Introduction

The maps and images on these pages are designed to illustrate the global and regional patterns of some fundamental climate variables such as temperature and precipitation, and their energy- and water-balance controls. The global data plotted here are from the ECMWF fifth-generation ERA5 Reanalysis: [ERA5 monthly averaged data on pressure levels from 1979 to present] and [ERA5 monthly averaged data on single levels from 1979 to present] – see the acknowledgments tab for details.

The animations and maps are organized in a general cause-and-effect order, beginning with the external energy inputs to the climate system, and ending with precipitation and the surface water balance, e.g.:

• Global energy balance
• Temperature
• Atmospheric circulation and winds
• Atmospheric moisture and energy fluxes
• Globe water balance/precipitation/snow

There are also animations of temperature and precipitation for North America and the coterminous United States (CONUS).