IBTrACS Data formats
- IBTrACS data are available in various formats used by the tropical cyclone community.
- Users should select the format based on the parameters which they need, since not all parameters are available in each format.
- All data formats derive from the IBTrACS Dataset (one file per storm)
Data access summary
| Type | Summary |
|---|---|
| By storm | 1 storm per file (>10 000 files) |
| All storms | All storms in 1 file |
| Storms by basin | All storms from 1 basin in 1 file |
| Storms by year | All storms from 1 year in 1 file |
Description of file types
IBTrACS Dataset: IBTrACS storm files
Summary
This is the only format which provides the original best track data from the source agencies along with the IBTrACS data.This is the archived format of the IBTrACS data. All other formats are derived from this set of files. One storm is provided in each data file.
Parameters available
This is the only version of IBTrACS in which all parameters are available.Sample data
Format description
Data are netCDF format
Dataset access
netCDF
Summary
This reformat is an attempt to facilitate reading IBTrACS files by combining storms into one file. This is done by buffering the number of observations per storm and making the storm index be the unlimited dimension.Parameters available
All variables stored in the IBTrACS Dataset except the original reports from the source agencies (e.g., orig_lat, orig_lon, orig_pres, orig_wind).Sample data
Format description
Data are netCDF format
Dataset access
More information on this format is available as a README file
CSV - Comma Separated Variables
Summary
This format contains most variables derived during the creation of IBTrACS.
The format can easily be imported to a spreadsheet or database.
Parameters available
See format description.



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