NOAA's MADIS Data Management System Expands to Global Data Coverage
In March 2006, ESRL's Global Systems Division made significant progress in extending the geographic coverage of its datasets by expanding the surface observations supported by the Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System (MADIS). MADIS now provides access to real-time global METAR observations, as well as observations from several other surface networks with coverage outside the U.S. Networks in this category include the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment network, the Plataformas de Coleta de Dados network operated by the Ministry of Science and Technology in Brazil, and the Citizen Weather Observer Program network, which currently features real-time observations from over 50 countries. Other MADIS datasets that provide international observations include radiosonde, maritime, automated aircraft, profiler, and satellite datasets.
MADIS is a data management system developed at ESRL/GSD that ingests, integrates, quality controls, and distributes surface and upper-air datasets to the meteorological community. Among these datasets is an integrated mesonet database containing high-frequency real-time observations from over 19,000 mesonet stations across the country and around the world. The mesonet database includes Road Weather Information System observations from state Departments of Transportation, as well as real-time observations from the Remote Automated Weather Stations network, the Cooperative Mesonets in the Western U.S. network, the WeatherBug network operated by AWS Convergence Technologies, Inc., and many others. Organizations receiving MADIS data feeds include National Weather Service (NWS) forecast offices, the NWS National Centers for Environmental Prediction, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and many major universities and commercial weather businesses. Saved observations are available online via the MADIS FTP server; real-time observations are viewable on the Web.
MADIS integrates other-agency and private-network observations with NOAA observations and makes them easily accessible and usable to the greater meteorological community. By doing so, it is serving one of NOAA's main mission goals to "Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water Information." Additionally, MADIS supplies non-NOAA data providers with quality control and station monitoring information to assist in their maintenance activities and to enhance and promote the mutual benefits of public/private data sharing.
Contact information
Name: Patricia A Miller
Tel: 303-497-6365
Patricia.A.Miller@noaa.gov