CanSIPS Historical Forecasts

Climate forecasting systems such as the Canadian Seasonal to Interannual Prediction System (CanSIPS) require for their operation an extensive set of historical forecasts or hindcasts, typically covering a period of 30 years or more. While these hindcasts provide a basis for bias correction, skill assessment, and calibration of operational forecasts, in addition they serve as an essential resource for research efforts directed at understanding the nature of predictability in the climate system and improving climate prediction methods. This hindcast dataset is intended to serve that purpose with a particular emphasis on research into seasonal prediction of sea ice, enabled by its inclusion of an extensive range of sea ice-related data products which include daily and monthly averages of forecast sea ice concentration, thickness, and drift velocity components.