NON-SATELLITE DATA HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION
(mainly GBL and RGL systems, not much w.r.t. RUC or CDAS)

(LAST REVISION 04/10/2009)

WARNING - THIS MAY NOT BE COMPLETE!!!





I.  AIRCRAFT (INCLUDING RECONNAISSANCE) 

     07/11/1990/1200UTC:
          The new PREPACFT QC code (see NMC Office Note 358) is now operational in the RGL and GBL.  It QC's AIREP and PIREP wind reports and superobs co-located reports passing checks.  It also track-checks AMDAR/ASDAR reports.    
     12/12/1990/1200UTC:
           MDCRS-ACARS winds now used in GBL and RGL analyses.
     12/14/1990/1200UTC:
          MDCRS-ACARS winds no longer used in GBL and RGL analyses due to a duplicate data problem.
     01/09/1991/1200UTC:
          MDCRS-ACARS winds again used in RGL analysis.
     03/07/1991/1200UTC:
          MDCRS-ACARS winds again used in GBL analysis.
     06/25/1991/1200UTC:
          GBL-SSI implementation resulted in several changes in data usage in GBL analysis: All aircraft type (including MDCRS-ACARS) temperatures now used.  AIREP and PIREP reports are no longer superobed by the PREPACFT QC program (they are still superobed in RGL). MDCRS do not pass through this program.
     09/02/1992/1200UTC:
          AIREP and PIREP wind (RGL and GBL) and temperature (GBL) reports over CONUS are no longer used in the RGL and GBL analyses if there are at least 101 MDCRS-ACARS reports here.
     02/20/1996/1200UTC:
          MDCRS-ACARS wind reports below 2286 meters but above 0 meters are now used in the RGL analysis.
     10/22/1997/1200UTC:
          MDCRS-ACARS wind reports are now used down to -200 meters (was 0 meters) and AMDAR/ASDAR wind reports are now used down to 0 meters (was 2286 meters) in the RGL analysis.
     11/05/1997/1200UTC:
          MDCRS-ACARS and AMDAR/ASDAR wind and temperature reports are now processed down to -200 meters (was 2286 meters) in the GBL analysis.  Also, AIREP and PIREP reports over the CONUS are now used in the GBL analysis regardless of the number of MDCRS-ACARS here (still not used over CONUS in RGL analysis if greater than 101 MDCRS-ACARS here).
      02/09/1998/1200UTC:
          RGL-3DVAR implementation resulted in several changes in data usage in RGL analysis:  All aircraft type (MDCRS-ACARS, AIREP/PIREP, AMDAR/ASDAR and reconnaissance) temperature reports are now used.  AIREP and PIREP reports are no longer superobed by the PREPACFT QC program.
     01/15/2002/1200UTC:
          MDCRS-ACARS reports above 16,500 meters are no longer used in the GBL or RGL analyses.
     05/07/2002/1500UTC:
          MDCRS-ACARS reports received from AFWA (who receives them from ARINC) are now decoded into /dcom BUFR tank b004/xx007. These will eventually be used as a backup when the normal MDCRS-ACARS reports received directly from ARINC (in /dcom BUFR tank b004/xx004) are very low or not available.
     05/28/2002/1200UTC:
          MDCRS-ACARS reports are now quality controlled by the new program PREPOBS_ACARSQC which runs in all networks where ACARS data are assimilated.
     09/17/2002/2100UTC:
     The RUC dump jobs will now sleep for 5 minutes and dump again in the event that ZERO MDCRS-ACARS reports are found in the initial dump.  This re-dump will be attempted only once after which the RUC will run without any MDCRS-ACARS data available to the assimilation.
     03/02/2004/1200UTC;
          All networks which assimilate MDCRS-ACARS data will now compare the number of reports dumped from /dcom BUFR tank b004/xx004 (MDCRS-ACARS received directly from ARINC) vs. the number of reports dumped from /dcom BUFR tank b004/xx007 (MDCRS-ACARS received from AFWA).  If the latter is greater than the former, then the latter will be assimilated.  This will rarely happen but it does provide a backup source of MDCRS-ACARS data for the assimilation systems.
     01/25/2005:
          European AMDAR (E-ADAS) temperature and wind data processed in RGL and GBL analyses.
     02/14/2006/1200UTC:
          TAMDAR aircraft data (type Mesaba) received from GSD-MADIS are now ingested into /dcom tank b004/xx008. Canadian AMDAR aircraft data received from GTS are now ingested into /dcom tank b004/xx009. These are not yet dumped in any network.
     05/16/2006/1200UTC:
          TAMDAR (type Mesaba) (from GSD-MADIS) and Canadian AMDAR aircraft data are now included in the "aircft" dump file in the GFS, GDAS, CDAS, NAM and NDAS networks.  These data are not yet included in any network PREPBUFR file.  The Canadian AMDAR data are restricted.  The GSD-MADIS TAMDAR data are not restricted st this time.
      12/04/2007/1200UTC:
          All aircraft type temperature reports with missing wind data are now assimilated in the RGL and GBL analyses.  TAMDAR (type Mesaba) (from GSD-MADIS) and Canadian AMDAR aircraft data are now processed into the PREPBUFR file in the GFS, GDAS, NAM and NDAS networks as type 134/234.  These are now monitored by the GBL- and NAM-GSI.
     03/18/2008/120UTC:
          TAMDAR aircraft data (type Mesaba) received from AirDAT on GTS are now ingested into /dcom tank b004/xx010. These are not yet dumped in any network.  These data are restricted.
     08/29/2008/2200UTC:
          GSD-MADIS added type Chautauqua to their TAMDAR feed which is ingested into /dcom tank b004/xx008 (along with existing type Mesaba), included in the "aircft" dump file in the GFS, GDAS, CDAS, NAM and NDAS networks, processed into the PREPBUFR file in the GFS, GDAS, NAM and NDAS networks as type 134/234, and monitored by the GBL- and NAM-GSI.  Chautauqua has not yet been added to the AirDAT TAMDAR data (which currently consists of just the single type Mesaba) which is ingested into /dcom tank b004/xx010.
     09/10/2008/1800UTC:
          GSD-MADIS added type PenAir to their TAMDAR feed which is ingested into /dcom tank b004/xx008 (along with existing types Mesaba and Chautauqua), included in the "aircft" dump file in the GFS, GDAS, CDAS, NAM and NDAS networks, processed into the PREPBUFR file in the GFS, GDAS, NAM and NDAS networks as type 134/234, and monitored by the GBL- and NAM-GSI.  Neither PenAir nor Chautauqua has yet been added to the AirDAT TAMDAR data (which currently consists of just the single type Mesaba) which is ingested into /dcom tank b004/xx010.
     09/15/2008/1500UTC:
          AIREP, PIREP, AMDAR/ASDAR, E-ADAS, TAMDAR (types Mesaba, PenAir and Chautauqua, from GSD-MADIS) and Canadian AMDAR aircraft data are now included in the new "aircft" dump file and the PREPBUFR file in the RUC network (report types 130/230, 131/231, 134/234, 135,235).  None of these types are assimilated by the RUC analysis.  They will be used by the future (2009) RapidRefresh system.
     09/16/2008/1500UTC:
          GSD-MADIS TAMDAR aircraft data have been split into three separate /dcom tanks based on their type.  Mesaba is written into existing tank b004/xx008, PenAir is written into new tank b004/xx012, and Chautauqua is written into new tank b004/xx013.  All tanks are also now restricted as requested by AirDAT and NWS.  All types continue to be included in the "aircft" dump file in the GFS, GDAS, CDAS, NAM, NDAS and RUC networks, processed into the PREPBUFR file in the GFS, GDAS, NAM, NDAS and RUC networks as type 134/234, and monitored by the GBL- and NAM-GSI.
     12/09/2008/1600UTC:
           AirDAT added type Chautauqua to their TAMDAR feed which is ingested into /dcom tank b004/xx010 (along with existing type Mesaba).  The GSD-MADIS TAMDAR data (which contains all three types) is still dumped and tested in the NAM and RUC.
     12/16/2008/1200UTC:
          TAMDAR aircraft (all three types) temperature, moisture and wind (PREPBUFR report types 134/234) (from the GSD-MADIS feed) are now used by the NAM-GSI.  Canadian AMDAR aircraft temperature and wind (PREPBUFR report types 135/235) are now used by the NAM-GSI.
     12/16/2008/1500UTC:
          TAMDAR aircraft (all three types) temperature and moisture (PREPBUFR report type 134) (from the GSD-MADIS feed) are now used by the RUC analysis (even though moisture has a flagged QM of 15, it is not honored).  TAMDAR winds (PREPBUFR report type 234) (from the GSD-MADIS feed) are still not used by the RUC analysis because winds from descending flights are of low quality (and we don't yet have a phase-of-flight indicator in the TAMDAR wind reports).
     03/12/2009:
          TAMDAR aircraft data from the GSD-MADIS feed has been temporarily suspended because AirDAT is moving the data to a new server.  These data will not be available for assimilation in the NAM-GSI nor in the RUC analysis. The AirDAT feed for TAMDAR data remains up and we continue to tank these data, however NCEP is not in a position (yet) to make a seamless switch to the AirDAT feed (plus these data have not been tested).  [Note: The GSD-MADIS TAMDAR feed returned on 03/27/2009 (see below).]
     03/23/2009/1400UTC:
           AirDAT added type PenAir to their TAMDAR feed which is ingested into /dcom tank b004/xx010 (along with existing types Mesaba and Chautauqua).  The GSD-MADIS TAMDAR data (which contains all three types) is still dumped and assimilated in the NAM and RUC.
     03/27/2009:
          TAMDAR aircraft data from the GSD-MADIS feed has now been restored and is again being assimilated in the NAM-GSI and in the RUC analysis.  This feed had been down since 03/12/2009 while AirDAT moved the data to a new server.
     04/06/2009/0400UTC;
          All TAMDAR data from AirDAT-feed has been turned off until the NWS/AirDAT contract is  renegotiated.  This could be 2-3 weeks.  These data are not assimilated.
     04/07/2009/2025UTC;
          All TAMDAR data from MADIS-feed has been turned off until the NWS/AirDAT contract is  renegotiated.  This could be 2-3 weeks.  This data had been assimilated in the NAM and RUC.


II. WIND PROFILER, RASS and VAD   

     08/06/1991/1200UTC:
          NOAA Profiler Network (NPN) winds now used in RGL analysis.  (Also in RUC??)
     11/05/1997/1200UTC:
          VAD winds are now used in the GBL analysis (not yet used in the RGL analysis). NOAA Profiler Network (NPN) winds are now used in the GBL analysis.  NPN wind profiler reports are QC'duntil the NWS/AirDAT contract is  renegotiated.  This could be 2-3 weeks. by the new program PROFCQC, in the GBL only. 
     02/09/1998/1200UTC:
          RGL-3DVAR implementation resulted VAD winds now being used in the RGL analysis.
     01/08/1999/1900UTC:
          VAD winds are no longer being used in the RGL and GBL analyses due to quality issues.
     11/10/1999/1000UTC:
          NPN wind profiler reports are now QC'd by the program PROFCQC in the RGL and RUC networks (as they had been in the GBL networks).
     03/29/2000/1200UTC:
          VAD wind reports are now QC'd by the new program CQCVAD.  All reports with a low RMSVE are now again used in the RGL and GBL analyses.
     01/09/2001/1200UTC:
          Tropical wind profilers that arrive disguised as PIBAL reports are now correctly processed as profilers and are used in the RGL (unlikely any present in domain) and GBL analyses.
     09/10/2002/1500UTC:
          JMA wind profiler data are now encoded into BUFR tanks b002/xx013 in /dcom.
     04/13/2004/1200UTC:
          JMA wind profiler and CAP wind profiler data are added to "proflr" dump - they are not yet written into PREPBUFR or assimilated in any network.
     01/25/2005/1200UTC:
          Program PROFCQC, which QC's wind profiler data, has been upgraded.  JMA wind profiler data now encoded in the GBL PREPBUFR files (report type 228) but they are not yet assimilated in any network.  CAP wind profiler data now encoded in the RUC and RGL PREPBUFR files (report type 227) but they are not yet assimilated in any network.
     04/28/2006:
          Cooperative Agency Profiler (CAP) data are no longer available via GTS/BUFR due to the NWS no longer supporting it.  There may be a way to get these data from FSL (GSD) MADIS in netCDF format.
     09/15/2008/1500UTC:
          Wind profilers coming in in PILOT (PIBAL) bulletins are now included in the "proflr" dump file and the PREPBUFR file in the RUC network (report type 229).  These data are not assimilated by the RUC analysis.  They will be used by the future (2009) RapidRefresh system.
     10/01/2008:
          NOAA Profiler Network (NPN) wind profiler data (tank b002/xx007 and dump "proflr", used in the GFS, NAM and RUC analyses), spectral moment data (tank b002/xx010, not dumped or used by any analyses) and Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS) temperature profile data (tank b002/xx012 and dump "rassda", used in the RUC analysis, monitored in the GFS and NAM analyses) obtained from the GTS have been temporarily suspended for up to 90 days as a result of the need to upgrade these systems to prevent recently identified IT security threats. The wind profiler network operates on obsolete equipment that cannot support necessary IT security methods, and interconnection to major NWS systems extends the vulnerability to the entire NWS IT infrastructure.  The NPN profiler data (and possible the other types) will be available in the same BUFR format from an alternate GSD/MADIS feed within the next few (3-5) weeks.
     10/27/2008:
          NOAA Profiler Network (NPN) wind profiler data (tank b002/xx007 and dump "proflr", used in the GFS, NAM and RUC analyses), spectral moment data (tank b002/xx010, not dumped or used by any analyses) and Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS) temperature profile data (tank b002/xx012 and dump "rassda", used in the RUC analysis, monitored in the GFS and NAM analyses) are now again available, this time from the alternate GSD/MADIS feed.  This is temporary until the primary NWS feed is restored in approximately two months.  (See 10/01/2008 entry for more information.)
     11/25/2008/1500UTC:
          Multi-Agency Profiler (MAP) wind and RASS data [previously called Cooperative Agency Profiler (CAP)] are once again being decoded into tanks b002/xx011 (MAP profiler winds) and b002/xx012 (MAP RASS, along with NPN RASS), via feed from GSD MADIS (decoded into BUFR from netCDF format).  The MAP winds are being written into the "proflr" dumps in the NAM/NDAS, GFS/GDAS and RUC networks.  They are included in the PREPBUFR file with report type 227 in the NAM/NDAS and RUC networks.  These are not monitored or assimilated in any network. The MAP RASS are being written into the "rassda" dumps and are included in the PREPBUFR file with report type 126 in the NAM/NDAS, GFS/GDAS and RUC networks.  These are assimilated in the RUC network and are monitored in the NAM/NDAS and GFS/GDAS networks.



III. RADIOSONDE, PIBAL, DROPWINSONDE (does NOT include RADCOR information at this time)

     01/07/1988:
          Indian radiosonde (block 42 and 43) mass data are no longer used in the GBL analysis.
     06/25/1991/1200UTC:
          GBL-SSI implementation resulted in several changes in data usage in GBL analysis: Significant and mandatory level data now used. No interpolation of data to missing levels (RGL analysis still uses special 25 or 50 mb levels with interpolation to missing levels). Uppermost mandatory pressure level for processing all variables except moisture changed from 50 to 10 mb.  Uppermost mandatory level below which significant level variables (except moisture) are processed is 50 mb.  Uppermost mandatory pressure level for processing moisture changed from 300 to 250 mb.
     02/10/1992/1800UTC:
          CLASS wind data (received from STORM-FEST field experiment) is now used in the RGL analysis.  These data were not present after 1997 and were also set to no longer be processed (they they ever became present again) in the RGL analysis on 02/09/1998/1200UTC.
     06/10/1992/1200UTC:
          The Complex Quality Control (CQC) system was implemented (for radiosonde data).  It replaced the "Hydrocheck" program.
     08/11/1993/1200UTC:
          The uppermost mandatory pressure level for processing mandatory and significant level data (including moisture) is changed from 10 mb (mandatory) and 50 mb (significant) and 250 mb (moisture) to 1 mb.
     08/28/1995/1200UTC:
          Surface mass dropwinsonde data are no longer used in the GBL analysis (due to quality issues).
     10/25/1995/1200UTC:
          Indian radiosonde (block 42 and 43) are now used in the GBL analysis.
     05/20/1997/1200UTC:
          The radiosonde baseline check in PREPRO has been turned off.  The CQC program already performs a much more sophisticated baseline check.
     06/11/1997/1200UTC:
          New Gulf Stream dropwinsonde data is about to become operational.  Its specific humidity will not be used in the RGL or GBL analyses due to quality issues. (Later, on 01/14/1998/1200UTC, the RGL and GBL analyses began using Gulf Stream dropwinsonde moisture, then even later, on 12/15/1998/1200UTC, the RGL and GBL analysis again stopped using Gulf Stream dropwinsonde moisture.)
     02/09/1998/1200UTC:
          RGL-3DVAR implementation resulted in several changes in data usage in RGL analysis: Data are no longer interpolated to 25 or 50 mb levels (reported mandatory and significant levels are used directly).  Moisture is no longer interpolated to levels where it is missing. The uppermost mandatory pressure level for processing mandatory and significant level data (including moisture) is changed from 10 mb (mandatory) and 50 mb (significant) and 250 mb (moisture) to 1 mb. 
     01/25/1999/1200UTC:
          USAF dropwinsonde moisture in no longer used in the RGL and GBL analyses.
     10/02/2000/1200UTC:
          The GBL analysis began using radiosonde and PIBAL balloon drift (location and time) information.  
     06/13/2006/1200UTC:
          The RGL analysis (changed to GSI today) is now using radiosonde and PIBAL balloon drift (location and time) information.
     08/22/2006/1200UTC:
          NOAA (P-3 and Gulf Stream) dropwinsonde moisture is now used in the GBL analysis (it is still not used in the GBL analysis, neither analysis uses USAF dropwinsonde moisture).
     12/04/2007/1200UTC:
          NOAA (P-3 and Gulf Stream) dropwinsonde moisture is now used in the RGL analysis (it had already been used in the GBL analysis).  USAF dropwinsonde moisture is now used in the RGL and GBL analyses.




IV.  SURFACE (INCLUDING MESONET)  

     
     9/20/1988/1200UTC:
          Splash-level dropwinsonde reports are now used in the RGL and GBL analyses.  
     12/06/1989/1200UTC:
          The wind part of splash-level dropwinsonde reports is no longer processed.  Fixed and moored buoy wind reports with no station pressure are now processed (on 10/02/1991/1200UTC this was restricted to only PMEL-ATLAS buoys in the tropical Pacific).  
     01/30/1991/1200UTC:
          NMC digitized mean sea-level pressure bogus data no longer used by GBL analysis.  (The GBL and RGL analyses still use the OPC/NOS mean sea-level pressure point bogus, usually available in NH only).
     06/25/1991/1200UTC:
          GBL-SSI implementation resulted in mass data from land SYNOP stations and mass and wind data from C-MAN platforms now being used in GBL analysis.  Mass land SYNOP data is already being used in RGL analysis.
     01/31/1997/1200UTC:
          Mean sea-level pressure bogus (PAOBs in GBL and OPC/NOC point in the RGL and GBL) are no longer used in the RGL and GBL analyses.
     02/09/1998/1200UTC:
          RGL-3DVAR implementation resulted in several changes in data usage in RGL analysis: Surface land (SYNOP) wind reports are now being used. Surface land (SYNOP) mass and wind reports within the old LFM grid domain and without pressure are now being used.
     01/09/2001/1200UTC:
          METAR mass and wind data are now assimilated in the RGL analysis.
     01/25/2005/1200UTC:
          Mobile synoptic land mass and wind data used in GBL analyses (not yet used in RGL analysis, outside of domain anyway).
     06/28/2005/1200UTC:
          Mesonet mass data are now assimilated in the RUC analysis (based on "uselist").  METAR cloud/visibility/weather  observations.are now assimilated in the RGL analysis.
     03/31/2008/1200UTC:
          Mesonet wind data are now assimilated in the RGL analysis (based on "uselist").
     09/15/2008/1500UTC:
          SYNOPTIC (both restricted and unrestricted) surface land data are now included in the "adpsfc" dump file and the PREPBUFR file in the RUC network (report types 181/281, 183/284).  These data are now assimilated by the RUC analysis.  They will also be used by the future (2009) RapidRefresh system.
     09/16/2008/1200UTC:
          Roadway data from numerous mesonet providers (mainly DOT providers) is now ingested into the applicable /dcom b255 BUFR tanks and subsequently dumped into the "msonet" dump files and encoded into the PREPBUFR files in the appropriate networks [dumps in NAM, NDAS, GFS, GDAS, CDAS, RTMA, RUC and SRUC; PREPBUFR in NAM, NDAS, RTMA, RUC (upper-air)].  It is not yet used by any NCEP analysis (currently mesonet data are assimilated only in the NAM, NDAS RUC and RTMA networks).
     11/17/2008/1200UTC:
          Mesonet wind data are now assimilated in the RUC analysis (based on "uselist").
     12/16/2008/1500UTC:
          The RUC analysis now uses mesonet mass and wind data only from the site in the "msonet" dump file closest to the analysis time (when a site appears at more than one time in the dump file). 



V.  WSR-88D (NEXRAD) RADAR  

     
     6/17/2008/1200UTC:
          Update to the ingest package.  Radial wind quality control significantly upgraded.  New reflectivity quality control added.  Reflectivity Single Radar Coordinate (SRC) flat-files are now generated for the (yet-to-be-implemented) radar reflectivity mosaic processing package to pick up.
     6/17/2008:
          Nearly 90 of the 135 NEXRAD sites over the CONUS have now switched from Build 8 to Build 10 software.  We are still unable to ingest these Build 10 sites, so we are losing ~67% of the Level II (and possibly also Level II.5) radar data.
     09/15/2008/1500UTC:
          Level II and Level II.5 NEXRAD radial wind data are now dumped ("radwnd") in the RUC network.  These data are not assimilated by the RUC analysis.  They will be used by the future (2009) RapidRefresh system.
     09/15/2008:
          All 135 NEXRAD sites over the CONUS have now switched from Build 8 to Build 10 software.  We are now unable to ingest any Level II radial wind and reflectivity data from these Build 10 sites.  Level II.5 and III radial wind data are not affected.
     10/07/2008/1500UTC:
          We are now again able to ingest Level II radial wind and reflectivity data from all 135(?) NEXRAD sites with the implementation of the "supres" ingest code which reads Build 10 and transforms it back into pseudo-Build 8 before ingesting it into /dcom.  These data are again dumped into "nexrad" files in the NAM and NDAS networks and are again being assimilated by the NAM/NDAS GSI.
     11/17/2008/1200UTC:
          The RUC analysis now processes three-dimensional Level II radar reflectivity mosaic data which produces a latent heat specification to be used in the model digital filter.