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Giovanni, The dclsfc decoder checks the i(r) indicator, and if it is a 3, it assumes that P06M is 0.00: -- rsdeco.f C C* If no rain observed, assume six hour dry period C The decoder does not assume a dry period of 0.00" for any other time interval- that time interval would be given by the t(r) in the 6RRRt(r) group. The SFLIST=dset will show the following periods in the default packing file: P03M;P06M;P09M;P12M;P18M;P24M Only the P06M will be 0.00 if the 6RRRt(r) group is ommitted. The rest are filled with -9999.00. That is, the P24M parameter will only be defined when t(r) is "4" as in 60004. I do see synoptic obs with 60004 encoded, but don't know if it is legal to have i(r) = 3 if there has been any observed precip in the previous 24 hours, but not in the most recent 6 hours- but the decoder does not make that assumption. Steve Chiswell Unidata User Support > Hello Steve, > > I have one doubt about how exactly the "dclsfc" GEMPAK decoder > interpret > the synop message 111 Group precipitation indicator. I realized that > when the precipitation indicator indicates that " > 3 -- Precipitation omitted, no precipitation" the dclsfc decodes it as a > missing information (-9999.00) what does not seem to be apropriate. The > correct decodification should be "0.00". I believe that the missing > value -9999.00 should be used only when the "111 Group precipitation > indicator" is reporting "4 -- Precipitation omitted, no observation" > Two examples are shown below: > > > ### In Brazil > > 111200 83997 32597 51408 10160 20129 30171 40216 51017 82201 333 20121 > > STN YYMMDD/HHMM STID TMPC P24M > 839970 071011/1200 16.00 -9999.00 > > > ### In USA > > 111200 72797 35966 60806 10094 20072 30121 40184 56005 91153 333 10161 > 555 91112 > > STN YYMMDD/HHMM STID TMPC P24M > 727970 071011/1200 UIL 9.40 -9999.00 > > > > This interpretation of synop messages is causing a lot of data losses. > > Cheers > > > > -- > Giovanni Dolif > Meteorologist, Msc. and Ph.D. Student > National Institute for Space Research (INPE) > Weather Forecast and Climate Studies Center (CPTEC) > km 40, Rod. Pres. Dutra > 12630-000, Cachoeira Paulista, SP, Brazil > Phone: +55 (12) 3186-8400 > FAX: +55 (12) 3101-2835 > http://www.inpe.br/ingles/index.php > http://www.cptec.inpe.br/ > > -- Steve Chiswell <address@hidden> Unidata