Quality Analysis and Classification of Data Series from the Swiss Phenology Network

The PhenoClass project, financed by MeteoSwiss in the framework of GCOS Switzerland, comprised a quality control, break detection and development of a novel classification scheme for the phenological series of the Swiss Phenology Network (SPN). The overall aim of the project was the identification of the most valuable series and stations of the SPN. Therefore, the entire dataset of the SPN was subjected to quality control procedures, including a break detection. A novel classification scheme enabled the subsequent identification of highly valuable series and stations, using results from the quality control and the break detection. The data used in the project encompass series from 167 different stations in Switzerland, 70 of which started in 1951 with the initiation of the SPN. A set of additional parameters started being observed in 1996; currently 69 different parameters are being observed. The dataset analysed comprises (until 2015) 9ˈ455 series with a total of 205ˈ808 single observations.