Library of climate resources

This is a collection of links to climate datasets, tools, guidance and related resources. The sources include the federal government, provincial and territorial governments, national professional organizations, climate consortia and established international organizations. It can be useful for impact, vulnerability and risk assessments, and for adaptation planning.

Refine your search using the search filters. You can also type up to 5 keywords in the search bar.

Explanation of the different resource types
  • data product - downloadable climate dataset
  • tool - builds on a dataset with further analyses and/or visualization
  • guidance - provides direction on the use of climate information or on conducting climate-related assessments
  • codes and standards - guidance and best practice documents for climate resilient design
  • additional resources include educational and awareness-raising material, impact assessments and scientific syntheses

Showing 11 - 20 of 24 results
  • Current and projected climate data for North America (CMIP6 scenarios) (Opens in a new Window)

    AdaptWest provides modelled climate projections generated using the ClimateNA software, downscaled from the Coupled Climate Model Comparison Phase 6 (CMIP6) database. Variables include mean and extreme estimates of temperature and precipitation, growing and cooling degree days, snowfall, evapotranspiration, and drought indices. Data are available from individual models or a 15-model ensemble at a 1km resolution for North America as well as individual states and provinces to a horizon year of 2050, available for download in grid or tabular formats.
    Organization:
    Conservation Biology Institute
    Resource formats:
    • Data files
    • Mapped

    CWFIS Datamart (Opens in a new Window)

    The Canadian Wildland Fire Information Service (CWFIS) DataMart contains observational fire history data. Datasets include the National Burned Area Composite (defined as the area of forest burned annually since 2004), National Fire Database fire polygon data (forest fire perimeters), National Fire Database fire point data (forest fire locations), the Large Fire Database fire point data (fires greater than 200 hectares between 1959 and 1999), and Alberta Smoke Plume Observations data (observations of 222 plumes collected between 2010 and 2015). Historical point and polygon data are available across Canada.
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Natural Resources Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Data files
    • Mapped

    Design Value Explorer (Opens in a new Window)

    PCIC’s Design Value Explorer (DVE) enables users to access historical climatic design variables across Canada, in either map or table form, examine projected future change in design variables, and download maps and tables. Climatic design values are used by engineers to determine some elements of the environment that buildings and other infrastructure may be exposed to. This information was produced by PCIC, in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada and the National Research Council, to support updates to the National Building Code of Canada (2015, Table C-2) and the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC/ CSA S6 2014, Annex A3.1).
    Organization:
    Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium
    Resource formats:
    • Data files
    • Interactive
    • Mapped
    • Tool
    • Vulnerability or risk assessment
    • Adaptation planning

    Forest Change Adaptation Tools (Opens in a new Window)

    Forest Change adaptation tools provides information about the impacts of climate change on Canada’s forests and on how to adapt to changing climate conditions. Adaptation tools and resources for forest managers are available here. The tools and resources provided include maps, databases, web applications and synthesis reports. They are grouped under three broad systems: climate, forest and human.
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Natural Resources Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Data files
    • Interactive
    • Graphical
    • Mapped
    • Tool

    Forest Change Data Catalogue (Opens in a new Window)

    The Forest Climate Change Data Catalogue is a collection of data sets that are relevant to the Canadian forest sector under a changing climate. Created by Canadian Forest Service scientists, these data sets include static maps, raw data (both point and gridded), and interactive maps that cover all of Canada. Data themes include drought, fire, climate and tree distribution; multiple climate scenarios are projected to the year 2100. The data sets will be periodically updated as new information becomes available.
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Natural Resources Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Data files
    • Graphical
    • Mapped
    • Tool

    Forest Change Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (Opens in a new Window)

    Forest change frequently asked questions about climate change uncertainty, climate modelling, adaptation options, mapping the occurrence of Canada's forest pathogens, and Canada-wide maps of forest properties
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Natural Resources Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Data files
    • Interactive
    • Mapped
    • Adaptation planning
    • Educational and awareness-raising material

    Ice Graph (Opens in a new Window)

    IceGraph 2.0 generates ice coverage bar graphs and data tables for a selected region and date range. Data are available from 1968 to present and can be compared between seasons. Specific measures include first year ice, new ice, young ice, and old ice for the current season as well as for the historical monitoring period.
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Environment and Climate Change Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Data files
    • Graphical
    • Mapped

    Northwest Boreal Science and Management Research Tool (Opens in a new Window)

    The Northwest Boreal Science and Management Research Tool contains curated scholarly articles, datasets, state and federal resource reports, land management plans, and more. Each entry includes geographic information about the area of study, allowing users to draw a box on a map to narrow searches to information directly related to a specific region in Alaska, the Yukon, British Columbia, and Northwest Territories. This project is a collaboration among Alaska Resources Library & Information Services (ARLIS), Alaska Climate Science Center, DataBasin, and Northwest Boreal Landscape Conservation Cooperative.
    Organization:
    Northwest Boreal Landscape Conservation Cooperative
    Resource formats:
    • Data files
    • Mapped

    Plant Hardiness Zone Maps of Canada (Opens in a new Window)

    Plant Hardiness Zone Maps of Canada provide gridded information about where different types of plants can grow. They combine climatic information from across Canada and are available for two historical periods: 1961-1990 and 1981-2010. Projected future range maps are also available for a number of species of trees, shrubs, and perennial herbs. Climate profiles are available for plant species based on distribution data and climate models.
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Natural Resources Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Mapped

    Satellite Soil Moisture (Opens in a new Window)

    Satellite Soil Moisture map and dataset show moisture in the top 5 cm of soil across Canada. Data are available on a Weekly, bi-Weekly, and monthly basis. Soil moisture values are available as absolute values and as difference from average soil moisture over a longer-term period.
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Data files
    • Mapped


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