Great Lakes Adaptation Data Suite (GLADS)

The Great Lakes Adaptation Data Suite (GLADS) provides credible climate data from several public data sources to address the need for standardized historical and projected climate information for adaptation and resilience. The datasets within the GLADS are vetted by trusted regional experts, and this portal provides descriptions and access to the datasets for download. The data described below will be available for download at a later date through a user interface. It is available now by request (contact glisa-info@umich.edu). 

Data Set Type

Background

Through a Data Management Mini-Grant from the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), GLISA has created the Great Lakes Adaptation Data Suite (GLADS), which is a compilation of over-land and over-lake observational information within the Great Lakes Basin. GLADS integrates point-based and gridded observational datasets available through the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI, formerly NCDC), the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) into a single Great Lakes Adaptation Data Suite (GLADS). Each of these suites/frameworks of data has proven valuable to their own user networks. GLISA has standardized these regional data sets to the same time step, variables examined, data structure, and quality control processes to make the data more easily accessible and to increase the capacity of researchers to study lake, nearshore, and coastal interactions for climate adaptation efforts.

Point-Based Data Set

Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-D) Station Observations

Averaging Period(s): Daily, Monthly, Seasonal, Annual
Spatial Expanse: U.S. and Canadian Stations

GHCN-D Data

National Data Buoy Centers Meteorological Buoy Observations

Averaging Period(s): Daily, Monthly, Seasonal, Annual
Spatial Expanse: Great Lakes Basin

United States Geological Survey (USGS) Stream Gauges

Averaging Period(s): Monthly, Seasonal, Annual
Spatial Expanse: Great Lakes Region

Spatially-Aggregated Data Set

National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) U.S. Climate Divisions

Averaging Period(s): Monthly, Seasonal, Annual
Spatial Expanse: US State Climate Divisions

NCEI Data

GLERL Great Lakes Dashboard Lake Ice

Averaging Period(s): Monthly, Annual
Spatial Expanse: Great Lakes

Lake Ice Data

GLERL Great Lakes Dashboard Lake Levels

Averaging Period(s): Monthly, Annual
Spatial Expanse: Great Lakes

Lake Levels Data

GLERL Great Lakes Dashboard Lake Temperature

Averaging Period(s): Monthly, Seasonal, Annual
Spatial Expanse: Great Lakes

Lake Temperature Data

Gridded Data Set

Climate Forecast System Reanalysis Version 1 (CFSR v1)

Averaging Period(s): Monthly, Seasonal, Annual
Spatial Expanse: Great Lakes Region

CFSR V1 Data

Climate Forecast System Reanalysis Version 2 (CFSR v2)

Averaging Period(s): Monthly, Seasonal, Annual
Spatial Expanse: Great Lakes Region

CFSR V2 Data

University of Delaware Air Temperature and Precipitation Model

Averaging Period(s): Monthly, Seasonal, Annual
Spatial Expanse: Great Lakes Region

UDel Data

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the GLADS?
  • The Great Lakes Adaptation Data Suite (GLADS) is a clearinghouse of over-land and over-lake data in the Great Lakes region, and the data suite intends to provide credible and consistent climate-related data and synthesized information to users.
  • These data sets are standardized to similar temporal (e.g., daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual) and spatial resolutions to ease the access of multiple data sets. 
What is the origin of the GLADS?
  • In 2015, the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) awarded GLISA a Data Management Mini-Grant to create the Great Lakes Adaptation Data Suite (GLADS) for standardizing over-land and over-lake observations in the Great Lakes region. 
  • Continuing the work from 2015, GLOS awarded GLISA with another grant in 2018, to continue to curate and integrate the GLADS into GLISA’s existing climate data and information resources and to develop a publicly-available user interface.
How do I cite the GLADS in my work?

Users of the GLADS Interface are encouraged to use the following citations in their work:

  • When citing within the body of a text:
  • When included as part of acknowledgments:
    • The Great Lakes Adaptation Data Suite (GLADS) is curated by GLISA (a NOAA CAP/RISA). GLADS was developed as part of a Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) grant to GLISA titled “Expanding the Great Lakes Adaptation Data Suite (GLADS) for Comprehensive Climate Adaptation Planning.”
How can users download the data within the GLADS?
  • A user is required to provide an email address and affiliation to access the GLADS. Once the details have been provided, the user can access any of the data sets available. 
  • A web-based interface is used to obtain data from GLISA’s website.  Each database (ex: ) has its own webpage from which users can view the related metadata, and subsequently download the desired data based on the time period and geographical region of interest.  
  • Users are encouraged to click on the pages for each data set to see the available options to select and download the data.
Is the data provided by the GLADS publicly available for use?

Yes, all data sets are provided publicly by various data hubs from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), and other federal partners.

What are the output formats provided by the GLADS Interface?

The GLADS provides data outputs in various formats that are commonly used in data applications. These data formats are provided by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) ERDDAP data server, which GLOS utilizes for its Seagull platform hosting the GLADS data. The following formats are currently available through the data set pages provided:

  • CSV: Comma Separated Values
  • GeoJSON: Geographic JavaScript Object Notation 
  • HTML: Hyper Text Markup Language tables
  • NetCDF: Network Common Data Format (v1.6)
How often are the data sets updated?

The GLADS data sets are updated on a monthly basis to ensure a collective processing schedule when newer versions of the data sets are readily available.

What is the contact information if I am interested in additional support on downloading and/or using the GLADS?

Please email glads-support@umich.edu to receive additional information and support for the GLADS Interface.

Is there a way to contribute data to future iterations of the GLADS?
  • The GLADS uses data that is publicly available.
  • GLISA personnel will consider incorporating additional data sets within GLADS based on the determined relevance, usefulness, and usability of the data for climate adaptation applications within the Great Lakes region.
  • To suggest additional datasets for inclusion in future iterations of the GLADS, please email glads-support@umich.edu and include the following information: the source, metadata, and suggested relevance to the Great Lakes region.