The GCW Data Portal

The GCW Website does not contain any raw data. Instead, data can be accessed through the GCW Data Portal. The Portal is a web interface that contains information about datasets (metadata), but not the data itself. Instead, it links to datasets that are stored at partner data centres. It is compatible with the WMO Information Service (WIS). The GCW Portal was developed by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute ("Met Norway" or "MetNo"). It is in a pre-operational phase at this time*. See the Portal Description page for more information.

The diversity of current metadata and data semantics, formats, and protocols are significant barriers to the development of a data catalogue or portal. Standardization, timeliness, and interoperability of data and data systems are critical. The WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) and WIS provide the framework to achieve interoperability with non-traditional data sources. GCW is addressing this challenge by establishing interoperable systems through the GCW Data Portal. To make diverse data sources useful, the datasets need to be converted to a common data format, adding standardized metadata aligned with the WIGOS Metadata Standard and WIS2.0. Read more in the July 2019 WIGOS Newsletter.

*The GCW Data Portal is currently considered as a pre-operational service. It is populated with metadata harvested from a number of contributing data centres, but data remains in the original location and are served through the interfaces supported by the originating data centre. The process of harvesting, filtering and translating metadata is still under development and will be modified through dialogue with contributing data centres and WMO activities organised through WIS and WIGOS.