Help Sections
Climate Data Online FAQ
Climate Data Online is a collection of climatic data that offers public access and consumption via discovery and ordering services. The data available through CDO is available at no charge and can be viewed online or ordered and delivered to your email inbox.
Keep the initial search simple and use only general terms that will not limit search results too much. Search terms that will produce an effective search include all or part of a location name, station ID, ZIP code, state name, county name, country name or FIPS identifier.
For states within the United States, the same two-character abbreviation adopted by the United States Postal Service is effective. Get more information from Wikipedia.com.
Search for location(s) |
Enter any of the following: state, city, county, ZIP, or geographic area. FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) identification codes can also be used. State abbreviations are preferred via search, so use Search terms and search operators are not case sensitive. Examples:Search by city name: Search by state: Search by county: Search by ZIP code: Search by geographic area: |
Search for station(s) |
The search also allows users to find specific stations by searching using any word in the station name. Or, if a specific station ID is known, the WBAN, GHCND, FAA, ICAO, NWSLI, or COOP ID can be entered to quickly find that particular station. Use the Historical Observing Metadata Repository (HOMR) to locate any station ID by network. Examples:Search by ID number only (any identifier): Search station by WBAN ID: Search station by GHCND ID: Search station by FAA ID: Search airport by ICAO code: Search station by NWSLI ID: Search station by COOP ID: Search location/station by ZIP code: Search location by FIPS code: Search for Central Iowa Climate Division by ID: |
Search for grouped terms |
Use quotation marks to create an grouped match. If no quotation marks are used the search will match all words in a search. For example, if a search is entered for If the same search is entered in quotes as Note: Use this only if looking specific stations or locations, otherwise other search results could be excluded. Examples:
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Search with operators |
Use the terms Examples:To retrieve only results that include both
Multiple
or the search:
These terms are not case-sensitive and may be entered as These operators may also be mixed with quotes when building a search:
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Search within a state or country |
Station searches may be limited to a specific state or country using the prefixes STATE or COUNTRY. Simply enter the prefix with a colon separating the prefix and the state or country name to be searched. Examples:Search for Search for Search for |
Which browsers are compatible with the Climate Data Online applications?
Users should expect that only a modern browser will support the features of a product as complex as the CDO Portal. The team has attempted to make the application work on a wide variety of platforms and testing and tweaking has been completed to ensure the widest range of compatibility. With that in mind, use the following chart to pick the best browser for full access without issue.
In general, the most recent Mozilla based browsers (Firefox, Camino, SeaMonkey, etc.), Webkit based browsers (Safari, Chrome, Google Android, Apple iOS, etc.), and Internet Explorer (Internet Explorer, Maxthon, AOL, etc.) browsers are generally 100% compatible for functionality. Earlier web browser releases are not guaranteed to work.
Javascript, cookies, and Adobe Flash Player 10 (only used for the interactive maps) must be enabled for full site functionality. No personal information is kept in the cookies. Read our Privacy Policy for answers to any questions you may have.
Web Browser Compatibility
| Browser | Version | Operating System(s) | Rendering Engine | Compatibility | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mozilla Firefox | 3.5 or higher | Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X, Linux, Android |
Mozilla/Gecko | 100% (some versions of Linux have issues displaying text at the correct size) | |
| Mozilla Firefox | 3.4 or lower | Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X, Linux |
Mozilla/Gecko | Not guaranteed to work 100%. Functionality may still exists, but layout may be buggy. | |
| Internet Explorer | 9 | Windows Vista/7 | IE/Trident | 100% | |
| Internet Explorer | 7 or higher | Windows XP/Vista/7 | IE/Trident | Application functions 100%, but layout may be slightly off. | |
| Internet Explorer | 6 or lower | Windows XP | IE/Trident | Not guaranteed to function | |
| Google Chrome | 12 or higher | Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X, Linux |
WebKit | 100% | |
| Google Chrome | 11 or lower | Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X, Linux |
WebKit | 100% functionality but may be some layout issues | |
| Apple Safari | 5 or higher | Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X |
WebKit | 100% | |
| Apple Safari | 4 or lower | Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X |
WebKit | Generally 100% functionality but may be some layout issues | |
| Opera | 11 or higher | Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X, Linux |
Presto | Generally 100% functionality but may be some layout issues | |
| Opera | 10 or lower | Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X, Linux |
Presto | Generally 100% functionality but may be some layout issues | |
| Konqueror | 4.6 or higher | Linux | KHTML | 100% functionality but may be some slight visual issues | |
| rekonq | 0.8 or higher | Linux | WebKit | 100% functionality but may be some slight visual issues | |
| Android Web Browser | 0.8 or higher | Android 2.2 (Froyo) | WebKit | 100% |
Interactive Map Tools Compatibility
| Browser | Version | Operating System(s) | Adobe Flash 10 | JavaScript | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefox | 3.5 or higher | Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X, Linux, Android |
✔ | ✔ | ||
| Google Chrome | 4 or higher | Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X, Linux |
✔ | ✔ | ||
| Internet Explorer | 7 | Windows 2000/XP | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Internet Explorer | 8 | Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Internet Explorer | 9 | Windows Vista/7 | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Safari | 3 or higher | Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X |
✔ | ✔ | ||
| Web Browser | 2.2+ | Android | ✔ | ✔ |
What options does NCDC offer for accessibility?
The National Climatic Data Center, NCDC is making every effort to ensure that the content on our website is available and accessible to all. If you encounter problems when using our site via special software or other equipment, please let us know. Write to: webmaster@ncdc.noaa.gov and we will attempt to provide the information to you in a format that will better assist you. It would also be helpful if you can be as specific as possible when describing the issues you are experiencing as well as the information or data you were attempting to access.
If you prefer to call, our main number is 828-271-4800.
If you need assistance accessing PDF documents, Adobe® offers conversion tools at its Accessibly Resource Center.
To learn more about the regulations governing the accessibility of Federal electronic information products, visit the United States Access Board or the official Section 508 page.
What does the order status mean?
The order status keeps users updated on their order, letting them know where that order is along the entire process. The statuses below are the ones that may be seen.
Complete: Order has been completed and should be ready to download
Processing: Order has been submitted and is in process
Queued: Order has been submitted but is not yet in process
Canceled: Order has been canceled and will not be processed
Failed: Order has failed due to some technical issue
Hold: A temporary hold has been placed on the order
Why is my order taking so long?
Heavy requests for data can cause the system to back up as each queued item is processed. Larger orders may also take additional amounts of time.
To check the status of your order, go here.
How do I get in touch with someone for help?
If an order is taking too long, or a question may arise, Customer Support is only an email or a call away. The customer call center is open Monday-Friday, 8:00am-6:00pm Eastern Time.
Contact Customer Support by email: Submit an email
Contact Customer Support by phone: Call Customer Support at 1-828-271-4800
Why do I have a cart for ordering data?
The cart is a standard online method for gathering a group of requests into one place that makes requesting data easier for the end user. This works much like a shopping cart for a commerce site or a request system for an online library.
Does it cost anything to order data using the cart?
No, it doesn't. All data is available for searching, downloading, and access for no charge. Only certain products from the online store have a charge for items or services. Certification of data does have a charge associated with it, but this is also handled via the online store.
How many items can I add to my cart?
The cart can hold up to 100 items whether stations or locations. Any given location can contain multiple stations, so data for a large number of stations can be accessed with only one location being added to the cart.
What is meant by data set/product?
Data sets are groupings of observations based on the type of observation. Products are a specified set of data sets grouped into a customized package.
Data sets and products can be downloaded in a standard web form or in a customized format. The requested format tells whether the order has the standard or customized output.
What are the requested variables?
In a standard web form, the variables that are displayed are preselected and cannot be changed. A custom form allows the user to pick and choose the variables to be included in an order. These variables are selected from observations that are available for each data set.
How do I download the data once it is ready?
Once you receive the final email confirming that the data has been processed and is ready, you will need to download the file from the FTP server to begin using the data. Simply clicking on the link supplied in the email should work, but note that some programs use the .dat extension and may attempt to open the data directly causing errors. This can be changed within your particular operating system's preferences, but the simplest solution is to simply download instead and then open with your program of choice.
Show instructions for: Windows, Macintosh, Linux
Windows
- Open the email that was sent to your inbox using your email client of choice. In that email will be the link to the data on the FTP site.
- Right-click on the link. The dialog for various mail clients will vary, but should prompt for an action similar to "Save link as..." or "Download link..."
- Click on the download option and save to your local desktop.
- From your desktop, the file should be accessible to your applications.
- If no program has been set up to handle the file type, right-click on the file and use the "Open with..." option and select your program of choice. PDF files should open with a PDF reader (such as Adobe Acrobat) by default. ASCII files with the .dat and .csv extensions can be opened with Notepad, Microsoft's Excel, OpenOffice's Calc, or similar program. .csv files should open by default, but .dat may need some help being imported. .dat files are in fixed width format.
Macintosh
- Open the email that was sent to your inbox using your email client of choice. In that email will be the link to the data on the FTP site.
- Control-click on the link. The dialog for various mail clients will vary, but should prompt for an action similar to "Save link as..." or "Download link..."
- Click on the download option and save to your local desktop.
- From your desktop, the file should be accessible to your applications.
- If no program has been set up to handle the file type, control-click on the file and use the "Open With" option and select your program of choice. PDF files should open with a PDF (such as Adobe Acrobat) reader by default. ASCII files with the .dat and .csv extensions can be opened with TextEdit, Apple's Numbers, Microsoft's Excel, OpenOffice's Calc, or similar program. .csv files should open by default, but .dat may need some help being imported. .dat files are in fixed width format.
Linux
- Open the email that was sent to your inbox using your email client of choice. In that email will be the link to the data on the FTP site.
- Right-click on the link. The dialog for various mail clients will vary, but should prompt for an action similar to "Save link as..." or "Download link..."
- Click on the download option and save to your local desktop.
- From your desktop, the file should be accessible to your applications.
- If no program has been set up to handle the file type, right-click on the file and use the "Open With" option and select your program of choice. PDF files should open with a PDF (such as Adobe Acrobat) reader by default. ASCII files with the .dat and .csv extensions can be opened with nedit, vi, OpenOffice's Calc, or similar program. .csv files should open by default, but .dat may need some help being imported. .dat files are in fixed width format.
How does the data look when I download it?
Data comes in many different formats. Look over the table below and find the product or data set you want to download and view the documentation and samples. Some samples are in Adobe PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat or compatible reader while some are in plain text format and require any type of text editor or spreadsheet program to view. Note: Downloaded plain text files that are over 1 GB in size will be compressed and delivered in GZIP or ZIP format.
Data Set Documentation and Samples
*Data samples are intended to show how data is formatted within a specific data set's product. The data contain therein is for sample purposes only.
| Data Set | Documentation | Samples | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Summary |  |
 |
Download format: PDF | CSV | ASCII |
| Daily GHCN-D | |
|
Download format: PDF | CSV | ASCII |
| Monthly Summaries GHCND | |
|
Download format: PDF | CSV | ASCII |
| Normals Annual/Seasonal | |
|
Download format: PDF | CSV | ASCII |
| Normals Daily | |
|
Download format: PDF | CSV | ASCII |
| Normals Hourly | |
|
Download format: CSV | ASCII |
| Normals Monthly | |
|
Download format: PDF | CSV | ASCII |
| Precipitation 15 Minute | |
|
Download format: CSV | ASCII |
| Precipitation Hourly | |
|
Download format: CSV | ASCII |
What do the empty data fields mean?
Empty, or blank, cells indicate that a data observation was not reported. This is normal and can happen due to reasons such as illness of observers, station maintenance, etc.
How do I extract files from a ZIP or GZIP archive?
The ZIP format is an archival format, common to Windows and Macintosh operating systems, which compresses data to allow larger files and groups of files to be sent in a smaller, more easily manageable format. Several different applications exist to support this format, but recent versions of the Windows, Linux and Macintosh operating systems support this format natively.
The GZIP format is another archival format, common to mostly Unix type operating systems, which compresses data via encoding that consumes less memory space than was needed for the original file. There are several different ways of achieving this, but whichever way is used some sort of software will be needed to extract the data into its original format. This varies by operating system. For instance, Linux and Macintosh operating systems natively supporting GZIP extraction/decompression via their own versions if the GZIP application. But, Windows machines only fully support the GZIP format through third party applications.
Linux
Various Linux distributions have customized versions of ZIP and GZIP applications. Some use the command line while others use a graphical user interface (GUI). The instructions vary from application to application, so please check the "help" documentation included with your particular distribution.
Macintosh
OS X supports both the ZIP and the GZIP formats through the command line applications such as "gzip" as well as via the Finder. The GZIP application is a clone of the gzip application included with most Unix type operating systems and works in a similar fashion. Use the documentation included with OS X for full instructions.
Windows
The ZIP format is natively supported, although multiple third-party applications also support the ZIP format. Full support of the GZIP format requires a software package such as the OpenBSD port of gzip, Gzip, WinRAR, WinZIP, or some other similar application. Instructions vary for each application, so use the documentation supplied with each package for archive extraction.
Can I get the data I have ordered certified?
Data can be certified by NCDC for at a minimal cost. Most states require all records that are to be submitted as evidence in a court of law to be authenticated in some way. To comply with this requirement, the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) offers certification of the data maintained in our archives.
Cost: The cost is based upon the number of pages to be certified. For certification of 40 pages or less, the online charge is $63.00, for >40 pages and ≤80 pages the charge is $114.00, etc. plus $3.00 handling. The certification of products ordered through CDO also require a paper copy charge to be added to the order. The online cost is discounted by about 15% compared to ordering the same certifications offline by telephone.
Delivery: Certified data is ordered online but delivery of certified paper copies is still by regular mail. Your certified order will be sent by your indicated shipping method and normally takes 5-7 business days.
What is a RESTful web service?
A RESTful web service is a simple web based service which is implemented via HTTP and the basic principles of REST. Access to data is available via simple URLs instead of special programming for database access.
How do I gain access to the web services?
Access to web services is free but does require a basic registration for an API token. Once you register with your email address, an email will be sent with the token and basic access information. Follow the three steps to setting up access to the web services:
- Register for your API key
- Check your email for the token key and view the Web Services API Documentation
- Begin using the web services immediately
Where do I find documentation on access?
Complete documentation on using NCDC's REST based web services is available on the NCDC site.
View the Web Services API Documentation.
