GHCNh Weather Data – USA, Canada & Global

Explore observed hourly weather data from NOAA GHCNh stations across the United States, Canada, and worldwide, including temperature, wind, pressure, and precipitation.

NOAA GHCNh overview

GHCNh is the global hourly archive inside Climate Explorer. It provides observed meteorological data for stations in the United States, Canada, and countries worldwide, making it useful when sub-daily timing matters.

Curated by NOAA NCEI, the archive combines quality-controlled hourly observations from a worldwide land-station network. The hourly cadence is especially useful for studying weather extremes, diurnal cycles, and short-lived events that disappear in daily summaries.

Pro Tip

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Dataset facts

Official source
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information GHCNh.
Coverage
More than 20,000 fixed land stations worldwide; station-dependent hourly and synoptic records extend from 1750 to the present.
Update frequency
NOAA updates the archive daily.
Licence
CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication; retain NOAA/NCEI attribution and source metadata.
Important limitation
Record length, reporting interval and available variables differ substantially by station and contributing source; quality flags should be retained in analysis.
Global Data Coverage

Looking for data for your country?
This dataset contains meteorological records for every country in the world. If you do not see a dedicated dashboard for your specific region elsewhere on Climate Explorer, you will find the data here.

About this Data

The GHCNh (Global Historical Climatology Network hourly) is a NOAA/NCEI archive for sub-daily station analysis. It aggregates hourly and synoptic observations from more than 20 contributing sources, including the WMO Information System and national meteorological archives.

Climate Explorer provides an interactive way to inspect this network without first parsing the source text files. The data can support:

  • Global Climate Monitoring: Tracking temperature anomalies and precipitation patterns across continents.
  • Extreme Weather Analysis: Investigating heatwaves, cold snaps, and storm events at an hourly resolution.
  • Energy Resource Assessment: Evaluating solar & wind potential with worldwide ground-truth data.

Hourly Records Across Borders

GHCNh brings station records from multiple national networks into one archive. It includes observations from the United States, Canada, and countries worldwide, allowing the same interface to be used for cross-border station comparisons. Coverage, variables, and record length still differ by station and contributing network.

The dataset’s hourly resolution can reveal the diurnal cycle and short-lived meteorological changes that daily summaries may hide.

How to use this tool

  1. Global Navigation: The map starts with a global view. Click on any blue dot to select a station.
  2. Filter by Country: Use the sidebar dropdown to instantly zoom into a specific nation’s network (e.g., “United Kingdom”, “Brazil”, “South Africa”).
  3. Adjust Time Window: Because hourly data is dense, the dashboard loads a 1-year rolling window by default. Use the Date Range slider to move this window backwards in time to explore historical decades.
  4. Visualize & Export:
    • Plots: Inspect the “Weathergami” (Temperature Heatmap) to visualize daily thermal ranges.
    • Data: Switch to table view to download the raw CSV data for your research.

How to Interpret GHCNh Records

GHCNh is best understood as a global hourly reference archive. It is designed for questions where sub-daily timing matters: how temperatures evolve through the day, when a storm intensified, how quickly pressure changed, or how conditions differ between stations under the same broader weather system.

When interpreting the explorer, keep these points in mind:

  • Hourly Data Captures Timing: The key strength of GHCNh is temporal detail. Use it when daily averages would hide the sequence, duration, or intensity of an event.
  • Coverage Differs by Station: Some stations have long, dense records, while others have shorter or less complete histories. Always interpret comparisons in light of record length and data availability.
  • Local Setting Still Matters: Airport stations, coastal sites, mountain valleys, and urban locations can show very different hourly behavior even within the same region or country.
  • Hourly Is Not the Same as Real-Time: GHCNh is a historical and continuously updated archive, but it is not intended as a live operational feed in the same way as a near-real-time monitoring product.
  • Use Multiple Variables Together: Temperature, precipitation, wind, and pressure often make the most sense when read together, especially during fast-changing events.

What This Explorer Is Best For

The GHCNh explorer is particularly strong for analyzing sub-daily weather behavior across countries, comparing station histories at hourly resolution, and investigating diurnal cycles or short-lived events. It is less suitable for near-real-time European monitoring or long-baseline monthly climatology, where the EuroMeteo Explorer and GHCNm are better fits. For deeper country-specific station work, dedicated national explorers such as DWD, Météo-France, JMA, or IMGW may be more appropriate.

Data Window Note

To ensure performance with high-resolution hourly data, the analysis window is limited to 366 days. The date slider supports smart sliding to easily move this window through time.

Need more help? View the full GHCNh User Guide for detailed instructions.

Data source

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the GHCNh dataset?

GHCNh stands for Global Historical Climatology Network Hourly. It is a comprehensive database maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that aggregates hourly weather observations from over 20 global data sources, providing coverage for every country in the world.

Why is hourly climate data important?

While daily averages are useful for long-term trends, hourly data is essential for understanding the diurnal temperature cycle (the variation between high and low temperatures within a single day). It is also required for studying short-duration extreme weather events, peak wind gusts, and sub-daily precipitation intensity.

Are all countries included in the GHCNh explorer?

Yes! The unique value of the GHCNh dataset is its global scope. Whether you are looking for weather patterns in South America, Africa, Asia, or Europe, you can select any country from the sidebar to access its hourly meteorological records.

Does GHCNh include weather observations for the United States and Canada?

Yes. Choose United States or Canada in the country filter to find NOAA/NCEI hourly and synoptic station records for either country. Record length, available variables, reporting intervals, and quality flags differ by station and period.

How far back does the hourly data go?

The historical depth varies significantly by station. Some major international airports have hourly records extending back several decades, while newer remote stations might only have a few years of data. Use the date slider to explore a station’s available history.

How do I download global hourly weather data?

Once you have selected a country, a station, and a specific time period using the date slider, switch to the Data tab in the dashboard. From there, you can export the raw hourly observations as a CSV file for your own analysis.