Skip to main content
Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

World Weather Records

WWR

browse graphicThe WMO is the current project leader for the WWR.
World Weather Records (WWR) is an archived publication and digital data set. WWR is meteorological data from locations around the world. Through most of its history, WWR has been a publication, first published in 1927. Data includes monthly mean values of pressure, temperature, precipitation, and where available, station metadata notes documenting observation practices and station configurations. In recent years, data were supplied by National Meteorological Services of various countries, many of which became members of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The First Issue included data from earliest records available at that time up to 1920. Data have been collected for periods 1921-30 (2nd Series), 1931-40 (3rd Series), 1941-50 (4th Series), 1951-60 (5th Series), 1961-70 (6th Series), 1971-80 (7th Series), 1981-90 (8th Series), 1991-2000 (9th Series), and 2001-2011 (10th Series). The most recent Series 11 continues, insofar as possible, the record of monthly mean values of station pressure, sea-level pressure, temperature, and monthly total precipitation for stations listed in previous volumes. In addition to these parameters, mean monthly maximum and minimum temperatures have been collected for many stations and are archived in digital files by NCEI. New stations have also been included. In contrast to previous series, the 11th Series is available for the partial decade, so as to limit waiting period for new records. It begins in 2010 and is updated yearly, extending into the entire decade.
  • Cite as: Smithsonian Institute; National Weather Service; NOAA National Climatic Data Center; NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information; World Meteorological Organization. (1927) World Weather Records [indicate series]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. DOI:10.7289/V5222RT1 [Access Date]
gov.noaa.ncdc:C00160
Full Text · XML
Download Data
Distribution Formats
  • CSV
  • PUBLICATION
  • PDF
Ordering Instructions Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact Customer Engagement Branch
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
1-828-271-4800
ncei.orders@noaa.gov
Time Period 1755-01-01 to Present (time interval: 1-month)
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -180.0
East: 180.0
South: -90.0
North: 90.0
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2017-05-31
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
tableHardcopy
Dataset Progress Status Ongoing - data is continually being updated
Data Update Frequency Annually
Purpose Data will be used by government, education and private industry users internationally, particularly in member countries, for climate and other studies.
Use Limitations
  • Data are collected by WMO member countries, using only minimal quality control.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Smithsonian Institute; National Weather Service; NOAA National Climatic Data Center; NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information; World Meteorological Organization. (1927) World Weather Records [indicate series]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. DOI:10.7289/V5222RT1 [Access Date]
Cited Authors
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • World Climate Data and Monitoring Programme
    UN/WMO > World Meteorological Organization, United Nations
  • World Data Centre for Meteorology, National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) in Asheville, USA
  • DOC/NOAA/NWS > National Weather Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC > National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Originators
  • Smithsonian Institution
Principal Investigators
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Collaborators
  • World Climate Data and Monitoring Programme
    UN/WMO > World Meteorological Organization, United Nations
  • World Data Centre for Meteorology, National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) in Asheville, USA
  • DOC/NOAA/NWS > National Weather Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC > National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Publishers
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Theme keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Altitude > Geopotential Height
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Altitude > Station Height
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Sea Level Pressure
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Surface Pressure
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature > Maximum/Minimum Temperature
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Temperature > Surface Temperature
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Precipitation Amount
Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Essential Climate Variables (ECVs)
  • Atmospheric - Surface - Air Pressure
  • Atmospheric - Surface - Air Temperature
  • Atmospheric - Surface - Precipitation
Data Center keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC > National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Platform keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords
  • Meteorological Stations
Instrument keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
  • Barometers
  • Thermometers
  • Rain Gauges
Place keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
  • Continent > Africa
  • Continent > North America > Central America
  • Continent > North America
  • Continent > South America
  • Continent > Europe
  • Continent > Asia
  • Continent > Australia/New Zealand
  • Continent > Antarctica
  • Geographic Region > Oceania
Stratum keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
  • Vertical Location > Land Surface
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Smithsonian Institute; National Weather Service; NOAA National Climatic Data Center; NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information; World Meteorological Organization. (1927) World Weather Records [indicate series]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. DOI:10.7289/V5222RT1 [Access Date]
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Access Constraints
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Lineage Statement Since the 1920s, the United States has collected and publicly released World Weather Records from around the world. Although initially begun by the Smithsonian, it is now an activity with WMO sponsorship that is performed by the Archive.
Processing Steps
  • In response to a 1923 recommendation from the International Meteorological Conference Committee (IMCC), the Smithsonian Institution of the United States sponsored the first series of WWR, edited by H. Helm Clayton, covering the period 1800-1920, and published in a single volume of 1196 pages in 1927. The publication included, as IMCC recommended, a full period of record through 1920 of monthly means of temperature, pressure (station and sea level) and precipitation for selected global stations. This was reprinted by the Smithsonian ("Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Volume 79") in 1944.
  • The Second Series of WWR was published by the Smithsonian ("Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Volume 90") as a single volume, 646 pages, in 1934. This series covered the period 1921- 30. In this series the precedent to include data back to the beginning of record for stations not previously published in WWR was established.
  • The Third Series of WWR was published the Smithsonian ("Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Volume 105") as a single volume, 616 pages, in 1947. This series covered the period 1931-40.
  • In the Fourth Series of WWR, publication responsibility passed from the Smithsonian Institution to the US Weather Bureau (predecessor agency of the National Weather Service). Maintaining previous publication formats and elements, the Weather Bureau published a single 1361-page volume ("World Weather Records, 1941-50") in 1959.
  • In the Fifth Series of WWR, publication responsibility passed to the old National Weather Records Center (NWRC), one of NCDC's predecessor agencies. This series marked the start of digital data archived of WWR. In addition, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) became involved, offering its sponsored collection of data included in the Weather Bureau's "Monthly Climatic Data for the World" (archived at NCDC as DSI-3500) as a source for the WWR 1951-60 series. WMO sponsorship of WWR was formalized in 1963. In 1960, the WMO Commission for Climatology recommended that WWR data be published in six separate volumes. This recommendation was adopted, and the six volumes were published between 1965 and 1968. Upon completion, the entire 1951-60 series was archived as the initial input into DSI-9644. In the data set, the six volumes are in one file.
  • The Sixth Series of WWR was published by the National Climatic Center (NCC), another of NCDC's predecessor agencies, in six separate volumes. With this series, one nation in each of the WMO Regional Associations was designated as a Regional Collector. The Regional Collector was responsible for collecting monthly pressure, temperature and precipitation data from nations within its region specifically for inclusion in WWR. This arrangement was agreed upon in 1973 by the WMO Commission for Special Applications of Meteorology and Climatology (CoSAMC). Upon completion, the entire 1961-70 series was added to DSI-9644 as one new file.
  • The Seventh Series of WWR was published by the NCDC in six separate volumes. Upon completion, the entire 1971-80 series was added to DSI-9644 as one new file. Parameters from 1951-70 include monthly means of pressure (station and sea level) and temperature, as well as monthly amounts of precipitation.
  • The Eighth Series of WWR was published by the NCDC in six separate volumes. Upon completion, the entire 1981-1990 series was added to DSI-9644 as one new file. Beginning with the 1981-90 series, values of mean maximum and minimum monthly temperatures are included in DSI-9644. These temperature parameters were not published in the 1981-90 volume series, but their availability in DSI-9644 is indicated in each volume's index. Beginning with the 1951-60 series, WWR has been published by NCDC (and its predecessors) in a six- volume set: Volume 1 North America Volume 2 Europe Volume 3 West Indies, Central and South America Volume 4 Asia Volume 5 Africa Volume 6 Islands of the World.
  • The Ninth Series of the WWR was published in the mid 2000s with an updated structure. Given the WMO sponsorship of World Weather Records, and in light of other WMO publications (e.g., Climatological Normals for the Period 1961-90) that are organized by Regional Association, the sequence and geographic groupings of World Weather Records was been changed for the ninth series. With the exception of the inclusion of Antarctic stations with the South-West Pacific, WWR volumes will precisely match Regional Associations beginning with the ninth series (1991-2000). The reconfigured series will contain the following volumes: 1 North America Africa 2 Europe Asia 3 South America South America 4 Asia North America 5 Africa South-West Pacific & Antarctica 6 Islands of the World Europe. Monthly values are published as submitted by country. Means were recomputed and compared to country submitted values. When discrepancies occurred, the recomputed monthly values were used. Some station notes specify how the data were observed.
  • The Tenth Series was released in June of 2017. Its structure follows that of its predecessor (the Ninth Series). The data was archived with the rest of the World Weather Records to date.
  • The Eleventh Series was released in June of 2017. Although the available data and records remained the same as in previous Series releases, the WMO released new guidelines to update the World Records on a yearly basis instead of decadal basis. The Eleventh Series still begins in 2010, but appends new data every year, with a year's lag between releases (to allow for stations to send the previous year's records to the Archive).
Lineage information for: repository
Processing Steps
  • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 - NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • RAIN GAUGES
  • THERMOMETERS
  • BAROMETERS
Platform
  • METEOROLOGICAL STATIONS
Last Modified: 2023-09-07
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov