National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Nineteenth Century U.S. Climate Data Set Data On-Line

Description of Dataset Files

File Formats and Variable Descriptions

---

These files contain meteorological data and metadata from the 1800's.

to the top...

The record format of the temperature and precipitation files is (ASCII):

ST_STATION_NAME_(40 CHARACTERS)____________EYYYYVVV.VVFCCVVV.VVFCC(...)VVV.VVFCC

where:

"_" is a blank space within the ASCII record.

"ST" is the FIPS STATE CODE abbreviation. For Example, AZ stands for Arizona.

"STATION NAME" is the most common or most recent name by which the observing location is known. Aliases as well as Latitudes and longitudes are maintained in the metadata files.

"E" is the Element Code which indicates the type of data reported in the particular record.

An "E" value of 3 indicates Mean Monthly Temperature
An "E" value of 4 indicates Total Monthly Precipitation

"YYYY" is the calendar year. Ex., 1854.

"VVV.VV" is the temperature or precipitation value. Both are given to hundreths of a unit (degrees Fahrenheit or inches of precip). A missing value is indicated by "-99.99" or "-9.99." A value removed to the 'Suspect Values' file (not yet on-line) is indicated with "-99.98" or "-9.98."

"F" is a quality flag sometimes included with the data. The codes are particular to the specific source publication and the meanings have not yet been captured.

"CC" is a combination of Source Code and Station Type Code indicating the type publication from which these values were keyed.

Source Code:
1 = Army Meteorological Register, 1822-1859
2 = U.S.Patent Office Report (includes Smithsonian Inst. Obs.), 1854-1859
3 = U.S.Department of Agriculture Annual Reports, 1863-1870
4 = Chief Signal Officar Annual Reports, 1873-1891
5 = Weather Bureau Chief Annual Reports, 1891-1900


Station Type Code:

1 = Dept of the Army Signal Service - General Fort Station
2 = Dept of the Army Signal Service - Second Order Station
3 = Dept of the Army Signal Service - Military Post Hospital
4 = Dept of the Army Signal Service - Voluntary Observer
5 = Dept of the Army Signal Service - Cotton Region Station
6 = U.S.Patent Office Station (incl. Smithsonian Inst.Voluntary Observers)
7 = State Weather Service Station
8 = New England Meteorological Society Station
9 = Railway Station (General)
A = Railway Station - Central Pacific
B = Railway Station - Southern Pacific

including...

• Observation Type
• Latitude/Longitude
• Elevation
• Station Aliases
• Coop Network Number

to the top...

ST_STATION_NAME_(40 CHARACTERS)____________YYYY_T

where:

"_" is a blank space within the ASCII record.

"ST" is the FIPS STATE CODE abbreviation. For Example, AZ stands for Arizona.

"STATION NAME" is the most common or most recent name by which the observing location is known.

"YYYY" is the calendar year. Ex., 1854.

"T" is the Observation Type Code which indicates the type of data reported.

A "T" value of 2 indicates a station which observed and reported Temperature and Precip
A "T" value of 3 indicates Temperature only
A "T" value of 4 indicates Precipitation only

to Metadata Files list...

where:

"_" is a blank space within the ASCII record.

"ST" is the FIPS STATE CODE abbreviation. For Example, AZ stands for Arizona.

"STATION NAME" is the most common or most recent name by which the observing location is known.

"YYYY" is the calendar year. Ex., 1854.

"BB" is the Bibliography item number of the source for the latitude and longitude measurements. Ex., 12 refers to item 12 in the Bibliography.

"DDMMSS" is the latitude in degrees, minutes, and seconds North. Usually, the seconds place is blank.

"DDDMMSS" is the longitude in degrees, minutes, and seconds West. Usually, the seconds place is blank.

"CC" is a quality code assigned by me or other project workers to imply the level of confidence we or the publication have in these values. In general, if the latitude/longitude is published with the data, we have greater confidence in it pertaining to the published data than we would if the latitude/longitude had to be found elsewhere.

01 = latlon was published with the data
02 = latlon was published with data but suspect or in error
03 = latlon was found in different pub same observer and data
04 = latlon was found in different pub same data, observer unknown
05 = latlon found in different pub, same observer, different data
06 = latlon found in different pub, same station name, different data
07 = latlon found in different pub and suspect or in error
08 = latlon published with data but differs from prev.w/no station move
09 = latlon found in atlas or other non-meteorological reference
98 = latlon removed to suspect file and replaced with reliable value

to Metadata Files list...

where:

"_" is a blank space within the ASCII record.

"ST" is the FIPS STATE CODE abbreviation. For Example, AZ stands for Arizona.

"STATION NAME" is the most common or most recent name by which the observing location is known.

"YYYY" is the calendar year. Ex., 1854.

"BB" is the Bibliography item number of the source for the latitude and longitude measurements. Ex., 12 refers to item 12 in the Bibliography.

"EEEEE" is the elevation of the station or instruments.

"U" is the units. The default (blank) is feet.

"CC" is a quality code assigned by me or other project workers to imply the level of confidence we or the publication have in these values. In general, if the elevation is published with the data, we have greater confidence in it pertaining to the published data than we would if the elevation had to be found elsewhere.

01 = elev was published with the data
02 = elev was published with data but suspect or in error
03 = elev was found in different pub same observer and data
04 = elev was found in different pub same data, observer unknown
05 = elev found in different pub, same observer, different data
06 = elev found in different pub, same station name, different data
07 = elev found in different pub and suspect or in error
08 = elev published with data but differs from prev.w/no station move
09 = elev found in atlas or other non-meteorological reference
98 = elev removed to suspect file and replaced with reliable value

where:

"_" is a blank space within the ASCII record.

"ST" is the FIPS STATE CODE abbreviation. For Example, AZ stands for Arizona.

"STATION NAME" is the most common or most recent name by which the observing location is known.

"YYYY" is the calendar year. Ex., 1854.

"BB" is the Bibliography item number of the source for the latitude and longitude measurements. Ex., 12 refers to item 12 in the Bibliography.

"STATION ALIAS" is a name used previously or later in history than the one given in the data and metadata files.

to Metadata Files list...

where:

"_" is a blank space within the ASCII record.

"ST" is the FIPS STATE CODE abbreviation. For Example, AZ stands for Arizona.

"STATION NAME" is the most common or most recent name by which the observing location is known.

"YYYY" is the calendar year. Ex., 1854.

"BB" is the Bibliography item number of the source for the latitude and longitude measurements. Ex., 12 refers to item 12 in the Bibliography.

"SS-SSSS-S" is the state-station-'division' number listed as "index number" on the WB Forms 530-1.

to Metadata Files list...