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 21 - 30 of 44 results
  • 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

    Data at NSIDC (Opens in a new Window)

    Data at National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) is a large repository of datasets that describe historical cryosphere information. Datasets available include temperature, glaciers, ice sheets, permafrost, sea ice, sea moisture, and snow. Historical data are available as point and gridded data.
    Organization:
    National Snow and Ice Data Center
    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

    Drifting buoys (Opens in a new Window)

    Drifting Buoys includes observations of sea surface temperature, air pressure, salinity, air temperature, wind, and position recorded by buoys deployed by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission’s Global Ocean Observing System. This dataset begins in 1978. Data can be downloaded as monthly files.
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Fisheries and Oceans Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Data files

    Engineering Climate Data Sets (Opens in a new Window)

    Engineering Climate Datasets contain: Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) Files, the Canadian Weather Energy and Engineering Datasets (CWEEDS) and the Canadian Weather Year for Energy Calculation (CWEC) dataset. The IDF dataset contains short duration rainfall Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) statistics. Data are presented as tables and graphs for various locations across Canada. CWEEDS provides hourly and long-term weather conditions at monitoring stations across Canada with at least 10 years of records between 1998 and 2014. CWEC datasets contain 12 calculated "Typical Meteorological Months" selected from a 30 years of records, including daily global radiation, dry-bulb temperature, dew-point temperature and wind speed.
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Environment and Climate Change Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Data files
    • Graphical

    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

    Historical Data (Opens in a new Window)

    The Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC)'s Historical Data contains historical temperature, precipitation, wind and weather, measured daily and hourly by stations across the country. Data can be searched by station name, province, or proximity to user. Data are presented in tabular format and available for download as comma-separated-value formats.
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Environment and Climate Change Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Data files

    Ice Thickness Program Collection (Opens in a new Window)

    Ice Thickness Program Collection, 1947-2002, contains ice thickness and snow depth measurements for 195 sites across Canada. It includes two historical datasets of point data dated from 1947-2002 and 2002-2016. The record length varies from site to site and many sites had stopped recording by 2002 but measurements were reinitiated in the fall of 2002. Several sites are co-located with Environment and Climate Change Canada's weather and radiation stations.
    Organization:
    Government of Canada: Environment and Climate Change Canada
    Resource formats:
    • Data files


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