News and Updates

Visit this article to see a running log of new features and datasets that we've added to the Climate Engine App and API.

This will not be a complete changelog of all code changes, but will focus on higher-level functionality that becomes available to users. In some cases, we will highlight significant technical changes that could affect users.

October 3, 2024¶

• Published two "Climate Engine Backpack" tutorial videos on the Climate Engine app
  • Extracting satellite data for areas of interest using the Climate Engine app
  • Producing near real-time drought maps using the Climate Engine app
• Added a new base map layer called 'Blank White Map' selectable under Map options. This base map is ideal to be used with other Layers such as US States to create a clean presentation-ready map.
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August 8, 2024¶

• Published tutorial video and instructional article on the BLM Site Characterization reports provided at reports.climateengine.org/sitecharacterization.
  • Watch tutorial video here!
  • View instructional article here!
• Added VIIRS 16-day vegetation indices and VIIRS Land Surface Temperature to the app and API
  • VIIRS 16-Day Vegetation Indices
  • VIIRS Daily Land Surface Temperature
• Added documentation links to all Earth Engine dataset assets used in the app and API.

May 14, 2024¶

• Feature Summaries for the Bureau of Land Management grazing allotments, field offices, district offices, and state offices.
  • Learn more here.
  • See a demo here: https://twitter.com/ClimateEngOrg/status/1788977101116195136
• Updated Sentinel-2 cloud masking from QA60 band to Cloud Score+
  • More information here.
• Dataset and variable additions and updates:
  • Vegetation Drought Response Index (VegDRI) to the app and API
  • Added Thornthwaite Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) variable calculation for monthly PRISM, TerraClimate, nClimGrid, and Anusplin
• Multi-variable calculations now available for the API
  • You can now return multiple variables for a given dataset from the same API request for many timeseries endpoints, eliminating the need to loop over variables.

March 22, 2024¶

• New 'group by' zonal statistics endpoints added to the API
  • See Zonal Stats Documentation here
  • See the API tutorials page for four examples of the 'group by' endpoints for assessing drought and heat stress impacts.
• Dataset additions and updates:
  • US Forest Service Tree Canopy Cover v2021-4 added to the app and API
  • ABoVE BiomeShift Alaska-Yukon Vegetation Cover added to the app and API
  • RCMAP Rangeland Components updated from version 5 to version 6 in app and API
• 'Site Characterization' reports added to the Bureau of Land Management Climate & Remote Sensing Data Reports, a data portal produced by Climate Engine.
  • See the reports here

January 23, 2024¶

• Published tutorial video and instructional article teaching core concepts of drought mapping and demonstrating the BLM Drought Reports at reports.climateengine.org/drought.
  • Watch tutorial video here!
  • View instructional article here!

December 18, 2023¶

• Added US Forest Service Grazing Allotment Polygons to Climate Engine App 'Layers' dropdown and 'Make Graph' tab 'Region' dropdown.

December 7, 2023¶

• Launched new drought and satellite-based vegetation reporting website for the Bureau of Land Management.
  • The website is available at reports.climateengine.org

November 28, 2023¶

• Added ERA5 HEAT to Climate Engine app and API.
• Updated CEMS Fire to version 4.1 in app and API, including new variables.
• Added legends to two-variable summary timeseries figures.

October 9, 2023¶

• Added 29 internal Earth Engine assets on Climate Engine to the Awesome Earth Engine Community Catalog.
  • See full list by following this link: https://gee-community-catalog.org/projects/global_esi/?q=%27climate+engine+org%27
  • How ClimateEngine.org and Awesome GEE Community Catalog are Expanding Open Geospatial Commons:

July 27, 2023¶

• Added Normalized Difference Chlorophyll Index (NDCI) as a variable for Sentinel-2 SR for monitoring freshwater algae blooms.

July 20, 2023¶

• Added CONUS404 hydroclimate reanalysis dataset from NCAR and USGS to the App
• Added the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), Soil-adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) and Modified Soil-adjusted Vegetation Index to the App and API for Landsat 5/7/8/9 and Sentinel-2.
  • See demonstration video for creating NBR and dNBR maps and time-series for assessing fire severity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEdOiGSfyg0
• Added user control over y-axis values in time-series charts in the App.
  • See example screenshot below:
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June 27, 2023¶

• Added RCMAP Rangeland Components (1985-2021) dataset from USGS to the App and API
• Added Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) 16-day Production dataset from USDA-Agricultural Research Service to the App and API
• Added global USGS SSEBOP VIIRS Evapotranspiration (ETa) dataset to the App and API
• Added Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) Fire Perimeters as preloaded polygons in App that can be analyzed as a Region or used as a data overlay "Layer".
  • See short demonstration here: https://twitter.com/ClimateEngOrg/status/1669063764576968730
• Developed new authentication system to better facilitate App and API access and comply with Google Cloud and Google Earth Engine user policies.
• Removed "Environment" Type option in App and moved those datasets to the "Remote Sensing" Type option.
• Released "Using the Rangeland Analysis Platform in Climate Engine" demonstration video on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l3N3UIK8j8&t=1s