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Weather API - Variables

Available variables (weather data)

gfs-model

Timesteps

  • Days 1-3: hourly (Timesteps 0, 1, 2, ..., 70, 71, 72)
  • Days 4-10: 3-hourly (Timesteps 75, 78, 81, ..., 234, 237, 249

Variablen

  name long name level description
1. PRMSL Pressure Reduced to MSL [Pa] mean sea level Air pressure, calulated to the medium sea level ("normal air pressure")
2. VIS Visibility [m] surface Visibility is the measure of the distance at which an object or light can be clearly discerned. It depends on the transparency of the surrounding air and as such, it is unchanging no matter the ambient light level or time of day. 
3. UGRD U-Component of Wind [m/s] 10 m above ground Wind component to the north (negative values mean to the south) 10 m above ground
4. VGRD V-Component of Wind [m/s] 10 m above ground Wind component to the east (negative values mean to the west) 10 m above ground
5. GUST Wind Speed (Gust) [m/s] 10 m above ground max. gust speed 10 m above ground
6. TMP Temperature [C] 2 m above ground Air temperature 2 m above ground
7. TCDC Total Cloud Cover [%] entire atmosphere Cloud cover, regardless of the height of the atmosphere
8. HINDEX Haines Index [Numeric] surface

This is a fire weather index based on the stability and moisture content of the lower atmosphere and measures the potential for existing fires to develop into large fires (although it is not a predictor of fire outbreaks). Haines Index values of 4 (low), Haines Index values of 5 (moderate), and Haines Index values of 6 (high). The overall Haines Index ranges from 2 to 6, with 6 representing the highest potential for large fires. The Haines Index is calculated by taking the sum of the atmospheric stability index (term A) and the lower atmospheric dryness index (term B). The stability index is determined from measurements of the temperature difference between two atmospheric levels and the dryness index from measurements of the dew point depression.
9. TSOIL Soil Temperature [C]

0-0.1 m below ground
0.1-0.4 m below ground
0.4-1 m below ground
1-2 m below ground

 Ground temperature
10. SOILW Volumetric Soil Moisture Content [%] 0-0.1 m below ground
0.1-0.4 m below ground
0.4-1 m below ground
1-2 m below ground		 Moisture content of the soil
11. SNOD Snow Depth [m] surface Snow depth
12. ICETK Ice Thickness [m] surface Ice thickness
13. DPT Dew Point Temperature [C] 2 m above ground Dew point temperature
The dew point, also known as the dew point temperature, is the temperature at which the moisture contained in a volume of air condenses and precipitates on solid surfaces as a film of water (dew) when the volume of air cools down at constant pressure.
14. APTMP Apparent Temperature [C] 2 m above ground Apparent temperature
15. ICEG Ice Growth Rate [mm/h] 10 m above mean sea level Growth speed for ice on surfaces, important for ships, as they capsize if their superstructures are too heavy due to ice.
16. PRATE Precipitation Rate [mm/h] surface Amount of precipitation
17. CSNOW Categorical Snow [1 = true] surface Type of precipitation: 1 = snow
18. CICEP Categorical Ice Pellets [1 = true] surface Type of precipitation: 1 = Sleet
19. CFRZR Categorical Freezing Rain [1 = true] surface Type of precipitation: 1 = freezing rain
20. CRAIN Categorical Rain [1 = true] surface Type of precipitation: 1 = rain
21. VEG Vegetation [%] surface Coverage of the earth's surface with vegetation (e.g. jungle: 100%, desert: 0%)
22. SUNSD Sunshine Duration [h] surface Sunshine duration
23. LCDC Low Cloud Cover [%] low cloud layer Cloud cover up to an altitude of approx. 7000 feet (2134 m)
24. MCDC Medium Cloud Cover [%] middle cloud layer Cloud cover from approx. 7000 feet (2134 m) up to 15000 feet (4572 m)
25. HCDC High Cloud Cover [%] high cloud layer Cloud cover above 15000 feet (4572m)
26. DSWRF downward short-wave radiation flux [w/m^2] surface Downward short-wave radiation flux reaching the surface.
27. DLWRF downward long-wave rad. flux [w/m^2] surface Downward long-wave radiation flux reaching the surface.
28. USWRF upward short-wave radiation flux [w/m^2] surface Upward short-wave radiation flux to the atmosphere.
29. ULWRF upward long-wave rad. flux [w/m^2] surface Upward long-wave radiation flux to the atmosphere.
30. 4LFTX Best (4 layer) Lifted Index [C] surface

The lifted index (LI) is the temperature difference between the environment Te(p) and an air parcel lifted adiabatically Tp(p) at a given pressure height in the troposphere (lowest layer where most weather occurs) of the atmosphere, usually 500 hPa (mb). The temperature is measured in Celsius. When the value is positive, the atmosphere (at the respective height) is stable and when the value is negative, the atmosphere is unstable.

LI is generally scaled as follows:

  • LI 6 or Greater, Very Stable Conditions
  • LI Between 1 and 6 : Stable Conditions, Thunderstorms Not Likely
  • LI Between 0 and -2 : Slightly Unstable, Thunderstorms Possible, With Lifting Mechanism (i.e., cold front, daytime heating, ...)
  • LI Between -2 and -6 : Unstable, Thunderstorms Likely, Some Severe With Lifting Mechanism
  • LI Less Than -6: Very Unstable, Severe Thunderstorms Likely With Lifting Mechanism
31.  LAND  Land Cover (0=sea, 1=land) [1 = true] surface Indication if this area is sea or land.
32.  ICEC Ice Cover [%] surface Percentage of the ice covered surface.
33. ICETMP Ice Temperature [C] surface Temperature of the surface ice.

 

gfswave-model

Timesteps

  • Days 1-3: hourly (Timesteps 0, 1, 2, ..., 70, 71, 72)
  • Days 4-10: 3-hourly (Timesteps 75, 78, 81, ..., 234, 237, 249

Variablen

  name long name level description
1. WIND Wind Speed [m/s] surface Wind speed 10 m above the ground (noaa level is surface, but it´s the wind speed 10 m above the ground
2. WDIR Wind Direction (from which blowing) [°] surface  
3. UGRD U-Component of Wind [m/s] surface  
4. VGRD V-Component of Wind [m/s] surface  
5. HTSGW Significant Height of Combined Wind Waves and Swell [m] surface  
6. PERPW Primary Wave Mean Period [s] surface  
7. DIRPW Primary Wave Direction [°] surface  
8. WVHGT Significant Height of Wind Waves [m] surface  
9. SWELL 1 in sequence Significant Height of Swell Waves [m] 1 in sequence  
10. SWELL 2 in sequence Significant Height of Swell Waves [m] 2 in sequence  
11. SWELL 3 in sequence Significant Height of Swell Waves [m] 3 in sequence  
12. WVPER Mean Period of Wind Waves [s] surface  
13. SWPER 1 in sequence Mean Period of Swell Waves [s] 1 in sequence  
14. SWPER 2 in sequence Mean Period of Swell Waves [s] 2 in sequence  
15. SWPER 3 in sequence Mean Period of Swell Waves [s] 3 in sequence  
16. WVDIR Direction of Wind Waves [°] surface  
17. SWDIR 1 in sequence Direction of Swell Waves [deg] 1 in sequence  
18. SWDIR 2 in sequence Direction of Swell Waves [deg] 2 in sequence  
19. SWDIR 3 in sequence Direction of Swell Waves [deg] 3 in sequence  

 

rtofs_prog-model

Timesteps

  • Days 1-8: 3-hourly (Timesteps 0, 3, 6, ..., 186, 189, 192)

Variablen

  name long name level description
1. WATPDENA Water potential density anomaly [
kg/m³]
 0.01 mb  
2. PRACTSAL Practical Salinity [g/kg] surface  
3. WTMP Water Temperature [C] surface  
4. UOGRD U-Component of Current (eastward) [m/s] surface  
5. VOGRD V-Component of Current (northward) [m/s] surface  

 

rtofs_ice-model

Timesteps

  • Days 1-8: 3-hourly (Timesteps 0, 3, 6, ..., 186, 189, 192)

Variablen

  name long name level description
1. ICEC Ice Cover [%] surface  
2. ICETMP Ice Temperature [C] surface  
3. ICETK Ice Thickness [m] surface  
4. UICE U-Component of Ice Drift [m/s] surface  
5. VICE V-Component of Ice Drift [m/s] surface