ESA Land Surface Temperature Climate Change Initiative (LST_cci): All-weather MicroWave Land Surface Temperature (MW-LST) global data record (1996-2020)

MW-LST is a data record of land surface temperature (LST) derived from the microwave instruments Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and Special Sensor Microwave Imager / Sounder (SSMIS). Observations available at frequencies close to 18, 22, 26, and 85 GHz are used as an input to a retrieval algorithm that produces LST over all continental surfaces, twice per day (6 am/pm), at a spatial resolution of ~25 km, and over 25 years (1996-2020). The data record has been produced by the company Estellus working within the ESA Land Surface Temperature Climate Change Initiative (LST_cci). Compared with the remaining infrared LST data records of the LST_cci, the spatial resolution of the MW-LST is coarser, and the associated retrieval errors are larger. However, it offers LST estimates for clear-sky and cloudy conditions, therefore complementing the IR LST data records, which can only provide LST for clear skies. The data record is temporally and spatially complete, although in rare occasions some data can be missing due to missing observations, e.g., due to satellite maintenance operations or anomalous behavior. The data record is provided on a regular grid of 0.25x0.25 degrees, saved as daily, monthly, and yearly netcdf files. The reader is referred to the LST_cci website for more information about how the data record was derived, and how to use the data and associated quality flags and estimated uncertainty.