McIDAS Learning Guide
Version 2006
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Real-time Data Access - Weather Text Products
Weather text data is unique, because it must reside on a McIDAS-X
remote server; it cannot reside on the local server.
The first line of text products received by McIDAS contains
WMO information about the data being received. An example of this WMO information
line is shown below:
| Example: |
FPUS5 KMKE 171245 |
| Format: |
product origin date |
| product |
the product header; includes a two-character WMO product code (FP),
a two-character geographic identification code (US), and an optional
product ID number between 0 and 99 (5) |
| origin |
the station initiating the report (KMKE) |
| date |
day of the month (17), hour UTC (12), and minute (45) |
Many text products sent by the National Weather Service contain an additional
line of information. This AFOS/AWIPS information also indicates product and origin.
Examples of the AFOS/AWIPS information lines are shown here:
| Examples: |
ZFPWI or LFPMKE |
| ppp |
the product header; three-character AFOS/AWIPS product code (ZFP
or LFP) |
| sss |
the station initiating the report; two or three characters, depending
on the AFOS product (WI or MKE) |
In this lesson, you will be using the WXTLIST command
to read various weather text products.
- List the available predefined text products.
- Type: WXTLIST DIR
This will produce a listing of all the predefined text products available
in the group RTWXTEXT.
- List the five most recent Severe Weather Statements, using
one of the predefined text products.
- Type: WXTLIST SEVERE_WX_STATEMENT
NUM=5
WXTLIST relies on keywords to refine the search for text products. The NUM
keyword indicates how many reports you want listed. The WSTN keyword can
be used to match the station initiating the report.
- List the most recent zone forecast for Madison, Wisconsin.
- Type: WXTLIST APRO=ZFP ASTN=MKX MATCH=MADISON
The APRO keyword matches the product header. The ASTN keyword matches the
station initiating the report. The MATCH keyword looks for any occurrence
of the word MADISON in the reports.
There are five macro commands that list observations and forecasts:
- MOSRPT (to
list MOS forecasts from the GFS, NAM and NGM models)
- RAOBRPT (to
list upper air observations)
- SFCRPT (to
list surface hourly observations)
- SYNRPT (to
list synoptic observations)
- TAFRPT (to
list terminal aerodrome forecasts)
These commands all utilize the functionality of the OBSRPT command.
- List the upper air observations for Arizona and New Mexico
for the past 24 hours.
- Type: RAOBRPT AZ NM 24
- List the surface hourly observations for the past 12 hours
in Phoenix, Arizona.
- Type: SFCRPT KPHX 12
This data is all listed in the raw report format. In a later section, you
will use the UALIST and SFCLIST commands
to quickly list the observed data in a format that is easier to read.
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