20040216: McIDAS Surface Met Data in MD format

>From: jeff underwood <address@hidden>
>Organization: SIU
>Keywords: 200402161748.i1GHmRrV010416 McIDAS MD

Jeff,

>Can you provide information about surface met data format for McIdas (MD 
>files???).  What does MD-file data look like (format)?

You can learn about the layout of a McIDAS MD file in the McIDAS
Programmers Reference Manual:

Unidata HomePage
http://my.unidatas.ucar.edu
  Software
  http://my.unidatas.ucar.edu/content/software
    McIDAS
    http://my.unidatas.ucar.edu/content/software/mcidas/index.html
      Documentation and Training
      http://my.unidatas.ucar.edu/content/software/mcidas/2003/document.html
        McIDAS Programmer's Reference Manual
        http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/mug/prog_man/prog_man.html

Check out the section 'MDXXnnnn' in Chapter 6 - Format of the Data Files.


>Are there 
>conversion programs available to change other formats to MD-files?

Yes.  McIDAS is distributed with a routine, TXT2MD, that converts
ASCII text files of data into McIDAS MD files.  TXT2MD, while being
very useful, is not a truely generic routine.  The input data must
be in a particular format.  Also, the end user needs to be conversant
with McIDAS MD file schemas so that s/he can create a file that
holds the desired data in a useful way.

>Is there an archive where MD data can be retrieved?

When the Unidata-Wisconsin datastream (IDD feed type UNIWISC aka
MCIDAS) contained MD file data, the files were archived at SSEC.
The archiving of the files ceased in 1999 when the datastream
transitioned to imagery only.

>Any help that you can provide is greatly appreciated.

What data are you looking for?

>Thank you,

Cheers,

Tom Yoksas
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