The Hamburg Ocean Atmosphere Parameters and Fluxes from Satellite Data (HOAPS) set is a completely satellite based climatology of precipitation, turbulent heat fluxes and freshwater budget (evaporation minus precipitation) as well as related athmospheric state variables over the global ice free oceans. All variables are derived from SSM/I passive microwave radiometers, except for the SST, which is taken from AVHRR measurements. The dataset includes multi-satellite averages, inter-sensor calibration, and an efficient sea ice detection procedure. Changes in this version are a longer time series, now containing data from 1987 to 2005, a new neural network based precipitation algorithm, and inclusion of the RSMAS/NODC Pathfinder Version 5 SST fields. Additionally a new 85 GHz synthesis procedure has been implemented, making a continuous time series for all parameters for the whole time series possible. All pentad (5-day) mean products are distributed in separate monthly files. The first day of a 5-day average period determines the monthly file wherein it is saved. Each year is subdivided in 73 pentads starting at the same day of the year. During leap years, the twelfth pentad (starting at February 25) is the average of six days. Apart from pentad (5-day) and monthly means on a global 0.5 deg. x 0.5 deg. grid, twice daily multi-satellite composite data on a global 1 x 1 deg. grid are available. For more information see http://www.hoaps.org/.