| | | | | | | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE | NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION | NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE | NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL CENTER | | | | | | | | | OFFICE NOTE 29 | (Updated version of September 1969 edition) | | | | | | | | | NMC FORMAT FOR OBSERVATIONAL DATA | | | | | | | | | Automated Division Staff | | | | | | | | SEPTEMBER 1973 | | (Rev 2) | | | | | ********************************************************************************| | The NCAR Data Support Section transcribed this from the NMC publication and | some correspondence. The transcriber proofread it one week later, but no | one else has proofread it. Please report errors to Gregg Walters, Data | Support Section, SCD, NCAR. E-mail baseball@ncar.ucar.edu | | | | RECORD FORMAT FOR THE NCAR ARCHIVE OF NMC UPPER AIR ADP DATA | | Paul Mulder | August 1977 | | rev. Gregg Walters | February 1992 | | This writeup describes the format of NCAR's archive of NMC ob- | servational data for the period 1973 to the present. All time periods | 00, 03, 06, 09, 12, 18, 21Z, as available, are on the mass store. | | There is one file per volume with the end of data signified by a | double end of file. Tapes are ASCII. Records are ordered on the | volume as follows with a maximum of 6440 characters per record. | | HEADER RECORD | | 1 thru N DATA RECORDS | | TRAILER RECORD (not always here) | | HEADER RECORD | | 1 thru N DATA RECORDS | | TRAILER RECORD (not always here) | . | . | . | | REPEATED TO END OF DATA | . | | EOF, EOF | | | Header records have the following form (first 30 characters): | | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 | ------------------------------ | 1 H H H H Y Y M M D D | | 2 DATA SET NAME SET TYPE | | 3 W A S H I N G T O N | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | HHHH - GREENWICH HOUR (e.g. 1800) | YY - YEAR OF CENTURY (e.g. 73) | MM - MONTH (e.g. 01) | DD - DAY (e.g. 01) | | DATA SET NAME | ADPUPA - UPPER AIR ADP DATA (RAOBS AND PIBALS) | AIRCFT - AIRCRAFT DATA | AIRCAR - AIRCRAFT DATA | SIRSOB - SIRS SOUNDINGS | SATWND - SATELLITE WINDS | UPABOG - UPPER AIR BOGUS | ADPSFC - LAND SURFACE ADP | SFCSHP - SHIP SURFACE ADP | SFCBOG - SURFACE BOGUS | | SET TYPE (SOURCE) | B1 - BINARY DIRECT ACCESS | B2 - BINARY SEQUENTIAL ACCESS | C1 - CODED DIRECT ACCESS | C2 - CODED SEQUENTIAL ACCESS | | WASHINGTON - the 10 characters "WASHINGTON" will always appear | in position 21 through 30. | | | The remainder of the header record is filled with either blanks | or 9s. No further meaningful information is contained. | | Data records have the form described in NMC OFFICE NOTE 29. A | copy of this office note is attached. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Revision No. 2 to NMC Office Note No. 29. | | | The date of this revision is September 14, 1973 ( 9/14/73) | | | This revision incorporates corrections and expansions of various | tables specifying quality marks for certain meteorological parameters | which were previously unspecified. Two additional categories (07 and | 08) have been added. Changes specified by Revision 1, October 10, | 1969, have been incorporated in this revised edition. All previous | editions will be obsolete. | | | Revised information covered by this revision will be implemented for | all observational data processed on the IBM 360/195 computer system | scheduled to become operational for NMC use in November 1973. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9/14/73 i Rev 2 | | | Information contained in NMC observational data (ADP reports) | consists of combinations of characters from the FORTRAN character set | given in APPENDIX A. | | A report is composed of two main parts: (1) the report identi- | fication of fixed length (50 characters), and (2) the observational | data of variable length. Each report is considered to be a logical | record and contains 70 or more characters. The total number of | characters in a report is evenly divisible by 10. Certain portions | of the report are also evenly divisible by 10, and the character "X" | is used to fill in these instances. | | The information contained in the report identification is given | in APPENDIX B. The last parameter in this group contains the total | number of ten-character words in the report providing linkage from | one report to the next when a group of reports is blocked into a | physical record. The report identification is followed by the | observational data which is formatted according to the categories | described in APPENDIX C. Each category of available data is preceded | by a ten-character category/counter group which is described in APPEN- | DIX B. Where no data of a given category exist, the category/counter | group in a report contains the ten characters "END REPORT". The total | number of characters found in the category/counter group and the for- | matted data for that category is evenly divisible by 10, the character | "X" being used for fill if necessary. | | | A sample RAWINSONDE report, in the prescribed format, is given in | APPENDIX D. | | A negative value of a parameter is indicated by a minus(-) sign | located in the leftmost position. A positive value is unsigned. All | numbers are right-justified with zero (0) fill. | | In order to attain flexibility for adding new report types and/or | new categories of data, programs should be written so that these addi- | tions will not necessitate reprogramming. Of course, to utilize the | additional data, programming would be needed. This can simply be | done by providing a check to ascertain if the report type and/or | category can be handled. If not, the report or category should be | bypassed, pending a change to utilize the additional data. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9/14/73 1 Rev 2 | | | LIST OF APPENDICES | | | APPENDIX A | | FORTRAN Character Set ...................................... 3 | | APPENDIX B | | Report Identification ...................................... 4 | | Category/Counter Group ................................. 5 | | Table R.1 (Report Type) .................................... 8 | | Table R.2 (Instrument Type) ................................ 9 | | APPENDIX C | | Formats for the Categories of Data | | Category 01 - Mandatory Constant Pressure .............. 10 | | Category 02 - Temperature/Dewpoint Depression | at Variable Pressure ................. 11 | | Category 03 - Wind at Variable Pressure ................ 11 | | Category 04 - Wind at Variable Height .................. 12 | | Category 05 - Tropopause ............................... 12 | | Category 06 - Aircraft ................................. 13 | | Category 07 - Cloud Cover .............................. 14 | | Category 08 - Additional Data Group .................... 14 | | Category 51 - Surface .................................. 15 | | Category 52 - Surface .................................. 17 | | Definitions of Symbols Used in Table 101 ................... 18 | | Tables for Upper-air Data .................................. 22 | | WMO Code Tables for Surface Data ...(also see next page) ... 28 | | APPENDIX D | | Sample Report .............................................. 47 | | | | | | | | 9/14/73 2 Rev 2 | | | APPENDIX A | | | FORTRAN CHARACTER SET | | | The following FORTRAN characters may be used: | | A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, | Y, Z, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and: | | | Character Name of Character | --------- ----------------- | | Blank (space) | - Minus | * Asterisk | / Slash | $ Currency Symbol | | | ********************************************************************************| | NCAR Data Support developed the following additional index to the WMO | Code Tables. Feb 21, 1992 | | Code Table 1 Cloud Cover .............................. 28 | Code Table 2 .............................. | Code Table 3 Horizontal Visibility .................... 29 | Code Table 4 Present Weather .......................... 30 | Code Table 5 Past Weather ............................. 32 | Code Table 6 .............................. | Code Table 7 .............................. | Code Table 8 Low Cloud Type ........................... 32 | Code Table 9 Height of Cloud Base ..................... 34 | Code Table 10 Middle Cloud Type ........................ 34 | Code Table 11 High Cloud Type .......................... 35a | Code Table 12 Character of Pressure Tendency ........... 37 | Code Table 13 .............................. | Code Table 14 Amount of Pressure Change ................ 38 | Code Table 15 .............................. | Code Table 16 Time Precipitation Began or Ended ........ 39 | Code Table 17 .............................. | Code Table 18 .............................. | Code Table 19 .............................. | Code Table 20 .............................. | Code Table 21 Special Phenomena ........................ 40 | Code Table 22 Special Phenomena, Detailed .............. 41 | Code Table 23 Direction of Swell Waves ................. 44 | Code Table 24 Period of Swell Waves .................... 45 | | WMO Code Table 0700 Ship's Course .......................... 46 | WMO Code Table 4451 Ship's Speed ........................... 46 | | | | | 9/14/73 3 Rev 2 | | | APPENDIX B | | | REPORT IDENTIFICATION (50 CHARACTERS) | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Character| | | | Number(s)| Parameter | Unit | Remarks | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | | 1 - 5 | Latitude * | Hundredths of degree | Negative if in | | | | So. Hemisphere | | | | | 6 - 10 | West longitude * | Hundredths of degree | Values 00000 to | | | | 35999 | | | | | 11 - 16 | Station | Alphanumeric | Left justified, | | identification %| | blank fill | | | | | 17 - 20 | Observation time *| Hundredths of hour |# Values 0000 | | | | to 2399 | | | | | 21 - 24 |$Reserved | $ ----- | $ ----- | | | | | 25 | 25th Character | See description below | see next page | | | | | 26 | 26th Character | See description below | see next page | | | | | 27 | 27th Character | See description below | see next page | | | | | 28 - 30 | Report type | Character from | Always an integer | | | Table R.1 | | | | | | 31 - 35 | Station | Meter | Negative if below | | elevation * | | sea level | | | | | 36 - 37 | Instrument type * | Character from | Always an integer | | | Table R.2 | | | | | | 38 - 40 | Total length | Number of | ----- | | of report | ten-character words | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | * Whenever value is "missing" or not applicable, all characters for the | parameter will contain "9". | | # From NMC ON124 | | $ NMC ON124 shows "Receipt time" with same units and remarks as observation | time | | % P. Mulder recorded a phone conversation with Jim McDonnell on Mar 24, 1978 | which indicated that beginning July 1, 1977, all block numbers in Canada | which used to be 74 or 72 became 71. The station numbers remain as | they were. | | 9/14/73 4 Rev 2 | | | A note dated May 6, 1981 from Jim McDonnell, NMC, indicated that | effective Jan 1, 1982, the following format changes would be made in | the surface data (this is reflected in our Apr 1982 version of NMC ON124). | | The ship, buoy, and surface land reports will be longer, to handle | the addition of Category 08 data in Section 3 that are not put in | Category 51 and 52 formats. Category 09 (plain language data) will be | created to handle the parameters of Section 5. | | Characters 25, 26, and 27 will be reserved for iw, ir, and ix | respectively (see ON124). Users of 24-hour pressure tendency are warned | that the actual value of the pressure change will be retained in tenths | of millibars except that 500 will be added to the amount of the 24-hour | change to indicate decreases. Rt, the time precipitation began will be | replaced by the tR, the reporting period of precipitation. | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | A note dated Feb 1, 1988 from Dennis A. Keyser, NMC, indicated that | the 27th character would be used to tag operational satellite cloud- | drift wind reports from the GOES satellites, beginning 12Z, 27 Jan in | the SATWND files (all dump times). | | | 1 - GOES E (STN ID (1) - A) or GOES W (STN ID (1) - B) report | produced on VIRS | | 2 - GOES E (STN ID (1) - A) or GOES W (STN ID (1) - B) report | produced on VDUC | | C - European satellite (STN ID (1) - Z) | | D - Japanese satellite (STN ID (1) - Y) | | E - Indian satellite (STN ID (1) - V) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4a | | | REPORT IDENTIFICATION (Continued) | | | CATEGORY/COUNTER GROUP (10 Characters) | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Character| | Number(s)| Parameter | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | 41 - 42 | Category code figure from APPENDIX C. | | | 43 - 45 | (Number of ten-character words in the report which pre- | | cedes the next category/counter group) plus one. * | | | 46 - 47 | Number of times data format for current category is | | repeated (i.e., the number of entries) | | | 48 - 50 | Total number of characters in current category (fill | | characters not counted) | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | * More simply stated : The relative position in report of the next | category/counter group. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9/14/73 5 Rev 2 | | | Report Identification | --------------------- | | | 25th Character: Assigned to indicate special processing procedures. | -------------- | | | Character Meaning | --------- -------------------------------------------------- | 0 Report has been adjusted to map time by an NMC | updating procedure. Heights are referenced to | some forecast level. | | 1 Report has been adjusted to map time by an NMC | updating procedure. Heights are referenced to | 1000 mb level at sea level. | | | | 8 Reported heights are referenced to 1000 mb level | at sea level. | | 9 * Reported heights are referenced to some forecast | level. | | --------------------------------------------------------------- | * Except for report type 061 (SIRS), this value means | "missing" or not applicable. | | | | 26th Character: Assigned to indicate the information specifying | -------------- that the standard isobaric surfaces were | located by use of pressure equipment (44), or | that pressure equipment was not available and | that wind data were reported at altitudes | approximating the standard isobaric surfaces (55). | | | (44) | (55) Equipment | ----------- ------------------------------------------- | 0 Pressure instrument associated with wind- | | measuring equipment. | 1 | 5 Optical theodolite. | 0 | 2 Radio theodolite. | 3 | 7 Radar. | 4 Pressure instrument associated with wind- | measuring equipment but pressure element | failed during ascent. | 6 Not assigned. | 8 Not assigned. | 9 Not specified. | ----------- ------------------------------------------- | | | | | 9/14/73 6 Rev 2 | | | 27th Character: Assigned to indicate special processing procedures. | -------------- | | | Character Meaning | --------- -------------------------------------------------- | | 0 All parameters in the report have been processed | automatically (no manual intervention). | | 1 All parameters in the report have been obtained | by manual intervention (no automatic processing). | | 2 All parameters in the report have been obtained | by manual intervention and all parameters agree | with automatically processed values. | | 3 All parameters in the report have been obtained by | manual intervention and all parameters disagree | with automatically processed values. | | 4 All parameters in the report have been obtained by | manual intervention and one or more parameters | disagree with automatically processed values. | | 5 One or more, but not all, parameters in the report | have been obtained by manual intervention and all | of these parameters agree with automatically pro- | cessed values. | | 6 One or more, but not all, parameters in the report | have been obtained by manual intervention and all | of these parameters disagree with automatically | processed values. | | 7 Two or more, but not all, parameters in the report | have been obtained by manual intervention and one | or more parameters agree and one or more parameters | disagree with the automatically processed values. | | 8 Not assigned. | | 9 Not specified. | --------- -------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9/14/73 7 Rev 2 | | | TABLE R.1 REPORT TYPE (3 CHARACTERS) | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Code | | | Figure | Type | Remarks | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | | Upper-air | | | --------- | | | | | | Land station | | 011 | By block and station number | | 012 | By call letters | | 013 | By latitude-longitude | | | | | | Ocean station | | 021 | Fixed ship (OSV) | | 022 | Moving ship with name | | 023 | Moving ship without name | | | | | 031 | Reconnaissance aircraft | see next page | | | | 041 | Aircraft report | | 042 | | see next page | | | | | Monitoring Bogus (manual) | | 051 | By latitude and longitude | | | | | | Satellite | | 061 | SIRS (soundings) | | 062 | CLOUD (wind estimates) | | 063 | ATS (wind estimates) | | | | | | Surface | | | ------- | | | Land station | | 511 | By block and station number | | 512 | By call letters | | 513 | By latitude-longitude | | | | | | Ocean station | | 521 | Fixed ship (OSV) | | 522 | Moving ship with name | | 523 | Moving ship without name | | | | | | # Marine reporting station (MARS)| | 531 | Fixed (Stationary) | | 532 | Moving | | | | | | Monitoring Bogus (manual) | | 551 | By latitude and longitude | | | | | | # Buoy | | 561 | Moored | | 562 | Drifting | see next page | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | # From NMC ON124 | | 9/14/73 8 Rev 2 | | During the FGGE special observing periods (5 Jan - 5 Mar and 1 May - | 30 Jun, 1979) additional data were received and saved by NMC. According to | a note from Jim McDonnell dated Nov 17, 1978, these were as follows: | | 1) Drifting buoy reports, report type 562; the rightmost character of the | 6-character station identification designates a country as follows: | A - Canada E - France | B - Canada F - United States | C - Australia G - New Zealand | D - Norway H - United Kingdom | I - other | the reports were asynoptic and combined with ship reports as follows: | 2100-0259 00Z files | 0300-0859 06Z files | 0900-1459 12Z files | 1500-2059 18Z files | | 2) Dropsondes, report type 031; the leftmost character of the 6-character | station identification set to "M". The same tests will be applied as | for other type 031 reports: | 1800-0559 00Z files | 0300-0859 06Z files | 0900-1759 12Z files | 1500-2059 18Z files | | Reports will have category 01 data (but missing heights) and category | 2 data to handle pressure and temperature. | | 3) Constant level balloon reports, report type 042; four characters of the | character station identification to contain the transmitted 4-digit | balloon number. The same tests will be applied as for other | type 031 reports: | 1800-0559 00Z files | 0300-0859 06Z files | 0900-1759 12Z files | 1500-2059 18Z files | | Reports will be formatted identically as for type 063 reports, i.e., | with category 06 and 08 data. | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | During the STORMFEST observing period (early 1992) additional data | were received and saved by NMC. According to a phone conversation with | Jim McDonell on Apr 3, 1992, all special raobs related to this project | are saved in the ADPUPA as report type 013. | | He also told us that the great majority of aircraft reconnaissance data | is not saved in the AIRCFT dataset. It is saved in the ADPUPA dataset, with | a report type of 031. Categories 1 (used for dropsondes), 3, 4, and 6 may | appear in these reports. Station IDs look like 5 digit WMO numbers with "A" | appended. These are not WMO numbers, they refer back to flight numbers. | | McDonell also said that type 021 (upper air from fixed ships) was dis- | continued in late 1990 or early 1991. The data from these stations now | comes in with a report type of 022. Finally, since about Oct 1991, some | upper air data have been "accidentally" saved with WMO block number 99. | These reports should be ignored - a good report with a proper station number | does appear in the archive. | 8a | | | TABLE R.2 INSTRUMENT TYPE (2 CHARACTERS) | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Code | | | Figure | Description | Previous Description | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | 01 | U.S.-ESSA External thermistor | (1 or J)-USWB External thermistor | | | | 02 | U.S.-ESSA External thermistor | (2 or K)-USWB External thermistor | | (Plateau stations) | (Plateau stations) | | | | 03 | U.S.-AN/AMT-4 Military | (3 or L)-U.S. Military external | | external thermistor | thermistor | | | | 04 | Finland-Vaisala | (4 or M)-Vaisala | | | | 05 | France-Metox | (5 or N)-Metox | | | | 06 | Portugal-Canada | (6 or O)-Portugal (Canadian Model | | Model IV | 4) | | | | 07 | W. Germany-Graw H.50 | (7 or P)-Graw H.50 | | (Corrected) | | | | | 08 | U.S.-ESSA 403 MhZ Duct-type | (8 or Q)-USWB 403 MC Duct-type | | (WBAN corrections applied | (WBAN corrections | | at station) | applied at station) | | | | 09 | Japan-Code sending | (9 or R)-Japanese code sending | | | | 10 | E. Germany-Freiberg | (A or /)-Freiberg | | | | 11 | Britain-Kew Mark IIB | (B or S)-British Kew | | | | 12 | USSR-A-22-III(IV) | (C or T)-USSR | | | | 13 | U.S.-ESSA 403 MhZ Duct-type | (D or U)-USWB 403 MC Duct-type | | (WBAN correction not applied | (WBAN correction not | | at station) | applied at station) | | | | 98 | NOAA-II (SIRS-B) Instrument 1 | | | | | 97 | NOAA-II (SIRS-B) Instrument 2 | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | | | | | | | | | 9/14/73 9 Rev 2 | | | | | TABLE R.2 INSTRUMENT TYPE (2 CHARACTERS) | | | ------------------------------------------------------------- | Code| Description | Upper-Air Dictionary Code | Fig.| Country - instrument name | (OLD and NEW versions) | ------------------------------------------------------------- | #01 | US-NOAA VIZ External | OLD- (1 or J) same | | Thermistor | NEW- (N1) | 02 | US-NOAA External thermistor| OLD- (2 or K) same | | (plateau stns.)-NOT USED | NEW- NOT USED | *03 | US-military VIZ AN/AMT-4B | OLD (3 or L) same | | External Thermistor | NEW- (N2) | *04 | FINLAND-Vaisala | OLD- (4 or M) same except | | (inside Finland) | in & out of Finland | | | NEW- (L1) | *05 | FRANCE-Mesural | OLD- (5 or N) France-Metox | | (inside France) | NEW- (H1) | 06 | PORTUGAL-Canada Model IV | OLD- (6 or O) same | | NOT USED | NEW- NOT USED | *07 | W. GERMANY-Graw / | OLD- (7 or P) same | | Sprenger | NEW- (C ) | 08 | US-NOAA VIZ 403 MhZ Duct- | OLD- (8 or Q) same | | type (corrections applied)| NEW- NOT USED | | NOT USED | | *09 | JAPAN-Meisei or Oki | OLD- (9 or R) same | | | NEW- (G ) | *10 | E. GERMANY-Freiberg | OLD- (A or /) same | | NOT USED | NEW- NOT USED | @11 | UK-Meteorological Office | OLD- (B or S) same | | | NEW- (O ) | #12 | USSR-Meteorite A-22 III | OLD- (C) USSR-A-22 or RKZ | | and IV | NEW- (J1) | 13 | US-NOAA VIZ 403 MhZ Duct- | OLD- (D or U) same | | type (corrections not | | | applied) | | *14 | FINLAND-Vaisala | OLD- (4 or M) same except | | (outside Finland) | in & out of Finland | *15 | FRANCE-Mesural | OLD- (5 or N) France-Metox | | (outside France) | NEW- (H2) | 16 | AUSTRALIA-Phillips | OLD- NONE | | | NEW- (I ) | *17 | AUSTRALIA-"Diamond Hinman" | OLD- NONE | | NOT USED | NEW- NOT USED | *18 | CANADA-Sangamo | OLD- NONE | | | NEW- (K ) | *19 | CHINA-Shanghai 23 Radio | OLD- (T) USSR-A22 or RKZ | | Mfr. | NEW- (P ) | #20 | USSR-Meteorite RKZ-2 and-5 | OLD- (C) USSR-A22 or RKZ | | | NEW- (J2) | #21 | USSR-unknown (linear avg. | OLD- (C) USSR-A22 or RKZ | | of A-22 & RKZ corrections | | | | | | | | 4/30/87 9a Rev 3 | | | | | TABLE R.2 INSTRUMENT TYPE (2 CHARACTERS) (cont.) | | | ------------------------------------------------------------- | Code| Description | Upper-Air Dictionary Code | Fig.| Country - instrument name | (OLD and NEW versions) | ------------------------------------------------------------- | 22 | INDIA-Meteorological | OLD- NONE | | Service | NEW- (D ) | 23 | AUSTRIA-Elin | OLD- NONE | | | NEW- (B ) | 24 | N. KOREA-Jinyang (VIZ | OLD- NONE | | license) | NEW- (E ) | 25 | SWITZERLAND-Meteolabor | OLD- NONE | | | NEW- (F ) | 26 | CZECHOSLOVAKIA-Vinohrady | OLD- NONE | | | NEW- (M ) | 27 | US-NOAA VIZ MSS Solid State| OLD- NONE | | 1680 MhZ (Space Data Corp)| NEW- (Q ) | | | | 28 | | | to | --- RESERVED --- | | 98 | | | | | | 99 | UNSPECIFIED / UNKNOWN | OLD- ( ) UNSPECIFIED | | INSTRUMENT TYPE | NEW- ( ) UNSPECIFIED | | | OLD- (0 ) UNKNOWN | | | NEW- (0 ) UNKNOWN | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------- | | * - instrument types for which correction tables are | available | # - new correction tables for separate 00Z and 12Z times | @ - new correction table is used but applies to Kew Mark IIb | instrument and may not be up-to-date | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4/30/87 9b Rev 3 | | | APPENDIX C | | | FORMATS FOR THE CATEGORIES OF DATA | | Whenever values are "missing", all characters allowed for that parameter | will contain "9", except for quality marks which will always be as stated. | | Category 01--Mandatory constant-pressure data (22 characters each entry) | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | The assumed order of constant-pressure data is as follows: | | (1) 1000 mb (11) 70 mb | (2) 850 mb (12) 50 mb | (3) 700 mb (13) 30 mb | (4) 500 mb (14) 20 mb | (5) 400 mb (15) 10 mb | (6) 300 mb (16) 7 mb | (7) 250 mb (17) 5 mb | (8) 200 mb (18) 3 mb | (9) 150 mb (19) 2 mb | (10) 100 mb (20) 1 mb | | Assuming this order, the entry in the category/counter group which gives | the number of times a format is repeated will be the number corresponding to | the highest level (lowest pressure) for which there is data. | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | No. of | | | characters | Parameter | Unit | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | 5 | Geopotential | Meter | | | | 4 | Temperature | Tenth of degree C | | | | 3 | Dewpoint depression | " " " " | | | | 3 | Wind direction | Degree | | | | 3 | Wind speed | Knot | | | | 1 | Quality mark for geopotential | Character from Table Q.A | | | | 1 | " " " temperature | " " " Q.A | | | | 1 | " " " depression | " " " Q.C | | | | 1 | " " " wind | " " " Q.A | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | 9/14/73 10 Rev 2 | | | Category 02--Temperature/dewpoint depression at variable pressure | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | (15 characters each entry) | -------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | No. of | | | characters | Parameter | Unit | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | 5 | Pressure | Tenth of millibar | | | | 4 | Temperature | Tenth of degree C | | | | 3 | Dewpoint depression | " " " " | | | | 1 | Quality mark for pressure | Character from Table Q.B | | | | 1 | " " " temperature | " " " Q.A | | | | 1 | " " " depression | " " " Q.C | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note 1 - First entry always will be surface data, values set "missing" if not | available | Note 2 - Entries will be ordered by decreasing pressure. | | | | | | | | Category 03--Wind at variable pressure (13 characters each entry) | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | No. of | | | characters | Parameter | Unit | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | 5 | Pressure | Tenth of millibar | | | | 3 | Wind direction | Degree | | | | 3 | Wind speed | Knot | | | | 1 | Quality mark for pressure | Character from Table Q.B | | | | 1 | " " " wind | " " " Q.A | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note 1 - First entry always will be surface data, values set "missing" if not | available | Note 2 - Entries will be ordered by decreasing pressure. | | | | 9/14/73 11 Rev 2 | | | Category 04--Wind at variable height (13 characters each entry) | --------------------------------------------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | No. of | | | characters | Parameter | Unit | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | 5 | Geopotential | Meter | | | | 3 | Wind direction | Degree | | | | 3 | Wind speed | Knot | | | | 1 | Quality mark for geopotential | Character from Table Q.B | | | | 1 | " " " wind | " " " Q.A | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note 1 - First entry always will be surface data, values set "missing" if not | available | Note 2 - Entries will be ordered by increasing height. | | | | | | | Category 05--Tropopause data (22 characters each entry) | ------------------------------------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | No. of | | | characters | Parameter | Unit | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | 5 | Pressure | Tenth of millibar | | | | 4 | Temperature | Tenth of degree C | | | | 3 | Dewpoint depression | " " " " | | | | 3 | Wind direction | Degree | | | | 3 | Wind speed | Knot | | | | 1 | Quality mark for pressure | Character from Table Q.B | | | | 1 | " " " temperature | " " " Q.A | | | | 1 | " " " depression | " " " Q.C | | | | 1 | " " " wind | " " " Q.A | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note 1 - Entries will be ordered by decreasing pressure. | | | 9/14/73 12 Rev 2 | | | Category 06--Aircraft (22 characters each entry) | ------------------------------------------------ | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | No. of | | | characters | Parameter | Unit | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | 5 | Pressure altitude | Meter | | | | 4 | Temperature | Tenth of degree C | | | | 3 | Dewpoint depression | " " " " | | | | 3 | Wind direction | Degree | | | | 3 | Wind speed | Knot | | | | 1 | Quality mark for pressure | Character from Table Q.6 | | altitude | | | | | 1 | Quality mark for temperature | " " " Q.6 | | | | 1 | " " " depression | " " " Q.6 | | | | 1 | " " " wind | " " " Q.6c | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9/14/73 13 Rev 2 | | | Category 07 - Cloud cover (10 characters each entry) | ---------------------------------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | No. of | | | characters | Parameter | Unit | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | 5 | Pressure | Tenth of millibar | | | | 3 | Amount of cloudiness | Percent | | | | 1 | Quality mark for pressure | Character from Table Q.7 | | | | 1 | " " " cloud amount | " " " Q.7 | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note 1 - Entries will be ordered by decreasing pressure. | Note 2 - Pressure and amount will both have values of zero to indicate | no cloud cover (clear) | | | | | | | | Category 08 - Additional data (10 characters each entry) $ | -------------------------------------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | No. of | | | characters | Parameter | Unit | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | 5 | Data given by specifications | Variable | | in Table 101. * | | | | | 3 | Form of additional data in | Code figure from | | report. | Table 101. | | | | 1 | Indicator for data specifi- | Character from | | cation. | Table Q.8 | | | | 1 | Indicator for form of | Character from | | additional data. | Table Q.8a | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Note - entries will be ordered by increasing code figure. | * Value set "missing" if not applicable. | | $ Note from Jim McDonnell dated June 29, 1982 indicates that this category | would be added July 21, 1982. The parameters to be activated include | Code figures 001, 002, 003, 004, 101 and 105 from TABLE 101. Table Q.8 | is utilized to indicate Parts A, B, C, D of the TEMP, TEMP SHIP, PILOT, | and TEMP PILOT reports. | | | 9/14/73 14 Rev 2 | | | Category 09 - Plain Language Data (12 characters in each entry) $ | --------------------------------------------------------------- | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | No. of | | | characters | Parameter | Unit | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | 1 | Indicator of content of the | Character from | | plain language | Table SM.9 # | | | | 11 | Plain Language data | Alphanumeric text | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | $ Note from Jim McDonnell dated May 6, 1981 indicates that this category | would be added Jan 1, 1982. The parameters to be activated include | Code figures 001, 002, 003, 004, 101 and 105 from TABLE 101. Table Q.8 | is utilized to indicate Parts A, B, C, D of the TEMP, TEMP SHIP, PILOT, | and TEMP PILOT reports. | # see NMC ON124 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14a | | | Category 51 - Surface data (60 characters each entry) | ----------------------------------------------------- | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | No. of | | | characters | Parameter | Unit | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | | | 5 | Sea level pressure | Tenth of millibar | 5 | Station pressure ** | " " " | 3 | Wind direction | Degree | 3 | Wind speed | Knot | 4 | Air temperature | Tenth of degree C | 3 | Dewpoint depression | " " " " | 4 | Maximum temperature | " " " " | 4 | Minimum " | " " " " | 1 | Quality mark for sea-level pressure | Character from Table | | | Q.51 | 1 | Quality mark for station pressure | " " " " | 1 | Quality mark for wind | " " " " | 1 | Quality mark for air temperature | " " " " | 1 | Quality mark for depression | " " " " | 3 | Horizontal visibility | Code figure from Code | | | Table 3 | 3 | Present weather | Code figure from Code | | | Table 4 | 2 | Past weather | Code figure from Code | | | Table 5 | 2 | Fraction of the celestial dome | Code figure from Code | | covered by cloud (N) | Table 1 | 2 | Fraction of the celestial dome | Code figure from Code | | covered by all the Cl (or Cm) | Table 1 | | cloud present (Nh) | | 2 | Clouds of genera Sc, St, Cu, Cb (Cl) | Code figure from Code | | | Table 8 | 2 | Height above ground of the base of | Code figure from Code | | the cloud (h) | Table 9 | 2 | Clouds of genera Ac, As, Ns (Cm) | Code figure from Code | | | Table 10 | 2 | Clouds of genera Ci, Cc, Cs (Ch) | Code figure from Code | | | Table 11 | 1 | Characteristic of pressure tendency | Code figure from Code | | during the 3 hours preceding the | Table 12 | | time of observation (a) * | | | | | 3 | Amount (magnitude) of the pressure | Tenth of millibar or | | tendency * | Code figure from | | | Table 14 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | * When the characteristic of pressure tendency is 9 and the amount of the | pressure tendency is not 999, the tendency is a 24-hour pressure change | code figure from Code Table 14. | | ** See note on following page. | | | | | 9/14/73 15 Rev 2 | | | ** Reference Category 51, station pressure (PoPoPoPoPo), the following | information describes the method for also accommodating the possible | values encoded in the sea level pressure entry (PPP) in the pressure- | temperature group(PPPTT). | | Characters Level Unit | ---------- ---------- ----------------------------- | PoPoPoPoPo station tenth of millibar | | 21PPP 1000 gpm tenth of millibar | | 22PPP 2000 gpm tenth of millibar | | 23PPP 500 gpm tenth of millibar | | 25PPP 500 mb geopotential meter (gpm) | | 26PPP station tenth of millibar | | 27PPP 700 mb geopotential meter | | 28PPP 850 mb geopotential meter | | 29PPP unknown (as reported) | | 99999 missing | ---------- ---------- ----------------------------- | | | | | | | | | | |