Definition

Indices are diagnostic tools used to describe the state of a climate system. Climate indices are most often represented with a time series; each point in time corresponds to one index value.

An index can be constructed to describe almost any atmospheric event, from summer monsoon rainfall in India, to pressure differences at two locations in the Pacific Ocean, to spatially-averaged sea surface temperatures. Each of these indices are created with a specific purpose: to monitor climate.

Source

Columbia University

NESDIS Data Management Lexicon and Related Terms

Category

4. Data Stewardship words