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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. RH Relative Humidity [%] 2 m above ground Relative Humidity 2 m above ground
8. TCDC Total Cloud Cover [%] entire atmosphere Cloud cover, regardless of the height of the atmosphere
9. 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.
10. 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
11. 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
12. SNOD Snow Depth [m] surface Snow depth
13. ICETK Ice Thickness [m] surface Ice thickness
14. 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.
15. APTMP Apparent Temperature [C] 2 m above ground Apparent temperature
16. 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.
17. PRATE Precipitation Rate [mm/h] surface Amount of precipitation
18. CSNOW Categorical Snow [1 = true] surface Type of precipitation: 1 = snow
19. CICEP Categorical Ice Pellets [1 = true] surface Type of precipitation: 1 = Sleet
20. CFRZR Categorical Freezing Rain [1 = true] surface Type of precipitation: 1 = freezing rain
21. CRAIN Categorical Rain [1 = true] surface Type of precipitation: 1 = rain
22. VEG Vegetation [%] surface Coverage of the earth's surface with vegetation (e.g. jungle: 100%, desert: 0%)
23. SOTYP Soil Type [-] surface Categorical value representing the type of soil at the surface (e.g., sand, clay, loam).
24. SUNSD Sunshine Duration [h] surface Sunshine duration
25. CAPE Convective Available Potential Energy [J/kg] surface

In meteorology, convective available potential energy (commonly abbreviated as CAPE),[1] is the integrated amount of work that the upward (positive) buoyancy force would perform on a given mass of air (called an air parcel) if it rose vertically through the entire atmosphere. Positive CAPE will cause the air parcel to rise, while negative CAPE will cause the air parcel to sink. Nonzero CAPE is an indicator of atmospheric instability in any given atmospheric sounding, a necessary condition for the development of cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds with attendant severe weather hazards.

For details see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convective_available_potential_energy
26. LCDC Low Cloud Cover [%] low cloud layer Cloud cover up to an altitude of approx. 7000 feet (2134 m)
27. MCDC Medium Cloud Cover [%] middle cloud layer Cloud cover from approx. 7000 feet (2134 m) up to 15000 feet (4572 m)
28. HCDC High Cloud Cover [%] high cloud layer Cloud cover above 15000 feet (4572m)
29. DSWRF downward short-wave radiation flux [w/m^2] surface Downward short-wave radiation flux reaching the surface (wavelengths from 0.3 to 4 μm with a maximum in the visible range at 0.5 μm).
30. DLWRF downward long-wave rad. flux [w/m^2] surface Downward long-wave radiation flux reaching the surface (4 to 100 μm with a temperature-dependent maximum at around 10 μm, infrared radiation).
31. USWRF upward short-wave radiation flux [w/m^2] surface Upward short-wave radiation flux to the atmosphere (wavelengths from 0.3 to 4 μm with a maximum in the visible range at 0.5 μm).
32. ULWRF upward long-wave rad. flux [w/m^2] surface Upward long-wave radiation flux to the atmosphere (4 to 100 μm with a temperature-dependent maximum at around 10 μm, infrared radiation).
33. 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
34.  LAND  Land Cover (0=sea, 1=land) [1 = true] surface Indication if this area is sea or land.
35.  ICEC Ice Cover [%] surface Percentage of the ice covered surface.
36. 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 Wind direction (from which it is blowing) at 10 m above the surface, in degrees. Note: 'surface' level in model output often refers to 10m for wind.
3. UGRD U-Component of Wind [m/s] surface Eastward wind component at 10 m above the surface. Positive values indicate wind blowing towards the east. Note: 'surface' level in model output often refers to 10m for wind.
4. VGRD V-Component of Wind [m/s] surface Northward wind component at 10 m above the surface. Positive values indicate wind blowing towards the north. Note: 'surface' level in model output often refers to 10m for wind.
5. HTSGW Significant Height of Combined Wind Waves and Swell [m] surface Significant height of combined wind waves and swell. This is the average height of the highest one-third of all waves (wind waves + swell) at the surface, measured from trough to crest.
6. PERPW Primary Wave Mean Period [s] surface Primary wave mean period. Mean period of the most energetic waves (dominant wave system) at the surface.
7. DIRPW Primary Wave Direction [°] surface Primary wave direction. Direction from which the most energetic waves (dominant wave system) are propagating, in degrees, at the surface.
8. WVHGT Significant Height of Wind Waves [m] surface Significant height of wind waves. Average height of the highest one-third of waves generated by local winds, at the surface, measured from trough to crest.
9. SWELL 1 in sequence Significant Height of Swell Waves [m] 1 in sequence Significant height of the primary swell waves (most energetic swell component) at the surface. Swell waves are generated by distant weather systems.
10. SWELL 2 in sequence Significant Height of Swell Waves [m] 2 in sequence Significant height of the secondary swell waves (second most energetic swell component) at the surface.
11. SWELL 3 in sequence Significant Height of Swell Waves [m] 3 in sequence Significant height of the tertiary swell waves (third most energetic swell component) at the surface.
12. WVPER Mean Period of Wind Waves [s] surface Mean period of wind waves. Average period of waves generated by local winds, at the surface.
13. SWPER 1 in sequence Mean Period of Swell Waves [s] 1 in sequence Mean period of the primary swell waves (most energetic swell component) at the surface.
14. SWPER 2 in sequence Mean Period of Swell Waves [s] 2 in sequence Mean period of the secondary swell waves (second most energetic swell component) at the surface.
15. SWPER 3 in sequence Mean Period of Swell Waves [s] 3 in sequence Mean period of the tertiary swell waves (third most energetic swell component) at the surface.
16. WVDIR Direction of Wind Waves [°] surface Direction of wind waves. Direction from which waves generated by local winds are propagating, in degrees, at the surface.
17. SWDIR 1 in sequence Direction of Swell Waves [deg] 1 in sequence Direction of primary swell waves. Direction from which the most energetic swell waves are propagating, in degrees, at the surface.
18. SWDIR 2 in sequence Direction of Swell Waves [deg] 2 in sequence Direction of secondary swell waves. Direction from which the second most energetic swell waves are propagating, in degrees, at the surface.
19. SWDIR 3 in sequence Direction of Swell Waves [deg] 3 in sequence Direction of tertiary swell waves. Direction from which the third most energetic swell waves are propagating, in degrees, at the surface.

 

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 Water potential density anomaly. Deviation of the water's potential density (typically referenced to the surface) from a standard value, at the specified depth (0.01 mb). Indicates water mass characteristics and stratification.
2. PRACTSAL Practical Salinity [g/kg] surface Practical salinity at the sea surface. A measure of the dissolved salt content in seawater, expressed in Practical Salinity Units (PSU) or g/kg.
3. WTMP Water Temperature [C] surface Water temperature at the sea surface, in Celsius.
4. UOGRD U-Component of Current (eastward) [m/s] surface U-Component of Current (eastward). Eastward component of ocean water current velocity at the surface, in m/s.
5. VOGRD V-Component of Current (northward) [m/s] surface V-Component of Current (northward). Northward component of ocean water current velocity at the surface, in m/s.

 

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 Ice cover. Percentage of the sea surface area covered by ice.
2. ICETMP Ice Temperature [C] surface Ice temperature. Temperature of the sea ice at its surface, in Celsius.
3. ICETK Ice Thickness [m] surface Ice thickness. Average thickness of the sea ice, in meters.
4. UICE U-Component of Ice Drift [m/s] surface U-Component of Ice Drift. Eastward component of sea ice drift velocity at the surface, in m/s.
5. VICE V-Component of Ice Drift [m/s] surface V-Component of Ice Drift. Northward component of sea ice drift velocity at the surface, in m/s.