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Full catalog/M2TMNPMST
M2TMNPMST·v5.12.4·dataset

Modeled moisture processes by altitude (MERRA-2, monthly)

MERRA-2 tavgM_3d_mst_Np: 3d,Monthly mean,Time-Averaged,Pressure-Level,Assimilation,Moist Processes Diagnostics 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2TMNPMST) at GES DISC
atmosphere NASA GES_DISC Level 4 active
In plain English

What it measures. Monthly modeled moisture processes in the atmosphere, broken out by altitude across 42 pressure levels, including sources of rainwater and the flow of convective and non-convective precipitation as ice and liquid.

How it's made. Produced by MERRA-2, a NASA model that blends decades of satellite observations into a consistent reconstruction of the atmosphere from 1980 to the present.

How & where you'd use it. Useful for studying how moisture and precipitation form and move through the layers of the atmosphere over long time spans in climate and weather research.

What's measured

ATMOSPHERE › PRECIPITATION › PRECIPITATION RATEATMOSPHERE › ATMOSPHERIC WATER VAPOR › WATER VAPOR PROCESSES › WATER VAPOR FLUX

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span1980-01-01 → ongoing
  • Measured byMERRA-2 (NOT APPLICABLE)
  • Processing levelLevel 4
  • Spatial extent-180, -90, 180, 90
  • StatusACTIVE

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

M2TMNPMST (or tavgM_3d_mst_Np) is a 3-dimensional monthly mean data collection in Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2). This collection consists of assimilations of moist processes diagnostics on the 42 pressure levels, such as convective rainwater source, 3D flux of ice convective (or nonconvective) precipitation, and 3D flux of liquid convective (or nonconvective) precipitation. The information on the pressure levels can be found in the section 4.2 of the MERRA-2 File Specification document. The collection also includes variance of certain parameters. MERRA-2 is the latest version of global atmospheric reanalysis for the satellite era produced by NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) using the Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS) version 5.12.4. The dataset covers the period of 1980-present with the latency of ~3 weeks after the end of a month. Data Reprocessing: Please check “Records of MERRA-2 Data Reprocessing and Service Changes” linked from the “Documentation” tab on this page. Note that a reprocessed data filename is different from the original file. MERRA-2 Mailing List: Sign up to receive information on reprocessing of data, changing of tools and services, as well as data announcements from GMAO. Contact the GES DISC Help Desk (gsfc-dl-help-disc@mail.nasa.gov) to be added to the list. Questions: If you have a question, please read "MERRA-2 File Specification Document", “MERRA-2 Data Access – Quick Start Guide”, and FAQs linked from the ”Documentation” tab on this page. If that does not answer your question, you may post your question to the NASA Earthdata Forum (forum.earthdata.nasa.gov) or email the GES DISC Help Desk (gsfc-dl-help-disc@mail.nasa.gov).

Get the data

m2tmnpmst_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="M2TMNPMST",
    version="5.12.4",
    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.