This collection of datasets contains Sea Surface Temperature climatologies (GISST, Version 2.3b - This dataset is an updated version of GISST2.2 available on the GOSTAplus CD-Rom) and anomalies (MOHSST6), Night Marine Air temperature climatologies and anomalies (MOHMATN4), Sea Ice coverage (GICE) and Blended MOHSST6-Land data (in collaboration with the Climate Research Unit (CRU). The data available is grouped into five sections: - Global Ocean Surface Temperature (GISST), a set of SST data in monthly 1° area grids, for 1871 to February 2003. This product is now replaced by the HadISST SST operational data. - Global sea-Ice content, (GICE), monthly 1° grids of ice coverage for 1871 to February 2003. This product is now replaced by the HadISST ICE operational data. - Met Office Historical Night Marine Air Temperature Anomalies, (MOHMATN4), monthly 5° grids of marine air temperature anomalies for 1856 to August 2006. - Met Office Historical Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies, (MOHSST6), monthly 5° grids of sea surface temperature anomalies for 1856 to August 2006. Please note that this data has now been superceded by HadSST2 data. - Met Office Blended MOHSST6-Land Surface data from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. This data was provided by the Met Office.

GICE (Global sea-Ice) is a gridded dataset of sea-ice coverage fractions covering the period 1856-February 2003. The current version of the dataset is GICE23b. GISST/GICE was originally developed as an extention to MOHSST that provided a globally complete SST analysis and sea-ice data. This is required to drive atmospheric general circulation models. GISST/GICE has now been superceeded by HadISST. We now recommend use of HadISST instead of GISST/GICE for all purposes. GICE is only still available in case it is needed for direct comparison with earlier work where GICE was used. GICE is no longer updated or developed. The sea-ice component of GISST (GICE) contains known inhomogeneities, especially in the antarctic. GISST should not be used for studies of sea-ice variability. GISST sea-ice fractions are based on a mixture of charts, satellite observations and statistical interpolations. The current version of the dataset is GICE 2.3B which was provided by the Met Office.

GISST, (Global sea-Ice and Sea Surface Temperature) is a gridded dataset of sea-surface temperature anomalies and sea-ice coverage fractions covering the period 1871-2003. GISST was originally developed as an extention to MOHSST that provided a globally complete SST analysis and sea-ice data. This is required to drive atmospheric general circulation models. GISST has now been superceeded by HadISST. We now recommend use of HadISST instead of GISST for all purposes. GISST is only still available in case it is needed for direct comparison with earlier work where GISST was used. GISST is no longer updated or developed. GISST SSTs are based on the in-situ data set MOHSST, infilled using Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) interpolation. The current version of the dataset is GISST 2.3B which was provided by the Met Office Hadley Centre.