Lesson 6: AI in Climate Science and Prediction

Primary Climate Data Sources (Authoritative)

NASA Resources

NASA Earth Observatory

• URL: earthobservatory.nasa.gov
• Content: Satellite images, data visualizations, articles on climate phenomena
• Best For: Visual examples, current events, accessible explanations
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

NASA Climate Change Portal

• URL: climate.nasa.gov
• Content: Climate data, graphs, evidence, solutions
• Best For: Comprehensive climate science resources for all ages
• Interactive Features: Global temperature map, CO2 graph, ice sheet tracker
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

NASA Worldview

• URL: worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov
• Content: Interactive satellite imagery from past 20 years
• Best For: Exploring specific dates/events, downloading high-res images
• Features: Compare before/after imagery, animate time series
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

NASA GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP)

• URL: data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/
• Content: Global temperature data and analysis tools
• Best For: Downloadable temperature datasets, professional-quality graphs
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

NOAA Resources

NOAA Climate.gov

• URL: climate.gov
• Content: Climate data, news, teaching resources
• Best For: Weather vs. climate explanations, regional data
• Teaching Section: climate.gov/teaching
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

• URL: ncei.noaa.gov
• Content: Comprehensive climate database, historical records
• Best For: Detailed U.S. climate data, long-term records
• Download: CSV, Excel formats available
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

NOAA Climate at a Glance

• URL: ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/
• Content: Customizable climate data graphs
• Best For: Creating specific visualizations for regions/time periods
• Interactive: Choose location, variable, time range
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

International Climate Data

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

• URL: public.wmo.int
• Content: Global climate reports, standards
• Best For: International perspective, official statements
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

• URL: ipcc.ch
• Content: Assessment reports, summary for policymakers
• Best For: Scientific consensus, detailed reports
• Note: Technical but summary documents are accessible
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

AI and Climate Research Organizations

Climate Change AI

• URL: climatechange.ai
• Content: AI applications in climate science, research papers
• Best For: Understanding cutting-edge AI climate research
• Resources: Summer school materials, workshop recordings
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Google AI for Social Good - Climate

• URL: ai.google/social-good/environmental-impact/
• Content: Google's AI climate projects, case studies
• Best For: Industry perspective on AI applications
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Microsoft AI for Earth

• URL: microsoft.com/en-us/ai/ai-for-earth
• Content: Grants, projects, tools for environmental research
• Best For: Examples of AI implementation
• Free: Yes (some tools require application)

DeepMind Weather & Climate Research

• URL: deepmind.google/discover/blog/ (search "climate" or "weather")
• Content: Research publications on AI weather prediction
• Best For: Technical depth on how AI models work
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Interactive Data Exploration Platforms

Our World in Data

• URL: ourworldindata.org/climate-change
• Content: Interactive charts, downloadable data, explanations
• Best For: Clear visualizations, international comparisons
• Features: All charts downloadable, data sources cited
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Global Forest Watch

• URL: globalforestwatch.org
• Content: Forest monitoring maps, deforestation alerts
• Best For: Real-time forest data, AI-powered monitoring
• Interactive: Zoom to any location, measure forest loss
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Optional (enhanced features)

Earth Nullschool

• URL: earth.nullschool.net
• Content: Animated global weather map
• Best For: Visualizing wind patterns, temperature, ocean currents
• Interactive: Rotate globe, change variables, see real-time conditions
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Zoom Earth

• URL: zoom.earth
• Content: Recent satellite imagery, weather
• Best For: Current weather visualization, recent events
• Update Frequency: Updated every 10 minutes
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Arctic and Ocean Monitoring

National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)

• URL: nsidc.org
• Content: Arctic/Antarctic ice data, analysis
• Best For: Sea ice extent data, glacier monitoring
• Data: Downloadable datasets, clear graphs
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No (registration for some data)

NOAA Arctic Report Card

• URL: arctic.noaa.gov/Report-Card
• Content: Annual assessment of Arctic changes
• Best For: Comprehensive Arctic climate status
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Global Fishing Watch

• URL: globalfishingwatch.org
• Content: AI-powered fishing vessel tracking
• Best For: Marine protection, illegal fishing detection
• Interactive: Real-time vessel tracking map
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Air Quality and Pollution

IQAir - World Air Quality Index

• URL: iqair.com
• Content: Real-time air quality data globally
• Best For: Current air pollution levels, health impacts
• Features: Historical data, city rankings, health recommendations
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

PurpleAir

• URL: purpleair.com/map
• Content: Crowdsourced air quality sensors
• Best For: Hyperlocal air quality data
• Interactive: Map shows sensor readings in real-time
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Berkeley Earth

• URL: berkeleyearth.org
• Content: Independent climate data analysis
• Best For: Temperature data, air pollution analysis
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Carbon and Emissions Data

Global Carbon Project

• URL: globalcarbonproject.org
• Content: CO2 emissions data, carbon budget
• Best For: Emissions by country, trends over time
• Data: Downloadable datasets (Excel, CSV)
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

CO2.earth

• URL: co2.earth
• Content: Current CO2 levels, Keeling Curve
• Best For: Simple, clear CO2 data presentation
• Update Frequency: Daily
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Climate TRACE

• URL: climatetrace.org
• Content: AI-powered emissions tracking
• Best For: Emissions by source, facility-level data
• Interactive: Search specific locations/industries
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Educational Platforms

Khan Academy - Climate Change

• URL: khanacademy.org (search "climate change")
• Content: Video lessons, practice exercises
• Best For: Self-paced learning, foundational concepts
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Optional (for progress tracking)

NASA Climate Kids

• URL: climatekids.nasa.gov
• Content: Games, activities, explanations for younger audiences
• Best For: Accessible introductions, elementary/middle school
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN)

• URL: cleanet.org
• Content: Reviewed educational resources
• Best For: Teachers finding vetted materials
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

NOAA SciJinks

• URL: scijinks.gov
• Content: Weather and climate games, videos
• Best For: Engaging younger students
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

AI Learning Platforms

Google's Teachable Machine

• URL: teachablemachine.withgoogle.com
• Content: Build simple AI models (no coding)
• Best For: Hands-on AI experience for beginners
• Use Cases: Image/sound/pose classification
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Google account

Elements of AI

• URL: elementsofai.com
• Content: Free online AI course
• Best For: Understanding AI fundamentals
• Time: ~30 hours, self-paced
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Email

Machine Learning Crash Course (Google)

• URL: developers.google.com/machine-learning/crash-course
• Content: Introduction to ML with TensorFlow
• Best For: Students ready for coding (Python)
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Google account

Kaggle Learn

• URL: kaggle.com/learn
• Content: Micro-courses in data science, ML
• Best For: Hands-on coding exercises
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Yes (free)

Data Visualization Tools

Google Charts

• URL: developers.google.com/chart
• Content: Free charting library
• Best For: Embedding interactive charts
• Technical Level: Requires HTML/JavaScript
• Free: Yes

Datawrapper

• URL: datawrapper.de
• Content: Simple chart/map creation tool
• Best For: Quick, professional visualizations
• Free: Yes (basic) | Paid: Advanced features
• Account Required: Yes (free account)

RAWGraphs

• URL: rawgraphs.io
• Content: Open-source data visualization
• Best For: Unique chart types, no account needed
• Export: SVG, PNG formats
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Flourish

• URL: flourish.studio
• Content: Animated, interactive visualizations
• Best For: Engaging presentations
• Free: Yes (public projects) | Paid: Private projects
• Account Required: Yes

Google Data Studio

• URL: datastudio.google.com
• Content: Dashboard and report creation
• Best For: Connecting multiple data sources
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Google account

Citizen Science Platforms

GLOBE Observer

• URL: observer.globe.gov
• Platform: Mobile app (iOS/Android)
• Content: Contribute cloud, land cover, habitat observations
• Best For: Student data collection projects
• Free: Yes

iNaturalist

• URL: inaturalist.org
• Platform: Web and mobile app
• Content: Document biodiversity
• AI Feature: Automatic species identification
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Optional (enhanced for members)

CoCoRaHS

• URL: cocorahs.org
• Content: Report precipitation observations
• Best For: Daily weather data collection
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Yes (for reporting)

eBird

• URL: ebird.org
• Content: Bird observation reporting
• Best For: Tracking bird populations affected by climate
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Yes

News and Current Events

Carbon Brief

• URL: carbonbrief.org
• Content: Climate science news, explainers
• Best For: Clear explanations of complex research
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Optional (newsletter)

Inside Climate News

• URL: insideclimatenews.org
• Content: Investigative climate journalism
• Best For: In-depth reporting on climate issues
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Optional

Yale Climate Connections

• URL: yaleclimateconnections.org
• Content: Climate science communication research
• Best For: Understanding how to communicate climate science
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Video Resources

Years of Living Dangerously (Showtime)

• Platform: Various streaming services
• Content: Documentary series on climate change
• Best For: Compelling storytelling, real-world impacts
• Free: With subscription

Netflix Climate Documentaries

• "Our Planet" - Biodiversity and climate impacts
• "Chasing Ice" - Glacier retreat documentation
• "Before the Flood" - Leonardo DiCaprio investigation
• "David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet" - Witness to change

YouTube Channels

• NASA Climate Change: Official NASA channel
• Kurzgesagt: Animated science explanations
• Vox: "Explained" series on climate topics
• Veritasium: Science communication, climate physics
• MinuteEarth: Short climate science videos

Research Paper Access

Google Scholar

• URL: scholar.google.com
• Content: Academic research database
• Best For: Finding peer-reviewed papers
• Tip: Many papers have free PDF versions linked
• Free: Yes

NASA Technical Reports Server

• URL: ntrs.nasa.gov
• Content: NASA research papers, reports
• Best For: Space-based Earth observation research
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

PLOS ONE

• URL: journals.plos.org/plosone
• Content: Open-access scientific journal
• Best For: Freely available research papers
• Free: Yes | Account Required: No

Mobile Apps

NASA App

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Content: Space and Earth observation images, news
• Free: Yes

NOAA Weather Radar Live

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Content: Real-time weather radar
• Free: Yes

Earth Now (JPL)

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Content: 3D visualization of Earth's vital signs
• Free: Yes

My NASA Data

• Platform: Web-based
• Content: Student-friendly NASA data access
• Free: Yes

Datasets for Student Projects

NASA EarthData

• URL: earthdata.nasa.gov
• Format: Multiple (CSV, NetCDF, HDF)
• Registration: Free account required
• Best For: Satellite data, professional-grade datasets

NOAA Climate Data Online

• URL: ncdc.noaa.gov/cdo-web/
• Format: CSV, JSON, PDF
• Best For: U.S. weather and climate records
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Optional

World Bank Climate Data

• URL: climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org
• Format: CSV, Excel
• Best For: Country-level climate statistics
• Free: Yes

Kaggle Climate Datasets

• URL: kaggle.com/datasets (search "climate")
• Format: CSV primarily
• Best For: Clean, ready-to-use datasets for analysis
• Free: Yes | Account Required: Yes

Teacher-Specific Resources

CLEAN (Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network)

• URL: cleanet.org
• Content: Peer-reviewed teaching resources
• Best For: Lesson plans, activities, assessments

NOAA Teacher Resources

• URL: noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/teaching-resources
• Content: Data, activities, professional development

NASA STEM Engagement

• URL: stem.nasa.gov
• Content: Challenges, resources, connections to scientists

Climate Generation

• URL: climategen.org
• Content: K-12 climate education resources
• Free: Some resources; membership available

Accessibility Note

All resources listed are:

• Accessible to screen readers
• Available without cost (free tier where applicable)
• Suitable for educational use
• From reputable scientific sources

When using these resources, always:

• Cite sources in student work
• Verify data currency (check dates)
• Cross-reference important claims
• Consider using multiple sources for verification

Last Updated: October 2025

Note: URLs occasionally change. If a link is broken, search for the organization name to find updated URL.

© 2025 Evolve AI Institute LLC. May be reproduced for educational use.

Lesson 6: AI in Climate Science and Prediction