Dataset
LAND SYNOP reports from land stations collected by the Met Office MetDB System
Update Frequency: Continual
Latest Data Update: 2022-12-14
Status: Ongoing
Online Status: ONLINE
Publication State: Published
Publication Date: 2008-08-08
Download Stats: last 12 months
Dataset Size: 5.3K Files | 583GB
Abstract
The land based SYNOP messages measurements describe hourly observations from land stations distributed globally. The observations cumulate in around 60,000 reports a day, giving measurements of parameters such as wind speed and direction, maximum and minimum air temperature, sunshine duration, rainfall accumulation, and cloud type. The data are collected by observation stations worldwide and transmitted within the land SYNOP message.
Data are extracted from the Met Office's MetDB system before being sent to CEDA for archiving. These extractions occur at the 4 principal synoptic periods (00-06, 06-12, 12-18 and 18-00 UT).
The dataset contains a range of measurements including:
- Wind speed and wind direction
- Maximum and minimum air and grass temperature
- Horizontal and vertical visibility
- Snow depth
- Dew-point temperature
- Relative humidity
- 3 -hour pressure change
- Height and period of wind waves
- Cloud height and type
- Radiation in last 24 hours
- Maximum gust period
- Past and present weather
- Rainfall accumulation
- Precipitation amount
- Sunshine duration
The wind speed and vertical gust speed are given to the nearest metre per second, and the vertical gust acceleration to the nearest metre per second squared. The wind direction from which the wind blows is measured in Degrees (true). The entry for an east wind is 090, for a south wind it is 180 and so on clockwise. Note that zero values in both wind speed and wind direction fields indicate that there was no wind blowing at the time of observation.
The air temperature, grass temperature and dew-point temperature are measured in Kelvin.
The cloud height, visibility, snow depth, and wind-wave height are given in metres.
Sunshine duration is recorded over 24 hours and over one hour. For the former, the measurement is in hours, but for the latter the measurement is in minutes.
The past weather is recorded as a number between 0-9 which details what the weather has been like in the last 6 hours for observations at 00, 06, 12, 1800 UTC, the last 3 hours for observations at 03, 09, 15, 2100 UTC and the previous hour at any other times. The past weather is only recorded when a manual observation is done at the station.
The relative humidity is measured as a percentage.
Documentation and Links to further information and references (see linked documentation on this record):
Some general information about surface station readings can be obtained from the abridged version of "MIDAS Data Users Guide", provided by the Met Office. This document describes the meteorological surface data in the Met Office Database - MIDAS. This guide is rich in information and is aimed at those with little familiarity with observing methods or instrumentation.
Details of the WMO Meteorological codes used at weather observing stations (daily and hourly weather) explain the codes used in this dataset further.
Citable as: Met Office (2008): LAND SYNOP reports from land stations collected by the Met Office MetDB System. NCAS British Atmospheric Data Centre, date of citation. https://catalogue.ceda.ac.uk/uuid/9f80d42106ba708f92ada730ba321831/
Abbreviation: Not defined
Keywords: Met Office, MetDB, SYNOP, meteorology
Details
| Previous Info: |
No news update for this record
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|---|---|
| Previously used record identifiers: |
http://badc.nerc.ac.uk/view/badc.nerc.ac.uk__ATOM__ACTIVITY_1272a442-e161-11e1-bc2f-00163e251233
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| Access rules: |
These data have multiple licences for different applications. Always make sure to read the appropriate licence for full data usage limitations details. Other usage may not be permitted.
Restricted data: please submit an application using the REQUEST ACCESS link for access. Use of these data is covered by the following licence(s): https://artefacts.ceda.ac.uk/licences/specific_licences/ukmo_agreement.pdf https://artefacts.ceda.ac.uk/licences/specific_licences/ukmo_agreement_gov.pdf When using these data you must cite them correctly using the citation given on the CEDA Data Catalogue record. |
| Data lineage: |
Data are extracted from the Met Office's "metDB" system and supplied to BADC. These are then processed to generate BADC-CSV files, where possible. METARS and CLIMAT message types are stored as original message types only within http://data.ceda.ac.uk/badc/ukmo-metdb/raw |
| Data Quality: |
Land and ship SYNOP messages undergo some quality control at the Met Office, but these messages are not as rigorously checked as they are within the MIDAS system into which the data are later migrated. Thus, for historic data the MIDAS dataset is the recommended dataset to use for surface observations.
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| File Format: |
Data are BADC-CSV formatted.
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Process overview
This dataset was generated by instruments deployed on platforms as listed below.
Instrument/Platform pairings
| Output Description | None |
- long_name: 24 hour pressure change
- names: 24 hour pressure change
- long_name: 3 Hour pressure change quality control flag
- names: 3 Hour pressure change quality control flag
- long_name: 3 Hour pressure tendency quality control flag
- names: 3 Hour pressure tendency quality control flag
- long_name: 3 hour pressure change
- names: 3 hour pressure change
- long_name: 3 hour pressure tendency
- names: 3 hour pressure tendency
- long_name: Above station cloud amount
- names: Above station cloud amount
- long_name: Above station cloud top height
- names: Above station cloud top height
- long_name: Above station cloud top type
- names: Above station cloud top type
- long_name: Above station cloud type
- names: Above station cloud type
- standard_name: air_temperature
- long_name: Air temperature
- names: air_temperature, Air temperature
- long_name: Air temperature quality control flag
- names: Air temperature quality control flag
- long_name: Amendment number
- names: Amendment number
- long_name: Amount of all cloud present
- names: Amount of all cloud present
- long_name: Amount of all cloud present quality control flag
- names: Amount of all cloud present quality control flag
- long_name: Below station cloud amount
- names: Below station cloud amount
- long_name: Below station cloud base height
- names: Below station cloud base height
- long_name: Below station cloud base type
- names: Below station cloud base type
- long_name: Below station cloud type
- names: Below station cloud type
- long_name: Bulletin ID
- names: Bulletin ID
- standard_name: cloud_area_fraction
- long_name: Cloud amount (8 groups)
- names: cloud_area_fraction, Cloud amount (8 groups)
- long_name: Cloud amount quality control flag
- names: Cloud amount quality control flag
- long_name: Cloud type (8 groups)
- names: Cloud type (8 groups)
- long_name: Cloud type quality control flag
- names: Cloud type quality control flag
- long_name: Collecting centre
- names: Collecting centre
- long_name: Correction number
- names: Correction number
- standard_name: dew_point_temperature
- long_name: Dew point temperature
- names: dew_point_temperature, Dew point temperature
- long_name: Dew point temperature quality control flag
- names: Dew point temperature quality control flag
- long_name: Diffuse radiation in last 24 hours
- names: Diffuse radiation in last 24 hours
- long_name: Diffuse radiation in last hour
- names: Diffuse radiation in last hour
- long_name: Direct solar radiation in last 24 hours
- names: Direct solar radiation in last 24 hours
- long_name: Direct solar radiation in last hour
- names: Direct solar radiation in last hour
- long_name: End of period of high mean wind
- names: End of period of high mean wind
- long_name: End of period of max gust
- names: End of period of max gust
- long_name: Evapotranspiration amount
- names: Evapotranspiration amount
- long_name: Geopotential height of agreed level
- names: Geopotential height of agreed level
- long_name: Height of base of cloud
- names: Height of base of cloud
- long_name: Height of cloud base (8 groups)
- standard_name: cloud_base_altitude
- names: cloud_base_altitude, Height of cloud base (8 groups)
- long_name: Height of cloud base quality control flag
- names: Height of cloud base quality control flag
- long_name: Height of wind waves
- standard_name: sea_surface_wind_wave_significant_height
- names: Height of wind waves, sea_surface_wind_wave_significant_height
- long_name: High cloud type (CH)
- names: High cloud type (CH)
- long_name: High cloud type (CH) quality control flag
- names: High cloud type (CH) quality control flag
- long_name: High of base of cloud quality control flag
- names: High of base of cloud quality control flag
- long_name: Highest gust recorded
- standard_name: wind_speed_of_gust
- names: wind_speed_of_gust, Highest gust recorded
- standard_name: wind_speed
- long_name: Highest mean wind speed
- names: wind_speed, Highest mean wind speed
- long_name: Horizontal visibility
- standard_name: visibility_in_air
- names: Horizontal visibility, visibility_in_air
- long_name: Horizontal visibility quality control flag
- names: Horizontal visibility quality control flag
- long_name: Least significant pas weather report
- names: Least significant pas weather report
- long_name: Least significant past weather report quality control flag
- names: Least significant past weather report quality control flag
- long_name: Long-wave radiation in last 24 hours
- names: Long-wave radiation in last 24 hours
- long_name: Long-wave radiation in last hour
- names: Long-wave radiation in last hour
- long_name: Low cloud amount
- names: Low cloud amount
- long_name: Low cloud amount quality control flag
- names: Low cloud amount quality control flag
- long_name: Low cloud type (CL)
- names: Low cloud type (CL)
- long_name: Low cloud type (CL) quality control flag
- names: Low cloud type (CL) quality control flag
- standard_name: air_temperature
- long_name: Maximum air temperature
- names: air_temperature, Maximum air temperature
- long_name: Medium cloud type (CM)
- names: Medium cloud type (CM)
- long_name: Medium cloud type (CM) quality control flag
- names: Medium cloud type (CM) quality control flag
- standard_name: air_temperature
- long_name: Minumum air temperature
- names: air_temperature, Minumum air temperature
- long_name: Minumum grass temperature
- names: Minumum grass temperature
- long_name: Most significant past weather report
- names: Most significant past weather report
- long_name: Most significant past weather report quality control flag
- names: Most significant past weather report quality control flag
- long_name: Net radiation in last 24 hours
- names: Net radiation in last 24 hours
- long_name: Net radiation in last hour
- names: Net radiation in last hour
- long_name: Net short-wave radiation in last 24 hours
- names: Net short-wave radiation in last 24 hours
- long_name: Net short-wave radiation in last hour
- names: Net short-wave radiation in last hour
- long_name: Original wind speed units
- names: Original wind speed units
- long_name: Past weather period
- names: Past weather period
- long_name: Period of wind waves
- standard_name: sea_surface_wind_wave_period
- names: sea_surface_wind_wave_period, Period of wind waves
- long_name: Period when max temperature reported
- names: Period when max temperature reported
- long_name: Period when min temp reported
- names: Period when min temp reported
- long_name: Present weather
- names: Present weather
- long_name: Present weather quality control flag
- names: Present weather quality control flag
- standard_name: air_pressure_at_sea_level
- long_name: Pressure at mean sea level
- names: air_pressure_at_sea_level, Pressure at mean sea level
- long_name: Pressure at station level
- standard_name: air_pressure_at_station_level
- names: Pressure at station level, air_pressure_at_station_level
- standard_name: height
- long_name: Pressure sensor height
- names: height, Pressure sensor height
- long_name: Primary swell wave direction
- standard_name: sea_surface_swell_wave_to_direction
- names: sea_surface_swell_wave_to_direction, Primary swell wave direction
- long_name: Primary swell wave height
- standard_name: sea_surface_swell_wave_significant_height
- names: Primary swell wave height, sea_surface_swell_wave_significant_height
- long_name: Primary swell wave period
- standard_name: sea_surface_swell_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_first_frequency_moment
- names: Primary swell wave period, sea_surface_swell_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_first_frequency_moment
- standard_name: relative_humidity
- long_name: Relative humidity (only if dew point not present and RH coded)
- names: relative_humidity, Relative humidity (only if dew point not present and RH coded)
- standard_name: sea_surface_temperature
- long_name: Sea surface temperature
- names: sea_surface_temperature, Sea surface temperature
- standard_name: sea_surface_swell_wave_to_direction
- long_name: Secondary swell wave direction
- names: sea_surface_swell_wave_to_direction, Secondary swell wave direction
- standard_name: sea_surface_swell_wave_significant_height
- long_name: Secondary swell wave height
- names: sea_surface_swell_wave_significant_height, Secondary swell wave height
- long_name: Secondary swell wave period
- standard_name: sea_surface_swell_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_second_frequency_moment
- names: sea_surface_swell_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_second_frequency_moment, Secondary swell wave period
- long_name: Section 1 rainfall amount
- standard_name: rainfall_amount
- names: Section 1 rainfall amount, rainfall_amount
- long_name: Section 1 rainfall amount quality control flag
- names: Section 1 rainfall amount quality control flag
- long_name: Section 1 rainfall period
- names: Section 1 rainfall period
- standard_name: rainfall_amount
- long_name: Section 3 rainfall amount
- names: rainfall_amount, Section 3 rainfall amount
- long_name: Section 3 rainfall amount quality control flag
- names: Section 3 rainfall amount quality control flag
- long_name: Section 3 rainfall period
- names: Section 3 rainfall period
- long_name: Short-wave radiation in last 24 hours
- names: Short-wave radiation in last 24 hours
- long_name: Short-wave radiation in last hour
- names: Short-wave radiation in last hour
- long_name: Standard pressure level
- names: Standard pressure level
- long_name: Start of period of high mean wind
- names: Start of period of high mean wind
- long_name: Start of period of max gust
- names: Start of period of max gust
- long_name: State of ground with/without snow
- names: State of ground with/without snow
- long_name: State of sea
- names: State of sea
- standard_name: height
- long_name: Station height
- names: height, Station height
- long_name: Station type
- names: Station type
- long_name: Sunshine duration in last 24 hours
- standard_name: duration_of_sunshine
- names: Sunshine duration in last 24 hours, duration_of_sunshine
- standard_name: duration_of_sunshine
- long_name: Sunshine duration in last hour
- names: duration_of_sunshine, Sunshine duration in last hour
- long_name: Temperature measuring method
- names: Temperature measuring method
- long_name: Time of receipt day
- names: Time of receipt day
- long_name: Time of receipt hour
- names: Time of receipt hour
- long_name: Time of receipt minute
- names: Time of receipt minute
- long_name: Time of receipt month
- names: Time of receipt month
- long_name: Time of receipt year
- names: Time of receipt year
- standard_name: precipitation_amount
- long_name: Total precipitation past 24 hours
- names: precipitation_amount, Total precipitation past 24 hours
- long_name: Total snow depth
- standard_name: surface_snow_thickness
- names: surface_snow_thickness, Total snow depth
- long_name: Type of evapotranspiration instrument
- names: Type of evapotranspiration instrument
- standard_name: visibility_in_air
- long_name: Vertical visibility
- names: visibility_in_air, Vertical visibility
- standard_name: visibility_in_air
- long_name: Visibility in seaward direction
- names: visibility_in_air, Visibility in seaward direction
- long_name: WMO block number
- names: WMO block number
- long_name: WMO region
- names: WMO region
- long_name: WMO station number
- names: WMO station number
- long_name: Wave measuring method
- names: Wave measuring method
- standard_name: wind_from_direction
- long_name: Wind direction
- names: Wind direction, wind_from_direction
- long_name: Wind direction quality control flag
- names: Wind direction quality control flag
- standard_name: wind_speed
- long_name: Wind speed
- names: Wind speed, wind_speed
- long_name: Wind speed quality control flag
- names: Wind speed quality control flag
- long_name: global radiation in last 24 hours
- names: global radiation in last 24 hours
- long_name: global radiation in last hour
- names: global radiation in last hour
Co-ordinate Variables
- standard_name: time
- long_name: Day
- names: time, Day
- standard_name: time
- long_name: Hour
- names: time, Hour
- standard_name: latitude
- long_name: Latitude
- names: latitude, Latitude
- standard_name: longitude
- long_name: Longitude
- names: longitude, Longitude
- standard_name: time
- long_name: Minute
- names: time, Minute
- standard_name: time
- long_name: Month
- names: time, Month
- standard_name: time
- long_name: Year
- names: time, Year
Coverage
Temporal Range
Start time:
2009-04-30T23:00:00
End time:
Ongoing
Geographic Extent
90.0000° |
||
-180.0000° |
180.0000° |
|
-90.0000° |
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