Portals for visualizing climate change data are interactive websites that allow users to produce maps and plots of projected future climate variables from one or more datasets.
We identify nine targeted portals that have additional features which complement the three comprehensive visualization portals. These targeted portals and tools provide a variety of data, analyses, and/or spatial coverage, offering additional capabilities that serve specific uses and use cases.
Also see our comparison table to compare specific features of all these portals.
U.S. Global Change Research Program
Maps and county-level summary stats from downscaled CMIP6 projections used in the NCA5 report, based on Global Warming Levels (1.5°C, 2°C, 3°C, 4°C)
Special features: Can overlay the maps of climate change with population counts and disadvantaged communities.
U.S. Global Change Research Program
Maps and county-level charts and summary stats of variables associated with five climate hazards, from LOCA-downscaled CMIP5 projections.
Special features: Can output a 5-page summary report for each county showing all climate variables.
Climate Impact Lab, U. of Chicago
Simple maps of temperature change from downscaled CMIP6 (GDPCIR) projections
Special features: Shows estimated tails of the ensemble spread (5% and 95%); can look at U.S. or global changes.
IPCC
Maps, time series, and other charts from non-downscaled CMIP5 and CMIP6 projections.
Special features: Part of the 2021 IPCC WGI report; large CMIP6 ensemble (35 models); some unique graphics, e.g., warming stripes; global context; dynamically downscaled CMIP5 output can be displayed. (Note: The CMIP6 data are not screened for “hot models”; see our Climate Model Primer for details.)
ECMWF
Maps, time series, and other charts from non-downscaled CMIP5 and CMIP6 projections.
Special features: Very similar to the IPCC WGI Interactive Atlas, but more climate variables are available; can output regional annual data for each model.
Conservation Biology Institute
Maps and scatterplots from downscaled CMIP5 projections, highlighting ecologically relevant variables.
Special features: Many future climate variables and ecological resilience metrics derived from climate; multi-color scatterplots.
Climate Impacts Group, U. of Washington
Ensemble-spread plots of future temperature and precipitation from non-downscaled CMIP5 and CMIP6 projections, for the Pacific Northwest (WA, OR, western ID).
Special features: One of only a few tools with CMIP6 (18 models); direct comparison of CMIP5 v. CMIP6. (Note: The CMIP6 data are not screened for “hot models”; see our Climate Model Primer for details.)
U. Cal-Berkeley and CA Energy Commission
Maps, time series, and other charts of future climate and impacts from LOCA downscaled CMIP5, focused on California; most tools also cover Nevada and parts of Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona.
Special features: Local Climate Change Snapshot, Extreme Heat, Extended Drought tools; most tools show individual projections, to better visualize model spread and variability.
Environmental Protection Agency
Maps and summary statistics for three climate scenarios for 2035 and 2060 based on non-downscaled CMIP5 projections (RCP8.5 only).
Special features: Small set of climate scenarios captures much of the range of the full GCM ensemble but is easier to work with; focuses on use by water utilities.