Climate Risk
Data
Cold
Extreme heat
Flooding
Plant health
Rainfall
Water stress
Wild fire
Wind storms
Initializing the climate risk models...
Wind Speed
A wind speed in the context of climate risk refers to the potential danger posed by changes in wind patterns and increased wind speeds due to climate change, which can lead to more frequent and intense storms, causing damage to infrastructure, property, and potential harm to people, particularly in coastal areas where hurricanes and cyclones are common; essentially, as the climate warms, the intensity of wind events is projected to increase in many regions.
Burning Index
The Burning Index (BI) is a number that estimates the potential for a fire to spread and how much effort is required to contain it. It is represented as a numerical value that estimates the potential flame length of a fire in a given area. The index is calculated from two components, the Spread Component, which measures how quickly the fire will spread, and the Energy Release Component, which measures how much energy the fire will produce.
Energy Release Component
The Energy Release Component (ERC) is a numerical value that represents the amount of heat that could potentially be released from a fire per unit area. It is a composite index that considers the moisture content of both live and dead fuels. The ERC is a valuable tool for predicting fire danger and guiding fire-related activities
Precipitation Driest Quarter
The driest quarter is the three consecutive months with the least precipitation. To determine the driest quarter, we can identify the driest quarter of the year to the nearest month, and calculate the total precipitation for that quarter.
Precipitation Rate Driest Month
To calculate the precipitation rate of the driest month, one can identify the month with the lowest total precipitation from your data set, then divide that total precipitation by the number of days in that month to get the average precipitation per day, which is the precipitation rate for the driest month; make sure your precipitation data is in consistent units (e.g., millimeters) and time scales (e.g., daily) before calculating.
Spread Component
The Spread Component (SC) is a numerical value that estimates the rate at which a wildfire will spread forward - it is a rating, generally expressed in feet per minute, that's calculated using a mathematical model that takes into account the effects of wind, slope, and fuel.
Temperature Driest Quarter
The mean temperature of the driest quarter is a bioclimatic variable that describes the average temperature of the driest three-month period of the year. It's one of several bioclimatic variables that are derived from monthly temperature and rainfall data. These variables are often used in ecological modeling and species distribution modeling.
Tropical Nights
The Tropical Nights index is based on daily minimum temperature and is part of the Extreme Heat Hazard type of the Heat and Cold category of the classification. It is measured as a count (number of days) when daily minimum temperature remains above 20°C. High values of minimum temperature cause physiological discomfort during periods of high temperatures by preventing body temperature to cool-off during the night. A higher value indicates more Tropical Nights and thus more stress on human health caused by extreme minimum temperatures.
Ignition Component
Ignition Component (IC) relates to the probability of a firebrand producing a fire that will require suppression action. It is mainly a function of the 1 hour time lag (fine fuels) fuel moisture content and the temperature of the receptive fine fuels. IC has no units. A percentage of probability from 1-100.
Annual Potential Evaporation
Annual potential evaporation (ETo) is the amount of water that would evaporate and transpire from a specific area if there was no limit to the amount of water available. It's a measure of the demand for water to evaporate and transpire, and is influenced by a number of factors
Annual Precipitation Rate
Annual precipitation rate is the depth of water that would cover a flat surface if no water was lost to evaporation, runoff, or percolation over a unit of time.
Heavy Precipitation Days
Heavy precipitation days are days when a location receives a substantial amount of rain or snow that exceeds what's normal. They can be defined in a few ways, including a day when at least 10 mm of rain or liquid-equivalent frozen precipitation falls, or a day when 20 mm of rain or liquid-equivalent frozen precipitation falls, or even the top 1% of days with precipitation during a reference period.
Precipitation Rate Wettest Month
Precipitation Rate Wettest Month is the calendar month that statistically sees the highest average precipitation across the country, making it the wettest month on average. In the United States, this is typically June, but can vary.
Precipitation Wettest Quarter
The wettest quarter of the year is the three-month period with the highest total precipitation. The total precipitation for the wettest quarter is calculated by determining the wettest quarter to the nearest month and then adding up all the precipitation that fell during that time.
Very Heavy Precipitation Days
The count of days in a year with daily precipitation exceeding the 95th percentile threshold of rainy days over a reference period, here the 1981-2010 period (day). In weather and climate models total precipitation is the flux of water equivalent (rain or snow) reaching the land surface. This Index is usually presented as annual, seasonal or monthly cumulated values over the considered period.
Aridity
Aridity is a climate's lack of water, which can prevent plant and animal life from growing and developing. It's measured by comparing the long-term average of water supply (precipitation) to the long-term average of water demand (evapotranspiration). When demand is greater than supply, the climate is arid.
Cloud Cover Fraction
Cloud cover fraction is the percentage of a pixel or grid box that is covered by clouds. It's a number between zero (no clouds) and one (completely covered). Cloud cover fraction is used to measure how much of the Earth is covered by clouds.
Evaporative Fraction
Evaporative fraction (EF) is the ratio of latent heat flux to the total available energy at the land surface. It's a biophysical parameter that's important for understanding the components of an energy budget and estimating evapotranspiration (ET).
Growing Degree Days
Growing degree days (GDDs) are a measure of the heat that accumulates over time and is used to predict when crops and pests will be ready for harvest, and when insect pests will emerge.
Volumetric Soil Water
Volumetric soil moisture (VWC) is the ratio of the amount of water in soil to the total volume of soil, expressed as a percentage
Intensity Index For Wet Days
The Intensity Index for Wet Days is typically referred to as the Simple Daily Intensity Index (SDII), which calculates the average rainfall on days with precipitation exceeding a set threshold (usually 1mm) by dividing the total precipitation on wet days by the number of wet days within a given period (like a year or season).
Precipitation Seasonality
Precipitation seasonality is the irregular distribution of precipitation throughout the year, with some months receiving more rainfall than others. It's a significant factor in the environment that affects ecosystems and society in many ways, including: Drought and flood risks, Food and habitat for wildlife, Crop yields, and Water security
Temperature Wettest Quarter
The mean temperature of the wettest quarter is a bioclimatic variable that is calculated by finding the average temperature of the wettest months of the year, first, identify the wettest months of the year, and then calculate the average of the daily mean temperatures for those months.
Total Runoff
Total runoff is the amount of water that flows over the land and into a stream or river after precipitation, minus losses from evapotranspiration, storage, and other abstractions. This affects flooding potential, streamflow, and water resource management.
Wet Days
A wet day is a day with at least 0.2 millimeters (mm) of precipitation - The frequency of wet days varies by location, with coastal areas experiencing more wet days than other areas. The relationship between wet-day frequency and intensity is important for understanding weather and climate-related risks.
Frost Days
Frost days are the number of days in a year when the minimum temperature is below 0°C. Frost can form when the ground or surface is at or below 32°F, even if the official temperature is above freezing. This is because official weather measurements are taken in an instrument shelter that's a few feet above the ground.
Ice Days
On an ice day, the temperature remains below 0°C all day. Ice days occur more frequently at higher altitudes. However, the number of ice days has decreased at both lower and higher altitudes in recent decades. The number of ice days is expected to continue to decline over the course of this century as a result of climate change.
Precipitation Coldest Quarter
Precipitation of the coldest quarter is a bioclimatic variable that refers to the total amount of precipitation that falls during the coldest quarter of the year.
Temperature Coldest Quarter
The coldest quarter of the year is determined (to the nearest month), and the mean temperature of this period is calculated.
Tmin Coldest Month
The lowest temperature of any monthly minimum temperature, and identifying the calendar month in which this lowest recorded temperature occures
Diurnal Temperature Range
Diurnal temperature range (DTR) is the difference between the highest and lowest temperatures that occur within a 24-hour period. It's a key climate indicator that affects many aspects of life, including health, being a well-known risk factor for public health, and increasing DTR is associated with higher mortality rates. Also, agriculture since it affects crop yields as well as ecology, since it affects species performance.
Isothermality
Isothermality is a measure of how much the temperature range between day and night varies compared to the annual temperature range. It's calculated by dividing the mean diurnal range (difference between the highest and lowest temperatures that occur within a 24-hour period) by the annual temperature range and multiplying by 100.
Mean Temperature
The mean of all the monthly mean temperatures. Each monthly mean temperature is the mean of that month's maximum and minimum temperature.
Precipitation Warmest Quarter
Precipitation of the warmest quarter is the total amount of precipitation that falls during the warmest three months of the year. It's a bioclimatic variable, which is a value derived from monthly rainfall and temperature data to create more biologically relevant variables. Bioclimatic variables are often used in ecological modeling and species distribution modeling.
Surface Latent Heat Flux
Latent Heat Flux is the flux of heat from the earth's surface to the atmosphere that is associated with evaporation or condensation of water vapor at the surface; a component of the surface energy budget.
Surface Sensible Heat Flux
Surface sensible heat flux refers to the transfer of heat energy between the Earth's surface and the atmosphere through conduction, meaning without any phase change, solely based on the temperature difference between the surface and the air directly above it; essentially, it's the amount of heat moving from a warmer surface to a cooler atmosphere through direct contact, influenced by factors like wind speed and surface roughness.
Temperature Annual Range
The annual range of temperature is the difference between the average temperatures of the hottest and coldest months of a year. To calculate the annual range, subtract the monthly mean minimum temperature from the monthly mean maximum temperature.
Temperature Seasonality
Temperature seasonality is a measure of how much a temperature varies over the course of a year. It's also known as the amplitude of the annual temperature cycle.
Temperature Warmest Quarter
The mean temperature of the warmest quarter of the year is calculated by determining the warmest quarter and then averaging the temperatures during that period. A quarter is a three-month period, or one-quarter of a year.
Tmax Warmest Month
Tmax is the maximum temperature recorded at a specific location on a given day. For example, in the contiguous United States, July is typically the warmest month of the year.
Water Vapour Pressure
Water vapor pressure refers to the pressure exerted by water vapor molecules in a closed system when the rate of evaporation from a liquid water surface is equal to the rate of condensation, essentially representing the pressure at which the liquid and gas phases of water are in equilibrium