gov.noaa.ncdc:C00310 National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Unknown tabular digital data http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) has, in archive, a historical digital data set entitled the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB), which is US solar radiation data for the period 1961-90. The product was produced by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The NSRDB is a serially complete collection of hourly values of the three most common measurements of solar radiation (global horizontal, direct normal, and diffuse horizontal) over a period of time adequate to establish means and extremes, and at a sufficient number of locations to represent regional solar radiation climates. In addition, the NSRDB contains extraterrestrial radiation (ETR) and direct normal ETR, total skycover, opaque skycover, dry-bulb temperature, dew-point temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind direction and speed, horizontal visibility, ceiling height, present weather, total precipitable water, aerosol optical depth, snow depth, and number of days since last snowfall. National and international meteorological practices (WMO 1967) call for the use of a 30-year period of record to establish normals, means, and extremes for meteorological variables. Because NOAA updates normals, means, and extremes for the US each decade, the period January 1961 through December 1990 was used for the NSRDB. Standard International (SI) units are used for all elements in the data base except atmospheric pressure (millibars). All data are referenced to local standard time. The solar radiation elements are the radiant energy integrated over the hour preceding the designated time. Meteorological elements are the values observed at the designated time. The NSRDB contains 56 Primary and 183 Secondary stations, covering the US including Alaska and Hawaii, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Primary stations contain measured solar radiation data for at least a portion of the 30-year record, while Secondary stations contain only modeled data. To make a wide range of climatic data available to researchers and the public. data set C00310 AEROSOL MONITOR AIRBORNE TRACKING SUNPHOTOMETER AWS > AUTOMATED WEATHER SYSTEM BAROMETERS DRY BULB THERMOMETERS HUMIDITY SENSORS HYGROMETERS PSYCHROMETERS PYRANOMETERS RAIN GAUGES SNOW MEASURING ROD TEMPERATURE SENSORS WIND VANES WEATHER STATIONS National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce 19610101 19901231 Ground Condition Complete As Needed 145.0 -60.0 72.0 15.0 ISO 19115 Topic Category climatologyMeteorologyAtmosphere 004 DIF Discipline Keyword Thesaurus Earth Sciences > Atmosphere > Meteorology Earth Sciences > Atmosphere > Climatology Earth Sciences > Atmosphere > Weather Earth Sciences > Land > Hydrology GCMD Sciences Keyword Valids EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > AEROSOLS > AEROSOL OPTICAL DEPTH/THICKNESS EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > AIR QUALITY > VISIBILITY EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE > ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE > SURFACE PRESSURE EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE > AIR TEMPERATURE EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC WATER VAPOR > DEW POINT EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC WATER VAPOR > PRECIPITABLE WATER EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > CLOUDS > CLOUD CEILING EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > CLOUDS > CLOUD AMOUNT/FREQUENCY EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > PRECIPITATION EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > PRECIPITATION > SNOW EARTH SCIENCE > ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC WINDS > SURFACE WINDS EARTH SCIENCE > HYDROSPHERE > SNOW/ICE > SNOW DEPTH EARTH SCIENCE > SPECTRAL/ENGINEERING > VISIBLE WAVELENGTHS GCMD Location Valids UNITED STATES OF AMERICA GUAM PUERTO RICO GCMD Location Valids LAND SURFACE TROPOSPHERE WEATHER STATIONS AEROSOL MONITOR WEATHER STATIONS AUTOMATED WEATHER SYSTEM AWS WEATHER STATIONS PYRANOMETERS WEATHER STATIONS PSYCHROMETERS WEATHER STATIONS HYGROMETERS WEATHER STATIONS BAROMETERS WEATHER STATIONS AIRBORNE TRACKING SUNPHOTOMETER WEATHER STATIONS DRY BULB THERMOMETERS WEATHER STATIONS HUMIDITY SENSORS WEATHER STATIONS RAIN GAUGES WEATHER STATIONS SNOW MEASURING ROD WEATHER STATIONS TEMPERATURE SENSORS WEATHER STATIONS WIND VANES 1 None None Not provided Unknown Data completeness information not available. Not derived from another source. Unknown Positions 1-3: RECORD TYPE The highest time resolution of data stored in this record. The value is "HLY": Each record contains 24 hourly values (one day). Positions 4-11: WBAN NUMBER The WBAN Number is the station identifier. Assigned by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). Range of values = 00000000-00099999. Positions 12-15: DATA TYPE CODE The element, or type of data, stored in this record is indicated by a four character alphanumeric code in this field. Allowed values with their meanings are listed below. CLHT DESCRIPTION: Ceiling height Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 0XXXX Units = decameters Range of values = 00000 - 03045 07777 = Unlimited Ceiling Height 08888 = Cirroform 99999 = Missing Data DPTP DESCRIPTION: Dew Point Temperature Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 00XXX Units = tenths of a degree Celsius (?C) Range of values = 00000 B 00600 (0.0 - 60.0 ?C) 99999 = Missing data DRAD DESCRIPTION: Direct Normal Radiation Direct Normal Radiation is the amount of solar radiation received within a 5.7? field of view centered on the sun. Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 0XXXX Units = watt-hours per square meter (Wh/m2) Range of values = 00000 B 01415 99999 = Missing data ETRH DESCRIPTION: Extraterrestrial Horizontal Radiation Extraterrestrial Horizontal Radiation is the amount of solar radiation received on a horizontal surface at the top of the atmosphere. Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 0XXXX Units = watt-hours per square meter (Wh/m2) Range of values = 00000 - 01415 ETRN DESCRIPTION: Extraterrestrial Direct Normal Radiation Extraterrestrial Direct Normal Radiation is the amount of solar radiation received on a surface normal to the sun at the top of the atmosphere. Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 0XXXX Units = watt-hours per square meter (Wh/m2) Range of values = 00000 - 01415 GRAD DESCRIPTION: Global Horizontal Radiation Global Horizontal Radiation is the total amount of direct and diffuse solar radiation received on a horizontal surface. Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 0XXXX Units = watt-hours per square meter (Wh/m2) Range of values = 00000 - 01415 99999 = Missing data HZVS DESCRIPTION: Horizontal Visibility Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 0XXXX Units = hectometers Range of values = 00000 - 01609 (0.0-160.9 km) 07777 = Unlimited Visibility 99999 = Missing Data PH20 DESCRIPTION: Precipitable Water Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 00XXX Units = millimeters Range of values = 00000 - 00100 99999 = Missing data PRES DESCRIPTION: Atmospheric Pressure Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 0XXXX Units = millibars Range of values = 00700 - 01100 99999 = Missing Data PWX1 DESCRIPTION: Present Weather for first five weather elements Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The values will appear as XXXXX as follows: XXXXX *** Observation Indicator where: X = 0 Weather Observations Made = 9 Weather Observations not made or missing XXXXX *** Occurrence of Thunderstorm, Tornado, Squall where: X = 0 Thunderstorm - lightning and thunder. Wind gust less than 25.7 m/s, and hail, if any, less than 1.9 cm diameter. = 1 Heavy or severe thunderstorm frequent intense lightning and thunder. Wind gust greater than 25.7 m/s and hail, if any, greater than = 1.9 cm diameter. = 2 Report of tornado or water spout = 4 Moderate squall - Sudden increase of wind speed by at least 8.2 m/s, reaching 11.3 m/s or more and lasting for at least one minute. = 6 Water spout (began Jan 1984) = 7 Funnel cloud (began Jan 1984) = 8 Tornado (began Jan 1984) = 9 None if Observation Indicator equals 0, else unknown or missing if Observation Indicator equals 9. XXXXX *** Rain, Rain Showers, Freezing Rain where: X = 0 Light rain = 1 Moderate rain = 2 Heavy rain = 3 Light rain showers = 4 Moderate rain showers = 5 Heavy rain showers = 6 Light freezing rain = 7 Moderate freezing rain = 8 Heavy freezing rain = 9 None if Observation Indicator equals 0, else unknown or missing if Observation Indicator equals 9. Note: Light = up to 0.25 cm per hour Moderate = 0.25 to 0.76 cm per hour Heavy = more than 0.76 cm per hour XXXXX *** Rain Squalls, Drizzle, Freezing Drizzle where: X = 0 Light rain squalls = 1 Moderate rain squalls = 3 Light drizzle = 4 Moderate drizzle = 5 Heavy drizzle = 6 Light freezing drizzle = 7 Moderate freezing drizzle = 8 Heavy freezing drizzle = 9 None if Observation Indicator equals 0, else unknown or missing if Observations Indicator equals 9. Notes: When drizzle or freezing drizzle occurs with other weather phenomena: Light = up to 0.025 cm per hour Moderate = 0.025 to 0.051 cm per hour Heavy = More than 0.051 cm per hour When drizzle or freezing drizzle occurs alone: Light = Visibility 1 km or greater Moderate = Visibility 0.5 B 1.0 km Heavy = Visibility 0.5 km or less XXXXX *** Snow, Snow Pellets, Ice Crystals where: X = 0 Light snow = 1 Moderate snow = 2 Heavy snow = 3 Light snow pellets = 4 Moderate snow pellets = 5 Heavy snow pellets = 6 Light ice crystals (ends March 1963) = 7 Moderate ice crystals = 8 Heavy ice crystals (ends March 1963) = 9 None if Observation Indicator equals 0, else unknown or missing if Observation Indicator equals 9. Notes: Beginning Apr 63, any occurrence of ice crystals is recorded as a 7. PWX2 DESCRIPTION: Present Weather for second five weather elements Valid times: 1961 - 1990 The values will appear as XXXXX as follows: XXXXX *** Snow Showers, Snow Squalls where: X = 0 Light snow showers = 1 Moderate snow showers = 2 Heavy snow showers = 3 Light snow squall = 4 Moderate snow squall = 5 Heavy snow squall = 9 None if Observation Indicator equals 0, else unknown or missing if Observation Indicator equals 9. XXXXX *** Sleet, Sleet Showers, Hail where: X = 0 Light ice pellet showers = 1 Moderate ice pellet showers = 2 Heavy ice pellet showers = 3 Light hail (see note below) = 4 Hail = 9 None if Observation Indicator = 0, unknown or missing if Observation Indicator = 9. Notes: Prior to April 1970, ice pellets were coded as sleet. Beginning April 1970, sleet and small hail were redefined as ice pellets and are coded as 0, 1 or 2. XXXXX *** Fog, Blowing dust, Blowing Sand where: X = 0 Fog = 1 Ice fog = 2 Ground fog = 3 Blowing dust = 4 Blowing sand = 5 Heavy fog = 6 Glaze (began 1984) = 7 Heavy ice fog (began 1984) = 8 Heavy ground fog (began 1984) = 9 None if Observation Indicator = 0, else unknown or missing if Observation Indicator = 9. Notes: The above values are recorded only when visibility is less than 11 km. XXXXX *** Smoke, Haze, Smoke and Haze, Blowing Snow, Blowing Spray, Dust where: X = 0 Smoke = 1 Haze = 2 Smoke and haze = 3 Dust = 4 Blowing snow = 5 Blowing spray = 6 Dust storm (begin 1984) = 7 Volcanic ash = 9 None if Observation Indicator = 0, unknown or missing if Observation Indicator = 9. Notes: The above values are recorded only when visibility is less than 11 km. XXXXX *** Ice Pellets where: X = 0 Light ice pellets = 1 Moderate ice pellets = 2 Heavy ice pellets = 9 None if Observation Indicator = 0, unknown or missing if Observation Indicator = 9. RHUM DESCRIPTION: Relative Humidity Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 00XXX Units = percent Range of values = 00000 - 00100 99999 = Missing data SNOW DESCRIPTION: Snow Depth and Days Since Last Snowfall Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The values will appear as XXXYY XXX = Snow Depth Units = centimeters Range of values = 000 - 900 999 = Missing data YY = Days since last snowfall Range of values = 00 - 88 88 = 88 or greater days 99 = Missing data SRAD DESCRIPTION: Diffuse Horizontal Radiation Diffuse Horizontal Radiation is the amount of solar radiation received on a horizontal surface from the sky, excluding the solar disk. Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 0XXXX Units = watt-hours per meter squared (Wh/m2) Range of values: 00000 B 01415 Wh/m2 99999 = Missing data TMPD DESCRIPTION: Dry Bulb Air Temperature Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 00XXX Units = tenths of a degree Celsius (?C) Range of values = 00000 B 00600 (0.0 B 60.0 ?C) 99999 = Missing data TURB DESCRIPTION: Broadband Aerosol Optical Depth (broadband turbidity) Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as 00XXX Units = thousandths Range of values = 00000 B 00900 (0.000 B 0.900) 99999 = Missing data TSKC DESCRIPTION: Total sky cover and Opaque Sky Cover Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The values will appear as 0XXYY 0XX = Total sky cover Total sky cover is the amount of the sky dome covered by clouds. Units = tenths Range of Values of XX = 000 - 010 (0.0 B 1.0) 999 = Missing data YY = Opaque sky cover Opaque sky cover is the amount of the sky dome covered by clouds that prevent observing the sky or higher cloud layers. Units = tenths Range of Values of YY = 00 - 10 (0.0 B 1.0) 99 = Missing data WIND DESCRIPTION: Wind Direction and Wind Speed Valid times = 1961 - 1990 The value will appear as XXYYY XX = Wind direction Direction is the direction from which the wind is blowing. Units = tens of degrees Range of values = 00 B 36 (000 - 360?) 99 = Missing data YYY = Wind speed Units = tenths of meters per second (m/s) Range of values = 000 - 990 (0.0 - 99.0 m/s) 999 = Missing data Positions 16-17: MEASUREMENT UNITS CODE Measurement units used for the DATA VALUE and, where applicable, the implied decimal point location. Allowed values with their meanings are listed below. Usually there is one value and one measurement unit; the two exceptions are noted. The field DATA TYPE CODE conveys this information and more, so MEASUREMENT UNITS CODE is a somewhat redundant field. CD Centimeters DM Decameters, or tens of degrees and tenths of meters per secondH KM Kilometers to tenths (i.e. 111 = 11.1 km) MB Millibars MM Millimeters NA Not applicableI P Percent TC Degrees Celsius to tenths (i.e. 123 = 12.3 ?C) WM Watt-hours per square meter H Either (1) the units are decameters (123 = 1230 m) or (2) DATA VALUE consists of two values with two units, which are tens of degrees (18 = 1800) and tenths of meters per second (123 = 12.3 m/s), respectively. I Either DATA VALUE (1) is a unit less quantity, or (2) is a code that translates to five different values, each with a different unit.. Positions 18-21: YEAR The year of the record. Range of values = 1961 - 1990. Positions 22-23: MONTH The month of the record. Range of values = 01 - 12. Position 24: SOURCE CODE 1 Constant, reserved for future applications. The value is 1. Position 25: SOURCE CODE 2 Constant, reserved for future applications. The value is 1. Positions 26-27: DAY The day of the record. Range of values = 01 - 31. Positions 28-30: NUM-VALUES The number of data groups that follow, beginning with the next element, TIME OF VALUE, which is the first element in each data group. For these data, NUM-VALUES is the number of hourly DATA VALUES available for the calendar day given by YEAR, MONTH and DAY. Positions 31-34: TIME OF VALUE TIME OF VALUE contains the hour and minute associated with the DATA VALUE. Range of values = 0000 - 2300. The hour is the leftmost two digits and the minute is the rightmost two digits. However, minutes are always 00. 0000 = Midnight. Position 35: SIGN OF DATA VALUE The sign of the DATA VALUE. A minus sign is used for negative values. A blank is used for zero or positive values. Positions 36-40: DATA VALUE DATA VALUE is always a five-digit integer that can represent one value, or five values, for the element given by the DATA TYPE CODE field. DATA VALUE=s arithmetic sign, implied decimal point location, and measurement units are given by SIGN OF DATA VALUE and DATA TYPE CODE. DATA VALUE is associated with the time given by YEAR, MONTH, DAY, and TIME OF VALUE. Note: For solar radiation elements, DATA VALUE represents an amount of solar radiation integrated over the hour ending at TIME OF VALUE; for meteorological elements, this value is based on observations made at TIME OF VALUE. Position 41: FLAG 1 Data Source FLAG. Values appear as X, where For solar radiation data: X = A Post-1976 measured solar radiation data as received from NCDC or other source. = B Same as A except the global horizontal data underwent a calibration correction = C Pre-1976 measured global horizontal data (direct and diffuse were not measured before 1976), adjusted from solar to local time, usually with a calibration correction = D Data derived from the other two elements of solar radiation using the relation Kt = Kn + Kd, where Kt is global radiation, Kn is direct normal radiation, and Kd is diffuse horizontal radiation = E Modeled solar radiation data using inputs of observed sky cover (cloud amount) and aerosol optical depths derived from direct normal data collected at the same location = F Modeled solar radiation using interpolated sky cover and aerosol optical depths derived from direct normal data collected at the same location = G Modeled solar radiation data using observed sky cover and aerosol optical depths estimated from geographical relationships = H Modeled solar radiation data using interpolated sky cover and estimated aerosol optical depths = ? Source does not fit any of the above categories. Used for nighttime values, calculated extraterrestrial values, and missing data For meteorological data: X = A Data as received from NCDC, converted to Standard International units = B Linearly interpolated to fill short data gaps = C Non-linearly interpolated to fill data gaps from 6 to 47 hours in length = D Long data gaps from 48 hours to one year filled from other years = E Modeled or estimated, except: precipitable water, calculated from radiosonde data; and aerosol optical depth, calculated from direct normal data = F Precipitable water, calculated from surface vapor pressure; aerosol optical depth, estimated from geographic correlations = ? Source does not fit any of the above. Used mostly for missing data Position 42: FLAG 2 Data Uncertainty Flag. Values appear as X, where For solar radiation data: X = 1 0B 2 % uncertainty range = 2 2B 4 A = 3 4B 6 A = 4 6B 9 A = 5 9B13 A = 6 13-18 A = 7 18-25 A = 8 25-35 A = 9 35-50 A = 0 Not applicable For meteorological data: X = 1 Not used = 2 Not used = 3 Not used = 4 Not used = 5 Not used = 6 Not used = 7 Uncertainty consistent with NWS practices and the instrument or observation used to obtain the data = 8 Greater uncertainty than 7 because values were interpolated or estimated = 9 Greater uncertainty than 8 or unknown = 0 Not definable *Positions 43-318: Data groups in the same format as columns 31-42 are repeated 23 times to complete one day. None National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Customer Service Mailing and physical

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