Climatic Research Unit : Data

Mediterranean Oscillation Index (MOI)

NEW: Indices are now daily. Initial data files run from 1958 to 2010:

moi1.output.dat covers Algiers/Cairo

moi2.output.dat covers Gibraltar/Israel

Thanks to Andrew Harding for updating the index. Future updates are planned. Please contact me (i.harris@uea.ac.uk) if you wish to access the software routines that calculate the MOI indices from the NCAR Reanalysis Data.

The MOI is defined by Palutikof et al. (1996) and Conte et al. (1989) as the normalized pressure difference between Algiers (36.4°N, 3.1°E) and Cairo (30.1°N, 31.4°E) A second version of the index can be calculated from Gibraltar's Northern Frontier (36.1°N, 5.3°W) and Lod Airport in Israel (32.0°N, 34.5°E) (Palutikof et al., 2003). Here data is presented for both variants, using pressure interpolated (16 point Bessel) from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data.

Conte, M., Giuffrida, A., and Tedesco, S., 1989: The Mediterranean Oscillation. Impact on precipitation and hydrology in Italy Climate Water. Publications of the Academy of Finland, Helsinki
Palutikof, J.P., Conte, M., Casimiro Mendes, J., Goodess, C.M., Espirito Santo, F., 1996: Climate and climate change. In: Brandt, C.J., Thornes, J.B., (eds) Mediterranean desertification and land use. John Wiley and Sons, London
Palutikof, J.P., 2003: Analysis of Mediterranean climate data: measured and modelled. In: Bolle, H.J. (ed): Mediterranean climate: Variability and trends. Springer-Verlag, Berlin

New Daily File format (MOI)

for year = 1958 to 2010 for month = 1 to 12 format(F5.0, 2F3.0, F7.3) year, month, day, value

Missing values represented by -99.99

New Daily File format (MOI)
for year = 1958 to 2010 for month = 1 to 12 format(F5.0, 2F3.0, F7.3) year, month, day, value
Missing values represented by -99.99

Filename Size Description
moi1.output.dat 8 kilobytes MOI: Algiers and Cairo
moi2.output.dat 8 kilobytes MOI: Israel and Gibraltar

Filename	Size	Description
moi1.output.dat	8 kilobytes	MOI: Algiers and Cairo
moi2.output.dat	8 kilobytes	MOI: Israel and Gibraltar

The previous monthly index is still available to allow comparisons to be made:

Old Monthly File format (MOI)

for year = 1958 to 2000 for month = 1 to 12 format(i4,i3,f7.2) year, month, value

Missing values represented by -99.99

Old Monthly File format (MOI)
for year = 1958 to 2000 for month = 1 to 12 format(i4,i3,f7.2) year, month, value
Missing values represented by -99.99

Filename Size Description
moac.dat 8 kilobytes MOI: Algiers and Cairo
moig.dat 8 kilobytes MOI: Israel and Gibraltar

Filename	Size	Description
moac.dat	8 kilobytes	MOI: Algiers and Cairo
moig.dat	8 kilobytes	MOI: Israel and Gibraltar

Last updated: October 2009, Ian Harris.

These datasets are made available under the Open Database License.

Any rights in individual contents of the datasets are licensed under the
Database Contents License under the conditions of Attribution and Share-Alike.

Please use the attribution Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia