Historical Observing Metadata Repository

The Historical Observing Metadata Repository (HOMR) is NCEI's integrated station history database that provides in situ or land-based station metadata in support of NCEI research, reporting, data products, and web applications. HOMR tracks detailed information for a variety of weather stations throughout their lifespans, including identifiers, names, locations, observation times, reporting methods, photos, and equipment modifications and siting. Station histories are most extensive for the National Weather Service (NWS) Cooperative Observing Program, and they include officially documented station changes that adhere to an NWS approval process. Use the search below to access these historical station details.

NCEI Station Metadata Reports

A number of standard reports are generated using the station history database. These reports provide a focused, coherent set of station details for various systems. A series of automated and manual QC checks help identify errors in the station information with such errors corrected prior to final release of the reports.

Master Station History Report

The Master Station History Report is a list of basic, historical information for every station in the Station History database. The report includes the primary files below:

MSHR, Enhanced Version

The Enhanced MSHR version contains similar data elements and is in a similar format as the Standard/Legacy MSHR, but the Enhanced MSHR includes additional stations that are included in the GHCN-Daily product. Also, the Enhanced MSHR will incorporate additional station networks, including international stations/networks. The Enhanced MSHR additionally contains an expanded number of items such as station status, additional IDs, alternate station names, NWS region, NWS WFO, all elevations, latitude/longitude precision, and UTC offset. Data elements are in user-friendly formats.

  • emshr_lite [.txt | .zip] / Layout
    Best download for visual report of all stations.
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. Fixed-length flatfile as specified in the reference documentation.
  • mshr_enhanced.txt.zip / Layout / doi
    Best download for input to programs.
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. Fixed-length flatfile as specified in the reference documentation.

Note: The EMSHR layout is subject to change as NCEI adds networks to its station history database and their respective identifiers.

MSHR, Standard Version (DSI-9767)

The Standard/Legacy MSHR, formally identified as the DSI-9767 dataset, is the legacy dataset/report sorted by NCDC Station ID and period of record. This dataset/report includes historical station changes in reported fields generating multiple records for a station where a new record is created for every period in which a reported component for a station is changed. This dataset is continued to be produced to support legacy processing systems.

CCSL, Comprehensive Cooperative Station List

The Comprehensive Cooperative Station List contains a single, minimal entry for each Coop station ID.

  • ccsl.txt / Layout
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. Fixed-length text file as specified in the reference documentation.

Publication History Report

This report pertains to the roughly 9,000 NWS Cooperative Network sites whose observations are published in NCEI's Climatological Data or Hourly Precipitation Data publications. It is a compilation of elements observed and/or reported for all published stations in the Cooperative network. It uses repeating groups of details by station, data program, element and equipment.

The PHR replaces the legacy Climatological Data Master Station Index (CDMSI) and Hourly Precipitation Data Master Station Index (HPDMSI) and provides a more complete, historical view of element details.

PHR, Standard Version
  • phr.txt.zip / Layout
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. Fixed-length flatfile as specified in the reference documentation.
  • phr.psv.zip
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. Pipe-delimited format.

Significant Change Report

The "SIG" report is a listing of all significant changes that have been processed at the NCEI Product Development Branch for the NWS Cooperative network. This report is produced each month. The information provided includes identifiers, publication information, effective date of the change, and a brief description of the change.

SIG, Standard Version

Miscellaneous Station Reports

WBAN, Weather-Bureau-Army-Navy

WBAN numbers were the first major attempt at a coordinated station numbering scheme among several weather reporting authorities. Original participants in the WBAN number plans were the United States Weather Bureau, Air Force, Navy, and Army, and the Canadian Department of Transportation. Selected German and Korean stations in close cooperation with the US Weather Services are also included. This list is updated monthly.

  • wbanmasterlist.zip / Layout
    Last updated 3 weeks ago.

    This is the official WBAN master station list. WBAN is a five-digit station identifier used at NCEI for digital data storage and general station identification purposes. It is an acronym, invented in the 1950's, which stands for Weather-Bureau-Army-Navy. WBAN identifiers are officially assigned and managed at NCEI.
  • wbanmasterlist.psv.zip
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. This is a pipe-delimited version of the same report.
Other Networks

The following are current text files of COOP, LCD, NEXRAD, USCRN, USRCRN, AL USRCRN, AWOS, ASOS, and CCD station lists. Each file consists of the station IDs, station names, and their locations (including latitude/longitude, elevation).

  • coop-stations.txt / Layout

    Google Earth - COOP / Google Earth - HPD / Google Earth - COOP/HPD Collocated
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. A fixed-length text summary listing of current U.S. NWS Cooperative Network stations, including identifiers, flags for whether they participate in the Cooperative Observation/Summary of Day (COOP/SOD) or Hourly Precipitation (HPD) programs, and the latest known location information. The Google Earth files offer separate mappings of Cooperative Observation stations (COOP/SOD), Hourly Precipitation Data stations (HPD), and collocated stations between both programs.
  • lcd-stations.txt / Layout / Google Earth
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. A fixed-length text summary listing of current Local Climatological Data (LCD) stations, including identifiers and the latest known location information.
  • nexrad-stations.txt / Layout / Google Earth
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. A fixed-length text summary listing of current NEXRAD and TDWR radar stations, including identifiers and the latest known location information.
  • crn-stations.txt / Layout / Google Earth
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. A fixed-length text summary listing of current Climate Reference Network (USCRN) stations, including identifiers and the latest known location information.
  • alrcrn-stations.txt / Layout / Google Earth
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. A fixed-length text summary listing of current Alabama Climate Reference Network (AL USRCRN) stations, including identifiers and the latest known location information.
  • awos-stations.txt / Layout / Google Earth
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. A fixed-length text summary listing of current Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) stations, including identifiers and the latest known location information.
  • asos-stations.txt / Layout / Google Earth
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. A fixed-length text summary listing of current Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) stations, including identifiers and the latest known location information.
  • ccd-stations.txt / Layout / Google Earth
    Last updated 3 weeks ago. Climate conditions at major U.S. weather observing stations, Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Islands.