Source report. ESA’s research products now span March 2000 to December 2023 and include revised uncertainty information.
Source: ESA Climate Change Initiative. Original source published not stated by the source. Published on Alder Atlas: 14 September 2026.
A longer record for researchers
ESA’s Climate Change Initiative has released version 4.2 of its water-vapour products over land. The update extends the record from 15 to 24 years, covering March 2000 to December 2023. It measures total column water vapour rather than rainfall at an individual location.
More than extra years
The four products combine observations from several satellite instruments and offer daily or monthly data at two grid resolutions. Revised uncertainty estimates, quality flags and information about contributing observations accompany the measurements. Those details help users judge what a value can support.
Infrastructure for comparison
The project, led by the University of Reading, is intended to produce consistent records for climate and water-cycle research. The release improves access to historical observations; it is not a real-time weather service. Its value lies in allowing researchers to compare conditions across time with clearer information about the data’s limitations.
Sources & further reading
This is an independently worded, source-based report prepared with AI assistance for the Alder Atlas editorial project. It is not first-hand reporting.