Southeast Alaska Dynamical Downscaling User Guide

The Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center has worked with stakeholders to produce high-resolution climate projections for Southeast Alaska, including dynamically downscaled climate data from historical (1981-2010) and projected (2031-2060) time periods.

Dynamical downscaling is a numerical modeling technique that uses low-resolution global climate data to produce higher-resolution, local-scale information. These localized data can then be used to support the decision-making processes of natural resource managers and other stakeholders.

This User Guide provides instructions on how to locate, download, and import downscaled climate data for Southeast Alaska into geographic information systems such as QGIS. Please contact us if you have questions or are interested in other climate variables.

Module 1: An overview of the dynamically downscaled dataset for Southeast Alaska

This module briefly describes the process of dynamical downscaling and what it is useful for. The video then shows how to locate the dynamically downscaled dataset for Southeast Alaska and describes the simulations that were run and explains the climate variables that are available. See the companion files for more information.

Companion files:
Module 1 tables
Module 1 simulations

Module 2: Downloading and reading the files; creating a precipitation map

A sample netCDF file is downloaded from the dynamically downscaled dataset for Southeast Alaska and an example NCL script is run to generate a precipitation map. The sample file is for October 20, 1998 when 3.47 inches of rain fell at the Juneau airport. The video shows how to extract grid point values and write information to a table. See the companion files for more information.

Companion files:
2M_script.ncl
2M_sample_output.txt

Module 3: Transforming the files from netCDF to GeoTIFF for GIS applications

This module shows how to transform the netCDF files to GeoTIFF, which can then be imported into GIS. An example GeoTIFF containing daily precipitation is made and imported into QGIS. Google Maps are then overlaid onto the precipitation field and a few terrain features are noted. See the companion files for more information.

Companion files:
module_3.py
CFSR_PCPT_2012_01_01.tif