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Code Name Units Max Notes METAR MARITIME MESO SAO COOP UrbaNet Database
QC Level* FSL AWIPS
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TD dewpoint temperature K 3 1,6 X X X X X X X X
TD15M dewpoint temperature - 15m K 3 33 X X
TD1H hourly average dewpoint temperature K 2 1,6 X X
TD1HCHG 1 hour dewpoint temperature change K 2 1 X X
RH relative humidity % 3 1,6 X X X X X X X X
RH15M relative humidity - 15m % 3 33 X X
RH1H hourly average relative humidity % 2 1,6 X X
RH1HCHG 1 hour relative humidity change % 0 X X
Q specific humidity kg/kg 3 1,6 X X X X X X X X
Q15M specific humidity - 15m kg/kg 3 33 X X
Q1H hourly average specific humidity kg/kg 2 1,6 X X
Q1HCHG 1 hour specific humidity change kg/kg 2 1 X X
DPD dewpoint depression K 3 1,6 X X X X X X X X
DPD15M dewpoint depression - 15m K 3 33 X X
DPD1H hourly average dewpoint depression K 2 1,6 X X
DPD1HC 1 hour dewpoint depression change K 0 X X
AH absolute humidity g/(m**3) 3 1,6 X X X X X X X X
AH15M absolute humidity - 15m g/(m**3) 3 33 X X
AH1H hourly average absolute humidity g/(m**3) 2 1,6 X X
AH1HCHG 1 hour absolute humidity change g/(m**3) 2 1 X X
ALTSE altimeter Pa 3 2 X X X X X X X
ALTS15M altimeter - 15m Pa 3 33 X X
AL1HCHG 1 hour altimeter change Pa 0 X X
WVMR water vapor mixing ratio kg/kg 3 1,6 X X X X X X X X
WVMR15M water vapor mixing ratio - 15m kg/kg 3 33 X X
WVMR1HC 1 hour water vapor mixing ratio chng kg/kg 0 X X
PT3 3 hour pressure change Pa 2 3 X X X X X X
PT3CHR character of 3h pressure change code 0 3 X X X X X X
SLP sea level pressure Pa 3 X X X X X X
P station pressure Pa 3 2 X X X X X X X
T air temperature K 3 4 X X X X X X X X
T15M air temperature - 15m K 2 33 X X
T1H hourly average temperature K 2 4,6 X X
T1HCHG 1 hour temperature change K 0 X X
TV virtual temperature K 3 4,6 X X X X X X X X
TV15M virtual temperature - 15m K 2 33 X X
TV1H hourly average virtual temperature K 2 4,6 X X
TV1HCHG 1 hour virtual temperature change K 2 4 X X
DD wind direction deg 3 5 X X X X X X X X
DD15M average wind direction - 15m deg 1 33 X X
DD1H hourly average wind direction deg 1 5,6 X X
DD24H daily average wind direction deg 1 5,6 X X
DDM15M wind direction mean vector - 15m deg 1 33 X X
DDSD15M wind direction std dev - 15m deg 0 33 X X
DDU15M mean unit vector wind dir - 15m deg 1 33 X X
FF wind speed m/s 3 5 X X X X X X X X
FF15M wind speed - 15m m/s 2 33 X X
FF1H hourly average wind speed m/s 2 5,6 X X
FF24H daily average wind speed m/s 1 5,6 X X
FFSD15M wind speed std dev - 15m m/s 0 33 X X
U u wind component m/s 3 5 X X X X X X X X
U1H hourly average u wind component m/s 2 5,6 X X
U24H daily average u wind component m/s 1 5,6 X X
U15M u mean unit vector wind comp - 15m m/s 3 33 X X
USD15M u wind component std dev - 15m m/s 0 33 X X
V v wind component m/s 3 5 X X X X X X X X
V1H hourly average v wind component m/s 2 5,6 X X
V24H daily average v wind component m/s 1 5,6 X X
V15M v mean unit vector wind comp - 15m m/s 2 33 X X
VSD15M v wind component std dev - 15m m/s 0 33 X X
VIS visibility m 1 X X X X X X
VERTVIS vertical visibility m 0 X X
WMOID WMO station number 0 X X X X X X
ELEV elevation m 0 X X X X X X X X
LAT latitude deg N 0 X X X X X X X X
LON longitude deg E 0 X X X X X X X X
PLATTYP data platform type code 0 6 X X X X
PLATDIR platform true direction deg 0 X X X
PLATSPD platform true speed m/s 0 X X X
CORR correction flag code 0 X X X X
PCPTOTL total precipitation m 0 30,6 X X X X
PCP5M accumulated precip - 5m m 1 6 X X
PCP15M accumulated precip - 15m m 1 X X
PCP1H accumulated precip - 1h m 1 7,6 X X X X X X X X
PCP3H accumulated precip - 3h m 1 X X X X
PCP6H accumulated precip - 6h m 1 X X X X X
PCP12H accumulated precip - 12h m 1 X X X
PCP18H accumulated precip - 18h m 1 X X X
PCP24H accumulated precip - 24h m 1 6 X X X X X X X
PCPMNTH accum. precip - month m 0 X X
PCPLM accum. precip - since local midnight m 1 X X X X
PCPUTCM accum. precip - since UTC midnight m 1 X X X
PCPCDAY accum. precip - local calendar day m 1 X X
PCPUDAY accum. precip - user-defined day m 1 22,6 X X
UDSTART user-defined day start HHMM 22,6 X X
PCPRATE precipitation rate kg/(m**2)/s 1 7 X X X X X X X X
PCPINT precipitation intensity code 0 8 X X X
PCPTYPE precipitation type code 0 9 X X X
SKYCVLB sky cover layer base m 0 10 X X X X X
LCLHT height of the lowest cloud layer code 0 11 X X X
LLCTYPE low level cloud type code 0 12 X X X
MLCTYPE middle level cloud type code 0 13 X X X
HLCTYPE high level cloud type code 0 14 X X X
CLDFRAC fraction of sky covered by clouds tenths 0 X X X
T24MIN 24 hour minimum temperature K 1 6 X X X X X X
T24MAX 24 hour maximum temperature K 1 6 X X X X X X
FUELM Fuel moisture % 0 X X
FUELT Fuel temperature K 0 X X
SOILM Soil moisture tension kPa 0 X X
SOILMP Soil moisture percent % 1 X X
SOILM2 soil moisture percent - 2 inch % 1 6 X X
SOILM4 soil moisture percent - 4 inch % 1 6 X X
SOILM8 soil moisture percent - 8 inch % 1 6 X X
SOILM20 soil moisture percent - 20 inch % 1 6 X X
SOILM40 soil moisture percent - 40 inch % 1 6 X X
SOILT Soil temperature K 2 6 X X
SOILT2 soil temperature - 2 inch K 2 6 X X
SOILT4 soil temperature - 4 inch K 2 6 X X
SOILT8 soil temperature - 8 inch K 2 6 X X
SOILT20 soil temperature - 20 inch K 2 6 X X
SOILT40 soil temperature - 40 inch K 2 6 X X
DDGUST wind dir at gust deg 1 6 X X X X
FFGUST wind gust m/s 2 6 X X X X X X X X
DDMAX maximum wind direction deg 0 X X
DDMAX1H wind dir at hourly max wind speed deg 1 6 X X
FFMAX maximum wind speed m/s 0 X X
FFMAX1H hourly maximum wind speed m/s 2 6 X X
FF24MAX daily maximum wind speed m/s 2 X X
PSWDIR direction of primary swell waves deg 0 X X X
PSWHT primary swell wave height m 0 X X X
PSWPER primary swell wave period s 0 X X X
SSWDIR direction of secondary swell waves deg 0 X X X
SSWHT secondary swell wave height m 0 X X X
SSWPER secondary swell wave period s 0 X X X
SST sea surface temperature K 2 X X X X
TIDEDEP tide departure from predicted level m 0 X X
TIDEIND tide indicator code 0 15 X X
WAVEHT wave height m 0 X X X
WAVEPER wave period s 0 X X X
WAVESTP wave steepness 0 X X
WWVEPER wind wave period s 0 X X
WWVEHT wind wave height m 0 X X
HRWVEHT high resolution wave height m 0 X X X
EQFF10M equivalent wind speed at 10 m m/s 0 X X X
EQFF20M equivalent wind speed at 20 m m/s 0 X X X
SNOWC snow cover m 1 X X X
SNOW6H snow fall - 6h m 1 X X
SNOW24H snow fall - 24h m 1 X X
FSRDINS diffuse solar radiation - instant. watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
FSRD5M diffuse solar radiation - 5min watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
FSRD15M diffuse solar radiation - 15m watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
FSRD1H diffuse solar radiation - 1h watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
FSRD24H diffuse solar radiation - 24h watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
DSRDINS direct solar radiation - instant. watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
DSRD5M direct solar radiation - 5min watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
DSRD15M direct solar radiation - 15m watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
DSRD1H direct solar radiation - 1h watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
DSRD24H direct solar radiation - 24h watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
GSRDINS global solar radiation - instant. watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
GSRD5M global solar radiation - 5min watt/(m**2) 0 6 X X X X
GSRD15M global solar radiation - 15m watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
GSRD1H global solar radiation - 1h watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
GSRD24H global solar radiation - 24h watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
PAR photosynthetically active radiation watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
SOLRAD solar radiation - unknown type watt/(m**2) 0 X X X
TD10C dewpoint from tenths of a deg C K 0 16 X X X
T10C temperature from tenths of a deg C K 0 16 X X X
TWB wet bulb temperature K 0 X X X
PWV GPSMET precipitable water vapor m 0 X X
GPSTSD GPSMET total signal delay m 0 X X
GPSDSD GPSMET dry signal delay m 0 X X
GPSWSD GPSMET wet signal delay m 0 X X
GPSMWT GPSMET mean weighted temperature K 0 X X
GPSFE GPSMET formal error m 0 X X
GPSWDMF GPSMET wet delay mapping function 0 X X
RDT1 Road temperature - sensor 1 K 0 X X
RDT2 Road temperature - sensor 2 K 0 X X
RDT3 Road temperature - sensor 3 K 0 X X
RDT4 Road temperature - sensor 4 K 0 X X
RDLFT1 Road liquid freeze temp - sensor 1 K 0 X X
RDLFT2 Road liquid freeze temp - sensor 2 K 0 X X
RDLFT3 Road liquid freeze temp - sensor 3 K 0 X X
RDLFT4 Road liquid freeze temp - sensor 4 K 0 X X
RDLCF1 Road liquid chem factor - sensor 1 0 X X
RDLCF2 Road liquid chem factor - sensor 2 0 X X
RDLCF3 Road liquid chem factor - sensor 3 0 X X
RDLCF4 Road liquid chem factor - sensor 4 0 X X
RDLCP1 Road liquid chem percent - sensor 1 % 0 X X
RDLCP2 Road liquid chem percent - sensor 2 % 0 X X
RDLCP3 Road liquid chem percent - sensor 3 % 0 X X
RDLCP4 Road liquid chem percent - sensor 4 % 0 X X
RDLIP1 Road liquid ice percent - sensor 1 % 0 X X
RDLIP2 Road liquid ice percent - sensor 2 % 0 X X
RDLIP3 Road liquid ice percent - sensor 3 % 0 X X
RDLIP4 Road liquid ice percent - sensor 4 % 0 X X
RDLDP1 Road liquid depth - sensor 1 m 0 X X
RDLDP2 Road liquid depth - sensor 2 m 0 X X
RDLDP3 Road liquid depth - sensor 3 m 0 X X
RDLDP4 Road liquid depth - sensor 4 m 0 X X
RDSTA1 Road state - sensor 1 code 0 17 X X
RDSTA2 Road state - sensor 2 code 0 17 X X
RDSTA3 Road state - sensor 3 code 0 17 X X
RDSTA4 Road state - sensor 4 code 0 17 X X
RDSUBT1 Road subsurface temp - sensor 1 K 0 X X
RDSUBT2 Road subsurface temp - sensor 2 K 0 X X
RDSUBT3 Road subsurface temp - sensor 3 K 0 X X
RDSUBT4 Road subsurface temp - sensor 4 K 0 X X
BATVLT battery voltage volt 0 X X
BATVLT2 secondary battery voltage volt 0 X X
RIVSTG river stage m 0 X X
STNSPC1 station specific #1 0 25,6 X X
STNSPC2 station specific #2 0 25,6 X X
COMSTAT commissioned status code 0 26 X X
STAQUAL station quality indicator code 0 27 X X
DOORIND door open/closed indicator code 0 31 X X
HEATIND rim heating on/off indicator code 0 32 X X
BUCKLEV precipitation bucket level % 0 X X
RIMT precipitation rim temperature K 0 X X
VIBWD1 vibrating wire depth - 1 mm 0 X X
VIBWD2 vibrating wire depth - 2 mm 0 X X
VIBWD3 vibrating wire depth - 3 mm 0 X X
MLLW mean lower low water m 0 X X
NOBS15M number of observation - 15m X X
ASBO15M avg seconds between obs in 15m pd X X
NOBSSC number of sky cover obs X X
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Code Name Character Notes METAR MARITIME MESO SAO COOP UrbaNet Database
Size FSL AWIPS
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AUTOTYP automated station type 6 18 X X X X
REPTYPE report type 6 19 X X X X
PRESWEA present weather 25 20 X X X X X X
SKYCOV sky cover 6x8 10 X X X X X
STALOC station location 51 21 X X X X X X
SUBPVDR subprovider 11 29 X X X X
T24MINT time of 24 hour minimum temperature 9 28,6 X
T24MAXT time of 24 hour maximum temperature 9 28,6 X
FOT15M first observation time in 15m period 9 28 X
LOT15M last observation time in 15m period 9 28 X
Value Meaning
----- -------
0 pressure same or higher than 3 hours ago
1 increasing then steady
2 increasing
3 decreasing or steady, then increasing
4 steady
5 pressure same or lower than 3 hours ago
6 decreasing
7 steady or increasing, then decreasing
The documentation in the COOP cdl was changed to remove the height of the anemometer. All anemometers are at 10 meters heights except for (GYX, TANM3, and STYN6) which are at 3 meters.
Value Meaning
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0 stationary (moored buoy or CMAN)
1 moving (drifting buoy or ship)
Data platform type (COOP):
Value Meaning
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< 100 Phase II site (regional hub)
100 Phase II site (GOES/HADS)
200 Phase I site (direct connect)
300 Phase I site (GOES/HADS)
The modernized NWS Cooperative Observer sites can provide different variables, and on different schedules, dependent both on the type of site (Phase I or II) and on the processing done as part of reformatting the data sent over the various communications systems in use. Here are the primary differences:
9/26/06: The Phase II GOES/HADS sites are being phased out, as part of
an upgrade where the COOP network has been gradually rolling in a new
software load over the last several months (and it's not done yet).
The new load is indicated in MADIS as data platform types 2-99 (currently
only 2 is in use). This upgrade has changed what variables are available from
the Phase II stations.
Variables that are no longer available for COOP PLATTYP 2 stations:
TD1H hourly average dewpoint temperature
RH relative humidity
RH1H hourly average relative humidity
Q specific humidity
Q1H hourly average specific humidity
DPD dewpoint depression
DPD1H hourly average dewpoint depression
AH absolute humidity
AH1H hourly average absolute humidity
WVMR water vapor mixing ratio
TV virtual temperature
T1H hourly average temperature
TV1H hourly average virtual temperature
DD1H hourly average wind direction
DD24H daily average wind direction
FF1H hourly average wind speed
FF24H daily average wind speed
U1H hourly average u wind component
U24H daily average u wind component
V1H hourly average v wind component
V24H daily average v wind component
PCPTOTL total precipitation
PCP1H accumulated precip - 1h
PCP24H accumulated precip - 24h
PCPUDAY accum. precip - user-defined day
UDSTART user-defined day start HHMM
PCPRATE precipitation rate
T24MIN 24 hour minimum temperature
T24MAX 24 hour maximum temperature
SOILM2 soil moisture percent - 2 inch
SOILM4 soil moisture percent - 4 inch
SOILM8 soil moisture percent - 8 inch
SOILM20 soil moisture percent - 20 inch
SOILM40 soil moisture percent - 40 inch
SOILT2 soil temperature - 2 inch
SOILT4 soil temperature - 4 inch
SOILT8 soil temperature - 8 inch
SOILT20 soil temperature - 20 inch
SOILT40 soil temperature - 40 inch
DDMAX1H wind dir at hourly max wind speed
FFMAX1H hourly maximum wind speed
GSRD5M global solar radiation - 5min
STNSPC1 station specific #1
STNSPC2 station specific #2
T24MINT time of 24 hour minimum temperature
T24MAXT time of 24 hour maximum temperature
Variables that have been added for COOP PLATTYP 2 stations:
DDGUST wind dir at gust (5m)
FFGUST wind gust (5m)
PCP5M accumulated precip - 5m
Value Meaning
----- -------
0 intensity info not available
1 none
2 light
3 moderate
4 heavy
5 slight
6 other
Stations measuring precipitation type and intensity may take observations
with one or two sensors. Therefore, an array of 2 elements will be
returned for each record, and the caller should dimension the array to
(2,50000).
Value Meaning
----- -------
0 no precipitation
1 precipitation present but unclassified
2 rain
3 snow
4 mixed rain and snow
5 light
6 light freezing
7 freezing rain
8 sleet
9 hail
10 other
11 unidentified
12 unknown
13 frozen
14 ice pellets
15 recent
29 RPU-to-maxSensor communications failure
30 sensor failure
Stations measuring precipitation type and intensity may take observations
with one or two sensors. Therefore, an array of 2 elements will be
returned for each record, and the caller should dimension the array to
(2,50000).
For more information on these variables, see section 9.4.2 of Federal Meteorological Handbook 1 (FMH-1). A PDF version of FMH-1 is available at http://www.ofcm.gov/fmh-1/fmh1.htm.
Sky cover values:
Value Meaning Summation amount of layer
----- ------- -------------------------
VV Vertical Visibility 8/8
SKC or CLR Clear 0
FEW Few 1/8 - 2/8
SCT Scattered 3/8 - 4/8
BKN Broken 5/8 - 7/8
OVC Overcast 8/8
1. CLR is used at automated stations when no layers at or below 12,000 ft
are reported; SKC is used at manual stations when no layers are
reported.
2. Any layer amount less than 1/8 is reported as FEW.
Value Meaning
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0 0 to 100 ft
1 200 to 300 ft
2 400 to 600 ft
3 700 to 900 ft
4 1000 to 1900 ft
5 2000 to 3200 ft
6 3300 to 4900 ft
7 5000 to 6500 ft
8 7000 to 8000 ft
9 8500 or higher or no clouds
-1 unknown or cloud base below surface of station
Value Meaning
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0 no Cu, Cb, Sc, or St
1 Cu w/ little vertical extent
2 Cu w/ moderate or great vertical extent
3 Cb w/out fibrous or striated upper part
4 Sc formed by spreading Cu
5 Sc not formed by spreading Cu
6 St or ragged St
7 ragged St or ragged Cu
8 Cu and Sc w/ bases at different levels
9 Cb w/ fibrous or striated upper part
-1 low clouds not visible (obscured)
Value Meaning
----- -------
0 no Ac, As, or Ns
1 semi-transparent As
2 opaque As, or Ns
3 semi-transparent Ac predominant
4 Ac continually changing in appearance
5 Ac invading the sky
6 Ac formed by spreading of Cu or Cb
7 double layered Ac or thick Ac; or Ac & As
8 turreted Ac or Ac in tufts
9 Ac of a chaotic sky
-1 middle clouds not visible (obscured)
Value Meaning
----- -------
0 no Ci, Cs, or Cc
1 Ci in filaments or hooks
2 dense Ci & turreted Ci & Ci in tufts
3 dense Ci orig from Cb, present
4 Ci invading the sky
5 Cs not exceeding 45 degrees altitude
6 Cs exceeding 45 degrees altitude
7 Cs covering the whole sky
8 Cs not invading the sky
9 Cc alone, or Cc more than (Ci & Cs)
-1 high clouds not visible (obscured)
Value Meaning
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0 Data not available
1 Low tide, observed tide below predicted level
2 Low tide, observed tide same as predicted level
3 Low tide, observed tide above predicted level
4 Neither low nor high tide, observed tide below predicted level
5 Neither low nor high tide, observed tide same as predicted level
6 Neither low nor high tide, observed tide above predicted level
7 High tide, observed tide below predicted level
8 High tide, observed tide same as predicted level
9 High tide, observed tide above predicted level
Value Meaning
----- -------
0 No report
1 Dry
2 Moist
3 Moist and chemically treated
4 Wet
5 Wet and chemically treated
6 Ice
7 Frost
8 Snow
9 Snow/Ice watch
10 Snow/Ice warning
11 Wet above freezing
12 Wet below freezing
13 Absorption
14 Absorption at dewpoint
15 Dew
16 Black ice warning
17 Other
18 Slush
Value Meaning
----- -------
AO1 automated station without precipitation discriminator (METAR)
AO2 automated station with precipitation discriminator (METAR)
AUTO2 automated station (SAO)
AUTO4 automated station (SAO)
AUTO7 automated station (SAO)
AUTO8 automated station (SAO)
blank manual station
Value Meaning
----- -------
METAR scheduled report (METAR)
SPECI report triggered by SPECI criteria (METAR) (see FMH-1)
SA scheduled report (SAO)
The coded values for the COOP present weather variable are listed below:
Value Meaning
----- -------
- No report
FG Fog
IE Ice
GL Glaze
TS Thunder
GR Hail
DW Damaging Winds
RA Rainy
SN Snowy
With the mesonet dataset, in addition, characters (40:50) are used to denote the "subprovider", if any. Some (but not all) mesonets contain data from a number of smaller networks. In these cases, the "subprovider" for each station is the name of the smaller network. If this field is all blank, then there isn't a subprovider associated with the station. This information can also be obtained directly by reading the SUBPVDR variable, which only contains the subprovider designation.
Note that the station location variable isn't available in the AWIPS database for METAR.
Value Meaning
----- -------
0 commissioned
1 not yet commissioned
Value Meaning
----- -------
[TBD]
YY = 2-digit year (good from 1980 - 2179)
JJJ = Julian date of the year (1-366)
HH = Hour (0-23)
MM = Minute (0-59)
If the max/min temperature time is missing, the 9-character field will be set to all blanks, e.g., " ". Users of the MADIS API sfcdump program will get the time output in their chosen format, either YYJJJHHMM or YYYYMMDD_HHMM.
Value Meaning
----- -------
0 closed
1 open
Value Meaning
----- -------
0 off
1 on