**National Climatic Data Center**

**DATA DOCUMENTATION**

**FOR**

**DATASET 3710 (DSI-3710)**

**Upper Air Merged Monthly**

**1985-1989**

**February 11, 2004**

National Climatic Data Center

151 Patton Ave.

Asheville, NC 28801-5001 USA

**Table of Contents**

[Topic Page Number]{.underline}

1\.
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3

2\. Element Names and Definitions**:**
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3\. Start
Date\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.... 4

4\. Stop
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5\.
Coverage\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...
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6\. How to order
data\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\... 5

7\. Archiving Data Center.
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8\. Technical
Contact\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\... 5

9\. Known Uncorrected
Problems\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\... 5

10\. Quality
Statement\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\..... 5

11\. Essential Companion Data Sets\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....
5

12\.
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5

**1. [Abstract]{.underline}:** The Merged Monthly Dataset is a 360 tape
database of the 00Z and 12Z ECMWF (European Center for Medium Range
Weather Forecasting). Upper Air Analysis tapes from Jan. 1980 to Dec.
1989 for levels surface to 10mb are included. The data is arranged into
files containing one latitude "band" for each month-year. These bands
are:

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
  **Latitude Band \#**                **Latitude Range**

  1                                   North Pole (90.0N to 57.5N)

  2                                   North Mid-lat (55.0N to 20.0N)

  3                                   Tropical

  4                                   South Mid-lat (20.0S to 55.0S)

  5                                   South Pole (57.5S to 90.0S)
  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------

The 5 latitude data bands are stored as separate data on 3 tapes with:

Lat-Ban 1 and lat-Ban 2 on one tape

Lat-Ban 3 and Lat-Ban 4 on one tape

Lat-Ban 5 on one tape

**2. [Element Names and Definitions]{.underline}:**

Tape attributes are: 6250bpi, Binary

The blocks within each file are arranged in level-latitude strip-element
order. A block contains the hourly data for a latitude "strip" 2.5
degrees wide around the globe for one level/element/month. The data are
in full word binary representation and begin a 0 degrees longitude and
proceed east. Block order example:

Lat-Ban4 (South Mid-lat):

  ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------
  **Block \#**      **Level**         **Lat-Strip**     **Element**

  1                 SFC               -20.0S            151

  2                 SFC               -20.0S            167

  3                 SFC               -20.0S            165

  4                 SFC               -20.0S            166

  5                 SFC               -20.0S            134

  6                 SFC               -20.0S            168

  7                 SFC               -20.5S            151

  :                 :                 :                 :

  13                SFC               -25.0S            151

  :                 :                 :                 :

  90                SFC               -55.0S            168

  91                1000              -20.0S            129

  92                SFC               -20.0S            130

  93                SFC               -20.0S            131

  94                SFC               -20.0S            132

  95                SFC               -20.0S            135

  96                SFC               -20.0S            157

  97                1000              -22.5S            129

  :                 :                 :                 :

  2790              300               -55.0S            133

  Above 300 mb                                          
  there is no more                                      
  water vapor -                                         
  element 133 or                                        
  157                                                   

  2791              250               -20.0S            129

  5480              10                -55.0S            135
  ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- -----------------

**Merged Monthly Record Format**

+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| Variable              | Format                | Description           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| CSRC                  | Character             | Identifies the source |
|                       |                       | of the data           |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | "GRIB" - ECMWF Global |
|                       |                       | Analysis              |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| IYR                   | Integer               | Year (80-89)          |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| IMTH                  | Integer               | Month (1-12)          |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| LEVEL                 | Integer               | Height of surface     |
|                       |                       | (0(sfc) - 10mb)       |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| IELEM                 | Integer               | Element code as       |
|                       |                       | defined by source for |
|                       |                       | "GRIB" data:          |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | Surface               |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 151: Mean sea level   |
|                       |                       | pressure (mb)         |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 167: Temp at 2m (K)   |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 165: U wind at 10m    |
|                       |                       | (m/s)                 |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 166: V wind at 10m    |
|                       |                       | (m/s)                 |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 134: Sfc pressure     |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 168: DEWPT at 2m      |
|                       |                       | above sfc (K)         |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 129: Geopotential     |
|                       |                       | (mm/ss)               |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 130: Temperature (K)  |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 131: U wind +from the |
|                       |                       | west (m/s)            |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 132: V wind +from the |
|                       |                       | south (m/s)           |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 133: Humidity mixing  |
|                       |                       | ratio (Kg/Kg)         |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 135: Vertical         |
|                       |                       | velocity (Pa/s)       |
|                       |                       |                       |
|                       |                       | 157: Relative         |
|                       |                       | humidity (%)          |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| LAT1                  | Real                  | Beginning latitude    |
|                       |                       | (+90 to -90 by 2.5)   |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| LON1                  | Real                  | Beginning longitude   |
|                       |                       | (0 to 270 by 90)      |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| DATA (62,144)         | Real                  | Data values of the    |
|                       |                       | elements for 90       |
|                       |                       | degrees of longitude  |
|                       |                       | in 2.5 degree         |
|                       |                       | increments with 2     |
|                       |                       | hours/day up to 31    |
|                       |                       | days/month.           |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+

**3. [Start Date]{.underline}:** 1980

**4. [Stop Date]{.underline}:** 1989

**5. [Coverage]{.underline}:**

a\. Southernmost Latitude: -90.0S

b\. Northernmost Latitude: 90.0N

c\. Westernmost Longitude: -180.0W

d\. Easternmost Longitude: 180.0E

**6. [How to Order Data]{.underline}:**

Ask NCDC's Climate Services about the cost of obtaining this data set.

Phone: 828-271-4800

FAX: 828-271-4876

E-mail: [**NCDC.Orders@noaa.gov**](mailto:NCDC.Orders@noaa.gov)

**7. [Archiving Data Center]{.underline}:**

Archive Branch

National Climatic Data Center

151 Patton Avenue

Asheville, NC 28801

**8. [Technical Contact]{.underline}:**

National Climatic Data Center

151 Patton Avenue

Asheville, NC 28801

**9. [Known Uncorrected Problems]{.underline}:** None.

**10. [Quality Statement]{.underline}:** A limited quality control of
this dataset had been performed; where data values exceed a certain
criteria were made missing. There was no surface and 10mb data for the
years 1980-1984.

**11. [Essential Companion Datasets]{.underline}:**

**12. [References]{.underline}:**