NWS NOAAPORT Channel Content

January 2006

NOAAPORT is divided into four channels each with different content. This document will decribe each channel and give information on the content type and data frequency

NWSTG (National Weather Service Transmission Gateway) Channel

Global Formatted Observations and Forecasts

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Surface Observations	Hourly	METAR	Airport observations which contain hourly surface weather conditions including temperature, dewpoint, winds, cloud cover, pressure, visibility and current weather.
Synoptic Observations	3/6 hourly	SYNOP	General surface observations reported every 6 hours (some more frequent) which includes temperature, dewpoint, winds, cloud cover, pressure and climatic data. This includes land, ship, CMAN and buoy data.
Upper Air Observations	12 hourly	UA	Twice a day balloon sounding data.
Terminal Forecasts	Roughly 6 hours	TAF	Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts which gives 12-24 hour aviation forecasts at airports.
Pilot Reports	Continuous	UA/PIREP	Pilot reports give upper air information including turbulence and icing at a location and flight level.

Domestic Formatted Observation and Forecast Data (US, Canada and some Mexican and Caribbean)

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Radar Data	Hourly	MDR	Manually Digitized Radar data from Nexrad sites. This is low resolution reflectivity data for legacy systems.
Radar Data	30 minutes	RCM/GRIB	Radar Coded Messages from the Nexrad sites. This is a limited base reflectivity product with storm attribute information. There is also a GRIB mosaic.
Model Output Data	Variable / 12 hourly	Tabular	Various types of coded model output including station based foreasts (MOS), upper air, trajectory and other forecasts.
Hydrology Data	Continuous	SHEF/Text	A variety of climatic and hydrology data reported in text or SHEF format. This includes river observations, climatic precipitation and exteme temperature data, etc.
Satellite Data	Continuous	Various	A set of tabular information from the GOES and POES satellites.

Domestic Free Text Data Products (US, Canada and some Mexican and Caribbean)

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Text Forecasts	Variable	Free text	This includes state and zone forecasts issued by forecast offices. This includes NWS issued surface, upper air and recreational forecasts.
Weather Summaries	Hourly / Variable	Free Text	General weather summaries issued by forecast offices describing current weather conditions.
Climatic Data	Daily / Monthly	Free Text / CLIMAT	Climatic data issued daily or monthly which includes max/min temperatures, precipitation, snowfall, averages and deviations from normal.
Severe Weather Alerts	Variable	Free Text	Severe weather watches, warnings and advisories.
Admin Messages	Variable	Free Text	NWS administrative messages and notices

Binary Gridded Model Output (GRIB)

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
NGM Model	12 hourly	GRIB	The NCEP NGM model which runs to 48 hours.
Eta Model	6 hourly	GRIB	The NCEP Eta model which runs to 72/60 hours.
Global Forecast Model (GFS)	6 hourly	GRIB	The NCEP Global model which runs to 120 hours (5 days).
Global Forecast Model - Long range	Daily (00Z)	GRIB	The NCEP Global model run at 00Z to 10 days.
RUC Model	Hourly	GRIB	The NCEP Rapid Update Cycle model run hourly to 12/3 hours.
Wind Wave Model	12 Hourly	GRIB	The NCEP Ocean Wind Wave model run to 72 hours.
Sea Surface Temperature Analysis	Daily	GRIB
ECMWF Model	Daily (12Z)	GRIB	The European Center for Medium Range Forecasting model 12Z model run that goes to 10 days.
UK Met Model	12 Hourly	GRIB	United Kingdom Met Office model run to 72 hours.

Other Binary Data

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Profiler Data	Hourly	BUFR	Wind profiler data put in one hour summary files.
GOES Sounder Data		BUFR
Model Output Data	12 Hourly	BUFR	BUFR encoded MOS data
Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts		GRIB
Flash Flood Guidance		GRIB

NIDS Radar Data

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Base reflectivity	6/10 minutes	NIDS	Base reflectivity (prod 19) at 4 tilts and prod 20
Composite reflectivity	6/10 minutes	NIDS	Composite reflectivity (prod 37)
Velocity	6/10 minutes	NIDS	Base velocity (prod 27) and storm relative velocity (prod 56)
VIL	6/10 minutes	NIDS	Vertically Integrated Liquid (prod 57)
Echo Tops	6/10 minutes	NIDS	Echo tops (prod 41)
Vertical Wind Profile	6/10 minutes	NIDS	Profiler data (prod 48)
Precipitation	6/10 minutes	NIDS	One hour and storm total precipitation (prod 78 and 80) plus digital precip array (prod 81).
Admin Messages	Variable	NIDS/Text	General Status Messages and Free Text Messages

Lightning Data

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
NLDN	1 minute	Proprietary	Lightning Detection Network data

Graphics Data

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Redbook	Variable	Redbook	Various Fax like charts encoded in Redbook format
Images	6/10 minutes	NIDS	Composite reflectivity (prod 37)

NWSTG2 Channel

Binary Gridded Model Output (GRIB)

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Eta Model	6 hourly	GRIB2	The NCEP Eta model which runs to 72/60 hours.
Global Forecast Model (GFS)	6 hourly	GRIB2	The NCEP Global model which runs to 120 hours (5 days).
DGEX Model	6	GRIB2	The Downscaled GFS with Eta eXtensions (out to 192 hours) .
NDFD Data	12 Hourly	GRIB2	National Digital Forecast Database.

Other Binary Data

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Various BUFR Products	Various	BUFR

GOES Channel

Satellite Data

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
East CONUS Satellite	15 minutes	GINI	East CONUS view from GOES East which includes 5 channels (Vis, IR 3.4, 6.7, 11, 12 micron) at 1 and 4 km resolution
West CONUS Satellite	15 minutes	GINI	West CONUS view from GOES West which includes 5 channels (Vis, IR 3.4, 6.7, 11, 12 micron) at 1 and 4 km resolution
National Composite	30 minutes	GINI	Composite of GOES East and West including all 5 channels at 8 km resolution for CONUS regions.
Northern Hemisphere Composite	30 minutes	GINI	Composite of GOES East and West including all 5 channels at 24 km resolution covering the northern/western hemisphere

OCONUS Channel

Text Data

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Surface Hydrology	Continous	Various/SHEF

Model Data

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Eta Model	6 hourly	GRIB	The NCEP Eta model which runs to 72/60 hours over Alaska.
Global Forecast Model (GFS)	6 hourly	GRIB	The NCEP Global model which runs to 120 hours (5 days) over Pacific and Alaska.

Satellite Data

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Northern Hemisphere Composite (5 Sat)	3 hourly	GINI	Composite of five geostationary satellite including 3 channels at 24 km resolution covering the northern hemisphere.
Alaska Satellite	15 minutes	GINI	GOES West view over Alaska inculding all 5 channels at 1 and 4 km resolution.
Alaska National	15 minutes	GINI	GOES West view over Alaska inculding 3 channels at 8 km resolution.
Hawaii Satellite	15 minutes	GINI	GOES West view over Hawaii inculding all 5 channels at 1 and 4 km resolution.
Hawaii National	15 minutes	GINI	GOES West view over Hawaii inculding 3 channels at 8 km resolution.
Puerto Rico Satellite	15 minutes	GINI	GOES East view over Puerto Rico inculding all 5 channels at 1 and 4 km resolution.
Puerto Rico National	15 minutes	GINI	GOES East view over Puerto Rico including 3 channels at 8 km resolution.

Graphics Data

Data Type	Frequency	Format	Description
Redbook	Variable	Redbook	Various Fax like charts encoded in Redbook format