Climate Indicator Map Explorer Basics
The Climate Indicator Map Explorer in the EPA’s ArcGIS Online environment allows users to explore spatial indicator data, zoom in on geographic areas, view interactive data popups, and import layers.
- Step 1: Open the Map Explorer
- Step 2: Select Weather and Climate
- Step 3: Select Seasonal Temperature
- Step 4: Select Heat Waves
- Step 5: Use the "View All" Section to Stack Layers
- Step 6: Explore Other Features
Step 1: Open the Map Explorer
A splash screen window will appear and provide instructions as well as recent updates.
Click outside of the splash screen to dismiss.
Step 2: Select Weather and Climate
In the blue top panel, select "Weather and Climate" to view the indicators in this section.
Other topics include Oceans, Snow and Ice, Health and Society, and Ecosystems.
Step 3: Select Seasonal Temperature
This indicator examines total change in average temperatures in each season for each of the contiguous 48 states. These layers show annual anomalies, or differences, compared with the long-term average seasonal temperatures from 1901 to 2000. For example, an anomaly of +2.0°F in a winter means the average winter temperature was 2 degrees higher than the long-term average.
To view each season's data independently, select the “Map Layers” panel and click the dropdown arrow next to the layer group. Each season's layer can be toggled on and off using the eye icon.
Step 4: Select Heat Waves
This map shows heat wave frequency, duration, season length, and intensity for 50 large metropolitan areas.
To change which heat wave data is shown on the map, select the “Map Layers” panel. Click a layer to toggle it on and off using the eye icon.
Step 5: Use the "View All" Button to Stack Layers
The “View All” button contains all layers in Weather and Climate. The "View All" button is located to the right of the indicators in a section. To customize the layer view options of the map, select the “Map Layers” tab on the left.
Layers can be toggled on and off using the eye icon. Toggle off all layers except Seasonal Temperature and Heat Waves.
Drag layers in this tab to change the stacking order on the map using the six dots to the left of the indicator name. Drag heat waves to the top of the stack. Now you can see the heat wave point data layered on top of the seasonal temperature data.
Step 6: Explore Other Features
Add Data
Add data layers to the map using the “Add Data” button on the right side of the Explorer. Search for map layers from curated collections (e.g., Tribal Boundaries and Areas or Census Boundaries), Living Atlas, or other layers available to you on ArcGIS Online. Click on the first drop down menu to alternate between data libraries.
You can also use the File menu to upload a local geographic dataset using one of the following supported formats: Shapefile, CSV, KML, or GeoJSON.
Once you have selected a data layer or data layers to add to the map, click the “Done” button in the bottom right corner. The layer should now appear in the Map Layers menu where you can toggle it on or off.
Please note, this tool will only temporarily add data and once the webpage is refreshed the map will return to its original version.
Compare Indicators
Users can view multiple layers across sections by navigating to “All Indicators” in the top blue panel. Layers can be toggled on and off using the eye icon, and the stacking order can also be changed in this view.
Click the “Compare Indicators” button to show data side by side. This is especially useful if you’d like to compare two polygon (close lined shape) layers, such as temperature and precipitation. Note that many indicators have different spatial scales and lengths of record.
You can drag and drop layers by clicking the six dots to the left of the layer title and dragging it to your desired draw order.