diff --git a/etl/steps/data/meadow/climate/2023-12-20/surface_temperature.py b/etl/steps/data/meadow/climate/2023-12-20/surface_temperature.py
index 92aa10be5435..114af4b56b6e 100644
--- a/etl/steps/data/meadow/climate/2023-12-20/surface_temperature.py
+++ b/etl/steps/data/meadow/climate/2023-12-20/surface_temperature.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """Load a snapshot and create a meadow dataset."""
 
-import io
+import tempfile
 import zipfile
 
 import geopandas as gpd
@@ -25,16 +25,19 @@
 
 def _load_data_array(snap: Snapshot) -> xr.DataArray:
     log.info("load_data_array.start")
-    # Load data from snapshot.
     with zipfile.ZipFile(snap.path, "r") as zip_file:
-        # Iterate through all files in the zip archive
         for file_info in zip_file.infolist():
-            with zip_file.open(file_info) as file:
-                file_content = file.read()
-    # Create an in-memory bytes file and load the dataset
-    with io.BytesIO(file_content) as memfile:
-        da = xr.open_dataset(memfile).load()  # .load() ensures data is eagerly loaded
+            if file_info.filename.endswith((".grb", ".grib")):  # Filter GRIB files
+                with zip_file.open(file_info) as file:
+                    file_content = file.read()
 
+                # Write to a temporary file
+                with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=True, suffix=".grib") as tmp_file:
+                    tmp_file.write(file_content)
+                    tmp_file.flush()  # Ensure all data is written
+
+                    # Load the GRIB file using xarray and cfgrib
+                    da = xr.open_dataset(tmp_file.name, engine="cfgrib").load()
     # Convert temperature from Kelvin to Celsius.
     da = da["t2m"] - 273.15
 
@@ -137,8 +140,7 @@ def run(dest_dir: str) -> None:
         f"It wasn't possible to extract temperature data for {len(small_countries)} small countries as they are too small for the resolution of the Copernicus data."
     )
     # Define the start and end dates
-    da["valid_time"] = pd.to_datetime(da["valid_time"].astype(str), format="ISO8601")
-    print(da["valid_time"])
+    da["valid_time"] = xr.DataArray(pd.to_datetime(da["valid_time"].values), dims=da["valid_time"].dims)
 
     # Now you can access the 'dt' accessor
     start_time = da["valid_time"].min().dt.date.astype(str).item()
diff --git a/snapshots/climate/2024-12-05/surface_temperature.py b/snapshots/climate/2024-12-05/surface_temperature.py
index bd1f036f9d5e..2b439d6bd479 100644
--- a/snapshots/climate/2024-12-05/surface_temperature.py
+++ b/snapshots/climate/2024-12-05/surface_temperature.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 def main(upload: bool) -> None:
     # Create a new snapshot.
     snap = Snapshot(f"climate/{SNAPSHOT_VERSION}/surface_temperature.zip")
-    snap
+
     # Save data as a compressed temporary file.
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
         output_file = Path(temp_dir) / "era5_monthly_t2m_eur.nc"
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def main(upload: bool) -> None:
             "month": ["01", "02", "03", "04", "05", "06", "07", "08", "09", "10", "11", "12"],
             "time": "00:00",
             "area": [90, -180, -90, 180],
-            "data_format": "netcdf",
+            "data_format": "grib",
             "download_format": "zip",
         }
 
diff --git a/snapshots/climate/2024-12-05/surface_temperature.zip.dvc b/snapshots/climate/2024-12-05/surface_temperature.zip.dvc
index 4e136913e454..2f22db8e0bae 100644
--- a/snapshots/climate/2024-12-05/surface_temperature.zip.dvc
+++ b/snapshots/climate/2024-12-05/surface_temperature.zip.dvc
@@ -21,6 +21,6 @@ meta:
       name: Copernicus License
       url: https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/datasets/reanalysis-era5-single-levels-monthly-means?tab=overview
 outs:
-  - md5: 63aa98ba0272c654be00eaa4779c253d
-    size: 1396486999
+  - md5: 8fffb8e0ed6edc22b681587769a54b4e
+    size: 1709315816
     path: surface_temperature.zip