This dataset contains the Lakes Essential Climate Variable, which is comprised of processed satellite observations at the global scale, over the period 1992-2020, for over 2000 inland water bodies. This dataset was produced by the European Space Agency (ESA) Lakes Climate Change Initiative (Lakes_cci) project. For more information about the Lakes_cci please visit the project website.

This is version 2.0 of the dataset. The five thematic climate variables included in this dataset are:

• Lake Water Level (LWL), derived from satellite altimetry, is fundamental to understand the balance between water inputs and water loss and their connection with regional and global climate change.

• Lake Water Extent (LWE), modelled from the relation between LWL and high-resolution spatial extent observed at set time-points, describes the areal extent of the water body. This allows the observation of drought in arid environments, expansion in high Asia, or impact of large-scale atmospheric oscillations on lakes in tropical regions for example. .

• Lake Surface Water temperature (LSWT), derived from optical and thermal satellite observations, is correlated with regional air temperatures and is informative about vertical mixing regimes, driving biogeochemical cycling and seasonality.

• Lake Ice Cover (LIC), determined from optical observations, describes the freeze-up in autumn and break-up of ice in spring, which are proxies for gradually changing climate patterns and seasonality.

• Lake Water-Leaving Reflectance (LWLR), derived from optical satellite observations, is a direct indicator of biogeochemical processes and habitats in the visible part of the water column (e.g. seasonal phytoplankton biomass fluctuations), and an indicator of the frequency of extreme events (peak terrestrial run-off, changing mixing conditions).

Data generated in the Lakes_cci are derived from multiple satellite sensors including: TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason, ENVISAT, SARAL, Sentinel 2-3, Landsat OLI, ERS, MODIS Terra/Aqua and Metop.

Detailed information about the generation and validation of this dataset is available from the Lakes_cci documentation available on the project website.