We are pleased to announce the publication of a new Essential Climate Variable (ECV), in the Climate Data Store (CDS) on 30 April 2026:
Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) is an Essential Climate Variable (ECV) critical for monitoring climate change, hydrological forecasting, and flood risk prevention, among others.
This dataset provides daily estimates of snow conditions, freshwater storage, and climate studies. It provides daily estimates of snow water equivalent (SWE) for the Northern hemisphere from 1979 to present derived from passive microwave radiometer (PMR) measurements onboard polar-orbiting satellites. PMR observations offer a good spatial coverage, without gaps due to clouds, and no significant temporal gaps during polar night, all essential for monitoring winter snow conditions.
For any enquiries regarding this dataset, please contact us (ECMWF login required).
ECMWF Support