TGCAT —A Tool to Analyse the Content of Sea Level Data Portals

ABSTRACT The volume of tide gauge data available to the sea level community has grown substantially, with information distributed across numerous global, national, and institutional data centres. As a result, the main challenge is no longer accessing data, but identifying the most relevant dataset for a given application. Currently, more than 15 global data centres provide sea level information, each tailored to different users and use cases (e.g., real‐time monitoring, delayed‐mode analysis, monthly means). For users unfamiliar with tide gauge data, selecting the appropriate source can be difficult. Tide Gauge CATalog (TGCAT) is a software tool developed to address this challenge. It helps users discover where specific tide gauge data are available and assists data providers and centres in identifying inconsistencies, such as misreferenced stations or discrepancies in metadata. TGCAT collects metadata from global and national sea level data centres to produce intercomparable catalogues. It also allows visualisation of data availability timelines across multiple sources. Written entirely in Python and linked to an online dashboard ( www.sonel.org/tgcat ), TGCAT is designed as an open, community‐based platform. Its goal is to improve data discoverability, support better referencing practices, and help users navigate the complex landscape of tide gauge data portals.