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Level II Database Archive
Commonly referred to as "base" data, NEXRAD Level II data consist of reflectivity, radial velocity, and spectrum width (velocity variance) "moment" data generated by the radar processor. Level II data are unique among ground-based atmospheric observations because they provide the highest spatial and temporal resolution information available within three-dimensional volumes on a continuous basis, regardless of the weather present. Level II data are used for real time warning of hazardous weather, for initializing numerical weather prediction models, for verifying the occurrence of past events, such as the location of damaging hail, and for scientific and educational purposes. Level II data also are used for non-meteorological purposes, including bird and insect migration studies, bird strike avoidance, urban pollution transport, and the tracking of hazardous atmospheric releases. Level II data collected by the University of Oklahoma, as part of Project CRAFT, was instrumental in tracking debris from the Shuttle Columbia disaster.
The Warning Applications group is in charge of maintaining a database archive for the National Weather Service Radar Operations Center (NWS ROC) that provides quick and easy access to multiple types of data. The NSSL/ROC data archive includes:
- Two-week archive of NEXRAD Level II radar data.
- OKC Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) data for precip events within 150 km of Will Rogers World Airport.
- Certain KOUN Archive Level I events.
- RUC 20 km hourly analyses.
- Surface METAR observations.
- Upper-air observations.
- Other miscellaneous data types
Level II Data can be obtained from the National Climatic Data Center.
