ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/er-ghcn-sst directory contains the global gridded dataset that 
has been compiled from GHCN (gridded using the "anomaly" method), and Sea Surface
Temperatures, and merged using reconstruction techniques similar to those of the Extended
Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature dataset. The grid is 5 X 5 degrees, a 72 X 36 array,
with upper left point at 177.5W, 87.5N through lower right at 177.5E, 87.5S. Each file has
monthly temperature anomaly data from January 1880 to current. 
The ascii file is temp5d3.v2.merg.1880.last.dat.gz in which each month has format:
	Line 1; Month, Year, data content statement (2i5,a52)
	Lines 2 to 37; Latitude band temperature anomalies (72f7.1)
The binary file is tano3.merg.1880.last.dat.gz which is unformatted but each month has:
	Line 1; Month, Year, data content statement (2i5,a52)
	Line 2; 2592 data points