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[IDV #FYO-848457]: access to metar data for 3 years at a single point

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  • Subject: [IDV #FYO-848457]: access to metar data for 3 years at a single point
  • Date: Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:25:01 -0600
Hi David,

> 
> Earlier today I spoke with Linda Miller who spoke with Jeff McWhirter
> about netcdf access to METAR data. Jeff suggested I use IDV. I've
> installed that and it's a very nice tool, but, I think, not what I
> need. Maybe you can point me in the right direction.
> 
> I'm attempting to access a few parameters (e.g., wind, visibility,
> precip) for a 5 hour period for every day for 3 years for a single
> station (KBJC). I'll put this data in a spreadsheet or database and do
> some rudimentary statistical analysis. I don't care about data
> visualization, just access and filtering. I've already downloaded (via
> pftp.madis-fsl.org) much of the MADIS METAR data that I need, but
> doing my task against a server might still be more pragmatic than
> dealing with 250GB locally.
> 
> What tools do you suggest I use to access and filter the data? If IDV
> is the right tool, what feature(s) should I be using?
> 

If you really aren't interested in visualization then indeed the IDV is not the 
right tool. We also tend to support more of the many stations/fewer times 
access to point data.

I'm not aware of any server that can provide this sort of access. I haven't 
used the madis server so I don't know whether it can support the type of query 
you would need to do (e.g., 3 years of one station). There is the Mesowest 
system from University of Utah:
http://www.met.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/download.cgi?stn=KBJC&hour1=11&timetype=GMT&unit=0
However, (with a login) it still only provides 30 days at a time for one 
station. But, it does give it to you as an excel file so maybe you can fetch 
one month at a time.

-Jeff


Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: FYO-848457
Department: Support IDV
Priority: Normal
Status: Closed