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Description of the GFS MOS MAV Alphanumeric Message


The short-range GFS-Based MOS MAV guidance is generated from 0000, 0600, 1200, and 1800 UTC model output from NCEP's Global Forecast System (GFS). This guidance is valid for stations in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For the most recent station list click here. Forecast elements are valid from 6 to 72 hours in advance.



Sample Message

KMEM   GFS MOS GUIDANCE    9/19/2002  1200 UTC
DT /SEPT 19/SEPT 20                /SEPT 21                /SEPT 22
HR   18 21 00 03 06 09 12 15 18 21 00 03 06 09 12 15 18 21 00 06 12
N/X                    72          80          65          84    63
TMP  84 84 79 77 76 74 73 74 77 78 76 72 70 67 66 74 81 83 78 68 64
DPT  74 73 73 73 72 70 70 69 67 66 65 64 62 61 61 61 60 59 59 59 59
CLD  OV OV OV OV OV OV OV OV OV OV BK CL CL CL CL SC SC SC SC CL SC
WDR  19 19 18 17 19 19 19 21 24 25 28 29 35 01 01 04 01 01 02 04 03
WSP  13 11 09 10 10 10 11 11 09 09 06 03 04 04 04 06 06 07 07 05 06
P06        51    59    73    64    32     4     3     0     0  0  2
P12                    92          87          10           0     2
Q06         1     4     5     4     1     0     0     0     0  0  0
Q12                     6           4           0           0     0
T06     25/ 2 36/ 4 32/ 1 21/28 14/ 1  6/ 2  0/ 0  0/26  1/ 1  1/ 0
T12           45/10       33/28       14/ 2        0/26     1/ 6
POZ   0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
POS   0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
TYP   R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R
SNW                                 0                       0 
CIG   7  6  6  6  5  4  4  4  4  4  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7
VIS   7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7  7
OBV   N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N


  • DT = The day of the month, denoted by the standard three or four letter abbreviation
  • HR = Hour of the day in UTC time. This is the hour at which the forecast is valid, or if the forecast is valid for a period, the end of the forecast period.
  • N/X = nighttime minimum/daytime maximum surface temperatures.
  • TMP = surface temperature valid at that hour.
  • DPT = surface dewpoint valid at that hour.
  • CLD = forecast categories of total sky cover valid at that hour.
  • WDR = forecasts of the 10-meter wind direction at the hour, given in tens of degrees.
  • WSP = forecasts of the 10-meter wind speed at the hour, given in knots.
  • P06 = probability of precipitation (PoP) during a 6-h period ending at that time.
  • P12 = PoP during a 12-h period ending at that time.
  • Q06 = quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) category for liquid equivalent precipitation amount during a 6-h period ending at that time.
  • Q12 = QPF category for liquid equivalent precipitation amount during a 12-h period ending at the indicated time.
  • SNW = snowfall categorical forecasts during a 24-h period ending at the indicated time.
  • T06 = probability of thunderstorms/conditional probability of severe thunderstorms during the 6-hr period ending at the indicated time.
  • T12 = probability of thunderstorms/conditional probability of severe thunderstorms during the 12-hr period ending at the indicated time.
  • POZ = conditional probability of freezing pcp occurring at the hour.
  • POS = conditional probability of snow occurring at the hour.
  • TYP = conditional precipitation type at the hour.
  • CIG = ceiling height categorical forecasts at the hour.
  • VIS = visibility categorical forecasts at the hour.
  • OBV = obstruction to vision categorical forecasts at the hour.

Definitions of Categorical Elements

MAV Ceiling Height Categories
1 < 200 feet
2 200 - 400 feet
3 500 - 900 feet
4 1000 - 1900 feet
5 2000 - 3000 feet
6 3100 - 6500 feet
7 6600 - 12,000 feet
8 > 12,000 feet or unlimited ceiling


MAV Visibility (VIS) Categories
1 < 1/2 miles
2 1/2 - < 1 miles
3 1 - < 2 miles
4 2 - < 3 miles
5 3 - 5 miles
6 6 miles
7 > 6 miles


MAV QPF Categories
0 no precipitation
1 0.01 to 0.09 inches
2 0.10 to 0.24 inches
3 0.25 to 0.49 inches
4 0.50 to 0.99 inches
5 1.00 to 1.99 inches
6 2.00 inches or greater
MAV Cloud (CLD) Categories
CL clear
FW few > 0 to 2 octas
SC scattered > 2 to 4 octas
BK broken > 4 to < 8 octas
OV overcast


MAV Obstruction to Vision (OBV) Categories
N none of the following
HZ haze, smoke, dust
BR mist (fog with visibility >= 5/8 mile)
FG fog or ground fog (visibility < 5/8 mile)
BL blowing dust, sand, snow


MAV Snow Fall Amount Categories
0 no snow or a trace expected
1 > a trace to < 2 inches
2 2 to < 4 inches
4 4 to < 6 inches
6 6 to < 8 inches
8 >= 8 inches


MAV Precipitation Type (TYP) Categories
S pure snow or snow grains
Z freezing rain/drizzle, ice pellets, or
anything mixed with freezing precip
R pure rain/drizzle or rain mixed with snow

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Meteorological Development Laboratory
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Page Author: MOS Web Team
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Page last Modified: Monday, 25 February 2008 17:33 UTC