SUMMARY OF THE DAY FIRST ORDER TD-3210 (on-line data format) Prepared by Lewis France National Climatic Data Center Federal Building Asheville, North Carolina October 1994 *** This documentation has been altered to match the data as it was placed on-line in June 1995. Some sections may be missing from the table of contents which did not apply to the on-line data. This format does not match the archived data format. This document was prepared by the U.S. Department of commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, North Carolina. This document is designed to provide general information on the content, origin, format, integrity, and the availability of this data file. Table of Contents ------------ | Topics | ------------ INTRODUCTORY TOPICS 1. Data Set ID 2. Data Set Name 3. Data Set Aliases ---------------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION 4. Record Description of the on-line data format 5. Sample Access Software 6. Element Names and Definitions 7. Start Date 8. Stop Date 9. Parameter 10. Discipline 11. Coverage 12. Location 13. Keyword 14. Storage Medium 15. File Mode 16. How to Acquire the Data 17. Historical and Current Data Sources 18. Data Derivation, Algorithms 19. Data Derivation, Algorithms, Responsibility for 20. Project ---------------------------------------------------------- DATA CENTER 21. Data Center, Archiving 22. Data Center, Originating ---------------------------------------------------------- PERSONNEL 23. Archiver 24. Technical Contact 25. Investigator ---------------------------------------------------------- SENSORS 26. Sensor Name and Operating Principles 27. Sensor Siting 28. Sensor Accuracy and Calibration 29. Sensor Sampling Characteristics 30. Data Capture Method at/near Sensor ---------------------------------------------------------- STATIONS 31. Station Location Accuracy 32. Station Observation Schedule 33. Station Data Time Averaging 34. Station Groupings, using Spatial Sampling 35. Network Participation 36. Geographical Criteria for Selecting Stations 37. Geographical Distribution 38. Elevation Distribution ---------------------------------------------------------- DATA QUALITY 39. Instrument Problems 40. Missing Data Periods 41. Sampling Biases 42. Error Detection and Correction 43. Missing Value Estimates 44. Quality Control Responsibility 45. Known Uncorrected Problems 46. Confidence Factors 47. History of Data Usage 48. Quality Statement ---------------------------------------------------------- DATES 49. Revision Date 50. Science Review Date 51. Future Review Date ---------------------------------------------------------- OTHER DATA SETS 52. Input Sources to this Data Set 53. Essential Companion Data Sets 54. Derived from this Data Set 55. Larger Collections 56. Similar Data Sets ---------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARIZATION 57. Reference 58. Summary ----------------------- | 1. Data Set ID | ----------------------- TD-3210 ------------------------- | 2. Data Set Name | ------------------------- Summary of the Day - First Order ------------------------------------------ | 3. Description: Data Set Aliases | ------------------------------------------ Surface Land Daily Cooperative Data Summary of the Day Data Co-op Data Climatological Data Daily Weather Data Co-op Summary of the Day Data Substation Data SOD ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 4. Description: Record Description of the on-line data format | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- RECORD A. Physical Characteristics Each logical record contains one station's daily data for a specific meteorological element for a period of one month. List of Variables ("ELEMENTS") ELEMENT WIDTH POSITION 001 STATION ID 8 001-008 002 STATION NAME 23 009-031 003 YEAR 4 032-035 004 MONTH 2 036-037 005 LATITUDE 5 038-042 006 LONGITUDE 6 043-048 007 ELEVATION 6 049-054 008 ELEMENT TYPE 4 055-059 009 HOUR OF OBSERVATION 2 -\ -repeated 31 times 010 VALUE OF METEOROLOGICAL ELEMENT 5 -/ -------------------------------------------------------- | 5. Sample Access Software | -------------------------------------------------------- PROGRAM FSODREAD IMPLICIT NONE INTEGER IYEAR,IMON,NHOUR(31),NVALUE(31),HELEV CHARACTER*4 ELMTYP CHARACTER*5 HLAT CHARACTER*6 HLON CHARACTER*8 STNID CHARACTER*23 HNAME DO WHILE (.NOT. EOF) READ(20,30,END=99)STNID,HNAME,IYEAR,IMON,HLAT, + HLON,HELEV,ELMTYP,(NHOUR(J),NVALUE(J),J=1,31) ........... ........... 30 FORMAT(A8,A23,I4,I2,A5,A6,I6,A4,31(I2,I6)) END DO 99 CONTINUE ............. ............. END -------------------------------------------------------- | 6. Description: Element Names and Definitions | -------------------------------------------------------- STATION-ID This eight-digit numeric identifier (WBAN STATION NUMBER) is assigned by the National Climatic Data Center. The first 3 digits are zero's. WBAN NUMBER is a 5 digit number formulated to designate the station. A list of stations with their coordinates, elevation and period of record is available upon request. Values range from 00000001 through 00099999. STATION NAME The station name as it appears in the NCDC station history file. METEOROLOGICAL ELEMENT-TYPE The type of meteorological element stored in this record is given as a 4-Character alphanumeric acronym. The following list denotes the specific elements contained in TD-3210 online data format. To determine which units are used for each element-type you must read Tape Field 004 "Element-Units" (Reference Table "A", page 18). AWND Average daily wind speed (begin 1984). Units expressed in miles per hour to tenths. From January 1984 through June 1987 the Element Unit is incorrectly listed as TK (Tenths of Knots), it should be MH (Miles per Hour). CLDG Cooling degree day (begin 1984) - Base 65 degrees Fahrenheit. DPNT Departure from normal temperature - DATA-VALUE = 00099 to b00099 degrees Fahrenheit. DPTP Average daily dew-point temperature (begin 1984). Units expressed in tenths of degrees Fahrenheit. HTDG Heating Degree Days (begin 1984; however, several stations reported this element as early as 1961) - Base 65 whole degrees Fahrenheit. MNRH Minimum Relative Humidity - (through 1955). DATA-VALUE = b00000 to b00100, expressed in whole percent. (AWS stations through January 1958, NWS, FAA, and Navy stations through December 1964. Most stations restarted in 1984; some stations reported this element as early as 1961). MXRH Maximum Relative Humidity - Data-Value = b00000 to b00100, expressed in whole percent. (AWS stations through June 1958, NWS, FAA, and Navy stations through December 1964. Most stations restarted in 1986.) PKGS Peak Gust Direction and Speed - If two or more equal peak gust speeds occurred on the same day, the first was digitized for the period July, 1968 through December 1972. Beginning in January 1973, the last was digitized. The direction is generally expressed in 16 Point WBAN Code, with the following exceptions: (1) Air Force stations used 36 Point code from January, 1964 through February, 1967, 16 Point WBAN Code from March, 1967 through June, 1968, and 36 Point code again from July, 1968 through December, 1970. Air Force data was generally discontinued by December, 1970. (2) Navy stations used 16 Point WBAN Code from the beginning of record through January, 1971, and 36 Point Code from February, 1971 through the present. Wind speeds are generally expressed in MPH through December, 1954, and in knots from January, 1955 to the present. A consistent exception is Navy stations, which used knots for the entire period of record. Example of value field XXYYY after 1954 for wind direction and speed: 44032; 44 = Wind direction from the SE. 032 = Wind speed 032 knots. PRCP Daily Precipitation - Rainfall and melted frozen precipitation are included. Trace is less than .005 inch. DATA-VALUE = b00000 to b09999 expressed in hundredths of inches. PRES Average Daily Station Pressure - (begin 1984). Based on 8 - 3 hourly observations per day. Units expressed in thousandths of inches of Mercury. PSUN Daily Percent of Possible Sunshine - (begin January 1965). Data Value = b00000 to b00100, expressed in percent. SNOW Daily Snowfall - Hail is included with snowfall from July 1948 to December 1955 and from May 1989 to the present. Effective April 1970, amount includes sleet/ice pellets. DATA-VALUE = b00000 to b09999 expressed in tenths of inches. Trace of snow is less than .05 inch. SNWD Snowdepth at Observation Time - Hail is included with snowfall from July 1948 to December 1955 and from May 1989 to the present. (Reference Table "E", page 21.) TMAX Daily Maximum Temperature - DATA-VALUE = -00199 to b00199, expressed in whole degrees Fahrenheit. TMIN Daily Minimum Temperature - DATA-VALUE = -00199 to b00199, expressed in whole degrees Fahrenheit. TSUN Daily Total Sunshine - DATA-VALUE = b00000 to b01440, expressed in minutes. (Reference Table "F", page 21.) METEOROLOGICAL ELEMENT MEASUREMENT UNITS CODE. (Reference Table "A", page 18.) YEAR This is the year of record. Range of values from 1860's (few stations) to current year processed. MONTH This is the month of the record. Range of values is 01 to 12. DAY Contains the day of the daily element value. Range = 01 to 31. Data are for the 24 hour period midnight to midnight LST. HOUR Contains the hour of the daily observation. Hour is reported as 24 representing a 24 hour period midnight to midnight. DATA-VALUE Actual data value. The DATA-VALUE (DATA ELEM VALUE) portion of the tape field is a six digit integer. ******** TABLE "A" ******** METEOROLOGICAL ELEMENT MEASUREMENT UNITS CODE The units and decimal position of the data value for this record. Range of values is listed below. C Whole degrees Celsius CM Centimeters D Whole Fahrenheit degree days DT Wind direction in tens of degrees DW Wind direction in whole degrees F Whole degrees Fahrenheit FN Feet and tenths FT Whole feet HF Hundreds of feet HI Hundredths of inches HM Hundredths of miles HR Time in hours and minutes HT Hundredths of inches but observation was only made to tenths I Whole inches IH Hundredths of inches of mercury IT Thousandths of inches of mercury KD Knots and direction in tens of degrees KS Knots and direction in 16 pt. code M Whole miles MD MPH and direction in tens of degrees ME Whole meters MH Miles per hour MM Millimeters MN Minutes MS MPH and direction in 16 pt. code MT Tenths of millibars NA No units applicable (none-dimensional) N1 No units applicable - element to tenths N2 No units applicable - element to hundredths P Whole percent TC Tenths of degree Celsius TD Tenths of Fahrenheit degree days TF Tenths of degrees Fahrenheit TH Tenths of hours TI Tenths of inches TK Tenths of knots TL Tenths of miles per hour TM Tenths of millimeters TP Tenths of percent TS Tenths of sky cover Note: All single digit Element-Units are left justified and blank filled. ******** TABLE "E" ******** SNWD DEPTH of SNOW OBSERVED AT: 00:30 GMT prior to July 1952 12:30 GMT 1 July 1952 to 30 May 1957 12:00 GMT 1 June 1957 to present DATA-VALUE = b00000 to b09999 in whole inches. Trace of snow depth is less than 0.5 inches. Some Alaska and part-time stations take snow depth measurements at different hours. ******** TABLE "F" ******** TSUN Conversion of minutes to tenths of hours is: MIN TENTHS 1-2 0.0 3-8 0.1 9-14 0.2 15-20 0.3 21-26 0.4 27-32 0.5 33-38 0.6 39-44 0.7 45-50 0.8 51-56 0.9 57-60 1.0 A ASOS ------------------------------------ | 7. Description: Start Date | ------------------------------------ A very small portion of this data dates back to 1890. Data from the late 1940's and onward comprise the bulk of this data set. Hail and Snowfall Amounts Hail amounts were included with snowfall amounts through December 31, 1955 for most stations but a few continued this practice until 1963. This practice began again with the May 1989 data as a result of the April 1988 revision of the FMH-1, which required the inclusion of hail and other solid precipitation in reports of snowfall and snow depth. Maximum/Minimum Temperature For U.S. Air Force Stations, from May 15, 1955, for stations taking 24 record observations per day, the maximum and minimum temperature are determined from these hourly observations. The observations at the beginning and ending of the day are considered. The values are reported as missing when more than 3 of the hourly observations pertinent to the determination of maximum and minimum temperatures for each 24-hour period are missing or erroneous. Average Dew Point, and Average Wet Bulb From 1984 forward. Peak Gust Wind Direction Peak Gust Wind Directions contain a mixture of 16-point code and 36-point code. The 36-point code was used January 1964 through February 1967, and from July 1968 to the early 1970's. The 16-point code was used from March 1967 through June 1968, and from the early 1970's to the present time. Relative Humidity Daily maximum, and minimum (through 1964 for most stations). Degree Days Heating and cooling (From 1984 forward). Wind From the beginning of record, fastest observed 1-minute (direction and speed), fastest mile (direction and speed), peak gust (time, direction, and speed); from 1984 - forward, time of fastest mile, resultant wind (speed and direction), average wind speed, and highest instantaneous wind (speed and direction). From September 1992, fastest 2-minute (direction and speed) and fastest 5-second (time, direction and speed). Pressure (From 1984 forward) - average station pressure and average sea level pressure. ----------------------------------- | 8. Description: Stop Date | ----------------------------------- Present ------------------------------------ | 9. Description: Parameter | ------------------------------------ Atmospheric Dynamics>Temperature>Daily Maximum Temperature Atmospheric Dynamics>Temperature>Daily Minimum Temperature Atmospheric dynamics>Temperature>Average Temperature Atmospheric Dynamics>Winds>Wind Speed Atmospheric Dynamics>Winds>Wind Direction Atmospheric Dynamics>Winds>Resultant Wind Speed Atmospheric Dynamics>Humidity>Relative Humidity Atmospheric Dynamics>Precipitation>Daily Snow Fall Atmospheric Dynamics>Precipitation>Snow Depth Atmospheric Dynamics>Pressure>Sea Level Pressure Atmospheric Dynamics>Pressure>Station Pressure ------------------------------------ | 10. Description: Discipline | ------------------------------------ Earth Science>Atmospheric>Meteorological/Climatological Daily Precipitation, Daily Snowfall, Daily Maximum Temperature, Daily Minimum Temperature, Water Equivalent of Snow Depth, Wind movement Earth Science>Land>Hydrology Daily Snowfall, Daily Snow Depth, Water Equivalent of Snow Depth, Depth of Frozen Ground, Daily Precipitation ---------------------------------- | 11. Description: Coverage | ---------------------------------- Southernmost Latitude: 90S Northernmost Latitude: 90N Westernmost Longitude: 180W Easternmost Longitude: 180E ---------------------------------- | 12. Description: Location | ---------------------------------- Areal Coverage Coverage includes the contiguous United States, Caribbean Islands, Pacific Islands, and other overseas stations of the NWS, FAA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force. --------------------------------- | 13. Description: Keyword | --------------------------------- Meteorology Climatology Hydrology Cooling Degree Days Heating Degree Days Dew-Point Temperature Wet-Bulb Temperature 2-Minute Wind Direction 2-Minute Wind Speed Time of Fastest 2-Minute Wind Time of Fastest 1-Minute Wind Fastest 5-Second Wind Direction Fastest 5-Second Wind Speed Time of Fastest Mile Highest Wind Direction Highest Wind Speed Highest Gust Wind Peak wind Gust Weather Ice Thickness Depth of Frozen Ground Top of Frozen Ground Thickness of Frozen Ground Layer River Gauge Height Sunshine Sky Cover ASOS Water Equivalent of Snow on Ground TD-3210 3210 Weather Frozen Ground Layer Normals Precipitation Pressure ---------------------------------------- | 14. Description: Storage Medium | ---------------------------------------- The data are currently stored on 71 magnetic tape cartridges totalling about 5 gigabytes. Tape copies can be made in either the variable length or fixed length record structure. ----------------------------------- | 15. Description: File Mode | ----------------------------------- ASCII ------------------------------------------------- | 16. Description: How to Acquire the Data | ------------------------------------------------- These data are available for purchase from the National Climatic Data Center, Climate Services Branch, Federal Building, 151 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC 28801-5001, phone number 704-271-4800. ------------------------------------------------------------- | 17. Description: Historical and Current Data Sources | ------------------------------------------------------------- Cooperative Observations Principal Climatological Stations Summary of the Day Observations Punched Card Deck 345 State Universities Digital Files Daily Observations (manuscripts and publications) Tape Deck 9750 Historical Files ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System) TD-3200 ----------------------------------------------------- | 18. Description: Data Derivation, Algorithms | ----------------------------------------------------- No information available at this time. ------------------------------------------------------------------ | 19. Description: Data Derivation, Algorithms | | Responsibility for | ------------------------------------------------------------------ No information available at this time. --------------------------------- | 20. Description: Project | --------------------------------- National Weather Service (NWS) Cooperative Program Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) ---------------------------------------------- | 21. Data Center: Data Center Archiving | ---------------------------------------------- National Climatic Data Center, NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC Federal Building 37 Battery Park Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-2733 ------------------------------------------------ | 22. Data Center: Data Center Originating | ------------------------------------------------ National Climatic Data Center Federal Building 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 ------------------------------- | 23. Personnel: Archiver | ------------------------------- Chief, Data Base Management Branch NOAA/NCDC Federal Building 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 ---------------------------------------- | 24. Personnel: Technical Contact | ---------------------------------------- Climate Services Division NOAA/NCDC Federal Building 37 Battery Park Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-2733 Phone: (704)-259-0682 ----------------------------------- | 25. Personnel: Investigator | ----------------------------------- Chief, Data Base Management Branch NOAA/NCDC Federal Building 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 ------------------------------------------------------- | 26. Sensor: Sensor Name and Operating Principle | ------------------------------------------------------- No information available at this time. --------------------------------- | 27. Sensor: Sensor Siting | --------------------------------- No information available at this time. ---------------------------------------------------- | 28. Sensor: Sensor Accuracy and Calibration | ---------------------------------------------------- No information available at this time. ---------------------------------------------------- | 29. Sensor: Sensor Sampling Characteristics | ---------------------------------------------------- No information available at this time. ------------------------------------------------------ | 30. Sensor: Data Capture Method at/near Sensor | ------------------------------------------------------ No information available at this time. ---------------------------------------------- | 31. Station: Station Location Accuracy | ---------------------------------------------- TD-3210 station history locations are known to the nearest minute of latitude and longitude. ------------------------------------------------- | 32. Station: Station Observation Schedule | ------------------------------------------------- The observations are generally recorded for the 24-HR period midnight to midnight. ------------------------------------------------- | 33. Station: Station Data Time Averaging | ------------------------------------------------- No information available at this time. ------------------------------------------------------------ | 34. Station: Spatial Sampling Using Station Grouping | ------------------------------------------------------------ Not applicable ------------------------------------------- | 35. Stations: Network Participation | ------------------------------------------- This Summary of the Day First Order data file contains daily selected elements of observations taken by certified observers. The stations are located worldwide and are operated by the National Weather Service (NWS), U.S. Air Force (AWS), U.S. Navy (Navy Weather Service), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Through the years approximately 1,380 principle stations have recorded observations in the program. In 1985 there were just under 428 active stations being processed for inclusion in the digital TD-3210 data file. Keep in mind when using this data set that stations have varying periods of record and varying types of data elements. In September 1992, the NWS began implementation of the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) with four sites. Implementation is expected to be completed in 1996 and include approximately 2000 NWS, FAA and Military locations. The data will be transmitted via AFOS until the AWIPS-90 communication system is operational. ---------------------------------------------------------------- | 36. Stations: Geographic Criteria for Selecting Stations | ---------------------------------------------------------------- No information available at this time. --------------------------------------------- | 37. Stations: Geographic Distribution | --------------------------------------------- In the early years of aviation most stations were located in major cities. As aviation became more sophisticated, stations shifted to airports. Stations are located worldwide and are operated by the National Weather Service (NWS), U.S. Air Force (Air Weather Service), U.S. Navy (Navy Weather Service) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Areal coverage includes the contiguous United States, Caribbean Islands, Pacific Islands, and other overseas stations of the NWS, FAA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force. -------------------------------------------- | 38. Stations: Elevation Distribution | -------------------------------------------- Elevation for fixed surface locations for the data set are mostly below 1,000 meters above sea level. The minimum elevation is 1 meter and the maximum is 2,300 meters. --------------------------------------------- | 39. Data Quality: Instrument Problems | --------------------------------------------- The typical progression of temperature instruments was from liquid-in-glass thermometers, to (1960 series) Hygrothermometers, to (1980 series) Hygrothermometers. Scientists are currently investigating the effect these instrument changes (especially the 1980 series) may have on long term temperature records. ---------------------------------------------- | 40. Data Quality: Missing Data Periods | ---------------------------------------------- Microfiche inventories of the TD-3210 data set are available which indicate missing data periods by station for most elements. MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE National Weather Service, and Federal Aviation Stations: These values are determined from stations equipped with maximum and minimum thermometers or recording instruments. For some sites, when instruments were inoperative, values were selected from hourly observations. U.S. Air Force Stations: From May 15, 1955, for stations taking 24 record observations per day, the maximum and minimun temperatures are determined from hourly observations. The observations at the beginning and ending of day are considered. The values are reported as missing when more than 3 of the hourly observations pertinent to the determination of maximum and minimum temperatures for each 24-hour period are missing or erroneous. U.S. Navy Stations: When maximum and minimum thermometer readings are not available, the data at most stations are reported as missing. Some Navy stations determine the maximum and minimum temperatures from hourly observations when readings from maximum and minimum thermometers are not available. Hail and Snowfall Amounts Although the inclusion of hail amounts with snowfall amounts was discontinued after December 31, 1955, some stations may have hail amounts included with snowfall after this date, as late as 1963 at a few stations. This occurred because on the original manuscript form the same column was used for the entry of snow, sleet and hail and the entry was not indicated as hail. For NWS sites, hail was again included in snowfall amounts beginning in 1989. ----------------------------------------- | 41. Data Quality: Sampling Biases | ----------------------------------------- No information available at this time. --------------------------------------------------------- | 42. Data Quality: Error Detection and Correction | --------------------------------------------------------- The historical data were converted from existing digital files and placed in the element structure format in 1983. At that time these data were only processed through a gross value check. In January 1984, NCDC instituted greatly enhanced computer algorithms for automated validation of digital archives. The revised edit system performs internal consistency checks, climatological limits checks and serial checks. It is the goal of the NCDC that, as resources permit, these historical files will be brought up to the same level of quality as those from 1984 onward. Quality control "flags" are appended to each element to show how they fared during the edit procedures and to indicate what, if any, action was taken. The files consist of observed values and, as necessary, edited values. Flags must be checked at all times to determine if an edited value is present. ------------------------------------------------- | 43. Data Quality: Missing Value Estimates | ------------------------------------------------- No information available at this time. -------------------------------------------------------- | 44. Data Quality: Quality Control Responsibility | -------------------------------------------------------- Responsibility for data quality rests with the individual observers, the NWS Surface or ASOS Program Manager, Navy, Air Force and FAA Program Managers, and NCDC. ---------------------------------------------------- | 45. Data Quality: Known Uncorrected Problems | ---------------------------------------------------- There are known TD-3210 problems. Those problems are being addressed by a program VaLHiDD (Validation of Historical Daily Data). During the period 1984-86 there are numerous entries for element PRCP of "NA" for the meteorological Element Units Code. These should be coded as "HI". In 1988 for states 31-91 (North Carolina to Pacific Islands), the algebraic sign of positive meteorological data values may be coded as "+" symbols instead of as blanks. -------------------------------------------- | 46. Data Quality: Confidence Factors | -------------------------------------------- No information is available at this time. ----------------------------------------------- | 47. Data Quality: History of Data Usage | ----------------------------------------------- This data set has been used in countless climatological studies, litigations, insurance claims, and various other research applications. ------------------------------------------- | 48. Data Quality: Quality Statement | ------------------------------------------- It must be understood that at the onset of punched card processing of climatological observations, the primary goal was the publication of the monthly climatological summaries. The conversion from manual to automated systems meant that more work could be done faster with fewer people and at less cost. Even though the punched cards were retained, it was never envisioned that 20 to 30 years from then a great number of users would be seeking large data files for retrospective studies using high-speed computers. Benign neglect, state-of-the-art processing (CIRCA 1952), and limited resources (monetary and personnel) all contributed toward less than optimum conditions for maintaining the integrity of the digital files. Many of these shortcomings are now recognized and efforts are underway to upgrade the principal data sets. ---------------------------- | 49. Dates: Revision | ---------------------------- March 26, 1992 October 18, 1994 -------------------------------------- | 50. Dates: Science Review Data | -------------------------------------- March 26, 1992 October 18, 1994 ------------------------------------- | 51. Dates: Future Review Date | ------------------------------------- Not applicable at this time. ----------------------------------------------------------- | 52. Other Data Sets: Input Sources to this Data Set | ----------------------------------------------------------- No information is available at this time. ---------------------------------------------------------- | 53. Other Data Sets: Essential Companion Data Sets | ---------------------------------------------------------- TD-3200 which requires use of NCDC's in-house Station History file. ------------------------------------------------------- | 54. Other Data Sets: Derived from this Data Set | ------------------------------------------------------- Palmer Drought Index data set Summary of Month Local Climatological Data Publication Historical Climatological Network-Daily Freeze Data and Growing Degree Days ----------------------------------------------- | 55. Other Data Sets: Larger Collections | ----------------------------------------------- No information available at this time. ---------------------------------------------- | 56. Other Data Sets: Similar Data Sets | ---------------------------------------------- TD-3200 Surface and Land Daily cooperative-Summary of the Day TD-3220 Coop Summary of Month TD-3240 Hourly Precipitation TD-3260 15-Minute Precipitation TD-3285 ASOS 1-Minute Data -------------------- | 57. Reference | -------------------- National Weather Service, 1993: National Weather Service Observing Handbook No. 7, Surface Observations, NOAA-NWS, Silver Springs MD. National Weather Service, June 1992: ASOS Users Guide, NOAA-NWS, Silver Springs, MD. National Weather Service, April 1988: Surface Observations, Federal Meteorological Handrook No. 1 (FCM-H1-1988), Office of the Federal Coordinator, Dept of Commerce, Washington, D.C. Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research, October 1992: Surface Aviation Observations, Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 1 (revised (FCM-H1-1991), Office of the Federal Coordinator, Rockville, MD. (currently in draft form). National Climatic Data Center, March 1993: Local Climatological Data. Environmental Information summary (C-2), NOAA-NCDC, Asheville, NC. (currently in draft form). Hughes, P.Y., E.H. Mason, T.R. Karl, and W.A. Brower, 1992: United States Historical Climatology Network Daily Temperature and Precipitation Data - ORNL/CDIAC-50, NPD-042. Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 40 pp. ------------------ | 58. Summary | ------------------ This Summary of the Day First Order data file contains daily selected elements of observations taken by certified observers. The stations are located worldwide and are operated by the National Weather Service (NWS), U.S. Air Force (Air Weather Service), U.S. Navy (Navy Weather Service), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). These First Order Stations are usually fully instrumented and therefore record a complete range of meteorological parameters. The observations are generally recorded for the 24-HR period midnight to midnight. Through the years approximately 1,380 principal stations have recorded observations in the program. In 1985 there were just under 428 active stations being processed for inclusion in the digital TD-3210 data file. Keep in mind when using this data set that stations have varying periods of records and varying types of data elements. The digital files were transferred from punched cards to magnetic tape (TD-9750) during the late 1960's. This card image CARD-345 (TD-9750) remained in effect until the current element file structure was developed in 1983. At that time the historical files were converted to TD-3210 and processing of current data was completely revised. The new processing system began with the January 1984 data. In September 1992, the NWS began implementation of the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) with four sites. Implementation is expected to be completed in 1996 and include approximately 2,000 NWS, FAA and Military locations. The data will be transmitted via AFOS until the AWIPS-90 communications system is operational.