climate_variables.md

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page	Notes on climate variables	posts/climate_variables/

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The table below is adpated from Global Observing Systems Information Center (GOSIC) and climate data store documantation.

Atmosphere variables

Variable	Unit	Meaning	Related patterns
Flow properties
Temperature	K	Hot or cold
Mean sea level pressure/ Surface pressure	Pa	Pressure	NAO;PNA(see sea part)
U/V/vertical wind	$m/s$	Convection speed and direction	QBO
Energy budget (heat cycle)
Mean top net long-wave radiation flux/ Outgoing Longwave Radiation	$W m^{-2}$	Longwave radiation emitted to outer space. The radiation flux is negative.	Energy output?
Mean top net short-wave radiation flux	$W m^{-2}$	Incoming solar radiation minus the outgoing solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere	Energy input?
Cloud & water content (water cycle)
Total precipitation	m	Accumulated liquid and frozen water	MJO
Specific humidity	kg/kg	The mass of water vapour per kilogram of moist air
Total column water vapour	$kg \ m^{-2}$	total amount of water vapour
Total column water	$kg \ m^{-2}$	total amount of water vapour, liquid water, cloud ice, rain and snow in a column

Land variables

Variable	Unit	Meaning	Related patterns
Water cycle
Mean evaporation rate	$kg \ m^{-2} \ s^{-1}$	Amount of water evaporated from the Earth's surface into the air
Vegetation	/	TBC
Heat cycle
Mean evaporation rate	$kg \ m^{-2} \ s^{-1}$	Amount of water evaporated from the Earth's surface into the air
Temperature	/	TBC
Ice/Glaciers	/	Latent heat, TBC

Ocean variables

Variable	Unit	Meaning	Related patterns
Sea Surface Temperature	k	Temperature	Pacific Decadal Oscillation
Sea level pressure	Pa	Pressure	North Atlantic Oscillation; Pacific North American Oscillation
Sea Ice	/	TBC