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Frequently Asked Questions: How to get Data

About Climate Data Online | How to get data - FAQs | Technical help

Data questions

Can I access these data sets as CSV files?

Yes, these datasets are available to download in csv formats. To do this you will need to click on the “Data file (csv)” link near the top of the web page displaying the data set of interest.

Are data available as a gridded data set?

The Bureau does have a range of additional climate products, including gridded datasets.

I can't find the data I need

The following links list our range of prepared data.

Climate products. (CDs, DVDs, Publications)
How to get data from the Bureau.

If you can't find the data you require for free, you may need to specifically request them via the Contacts listed from the link above.

Why can’t I access data for nearby countries?

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology only keeps data records for Australia. If you would like to access data from other countries you will need to contact their meteorological organisations.

Why is some of the data red, or missing? More about data.

This page is about 'How to get data', see: Data FAQs for information about the data.

Using the map tool

Can I zoom into the map using my mouse scroll wheel, or by selecting a zoom area?: Yes, if available, you can use your mouse scroll wheel, or you can hold down your "Shift" key while you use your mouse cursor to - click, drag, then release - to select an area to enlarge.
Can I save multiple home locations?: At this time, you can only save one location as your “Home” location.
What are the triangles on the right-hand side of the map layers tab?: Clicking on these triangles will lighten or darken the different layers, for example the "Roads" layer.
How do I get back to the start?: Click on “Start again”, at the bottom below the right-hand "Data" tab, to go back to the initial view.
If the page has jammed, hold down your “Shift” key while clicking your browser refresh or reload button, to load a fresh copy of the web page.
How do I see satellite images like on Google Earth?: This format is not currently available for this product
Where is Antarctica?: You have a range of options for selecting Antarctica. You can select it from the “Go to” menu above the map; or by zooming out then panning to Antarctica; or by clicking the "Overview" tab then dragging the red rectangle over Antarctica. The "Overview" tab is on the bottom-right side of the map.

Map tool technical problems

When I use my browser zoom controls, the map tool doesn't work any more.

This is a known problem for some web browsers. Recent browsers have improved support for scaling.

The pop-up bubble seems to be too small.

If you are using Internet Explorer 6 on a low resolution computer screen, it may reduce the width of the pop-up bubble. We recommend updating your browser.

I am having problems running the map tool.

Check that you have not disabled pop-up windows, Javascript, iframes, images or cookies.
Your Internet connection speed may be too slow. For dial-up connections, we recommend using the "Select using Text" tool.
It may not work well on old browsers and computers.
Try holding down your "Shift" key and clicking the browser "Refresh" or "Reload" button. This forces your browser to get a fresh copy of all the files.

The page seems to be taking too long to download.

The speed of downloads depends on the speed of your Internet connection. If you have a dial-up Internet connection, loading the map tool for the first time may take a few minutes. Many of the files the map tool uses will be stored in your browser cache for your next visit, so the page should load much faster then. If it still takes as long to load on subsequent visits, check your browser cache settings. In many browsers these are available from the "Tools" menu. If your cache is set to empty every visit, it will not save the files. If your cache is already full, it will not be able to store the map files so you may need to clear it.

Clicking a weather station or mousing-over it doesn't seem to work.

Make sure you click the station symbols, not the names. The mouse cursor does not show that you are over a link.

I clicked a link in the pop-up balloon but nothing is happening.

The links open in a new browser window or tab, so check your open windows or tabs first. Otherwise, check that you do not have "pop-up" windows disabled in your web browser. A message will appear at the top of the page in some browsers if you have pop-ups disabled. Clicking on the message will allow you to re-set the pop-up blocker for this site.

My settings do not get saved.

If you want to save your settings, do not disable cookies for this page. You may need to adjust your browser "privacy" settings.

When I drag the zoom slider all the way it goes back to where it started.

Release the zoom slider before the end of scale, then it will stay there.

This tool isn't working on my mobile phone.

Mobile access requires full web browser support. This is only available in some newer devices.

Using the text tool

Can I just enter my local weather station number instead of doing a search?: Yes, if you know the number, and that this station collects the type of data you need, you can simply type it into the bottom station number field, then click "Get Data".
Can I save the station number and data type so they are automatically selected next time?: Yes, click the "Save" link to the right of the "Get Data" button.