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Full catalog/GPCPMON
GPCPMON·v3.3·dataset

How much rain and snow fell worldwide (monthly)

GPCP Precipitation Level 3 Monthly 0.5-Degree V3.3 (GPCPMON) at GES DISC
atmosphere NASA GES_DISC Level 3
In plain English

What it measures. Estimates how much rain and snow fell across the whole globe each month, on a half-degree map. It is part of a long, consistent record of world precipitation.

How it's made. Created by merging many sources, including satellite microwave and infrared measurements, weather-station gauge data, and other satellite estimates, into a single monthly gridded product (Level 3).

How & where you'd use it. Widely used to study the global water cycle, track long-term rainfall trends and climate, and check weather and climate models. Note that updates are currently paused at September 2024 pending a calibration fix.

What's measured

ATMOSPHERE › PRECIPITATIONATMOSPHERE › PRECIPITATION › PRECIPITATION RATE

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span1983-01-01 → 2025-12-31
  • Measured byDMSP (SSMIS, SSM/I) · NOAA POES (TOVS) · Aqua (AIRS) · GOES (GOES-15 Imager, GOES-16 Imager) · METEOSAT (VISSR-METEOSAT) · GMS (VISSR-GMS) · MTSAT (MTSAT 1R Imager, MTSAT 2 Imager) · Himawari-8 (AHI) · WEATHER STATIONS (RAIN GAUGES)
  • Processing levelLevel 3
  • Spatial extent-180, -90, 180, 90
  • StatusCOMPLETE

What you can do with it

  • Map air pollutants — NO₂, aerosols, ozone
  • Track greenhouse gases and Earth's energy budget
  • Feed weather and air-quality analysis
Official description

Version 3.3 is the current version. Older versions have been superseded by Version 3.3. Product latency/update: The products are currently paused at September 2024 because the IR input dataset from NCEI requires a new calibration scheme to extend past that point. Once NCEI irons out the calibration, we expect to return to quarterly updates. The Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) is the precipitation component of an internationally coordinated set of (mainly) satellite-based global products dealing with the Earth's water and energy cycles, under the auspices of the Global Water and Energy Experiment (GEWEX) Data and Assessment Panel (GDAP) of the World Climate Research Program. As the follow on to the GPCP Version 2.X products, GPCP Version 3 (GPCP V3.3) seeks to continue the long, homogeneous precipitation record using modern merging techniques and input data sets. The GPCPV3 suite currently consists the 0.5-degree monthly and daily products. A follow-on 0.1-degree 3-hourly is expected. All GPCPV3 products will be internally consistent. Inputs consist of the GPROF SSMI/SSMIS orbit files that are used to calibrate the PERSIANN-CDR IR-based precipitation in the region 58°N-S, which are in turn adjusted to the monthly climatological MCTG. Outside of 58°N-S, TOVS/AIRS estimates, adjusted climatologically to the MCTG, are used. The PERSIANN-CDR/TOVS/AIRS estimates are then merged in the region 35°N-S-58°N-S, which are then merged with GPCC gauge analyses over land to obtain the final product. In addition to the final precipitation field, ancillary precipitation and error estimates are provided.

Get the data

gpcpmon_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="GPCPMON",
    version="3.3",
    bounding_box=(-122.5, 37.2, -121.8, 37.9),  # your area (W,S,E,N)
    temporal=("2024-01-01", "2024-12-31"),       # your dates
)
files = earthaccess.open(results)   # stream straight from GES_DISC
Browsing CMR needs no login. Downloading or streaming bytes needs a free Earthdata Login + the earthaccess package.