Data are stored in ASCII

Temperatures are stored as degrees C
Land squares and missing data are set to -99.99 or, in the case of numbers of observations, 0

The month and year are stored at the start of each month.

Data Array (72x36)
Item ( 1,  1) stores the value for the 5-deg-area centred at 177.5W and 87.5N
Item (72, 36) stores the value for the 5-deg-area centred at 177.5E and 87.5S

          ----- ----- 
         |     |     |
         | MON | YR  |
         |_____|_____|__________________________________
     90N |(1,1)                                         |
         |                                              |
         |                                              |
         |                                              |
         |                                              |
         |(1,18)                                        |
     Equ |                                              |
         |(1,19)                                        |
         |                                              |
         |                                              |
         |                                              |
         |                                              |
     90S |(1,36)_________________________________(72,36)|
          180W                 0                    180E



Monthly version of HadSST3 based on the ICOADS 2.5

Data generated from in situ observations held in the International 
Comprehensive Ocean Atmosphere Data Set, ICOADS (see http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/coads/).

References: 
Kennedy J.J., Rayner, N.A., Smith, R.O., Saunby, M. and Parker, D.E. (2011). 
Reassessing biases and other uncertainties in sea-surface temperature observations 
since 1850 part 1: measurement and sampling errors. in press JGR Atmospheres

Kennedy J.J., Rayner, N.A., Smith, R.O., Saunby, M. and Parker, D.E. (2011). 
Reassessing biases and other uncertainties in sea-surface temperature observations 
since 1850 part 2: biases and homogenisation. in press JGR Atmospheres

Data restrictions: for academic research use only. Data are Crown copyright see 
(http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advice/crown-copyright/copyright-guidance/index.htm)

Updates and supplementary information will be available from http://www.hadobs.org