The GSPDC collects IR data from the geostationary satellite operators (JMA,EUMETSAT, IMD, NOAA) and from the NOAA polar orbiting satellites for the Global Precipitation Climatology Project/WCRP/WMO. The data from the various satellites are then merged into global gridded form, are quality-controlled, and estimates of precipitation from the GOES Precipitation Index (GPI) are produced. These data are then forwarded to the GPCP Merged Data Center and the GPI estimates are made available publically on the CPC ftp server.

Pentad accumulations of IR brightness temperature histograms (16 class; every 3-hr: 00Z, 03Z, ..., 21Z) are an intermediate GPCP product for the period 1986 through March 1998. After that time, the GPCP began collecting 24-class histograms for individual 3-hour periods, i.e., the data are no longer collected as pentad accumulations after March 1998. These data are available upon request by e-mailing john.janowiak@noaa.gov.

Samples of diagnostic fields that are produced at the GSPDC include the monthly mean percent of area raining at each grid location (Figure 1) . These data and details about the data are available at the CPC ftp server. Also included are the monthly mean precent of time raining (Figure 2). These data and details about the data are available at the CPC ftp server.