Metadata for Montana Average Annual Precipitation, 1971-2000

- Identification Information
- Data Quality Information
- Spatial Data Organization Information
- Spatial Data Organization Information
- Spatial Reference Information
- Entity and Attribute Information
- Distribution Information
- Metadata Reference Information
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Identification Information:

Citation:
  Originator: PRISM Group, Oregon Climate Service, Oregon State University
  Publication date: 06/21/2006
  Title: Montana Average Annual Precipitation, 1971-2000
  Publication place: Helena, MT
  Publisher: Montana State Library
  Other citation details:
    The former name of the data set on the NRIS web site was "precip71_00"
  Online linkage: ftp://ftp.geoinfo.msl.mt.gov/Data/Spatial/NonMSDI/Shapefiles/Precipitation2000.zip
  Browse graphic file name: ftp://ftp.geoinfo.msl.mt.gov/Documents/Maps/Thumbnails/20060621_606_thumb.jpg
  Browse graphic file description: Thumbnail image of Montana 1971-2000 Average Annual Precipitation map
  Browse graphic file name: ftp://ftp.geoinfo.msl.mt.gov/Documents/Maps/Individual/20060621_606_2000_AvgPrecip71to00.gif
  Browse graphic file description: Montana 1971-2000 Average Annual Precipitation map
Abstract:
  These data are estimates of average annual precipitation, in inches, for the climatological period 1971-2000. Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) derived raster data is the underlying data set from which the data were created. PRISM is an analytical model that uses point data and a digital elevation model (DEM) to generate gridded estimates of annual, monthly and event-based climatic parameters. For further information, the online PRISM homepage can be found at http://www.ocs.orst.edu/prism/.
  The data is available as an ESRI GridASCII export file, in latitude/longitude coordinates with a horizontal resolution of 0.00833 degrees, for the entire United States from the Oregon Climate Service web site. The data for Montana is available in Montana State Plane Coordinates, resampled to a resolution of 600 meters, in either GeoTIFF format or as a shapefile with polygons representing 27 precipitation ranges.
Supplemental information:
  There are many methods of interpolating precipitation from monitoring stations to grid points. Some provide estimates of acceptable accuracy in flat terrain, but few have been able to adequately explain the extreme, complex variations in precipitation that occur in mountainous regions. Significant progress in this area has been achieved through the development of PRISM (Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model). PRISM is an analytical model that uses point data and a digital elevation model (DEM) to generate gridded estimates of monthly and annual precipitation (as well as other climatic parameters). PRISM is well suited to regions with mountainous terrain, because it incorporates a conceptual framework that addresses the spatial scale and pattern of orographic precipitation.
Time period of content:
  Beginning date: 1971
  Ending date: 2000
  Currentness reference:
    Climatological period from which the point observations were taken.
Status:
  Progress: Complete
Access constraints: None
Use constraints:
  This data is copyright 2004, PRISM Group, Oregon State University, http://www.prismclimate.org. A statement of this copyright must accompany any transfer or display of this data.
  The Montana State Library provides this product/service for informational purposes only. The Library did not produce it for, nor is it suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Consumers of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the viability of the information for their purposes. The Library provides these data in good faith but does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy, or completeness. In no event shall the Library be liable for any incorrect results or analysis; any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages to any party; or any lost profits arising out of or in connection with the use or the inability to use the data or the services provided. The Library makes these data and services available as a convenience to the public, and for no other purpose. The Library reserves the right to change or revise published data and/or services at any time.
Point of contact:
  Oregon Climate Service at Oregon State University
  Strand Ag Hall 326, Oregon Climate Service, Oregon State University
  Corvallis, OR 97331-2209
  Telephone: 541-737-5710
  E-Mail: oregon@oce.orst.edu

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Data Quality Information:

Completeness report:
  Point estimates of monthly precipitation originated from the following sources: 1) National Weather Service Cooperative (COOP) stations, 2) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) SNOTEL, 3) local networks, and 4) statistically in-filled missing monthly data to produce a serially complete station data set, generated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).
Lineage:
  Source information:
    Originator: National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)
    Publication date: 2001
    Title:
      U.S. National 1971-2000 Climate Normals, Climatography of the United States
    Publication place: Asheville, NC, USA
    Publisher: National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)
  Source information:
    Originator: Natural Resources Conservation Service
    Publication date: 2001
    Title:
      Cooperative Snow Survey Data of Federal - State - Private Cooperative Snow Surveys
    Publication place: Portland, OR, USA
    Publisher:
      Natural Resources Conservation Service, Water and Climate Center
    Source contribution:
      Location and values of known average monthly and annual precipitation
    Beginning date: 1971
    Ending date: 2000
  Source information:
    Originator:
      Natural Resources Conservation Service, Water and Climate Center
    Publication date: Unpublished Material
    Title: Local Precipitation monitoring networks
    Beginning date: 1971
    Ending date: 2000
  Source information:
    Originator: Defense Mapping Agency
    Publication date: 1985
    Title:
      1:250,000-scale Digital Elevation Models (DEM) also known as 1-Degree DEM's
    Publication place: Washington, DC
    Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey
    Source contribution:
      Terrain surface input to PRISM model for estimation of precipitaion between known points.
    Calendar date: 1985
  Source information:
    Originator: National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
    Publication date: Unpublished material
    Title: Serially complete station data set
    Source contribution:
      Serially in-filled data set in which missing monthly values are replaced with reasonable values generated by a statistical process (kriging).
    Beginning date: 1971
    Ending date: 2000
  Process step:
    The process used by the Oregon Climate Service to create this data is described at http://wwww.ocs.oregonstate.edu/prism.
  Process date: 2002
  Process step:
    The 1971-2000 average annual precipitation data for the United States was downloaded from the Oregon Climate Service web site. This data was clipped to the area of Montana, projected from latitude/longitude coordinates to Montana State Plane Coordinates (and resampled from a resolution of 0.0083 degrees to 600 meters), and the precipitation units were converted from 100ths of a millimeter to inches. The grid data was classified into 27 classes and converted to shapefile format.
  Process date: 06/21/2006

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Spatial Data Organization Information:

Raster object information:
  Raster object type: Grid Cell
  Row count: 894
  Column count: 1537

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Spatial Data Organization Information:

Point and vector object information:
  SDTS object type: G-polygon
    SDTS object count: 12937

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Spatial Reference Information:

Horizontal coordinate system definition:
  Grid coordinate system name: State Plane Coordinate System
  SPCS zone identifier: 2500
  Lambert conformal conic:
  Standard parallel: 45.000000
  Standard parallel: 49.000000
  Longitude of central meridian: -109.500000
  Latitude of projection origin: 44.250000
  False easting: 600000.000000
  False northing: 0.000000
  Planar distance units: meters
  Geodetic model:
    Horizontal datum name: North American Datum of 1983
    Ellipsoid name: Geodetic Reference System 80
    Semi-major axis: 6378137.000000
    Denominator of flattening ratio: 298.257222

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Entity and Attribute Information:

Entity type label: Precip1971_2000.dbf
  Attribute label: FID
    Attribute definition: Shapefile sequence number
  Attribute label: Shape
    Attribute definition: Feature geometry
  Attribute label: GRIDCODE
    Attribute definition:
      Upper limit of average annual precipitation within the polygon, inches.
    Range domain minimum: 7
    Range domain maximum: 114
  Attribute label: Inches
    Attribute definition:
      Range of average annual precipitation within the polygon, inches.

    Attribute Value | Definition of Attribute Value
    6-7 | -
    7-8 | -
    8-9 | -
    9-10 | -
    10-11 | -
    11-12 | -
    12-13 | -
    13-14 | -
    14-16 | -
    16-18 | -
    18-20 | -
    20-22 | -
    22-24 | -
    24-26 | -
    26-28 | -
    28-30 | -
    30-34 | -
    34-38 | -
    38-42 | -
    42-46 | -
    46-50 | -
    50-55 | -
    55-60 | -
    60-70 | -
    70-85 | -
    85-100 | -
    100-114 | -

Entity and attribute overview:
  Each grid cell value in the raster version of the data is the estimated average annual precipitation of the point in the center of the cell, in inches.

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Distribution Information:

Distributor:
  Montana State Library
  PO Box 201800
  Helena, MT 59620-1800
  Telephone: 406-444-5354
  TDD/TTY telephone: 406-444-4799
  Fax: 406-444-0266
  E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov
Resource description: Downloadable Data
Distribution liability:
  The Montana State Library provides this product/service for informational purposes only. The Library did not produce it for, nor is it suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Consumers of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the viability of the information for their purposes. The Library provides these data in good faith but does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy, or completeness. In no event shall the Library be liable for any incorrect results or analysis; any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages to any party; or any lost profits arising out of or in connection with the use or the inability to use the data or the services provided. The Library makes these data and services available as a convenience to the public, and for no other purpose. The Library reserves the right to change or revise published data and/or services at any time.
Standard order process:
  Digital form:
    Format name: GeoTIFF and ESRI Shape file
    Online option:
    ftp://ftp.geoinfo.msl.mt.gov/Data/Spatial/NonMSDI/Shapefiles/Precipitation2000.zip

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Metadata Reference Information:

Metadata date: 01/24/2014
Metadata review date: 04/17/2013
Metadata review date: 06/21/2006
Metadata contact:
  Montana State Library
  PO Box 201800
  Helena, MT 59620-1800
  Telephone: 406-444-5354
  TDD/TTY telephone: 406-444-4799
  Fax: 406-444-0266
  E-Mail: geoinfo@mt.gov

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