About Australian Gridded Climate Data maps and grids
Monthly gridded rainfall data
Australian Gridded Climate Data (AGCD) is the Bureau of Meteorology's official dataset for monthly gridded rainfall analysis.
AGCD combines available rainfall data, with state-of-the-art statistical modelling and the latest in scientific techniques to provide accurate information on monthly, seasonal and annual rainfall conditions across the country. Gridded analysis such as this is used by major meteorological organisations across the world.
The Bureau has a vast network of manually-read and automated rain gauges across Australia but it's not possible to place this type of infrastructure every few kilometres. While these rain gauges provide rainfall data at point locations, gridded analysis allows the Bureau to provide an accurate estimate of rainfall in much wider areas.
AGCD was brought into operation in September 2020 and replaces the Bureau's previous monthly gridded rainfall analysis, the Australian Water Availability Project (AWAP). Funding to develop the AGCD was provided by the NSW Government as part of their 2015 Drought Strategy.
The Bureau will continue to enhance its rainfall analyses by harnessing future developments in scientific understanding, analysis techniques and methods.
More information on the methods and science behind the AGCD can be found in the peer-reviewed technical report
Station rainfall data from Bureau sites can be accessed via the Climate Data Online page
With the implementation of the AGCD monthly rainfall dataset, users are advised that the AWAP monthly rainfall will be discontinued by the end of 2020.
General details: About rainfall maps
Basic FAQs
- What is Australian Gridded Climate Data?
- Why has the Bureau of Meteorology changed its monthly gridded rainfall analysis?
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The Bureau of Meteorology is committed to improving the services it provides to the Australian community and industry. This means looking at ways to further enhance and build upon the products we provide.
AGCD commenced operation in September 2020, replacing the previous monthly gridded rainfall analysis, known as the Australian Water Availability Project (AWAP). AGCD incorporates enhanced analysis and scientific methods, as well as state of the art computer modelling. Funding to develop the AGCD dataset was provided by the NSW Government as part of their 2015 Drought Strategy.
The Bureau will continue to enhance its gridded rainfall analysis by harnessing future developments in scientific understanding, analysis techniques and computer modelling.
More detailed explanations on the improvements can be found in the technical report. - Why is gridded rainfall analysis needed?
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The Bureau of Meteorology has a vast network of manually-read and automated rain gauges across Australia, but it's not possible to place this equipment every few kilometres. While these stations provide rainfall data at point locations, gridded analysis utilises computer modelling to provide rainfall information in much wider areas. This is important as it means we can provide an accurate estimate of rainfall conditions in data-sparse areas.
- How different is the old and new analysis?
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The enhanced analysis and computer modelling used in AGCD has been applied to the Bureau's historical rainfall data. This is crucial to ensuring consistency between past, present and future monthly gridded rainfall analysis. The raw station rainfall data used in the analysis has not changed, but improvements in the analysis has resulted in higher resolution information now being available, and slight differences to some past monthly, seasonal and annual area-average rainfall totals for some regions. Rigorous scientific analysis has shown that the new analysis is superior to the old analysis. More details on the analysis and improvements can be found in the technical report.
- What Bureau services and products will use AGCD?
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A number of Bureau products and services will benefit from the improvements in gridded rainfall analysis including:
- All historical and ongoing monthly, seasonal and annual based rainfall maps
- The rainfall component of subsequent monthly, seasonal and annual climate summaries, monthly weather reviews and special climate statements
- Gridded rainfall maps in the Drought Statement
- Historical and ongoing rainfall area averages and rainfall trend maps available from the Climate change page
- Where can I find the original weather station rainfall data?
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The AGCD dataset and the previous AWAP dataset draw upon the same original weather station rainfall data from Bureau rain gauges. The public can continue to access original rainfall data from all Bureau of Meteorology sites via the Climate Data Online page.
Australian Gridded Climate Data (AGCD) is the Bureau of Meteorology's official dataset for monthly gridded rainfall analysis. AGCD combines all available rainfall data from Bureau rain gauges with state-of-the-art computer modelling and the latest scientific methods to provide accurate information on monthly, seasonal and annual rainfall across the country. Gridded analysis is used by major meteorological organisations across the world.
