The Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) Monthly Analysis (New Version 2.3) and a Review of 2017 Global Precipitation

The new Version 2.3 of the GPCP Monthly analysis is described in terms of changes made to improve the homogeneity of the product, especially after 2002. These changes include corrections to cross calibration of satellite data inputs and updates to the gauge analysis. Over ocean, changes starting in 2003 result in an overall precipitation increase of 1.8% after 2009. Updating the gauge analysis to its final, high quality version increases the global land total by 1.8% for the post-2002 period. These changes correct a small, incorrect dip in the estimated global precipitation over the last decade in the earlier Version 2.2. The GPCP analysis is also used to describe global precipitation for 2017. The general La Nina pattern for 2017 is noted and the evolution from the early 2016 El Nino pattern is described. The 2017 global value is one of the highest for the 19792017 period, exceeded only by 2016 and 1998 (both El Nino years) and reinforces the small positive trend. Results for 2017 also reinforce significant trends in precipitation intensity (on a monthly scale) in the tropics. These results for 2017 indicate the value of the GPCP analysis for climate monitoring in addition to research.