How DWD OpenData Separates Recent and Historical Records
DWD’s Climate Data Center does not publish every station record as one permanent file. Many products are divided into recent and historical archive groups, and those groups carry different update and quality-control meanings.
The distinction matters whenever a workflow joins the latest observations to a long station record. This article explains the structure through the monthly climate (monthly/kl) files for Berlin-Tempelhof, station 00433. For click-by-click station selection, exports, and source downloads, use the DWD station-data guide.
Two file groups serve different stages of the record
For the monthly climate product, DWD documents the groups this way:
- Recent (
recent/) files contain the current rolling portion of the record. Their routine quality control is not complete, and DWD updates them monthly. - Historical (
historical/) files are versioned archives whose routine quality control is complete. DWD refreshes this product’s historical files annually.
This is a product-specific description, not a promise that every DWD resolution follows the same schedule. Even historical data can later receive corrections or additions, so a filename and retrieval date remain part of a reproducible record.
The path describes resolution, parameter, and status
Monthly bundled climate observations use this hierarchy:
climate/monthly/kl/[recent|historical]/
Within it, the filename encodes the product and station:
| Component | Berlin-Tempelhof example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Prefix | monatswerte |
Monthly values |
| Product code | KL |
Bundled monthly climate product |
| Station ID | 00433 |
Berlin-Tempelhof provider identifier |
| Recent suffix | akt.zip |
Current rolling file |
| Historical suffix | [START]_[END]_hist.zip |
Versioned file with encoded coverage bounds |
Other resolutions and parameters use different prefixes or product codes. The guide’s parameter reference maps the codes processed by Climate Explorer; the official directory and product description remain authoritative.
Berlin shows why historical filenames cannot be guessed
As checked on 27 August 2026, the official listing contains these files:
- Recent:
monatswerte_KL_00433_akt.zip - Historical:
monatswerte_KL_00433_19180401_20251231_hist.zip
The dates belong to the current provider filename. The start is 1 April 1918, not a generic station opening date, and the end will advance when DWD publishes a newer historical version. A reusable script should therefore discover the current filename from the directory instead of hard-coding its end date.
Joining recent and historical rows requires provenance
The two files may overlap. A safe workflow treats a station-month key as a potential duplicate, but it does not discard provenance before comparing the rows.
Retain at least:
- the station ID and observation month;
- whether the row came from
recentorhistorical; - the exact source filename and retrieval date;
- DWD quality fields and missing-value conventions; and
- station metadata relevant to moves, instruments, reference times, or processing changes.
When both groups contain the same station-month, compare the values and quality fields. For a finalized analytical series, prefer the historical version for its covered interval and use recent rows only beyond the historical cutoff, while documenting that decision. Simply concatenating both files and deleting an arbitrary duplicate can hide a revision.
What Climate Explorer changes—and what it does not
The German Weather Station Explorer retrieves and presents selected DWD records for interactive inspection. Its Export Excel control creates a processed .xlsx workbook for the active station, resolution, and date range.
That workbook is convenient for exploration, but it is not the original provider archive. Use the DWD ZIP files when you need authoritative field names, quality indicators, accompanying station metadata, or an immutable source reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does DWD separate recent and historical files?
For the monthly climate product, recent files provide the rolling current record before routine quality control is complete, while historical files are versioned records with completed routine quality control.
Why does the historical filename change?
The filename includes its start and end dates. When DWD extends or republishes the historical archive, the encoded end date—and sometimes other coverage information—can change.
Can recent and historical files contain the same month?
Yes. Their coverage can overlap. Compare the values and quality fields, retain provenance, and prefer the historical version within its finalized interval rather than deleting a duplicate arbitrarily.
Does an historical file never change again?
No. DWD notes that issues can be found and data can be added even in products whose routine quality control is complete. Record the exact filename and retrieval date.
Is the Climate Explorer Excel export the same as the DWD ZIP file?
No. The Excel workbook is a processed convenience export. The DWD ZIP archive is the source package to use for provider fields, metadata, quality information, and reproducible provenance.
Data Annex
Data current as of 27 August 2026. The worked example describes the DWD monthly bundled climate product (monthly/kl) for Berlin-Tempelhof.
Berlin worked-example metadata
| Metadata field | Value |
|---|---|
| Data owner | Deutscher Wetterdienst Climate Data Center |
| Station | Berlin-Tempelhof |
| DWD station ID | 00433 |
| Resolution and product | Monthly climate observations (monthly/kl) |
| Recent filename | monatswerte_KL_00433_akt.zip |
| Historical filename | monatswerte_KL_00433_19180401_20251231_hist.zip |
| Historical filename coverage | 1 Apr 1918–31 Dec 2025 |
| Important limitation | Recent data have incomplete routine quality control; historical archives can still receive later corrections or additions. |
File-group comparison
| File group | Current filename or pattern | Quality and update meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Recent | monatswerte_KL_00433_akt.zip |
Rolling monthly record; routine quality control is not complete. |
| Historical | monatswerte_KL_00433_19180401_20251231_hist.zip |
Versioned archive with completed routine quality control; the monthly product is refreshed annually. |
| Joined series | Historical rows plus non-overlapping recent rows | Preserve source group, filename, retrieval date, and DWD quality fields. |
Data Sources
- DWD monthly climate-data description: Product scope, filename conventions, update schedule, and quality status.
- DWD monthly recent directory: Current recent-product filenames.
- DWD monthly historical directory: Current versioned historical filenames.
- DWD OpenData terms of use: Licence and attribution terms.