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Created by
Michela Giusti, last updated on Jun 24, 2026
4 minute read
To generate this AgERA5 time series dataset, homogenisation conventions have been applied to the ERA5 source GRIB data to ensure consistency, usability, and alignment across chosen variables and time steps. The processed data were then written to an ARCO Zarr archive, enabling efficient cloud-optimised access and scalable data retrieval.
The dataset presented here is a subset of selected parameters from the full Agrometeorological indicators from 1979 to present derived from reanalysis. Requirements for additional parameters may be considered. Please raise your request with ECMWF Support here.
Introduction
AgERA5 provides daily surface meteorological data for the period from 1979 to present as input for agriculture and agro-ecological studies based on the hourly ECMWF ERA5 data at surface level.
This dataset presented here is a timeseries version of the CDS AgERA5 dataset on approximately 0.1° x 0.1° resolution and is stored in Analysis Ready Cloud Optimised (ARCO) format, which has been implemented for retrieving long time-series for a single point in a efficient way. The AgERA5 data version used to produce the dataset is v2.0.
Methodology
The process to generate this dataset involves:
Data organization and access
The ARCO data is stored as Zarr datacubes.
The data is now available from the Climate Data Store (CDS), either interactively through its download web form or programmatically using the CDS API service:
Agrometeorological indicators time-series from 1979 to present derived from reanalysis
Spatial grid
The parameters have a regular grid of 0.1 degrees.
Please be aware when you select a "Location" on the form, the latitude and longitude values are changed to the closest neighborhood point of the degrees grid. Similarly, selecting an “Area” returns all points within the region defined by the nearest neighborhood corner points to the user-specified S, W, N, and E latitude/longitude values (maximum 5° x 5°).
Temporal frequency
Temporal frequency of the data is daily.
Data format
In the CDS, there are the options of retrieving the data in netCDF format or CSV format.
Data update frequency
AgERA5 is updated on a daily basis. New daily data in AgERA5 becomes available in AgERA5 Time Series in a few hours.
Variations in delivery times may occur due to the non-operational nature of this CDS service, as issues may arise which cause delays.
Parameters listings
Table 1 below lists the single level parameters aggregate over the following periods:
- day time (06-18h),
- night time (18-06h)
- 24 hour/mean (00-24h)
- specific local time: 06, 09, 12, 15, 18.
Table 1: Single level parameters
| Name | Units | CDS API Variable name | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10m wind speed mean | m s-1 | 10m_wind_speed_24_hour_mean | |
| 2 | 2m dewpoint temperature mean | K | 2m_dewpoint_temperature_24_hour_mean | |
| 3 | 2m relative humidity at 06h | % | 2m_relative_humidity_at_06_00 | |
| 4 | 2m relative humidity at 09h | % | 2m_relative_humidity_at_09_00 | |
| 5 | 2m relative humidity at 12h | % | 2m_relative_humidity_at_12_00 | |
| 6 | 2m relative humidity at 15h | % | 2m_relative_humidity_at_15_00 | |
| 7 | 2m relative humidity at 18h | % | 2m_relative_humidity_at_18_00 | |
| 8 | 2m relative humidity derived maximum | % | derived_2m_relative_humidity_24_hour_maximum | |
| 9 | 2m relative humidity derived minimum | % | derived_2m_relative_humidity_24_hour_minimum | |
| 10 | 2m temperature maximum 24h | K | 2m_temperature_24_hour_maximum | |
| 11 | 2m temperature maximum daytime | K | 2m_temperature_day_time_maximum | |
| 12 | 2m temperature mean 24h | K | 2m_temperature_24_hour_mean | |
| 13 | 2m temperature mean daytime | K | 2m_temperature_day_time_mean | |
| 14 | 2m temperature mean nighttime | K | 2m_temperature_night_time_mean | |
| 15 | 2m temperature minimum 24h | K | 2m_temperature_24_hour_minimum | |
| 16 | 2m temperature minimum nighttime | K | 2m_temperature_night_time_minimum | |
| 17 | Cloud cover mean | Dimensionless | cloud_cover_24_hour_mean | |
| 18 | Liquid precipitation duration fraction | Dimensionless | liquid_precipitation_duration_fraction | |
| 19 | Precipitation duration fraction | Dimensionless | precipitation_duration_fraction | |
| 20 | Precipitation flux | mm day-1 | precipitation_flux | |
| 21 | Reference evapotranspiration | mm day-1 | reference_evapotranspiration_penman_monteith_fao56 | |
| 22 | Snow thickness LWE mean | cm | snow_thickness_lwe_24_hour_mean | |
| 23 | Snow thickness mean | cm | snow_thickness_24_hour_mean | |
| 24 | Solar radiation flux | J m-2 day-1 | solar_radiation_flux | |
| 25 | Solid precipitation duration fraction | Dimensionless | solid_precipitation_duration_fraction | |
| 26 | Vapour pressure deficit at daily maximum temperature | hPa | vapour_pressure_deficit_at_maximum_temperature | |
| 27 | Vapour pressure mean | hPa | vapour_pressure_24_hour_mean |
Known issues
Please refer to the AgERA5 documentation.
