GCIP LSA-E EAOP 1999 Surface "Specials" Composite 1.0 General Description This dataset contains the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) and National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) Surface Climatic Database (DATSAV3) "Special" observation surface data. Data for the GEWEX Continental-Scale International Project (GCIP) Large Scale Area-East (LSA-E) Enhanced Annual Observing Period (EAOP) 1999 domain (33N to 43N latitude and 76W to 89W longitude) and time period (1 October 1998 through 30 Sep 1999) are contained within this dataset. The ASOS and DATSAV3 "Nominal" hourly surface data for the GCIP LSA-E EAOP 1999 domain and time period are included in the GCIP LSA-E EAOP 1999 Hourly Surface Composite. This GCIP LSA-E EAOP 1998 Surface "Specials" dataset contains data from 309 stations and is similar in format, etc. to the data in the GCIP LSA-E EAOP 1999 Hourly Surface Composite. No additional QC was performed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research/Joint Office for Science Support (UCAR/JOSS). 2.0 Detailed Data Description 2.0.1 Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) Algorithms The following are descriptions of the algorithms used by ASOS to produce hourly surface data. These algorithms were also used to generate the ASOS specials. Complete details may be found in the ASOS User's Guide (1992). The ASOS hourly values were produced from ASOS 5-minute data by extracting all parameters (except precipitation) from the 55-minute observation of the previous hour and assigning those values to the current hourly observation. The precipitation is the sum of the precipitation values from the 05-minute of the previous hour through the 00-minute of the current hour. 2.0.2 National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) DATSAV3 Algorithms UCAR/JOSS was given data in the NCDC Surface Hourly Abbreviated Format, which is derived by NCDC from their DATSAV3 formatted data. This "Abbreviated" format data was used by UCAR/JOSS to produce hourly surface data. These data were also used to generate the surface "Specials" dataset. The following are descriptions of the algorithms used by NCDC to produce their NCDC DATSAV3 formatted data. The NCDC DATSAV3 Surface Database is composed of worldwide surface weather observations from about 10,000 currently active stations, collected and stored from several sources such as the Automated Weather Network (AWN) and the Global Telecommunications System (GTS). Most collected observations are decoded at the Air Force Global Weather Central (AFGWC) at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, and then sent electronically to the United States Air Force (USAF) Combat Climatology Center (AFCCC), collocated with NCDC in the Federal Climate Complex in Asheville, North Carolina. AFCCC builds the final database through decode, validation, and quality control software. All data are stored in a single ASCII format. The database is used in climatological applications by numerous DoD and civilian customers. DATSAV3 refers to the digital tape format in which decoded weather observations are stored. The DATSAV3 format conforms to Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). The DATSAV3 database includes data originating from various codes such as synoptic, airways, Meteorological Aviation Routine Weather Reports (METAR), and Supplementary Marine Reporting Station (SMARS), as well as observations from automatic weather stations. The users handbook provides complete documentation for the database and its format. AFCCC sorts the observations into station-date-time order, validates each station number against the Air Weather Service Master Station Catalog (AWSMSC), runs several quality control programs, and then merges and sorts the data further into monthly and yearly station-ordered files. AFCCC then provides the data to the collocated National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). For more information about the DATSAV3 format and the quality control performed on this data see NCDC, 1999a. For more information on the Abbreviated Format see the NCDC, 1999b. 2.1 Detailed Format Description The GCIP LSA-E EAOP 1999 Surface "Special" observation data contains ten metadata parameters and 38 data parameters and flags. The metadata parameters describe the station location and time at which the data were collected. The time of observation is reported both in Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) Nominal and UTC actual time. For the GCIP LSA-E EAOP 1999 "Specials", the UTC Nominal and UTC actual times are equal to the time of observation and are always identical. Days begin at UTC 0100 and end at UTC 0000 the following day. The table below details the data parameter in each record. Several data parameters have an associated Quality Control (QC) Flag Code which are assigned by the Joint Office for Science Support (JOSS). For a list of possible QC Flag values see the Quality Control section 3.0. No additional QC was performed by UCAR/JOSS. Parameters Units ---------- ----- Date of Observation UTC Nominal Time of Observation UTC Nominal Date of Observation UTC Actual Time of Observation UTC Actual Network Identifier Abbreviation of platform name Station Identifier Network Dependent Latitude Decimal degrees, South is negative Longitude Decimal degrees, West is negative Station Occurrence Unitless Station Elevation Meters Station Pressure, QC flag Hectopascals (mb) Reported Sea Level Pressure, QC flag Hectopascals (mb) Computed Sea Level Pressure, QC flag Hectopascals (mb) Dry Bulb Temperature, QC flag Celsius Dew Point, QC flag Celsius Wind Speed, QC flag m/s Wind Direction, QC flag Degrees Total Precipitation, QC flag mm Squall/Gust Indicator Code Value Squall/Gust Value, QC flag m/s Present Weather, QC flag Code Value Visibility, QC flag Meters Ceiling Height (first layer) Hundreds of feet Ceiling Flag (first layer), QC flag Code Value Cloud Amount (first layer), QC flag Code Value Ceiling Height (second layer) Hundreds of feet Ceiling Flag (second layer), QC flag Code Value Cloud Amount (second layer), QC flag Code Value Ceiling Height (third layer) Hundreds of feet Ceiling Flag (third layer), QC flag Code Value Cloud Amount (third layer), QC flag Code Value The list of code values for the Present Weather is too large to reproduce in this document. Refer to WMO, 1988 for a complete list of Present Weather codes. The code values for the Squall/Gust Indicator are: Code Definition ---- ---------- blank No Squall or Gust S Squall G Gust The code values for the ceiling flag Indicator are: Code Definition ---- ---------- 0 None 1 Thin 2 Clear below 12,000 feet 3 Estimated 4 Measured 5 Indefinite 6 Balloon 7 Aircraft 8 Measured/Variable 9 Clear below 6,000 feet (AUTOB) 10 Estimated / Variable 11 Indefinite / Variable 12 12-14 reserved 15 Missing The code values for the Cloud Amount Indicator are: Code Definition ---- ---------- 0 0 ( or clear) 1 1 okta or less, but not zero or 1/10 or less, but not zero 2 2 oktas or 2/10-3/10 3 3 oktas or 4/10 4 4 oktas or 5/10 5 5 oktas or 6/10 6 6 oktas or 7/10-8/10 7 7 oktas or more, but no 8 oktas or 9/10 or more, but not 10/10 8 8 oktas or 10/10 (or overcast) 9 Sky obscured by fog and/or other meteorological phenomena 10 Sky partially obscured by fog and/or other meteorological phenomena 11 Scattered 12 Broken 13 13-14 Reserved 15 Cloud cover is indiscernible for reasons other than fog or other meteorological phenomena, or observation is not made. 2.2 Data Remarks This dataset contains the GCIP LSA-E EAOP 1999 Surface "Special" observation data. The GCIP LSA-E EAOP 1999 Hourly Surface Composite contains only the "Nominal" hourly observations for the GCIP LSA-E EAOP 1999 data. 3.0 Quality Control Processing The DATSAV3 portion of this dataset was quality controlled by AFCCC. For more information about the DATSAV3 format and the quality control performed see NCDC, 1999a. No additional QC was performed by UCAR/JOSS. The possible quality control flags are listed in Table 3.1 below. Table 3.1 - Quality Control Flags QC Code Description U Unchecked G Good M Normally recorded but missing. D Questionable B Unlikely N Not available or Not observed X Glitch E Estimated C Reported value exceeds output format field size or was negative precipitation. T Trace precipitation amount recorded I Derived parameter can not be computed due to insufficient data. 4.0 References ASOS User's Guide, ASOS Project Office, NOAA, National Weather Service, Washington D.C., June 1992. National Climatic Data Center, 1999a: Data documentation for DATSAV3 surface TD-9956, April 20, 1999 National Climatic Data Center, 151 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801-5001 USA National Climatic Data Center, 1999b: Surface Hourly Abbreviated Format, 09/02/99 National Climatic Data Center, 151 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801-5001 USA World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 1988: Manual on Codes Volume I, Part B - Binary Codes. WMO, Geneva, Switzerland.