Specialised Data

Large amounts of data or specialized data especially for use in research projects have to be prepared on order. Consequently they can be expensive. An estimate of the cost can be given at our customer service desk.

Before starting on your project your investigation ask yourself the following.

• Quantity:     How much data are required? Can I handle all the data I think I need?
• Use:             How am I going to use the data?
• Cost:             Can I use standard sets of data that are easily acquired (eg  standard climatological data sheets) and minimize the amount I have to pay?

If you decide you need the specialized data or a large amount of data, then remember to provide three types of information:

Where: Give the location that you require the data for - if possible give the name of the place, the nearest town and the National Grid Reference. Although we may not have the data for your chosen location, with this information we should be able to provide you with data from a nearby site approved by The Meteorological Department.

What: Give an accurate description of the type of data you require. For example, if you simply ask for 'temperatures' it is not clear what you want. You may require hourly values or perhaps the daily maximum, minimum or mean temperatures. Alternatively you may want the monthly mean values or the extreme values for each month.

When: Give the date or period for which the data are required. Remember that data for one element for one year will produce a lot of figures - 365 daily values or 8,760 hourly values for example.