This tool offers:
- Historic temperature and rainfall maps for anywhere in the world.
- Future projections of temperature and rainfall around the world, based on scientifically vetted model projections.
- Downloadable climate change maps and data.
- Additional climate variables at daily timesteps and query data for custom geographical regions using Climate Wizard Custom Extremes.
Restrictions and Limitations
Climate Wizard offers a range of products; general users may find the "climatewizard.org" site to be the most useful because climate variables and yearly time steps are simplified. However, some may find this simplified approach frustrating, especially for those interested in obtaining location, time, or climate variable specific information. Those interested in such detail can go directly to the Climate Wizard Custom Extreme tool. Please note that his has undergone some significant changes from the Climate Wizard Custom tool and may fit user needs differently.
Climate Wizard uses multiple datasets; some are global, some are specifically tailored for the United States. Beware that each of these datasets varies in resolution and extent. Refer to the data documentation for more information.
Climate Wizard recommends that future modeled data only be compared to past modeled data (not observed historical PRISM data) when calculating future climate departures or “change” in climate. For this reason:
In Climate Wizard for the United States, the "past 50 years" option uses PRISM historical data, whereas the "Map of Change" option will compare future and past modeled climate data.
Observed historical PRISM data are not included in Climate Wizard Custom Extreme; any comparisons to past climate are done using past modeled data.
Currently only the IPCC 4th assessment (AR4) data are available site-wide (2013). Climate Wizard plans to incorporate the newest AR5 emission scenario and general circulation models. Stay tuned.
Climate Wizard uses multiple datasets; some are global, some are specifically tailored for the United States. Beware that each of these datasets varies in resolution and extent. Refer to the data documentation for more information.
Climate Wizard recommends that future modeled data only be compared to past modeled data (not observed historical PRISM data) when calculating future climate departures or “change” in climate. For this reason:
In Climate Wizard for the United States, the "past 50 years" option uses PRISM historical data, whereas the "Map of Change" option will compare future and past modeled climate data.
Observed historical PRISM data are not included in Climate Wizard Custom Extreme; any comparisons to past climate are done using past modeled data.
Currently only the IPCC 4th assessment (AR4) data are available site-wide (2013). Climate Wizard plans to incorporate the newest AR5 emission scenario and general circulation models. Stay tuned.