VARIABLE NAMES USED IN NMCRAOBS.F --------------------------------- (--- means used in code) name unit description ----- ------ ----------------------------- ASTA ALPHANUMERIC STATION IDENTIFICATION D DEGREE WIND DIRECTION DAY --- DAY SOUGHT BY USER (INTEGER) DWZ DEGREE WIND DIRECTION F KNOT WIND SPEED FLNM --- NAME OF DATA FILE (TEXT) FWZ KNOT WIND SPEED H tenth of DEWPOINT DEPRESSION degree C IC25 table 0513 IR IC26 table 0313 IW IC27 table 0600 IX IDSTYP IDY DAY READ FROM DATA FILE IHR HOUR READ FROM DATA FILE IINTYP TABLE R.2 INSTRUMENT TYPE IMO MONTH READ FROM DATA FILE IRTYP TABLE R.1 REPORT TYPE ISTAT --- RETURN STATUS CODE (0 IS OK) IYR YEAR READ FROM DATA FILE LTH NUMBER OF TOTAL LENGTH OF REPORT TEN CHARACTER WORDS MONTH --- MONTH SOUGHT BY USER (INTEGER) P mB Pressure level P TENTH OF mB PRESSURE (FOR TROPOPAUSE) Q(N,1) TABLE Q.A QUALITY MARK FOR GEOPOTENTIAL Q(N,1) TABLE Q.B QUALITY MARK FOR PRESSURE (FOR TROPOPAUSE) Q(N,2) TABLE Q.A QUALITY MARK FOR TEMPERATURE Q(N,3) TABLE Q.C QUALITY MARK FOR DEWPOINT DEPRESSION Q(N,4) TABLE Q.A QUALITY MARK FOR WIND QWZ(1) TABLE Q.B QUALITY MARK FOR GEOPOTENTIAL QWZ(2) TABLE Q.A QUALITY MARK FOR WIND T tenth of Temperature degree C XELEV METER STATION ELEVATION XHR HOUR XLAT LATITUDE XLON LONGITUDE YMD --- USER ENTRY OF YEAR,MONTH,DAY (TEXT) YEAR --- YEAR SOUGHT BY USER (INTEGER) Z METER GEOPOTENTIAL ZWX METER GEOPOTENTIAL ============================================================= code table 0600 --------------- Symbol IC3 (Ch = Clouds of Genera Ci, Cc, Cs) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Code Figure Technical Specifications Nontechnical Specifications ------ ------------------------- ------------------------------ 0 No Ch clouds No Cirrus, Cirrocumulus, or Cirrostratus 1 Cirrus fibratus, sometimes Cirrus in the form of uncinus, not progressive- filaments, strands, ly invading the sky. or hooks, not progressively invading the sky. 2 Cirrus spissatus, in patch- Dense Cirrus in patches or entangled es or entangled sheaves, sheaves, which usually do not increase which usually do not in- and sometimes seem to be the upper re- crease and sometimes seem mains of a Cumulonimbus; or Cirrus with to be the remains of the sproutings in the form of small turrets upper part of a Cumulo- or battlements, or Cirrus having the nimbus; or Cirrus castel- appearance of cumuliform tufts. lanus or floccus. 3 Cirrus spissatus cumulonim- Dense Cirrus, often in the form of an bogenitus. anvil, being the remains of the upper parts of Cumulonimbus. 4 Cirrus uncinus or fibratus, Cirrus in the form of hooks or filaments or both, progressively or both, progressively invading the invading the sky; they sky; they generally become denser as a generally thicken as a whole. whole. 5 Cirrus (often in bands), Cirrus (often in bands converging towards and Cirrostratus, or Cir- one or two opposite points of the rostratus alone, progres- horizon) and Cirrostratus, or Cirro- sively invading the sky; stratus alone; in either case, they are they generally thicken as progressively invading the sky, and a whole, but the continu- generally growing denser as a whole, but ous veil does not reach the continuous veil does not reach 45 45 degrees above the degrees above the horizon. horizon. 6 Cirrus (often in bands), Cirrus (often in bands converging towards and Cirrostratus, or Cir- one or two opposite points of the rostratus alone, progres- horizon) and Cirrostratus, or Cirro- sively invading the sky; stratus alone; in either case, they are they generally thicken as progressively invading the sky, and a whole, the continuous generally growing denser as a whole, the veil extends more than continuous veil extends more than 45 45 degrees above the degrees above the horizon, without the horizon, without the sky sky being totally covered. being totally covered. 7 Cirrostratus covering the Veil of Cirrostratus covering the celest- whole sky. ial dome. 8 Cirrostratus not progres- Cirrostratus not progressively invading sively invading the sky the sky and not completely covering the and not entirely covering celestial dome. it. 9 Cirrocumulus alone, or Cir- Cirrocumulus alone, or Cirrocumulus ac- rocumulus predominant companied by Cirrus or Cirrostratus, or among the Ch clouds. both, but Cirrocumulus is predominant. 10 Ch clouds invisible owing Cirrus, Cirrocumulus, and Cirrostratus to darkness, fog, blowing invisible owing to darkness, fog, blow- dust or sand, or other ing dust or sand or other similar phe- similar phenomena, or nomena, or more often because of the because of a continuous presence of a continuous layer of lower layer of lower clouds. clouds. ===================================================================== code table 0513 --------------- Symbol ICl = Clouds of Genera Sc, St, Cu, Cb Code Figure Technical Specifications Nontechnical Specifications --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0 No Cl clouds No Stratocumulus, Stratus, Cumulus, or Cumulonimbus 1 Cumulus humilis or Cumulus Cumulus with little vertical extent and fractus other than of seemingly flattened, or ragged Cumulus bad weather (1), or both. other than of bad weather (1) or both. 2 Cumulus mediocris or con- Cumulus of moderate or strong vertical gestus, with or without extent generally with protuberances Cumulus of species in the form of domes or towers either fractus or humilis, or accompanied or not by other Cumulus or Stratocumulus, all having by Stratocumulus; all having their their bases at the same bases at the same level. level. 3 Cumulonimbus calvus, with Cumulonimbus, the summits of which, at or without Cumulus, least partially, lack sharp outlines, Stratocumulus or Stratus. but are neither clearly fibrous (cirri- form) nor in the form of an anvil; Cumulus, Stratocumulus or Stratus may also be present. 4 Stratocumulus cumulogenitus Stratocumulus formed by the spreading out of Cumulus; Cumulus may be present. 5 Stratocumulus other than Stratocumulus not resulting from the Stratocumulus cumulo- spreading out of Cumulus. genitus. 6 Stratus nebulosus or Stratus in a more or less continuous sheet Stratus fractus other or layer, or in ragged shreds, or both, than of bad weather (1), but no Stratus fractus of bad weather or both. (1) 7 Stratus fractus or Cumulus Stratus fractus of bad weather (1) or fractus of bad weather Cumulus fractus of bad weather (1), or (1), or both (pannus), both (pannus), usually below Altostra- usually below Altostratus tus or Nimbostratus. or Nimbostratus. 8 Cumulus and Stratocumulus Cumulus and Stratocumulus other than that other than Stratocumulus formed from the spreading out of Cumu- cumulogenitus, with bases lus; the base of the Cumulus is at a at different levels. different level from that of the Stratocumulus. 9 Cumulonimbus capillatus Cumulonimbus, the upper part of which is (often with an anvil), clearly fibrous (cirriform), often in with or without Cumulo- the form of an anvil, either accompan- nimbus calvus, Cumulus, ied or not by Cumulonimbus without Stratocumulus, Stratus anvil or fibrous upper part, by Cumu- or pannus. lus, Stratocumulus, Stratus or pannus. 10 Cl clouds invisible owing Stratocumulus, Stratus, Cumulus, or Cumu- to darkness, fog, blowing lonimbus invisible owing to darkness, dust or sand, or other fog, blowing dust or sand, or other similar phenomena. similar phenomena. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1) "Bad weather" denotes the conditions which generally exist during precipi- tation and a short time before and after. ===================================================================== code table 0313 --------------- Symbol IC2 (Cm = Clouds of Genera Ac, As, Ns) Code Figure Technical Specifications Nontechnical Specifications ------ ------------------------ ------------------------------------------- 0 No Cm clouds No Altocumulus, Altostratus, or Nimbo- Stratus 1 Altostratus translucidus Altostratus, the greater part of which is semitransparent; through which this part that sun or moon may be seen weak- ly visible as through ground glass. 2 Altostratus opacus or Altostratus, the greater part of which is Nimbostratus sufficiently dense to hide the sun or moon, or Nimbostratus. 3 Altocumulus translucidus at Altocumulus, the greater part of which is a single level. semitransparent, the various elements of the cloud change only slowly and are all at a single level. 4 Patches (often lenticular) Patches (often in the form of almonds or of Altocumulus transluci- fishes) of Altocumulus, the greater dus, continually changing part of which is semitransparent; the and occurring at one or clouds occur at one or more levels and more levels. the elements are continually changing in appearance. 5 Altocumulus translucidus in Semitransparent Altocumulus in bands, or bands, or one or more Altocumulus in one or more fairly con- layers of Altocumulus tinuous layers (semitransparent or translucidus or opacus, opaque), progressively invading the progressively invading sky; these Altocumulus clouds generally the sky; these Altocumu- thicken as a whole. lus clouds generally thicken as a whole. 6 Altocumulus cumulogenitus Altocumulus resulting from the spreading (or cumulonimbogenitus). out of Cumulus (or Cumulonimbus). 7 Altocumulus translucidus or Altocumulus in two or more layers, usual- opacus in two or more ly opaque in places, and not progres- layers, or Altocumulus sively invading the sky; or opaque opacus in a single layer layer of Altocumulus, not progressively not progressively inva- invading the sky; or Altocumulus to- ding the sky, or Altocu- gether with Altostratus or Nimbostratus mulus with Altostratus or Nimbostratus. 8 Altocumulus castellanus or Altocumulus with sproutings in the form floccus. of small towers or battlements, or Altocumulus having the appearance of cumuliform tufts. 9 Altocumulus of a chaotic Altocumulus of a chaotic sky, generally sky, generally at several at several levels. levels. 10 Cm clouds invisible owing Altocumulus, Altostratus and Nimbostratus to darkness, fog, blowing invisible owing to darkness, fog, blow- dust or sand, or other ing dust or sand or other similar phe- similar phenomena, or nomena, or more often because of the because of a continuous presence of a continuous layer of lower layer of lower clouds. clouds. ===================================================================== TABLE R.1 - REPORT TYPE ----------------------------------------------- Code Figure Type ----------------------------------------------- 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 041 Aircraft report 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 ====================================================================== 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 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 ======================================================================= TABLE Q.A ----------------------------------------------------------- Character ---------------- Meaning Auto. Manual ----------------------------------------------------------- A I Passed vertical consistency check with tight limits. B J Failed vertical consistency check and has not been recomputed. C K Failed vertical consistency check and recomputed. D L Failed vertical consistency check with tight limits and passed with loose limits. E M (Not assigned) F N Has been checked but did not pass vertical consistency check with loose limits. G O (Not assigned) blank $ Not specified ----------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================= TABLE Q.B ----------------------------------------------------------- Character ---------------- Meaning Auto. Manual ----------------------------------------------------------- Q Y Base of stratum with missing data. R Z Top of stratum with missing data. T 1 Tropopause level (reported). U 2 Surface data from PARTs A and B do not agree, PART A or PART B chosen by test. V 3 Surface data from PARTs A and B agree. W 4 Maximum wind level (reported) is not at the terminating level. X 5 Maximum wind level (reported) is at the terminating level. blank $ Not specified ----------------------------------------------------------- Note: The characters for manual will be set whenever a combination of automatic and manual exists. ======================================================================= TABLE Q.C ----------------------------------------------------------- Character ---------------- Meaning Auto. Manual ----------------------------------------------------------- blank $ Not specified ----------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================