BioClim Austria: Gridded climate indicators for 1961-1990 and 1991-2020 at 250m resolution

Overview

This gridded meteorological data set consists of climatologies (climate indicators) on a 30-year average basis for Austria and covers two historical periods with a high spatial resolution of 250m. The two 30-year periods provided for the observations allow the analysis of the climate change that has already occurred. The selection of climate indicators is optimized for the needs of ecological models. 

Resolution: 250x250mProjection: EPSG 31287Extent: AustriaPeriods: 1961-1990 and 1991-2020Format: GeoTIFFData sources: Station data and derived products

List of climatologies (climate indicators) 

#

Short name

Name

Description

Unit

Yearly (Y),  monthly (M) or growing season (GS)

1

tasmin

Average daily minimum temperature

Arithmetic mean

°C

Y, M

2

tasmax

Average daily maximum temperature

Arithmetic mean

°C

Y, M

3

tas

Average temperature

Arithmetic mean

°C

Y, M

4

tas_warmest_month

Average temperature mean in the warmest month

Calculation of the mean temperature over the climate period for all months and then selection of the highest value for the warmest month

°C

Y

5

tas_coldest_month

Average temperature mean in the coldest month

Calculation of the mean temperature over the climate period for all months and then selection of the lowest value for the coldest month

°C

Y

6

tasmin_coldest_month

Average temperature minimum in the coldest month

Calculation of the mean minimum temperature over the climate period for all months and then selection of the lowest value for the coldest month

°C

Y

7

tasmax_warmest_month

Average temperature maximum in the warmest month

Calculation of the mean maximum temperature over the climate period for all months and then selection of the highest value for the warmest month

°C

Y

8

thermal_continentality

Average annual amplitude of monthly mean temperature (Thermal continentality)

Climatological monthly mean temperature in the warmest month minus climatological monthly mean temperature in the coldest month (04_tas* minus 05_tas*). 

°C

Y

9

FD

Average number of frost days per year

Defined by 0°C daily minimum temperature at 2m height.

days

Y

10

GSL

Average length of the growing season

The growing season is the duration in days of the longest continuous period of days with an average temperature of at least 5°C. However, an earlier or later period of such warm days is included in the growing season if it lasts longer than the sum of all intervening cooler days

days

Y

11

tas

Average temperature in the growing season

Average temperature in the growing season defined as in climate indicator 10 (GSL). If a year does not have a growing season, this value is not defined. 

°C

GS

12

GDD

Average Growing Degree Days per year above 5°C

Σ(Tmean – 5°C) per year. 

°C

Y

13

FD_first

Average date of the first frost occurrence

Frost is defined by a temperature of 0°C at a height of 2 meters (arithmetic mean). Years without frost are excluded from the calculation of the mean. If no frost occurs at all, the value is indeterminate

day of year

Y

14

FD_last

Average date of the last frost occurrence

Frost is defined by a temperature of 0°C at a height of 2 meters (arithmetic mean). Years without frost are excluded from the calculation of the mean. If no frost occurs at all, the value is indeterminate

day of year

Y

15

HD35

Average number of extremely hot days above 35°C per year

Defined by 35°C daily maximum temperature at 2m height.

days

Y

16

FD_10

Average number of days with hard frost below -10°C per year

Defined by -10°C daily minimum temperature at 2m height.

days

Y

20

GLO_hori

Average sum of global radiation on horizontal surface

Also called irradiance or shortwave incoming radiation, taking cloud cover into account.

kWh

Y, M

21

GLO_real

Average sum of global radiation on the real surface

Also called irradiance or shortwave incoming radiation, taking cloud cover into account.

kWh

Y, M

31

vpd

Average water vapor pressure deficit

Calculated from daily dew point temperature and temperature. 

hPa

Y, M

31

hurs

Average relative humidity

Calculated from daily dew point temperature and temperature. 

%

Y, M

32

vpd

Average water vapor pressure deficit

Calculated from daily dew point temperature and temperature. 

hPa

GS

32

hurs

Average relative humidity

Calculated from daily dew point temperature and temperature. 

%

GS

33

pr

Average precipitation sum

mm

Y, M

34

hygric_continentality

Average hygric continentality according to Gams

Defined as arctan of (elevation/annual_precip). Gams, H. (1931). Die klimatische Begrenzung von Pflanzenarealen und die Verteilung der hygrischen Kontinentalität in den Alpen. 

°

Y

35

pr1mm

Average number of days with precipitation 

Daily precipitation of at least 1mm. 

days

Y

36

pr1mm

Average number of days with precipitation in the growing season

Daily precipitation of at least 1mm. 

days

GS

37

DP_3days, DP_5days, DP_7days

Average number of days in dry periods in summer half-year

Number of days in periods of at least 3, 5, or 7 days with a daily precipitation total of less than 1mm. Summer half-year: April to September

days

Y

39

ET0

Average annual potential evapotranspiration

Calculation according to FAO Penman-Monteith: fao.org/3/X0490E/x0490e08.htm

mm

Y, M

40

WBAL

Average climatic water balance

Precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration

mm

Y, M

41

WBAL

Average climatic water balance in the growing season

Precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration in the growing season

mm

GS

Data sources

The climate indicators were calculated using daily data from different sources:

Temperature: SPARTACUS v2.1 (Gridded data set, 1x1km, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-015-1411-4 )

Precipitation: SPARTACUS v2.1 (Gridded data set, 1x1km, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-017-2093-x )

Radiation: APOLIS SHORT(Gridded data set, 100x100m, 2006-2020, https://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012EGUGA..14.9705O)APOLIS LONG (Gridded data set, 100x100m, 1981-2016)SPARTACUS v2.1 (Gridded data set, 1x1km, daily sunshine duration, 1961-2020).

Wind: Daily station data (https://doi.org/10.60669/gs6w-jd70)

Humidity: Daily station data  (https://doi.org/10.60669/gs6w-jd70)

Digital elevation model: © Kooperation Länder, Bund (BEV, BML), 2022