Decoding Cooperative Observer Reports ( WxCoder, etc)

Example 1. Most Common:  

ABFN5 0212  M DH1700/AD 05/PP 0.10/SD T/SF 1.0/TA 35/TN 28/TX 38

• ABFN5 = Station ID (e.g. Albuquerque Foothills)
• 0210 = Observation Date (e.g. February 10)
• M =Time Zone (e.g. Mountain)
• DH1700 = Time of Observation (e.g. 1700 hrs or 5pm LST)
• AD = Climate division
• PP = 24-hour precipitation (e.g. 0.10 inches)
• SD = Snow depth in inches (e.g. Trace)
• SF = Snowfall in inches (e.g. 1.0 inches)
• TA = temperature at observation (e.g. 35 degrees F)
• TN = minimum temperature (e.g. 28 degrees F)
• TX = maximum temperature (e.g. 38 degrees F)

Example 2. Observation with wind and humidity:

SELN5 1011 M DH0700/AD 02/PP T/PT 1/SD 0/SF 0.0/TA 45/TN 42/TX 70

.A1 UD 203/UP 24/UR 350/US 7/XRIRZN 18/XRIRZX 69

• UD 203 = Direction of peak wind (e.g. 203 degrees or Southwest)
• UP 24 = Peak wind speed in mph (e.g. 24 mph)
• UR 350 = Wind direction  at observation time (e.g. 350 degrees or North)
• US 7 = Wind speed at observation time. Either 0 or 7 mph.
• XRIRZN 18 = Minimum RH last 24 hours (e.g. 18 percent)
• XRIRZX 69 = Maximum RH last 24 hours (e.g. 69 percent)

• EP 0.14 = Evaporation (e.g. 0.14 inches)
• TBIRZN 4.062 = Minimum soil temperature at 4 inches depth in last 24 hours (e.g. 62 degrees F)
• TBIRZX 4.080 =  Maximum soil temperature at 4 inches depth in last 24 hours (e.g. 80 degrees F)
• TPIRZN 45 = Minimum water temperature last 24 hours (e.g. 45 degrees)
• TPIRZX 82 = Maximum water temperature last 24 hours (e.g. 82 degrees)
• PPK 0.28 = Precipitation since last observation (e.g. 0.28 inches); Used in special observations
• SFK 2.0  = Snowfall since last observation (e.g. 2.0 inches); Used in special observations