MADIS Radiosonde Variables - Numeric ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Code Name Max Number Units Max Notes Database of Levels QC Level* FSL AWIPS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Integrated Sounding 405 Sig Man 1 ------------------- --- --- DD wind direction deg 1 2 2 X X FF wind speed m/s 1 2 2 X X U u wind component m/s 1 2 2 X X V v wind component m/s 1 2 2 X X T air temperature K 2 2 3,4 X X TV virtual temperature K 2 2 3,4 X X TD dewpoint temperature K 1 1 5 X X RH relative humidity % 1 1 5 X X Q specific humidity kg/kg 1 1 5 X X DPD dewpoint depression K 1 1 5 X X AH absolute humidity g/(m**3) 1 1 5 X X WVMR water vapor mixing ratio kg/kg 1 1 5 X X P pressure Pa 1 1 X X HT geopotential height m 1 2 3 X X LEVTYPE level type code 0 0 6 X X Mandatory Levels 22 1 ---------------- DDMAN wind direction deg 2 2 X X FFMAN wind speed m/s 2 2 X X UMAN u wind component m/s 2 2 X X VMAN v wind component m/s 2 2 X X TMAN air temperature K 2 3,4 X X TVMAN virtual temperature K 2 3,4 X X TDMAN dewpoint temperature K 1 5 X X RHMAN relative humidity % 1 5 X X QMAN specific humidity kg/kg 1 5 X X DPDMAN dewpoint depression K 1 5 X X AHMAN absolute humidity g/(m**3) 1 5 X X WVMRMAN water vapor mixing ratio kg/kg 1 5 X X PMAN pressure Pa 1 X X HTMAN geopotential height m 2 3 X X Significant Levels 175 1 ------------------ TSIG air temperature K 2 4 X X TVSIG virtual temperature K 2 4 X X TDSIG dewpoint temperature K 1 5 X X RHSIG relative humidity % 1 5 X X QSIG specific humidity kg/kg 1 5 X X DPDSIG dewpoint depression K 1 5 X X AHSIG absolute humidity g/(m**3) 1 5 X X WVMRSIG water vapor mixing ratio kg/kg 1 5 X X PSIG pressure Pa 1 X X HTSIG geopotential height m 1 1 X X Wind Levels 200 1 ----------- DDWIND wind direction deg 1 2 X X FFWIND wind speed m/s 1 2 X X UWIND u wind component m/s 1 2 X X VWIND v wind component m/s 1 2 X X PWIND pressure Pa 1 1 X X HTWIND geopotential height m 1 X X Maximum Wind Levels 4 1 ------------------- DDMXWND wind direction deg 1 2 X X FFMXWND wind speed m/s 1 2 X X UMXWND u wind component m/s 1 2 X X VMXWND v wind component m/s 1 2 X X PMXWND pressure Pa 1 X X HTMXWND geopotential height m 1 1 X X Tropopause Levels 4 1 ----------------- DDTROP wind direction deg 1 2 X X FFTROP wind speed m/s 1 2 X X UTROP u wind component m/s 1 2 X X VTROP v wind component m/s 1 2 X X TTROP air temperature K 2 4 X X TVTROP virtual temperature K 2 4 X X TDTROP dewpoint temperature K 1 5 X X RHTROP relative humidity % 1 5 X X QTROP specific humidity kg/kg 1 5 X X DPDTROP dewpoint depression K 1 5 X X AHTROP absolute humidity g/(m**3) 1 5 X X WVMRTROP water vapor mixing ratio kg/kg 1 5 X X PTROP pressure Pa 1 X X HTTROP geopotential height m 1 1 X X Station Identification ---------------------- SONDET sonde type code 0 7 X MADIS Radiosonde Variables - Character ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Code Name Character Notes Size ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RELTIME release time 9 8 X Notes ----- 1. The user can choose to retrieve the different radiosonde level types individually, or can select an integrated sounding that will return all levels combined and sorted in ascending order by height. - The number of levels in the integrated sounding varies, with values typically between 50 and 125. - Mandatory levels include the 21 mandatory isobaric levels plus the surface level. - Pressures returned for wind levels reported by height have been calculated using a log(P) interpolation. - The heights returned for significant, winds-reported-by pressure, maximum wind, and tropopause levels have been calculated using the hypsometric equation (if temperature is available) or a log(P) interpolation (if temperature is missing). - If the user wants to easily identify pressure or heights that have been interpolated, without identifying the type of level, he can check for the character "I" in the QC data descriptor. For more information on the radiosonde level types and variables, see Federal Meteorological Handbook 3 (FMH-3). 2. Wind speed and direction are reported and stored in the database. The user can optionally select u & v wind components and those will be calculated and returned. The QC results from speed and direction will be used In either case, and if one of the map projections has been selected via the MSETDOM call, the winds will be rotated to match the projection. 3. The hydrostatic check applied to mandatory level heights and temperatures can, under certain circumstances, decide that a reported value is wrong, and offer a corrected value, which the user is encouraged to use instead of the reported value. The API default is to return the reported value. The MSETCOR call is used to indicate whether or not to use recommended corrections. 4. Air temperature is the temperature variable stored in the database. The user can optionally select virtual temperature, which will then be calculated by the MADIS API. The QC results from air temperature will apply in either case. Also note that if virtual temperature cannot be calculated (missing or bad dewpoint or pressure), and the air temperature passed all QC checks, the air temperature will be returned instead, and a QC data descriptor value of "T" will be assigned. 5. Dewpoint depression is the moisture variable reported and stored in the database. The user can optionally select dewpoint temperature, relative humidity, specific humidity, absolute humidity, or water vapor mixing ratio. These values will then be calculated by the MADIS API. The QC results from dewpoint depression will apply to any of the calculated variables. 6. Level type codes: Value Meaning ----- ------- 1 surface 2 mandatory 3 significant 4 wind 5 maximum wind 6 tropopause 7. The coded values for the sonde type are too extensive to list in this document. The code table for sonde types is WMO BUFR code table 002011. 8. Not all stations report release time, and the release time for those that do report this value are generally +- 70 minutes from the "synoptic time". The synoptic time is what's reported in the observation time array by the MRAOBSTA subroutine, and this is generally used as the nominal time of the data for most applications (e.g., most times reported for the 00 hour file will also be hour 00). All times reported in the MADIS API are in Universal Coordinated Time, with the format of "YYJJJHHMM", where: YY = 2-digit year (good from 1980 - 2179) JJJ = Julian date of the year (1-366) HH = Hour (0-23) MM = Minute (0-59) If the release time is missing, the 9-character field will be set to all blanks, e.g., " ". Users of the MADIS API raobdump program will get the time output in their chosen format, either YYJJJHHMM or YYYYMMDD_HHMM. * The QC information is only available with the FSL database.