable_pctlPP_TimeStep.nc
where:
- CMIP5 : Constant string indicating Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase5 global climate model ensemble datasets.
- hist : Constant string indicating historical simulations.
- rcpx.y : Type of Representative Concentration Pathways (emission scenarios), taking one of the values : [rcp2.6, rcp4.5, rcp8.5].
- TemporalResolution : Time period, taking one of the values : [annual, monthly, DJF, MAM, JJA, SON].
- Value : Values category, taking one of the values : [ abs, anom, 2021-2040, 2041-2060, 2061-2080, 2081-2100]; abs stands for absolute values (actual values / modelled projections); anom stands for anomalies.
- Projection : Grid mapping (projection) taking the value : [latlon].
- Resolution : Grid resolution taking one of the values : [1x1]; 1x1 stands for 1-degree grid resolution in both the latitudinal and longitudinal directions.
- Variable : Name of climate variable available in the file, taking one of the values : [PCP, TEMP, , SICETHKN, SICECONC, SNDPT, SFCWND]; PCP stands for mean precipitation, TEMP for mean temperature, , SICETHKN stands for sea ice thickness, SICECONC stands for sea ice concentration, SNDPT stands for snow depth, SFCWND stands for surface wind speed.
- PctlPP : Ensemble percentile, taking one of the values : [pctl5, pctl25, pctl50, pctl75, pctl95]; pctl5 stands for the 5th percentile of the ensemble; pctl25 stands for the 25th percentile of the ensemble; pctl50 stands for the 50th percentile, also referred to as the median, of the ensemble; pctl75 stands for the 75th percentile of the ensemble; pctl95 stands for the 95th percentile of the ensemble.
- TimeStep : Time step, taking one of the values : [P1Y, P1M]; P1Y stand for 1 year time step and P1M stands for 1 month time step.
- nc : Constant string indicating the NetCDF format.
Example : CMIP5_rcp4.5_DJF_2021-2040_latlon1x1_PCP_pctl50_P1Y.nc
The file represents the 50th percentile of the CMIP5 multi-model ensemble of projected relative changes in mean precipitation (i.e., anomalies) with respect to the reference period of 1986-2005, in winter (3 month average across December, January, February), expressed as percentage change. The bands in the NetCDF file are yearly time steps.
List of variables
The available variables and units for the CMIP5 datasets on the MSC Datamart are :
- CMIP5 multi-model ensembles of mean precipitation projections (mm/day)
- CMIP5 multi-model ensembles of sea ice concentration projections (percentage, %, of grid cell area)
- CMIP5 multi-model ensembles of sea ice thickness projections (m)
- CMIP5 multi-model ensembles of snow depth projections (m)
- CMIP5 multi-model ensembles of surface wind speed projections (m/s)
- CMIP5 multi-model ensembles of mean temperature projections (°C)
- Projected mean precipitation change based on CMIP5 multi-model ensembles (%)
- Projected sea ice concentration change based on CMIP5 multi-model ensembles (%)
- Projected sea ice thickness change based on CMIP5 multi-model ensembles (%)
- Projected snow depth change based on CMIP5 multi-model ensembles (%)
- Projected surface wind speed change based on CMIP5 multi-model ensembles (%)
- Projected mean temperature change based on CMIP5 multi-model ensembles (°C)
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