NOMADS Data Access

Links to other NOMADS project component sites (NCEP / NCDDC)

Introduction/How To Use This Site

Data Access User Guide

National Weather Service (NWS)

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)

• Numerical Weather Prediction

North American Mesoscale (NAM 12km)

Global Forecast System (GFS 1 degree)

Rapid Update Cycle (RUC 13 and 20km)

GDAS Model Input Assimilation Data

AWIPS NOAAPort Grids (06/2003-05/2005)

• Ensembles

NCEP GFS Ensembles

NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool

Probability Tool Users Guide (using multi-member forecasts)

• Reanalysis

Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR)

North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) (32km)

Global Reanalysis (R1 & R2)

•Climate

Climate Forecast System (CFS)

NWS Programmatic

NWS High Availability Real-Time NOMADS Server (R/T NOMADS)

National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) Data Access

NDFD Information

Real-Time Mesoscale Analysis (RTMA) Data Access

Service Records Retention System (SRSS) access

National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS)

National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)

• NCDC In-situ Reference Quality Datasets

Blended Ocean Winds

Reynolds SST

Global Historical Climate Network (GHCN)

Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive (IGRA)

• Climate

Paleoclimate Datasets

• NCDC Mirror R/T NOMADS Server

• NCDC NOMADS Live Access Server (A visualization and analysis application)

• NOMADS THREDDS Data Server (OPeNDAP access & more)

• NOMADS GrADS Data Server

National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC)

• NODC AVHRR Pathfinder Version 5.0 SST Dataset

NOAA Office of Atmospheric Research (OAR)

Geophysical Fluid Dynamic Laboratory (GFDL)

• Climate

CM2.X Coupled Climate Model data (selected subsets via GDS)

CM2.X Coupled Climate Model data (selected subsets via TDS)

GFDL NOMADS Data Portal

Air Resources Laboratory (ARL)

Department of Energy (DOE)

Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI)

Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP)

National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

NCAR Data Portal

Community Earth System Model (CESM)

Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM)

NOMADS OPeNDAP Server

Introduction

This web site provides access to the model data repository at NCDC. This repository contains both archived (i.e., off-line) and on-line model data. We provide a variety of ways to access our weather and climate model data. You can access the on-line data using traditional access methods (web-based or ftp), or you can use open and distributed access methods promoted under the collaborative approach called the NOAA Operational Model Archive and Distribution System (NOMADS). With the NOMADS Web Interface you can create, display, and download plots, use ftp to download parameters and files, and use the NOMADS Distributed Data Server using OPeNDAP and the GrADS Data Server (GDS) to access the data directly from your preferred client or desktop. You can also perform remote calculations using scripts under the GDS.

To see what datasets we have available, first vist the NCDC Model Data Inventories section to locate datasets of interest and view dataset documentation.

After you determine which datasets you want to further explore, visit the Data Access Guide page and learn about the different access methods and features provided.

To browse the inventories, directly read and analyze data, or retrieve model data visit the sections below. The following access functions are provided.

• Plot - allows you to build a collection, then select parameters from the collection, and create plots
• Grid/Scale - type, resolution and domain of grid
• FTP4u - allows you to build a collection, select files or parameters from the collection, and ftp selected data to our anonymous ftp server
• FTP - browse lists of files on our server and download files using the ftp protocol
• HTTP - browse lists of files on our server and use your browser to download files
• GDS - access GrADS DODS/OPeNDAP server for this dataset. Use the GDS server to obtain the URL for files you want to access from your desktop DODS/OPeNDAP enabled client.
• OPeNDAP - access DODS/OPeNDAP server for this dataset. Use the DODS server to obtain the URL for files you want to access from your desktop DODS/OPeNDAP enabled client.

NCEP High Resolution Global Forecast System (1 degree GFS), North American Mesoscale (12km NAM), and Rapid Update Cycle (20km RUC)

The table below lists the weather model datasets we have on-line or archived at NCDC. Each entry in the table below provides you links to access methods for that dataset. See the Section Above for descriptions of these access methods. Note: These data may be delayed up to one day. For real-time access go to the NCEP R/T NOMADS.

NCEP Climate Forecast System version 2

The Climate Forecast System (CFS) is a fully coupled model representing the interaction between the Earth's oceans, land and atmosphere. This model became operational in August 2004, and has been run in retrospective mode back 25 years to 1981. Users seeking access to CFS archived and real-time data should visit the National Centers for Environmental Prediction's CFS homepage. Available on the site are retrospective daily and monthly data, climatologies, links to operational CFS model runs, CFS documentation, news, and other products.

• CFS Reanalysis (CFSR)
  • About the CFSR
  • Referencing CFSR
  • CFSR Links
  • CFSR Notice
  • CFSR Data
    • Time Series and Monthly Means
    • Hourly, Pressure, Fluxes, and Ocean Data
• CFS Initial Conditions
• CFS Reforecast (CFSRR)
  • About CFS Reforecast
  • Referencing CFS Reforecast
  • CFS Reforecast Notice
  • Reforecast Data
    • First Look Time Series and Monthly Means
    • High Priority Subset

Notices concerning the CFSR data:

• CFSRR Known Issues 8/31/2011
• Digital signature (MD5) files

Reanalysis

The NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) was designed and executed as a global, high resolution, coupled atmosphere-ocean-land surface-sea ice system to provide the best estimate of the state of these coupled domains over the 31-year period of 1979 to 2009. It will be extended as an operational real time product into the future. Get CFSR data here. "   The CFSR data was developed by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). The data for this study are from NOAA's National Operational Model Archive and Distribution System (NOMADS) which is maintained at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).   "

Recommended acknowledgment for this dataset:

Additional information about the CFSR:

• NCEP CFSR Homepage
• CFSR Overview
• CFSR Paper submitted to BAMS
• NOAA's Explaining Climate to Improve Predictions (ECIP) Reanalysis Products
• CFSR Timeseries Documentation

Notice to users who downloaded CFSR Time Series data prior to 22:00 UTC February 18, 2010:

A format conversion issue was verified affecting the metadata in non-instantaneous CFSR time series files (28 of the 73 file types affected are listed below). The issue, triggered during the conversion process between GRIB1 to GRIB2 by NCEP (to facilitate transmission and storage), caused the non-instantaneous fields (0-1, 1-2, 2-3 hr statistical) to appear instantaneous (0-0, 1-1, 2-2 hr statistical) when decoded. At 22:00 UTC February 18 2010, NCDC will begin bringing corrected versions of these files online. Users who have already downloaded these files are encouraged to re-download these files on/after Friday, February 19th, otherwise be aware of these facts when using your existing copy. If you improvise the metadata, the data itself is valid.
The issue affects the following file types (28):

  dlwsfc dswsfc gflux lhtfl ocndt20c ocnheat ocnmld ocnsal15
  ocnsal5 ocnslh ocnsst ocnt15 ocnu15 ocnu5 ocnv15 ocnv5
  ocnvv55 prate runoff shtfl snohf tmax tmin ulwsfc ulwtoa
  uswsfc uswtoa wndstrs

Climate Forecast System Reanalysis

Climate Forecast System Initial Conditions

Climate Forecast System Initial Conditions

For a complete schedule of CFSR availability, please see: Reanalysis Access Schedule

Reforecast

A complete Reforecast of CFS version 2, over the 29-year period (1982-2010) has been created in order to provide stable calibration and skill estimates of the new system, for operational seasonal and sub seasonal prediction at NCEP. Coupled full 9-month forecasts from initial conditions every 5 days apart (for all 4 c cycles on that day) have been made for each calendar year with the T126L64 GFS with half-hourly coupling to the ocean (MOM4 at 1/4° equatorial, 1/2° global). Total number of 9-month forecasts is 73x4 for each year, amounting to 8468 forecast runs for the full period. In addition to the 9-month runs, there is a full season run from every 0Z cycle over a 12-year period (1999-2010) for a total of 4380 runs. There is also a short 45-day forecast from every 6Z, 12Z and 18Z cycle over the same 12-year period (1999-2010) for a total of 13140 runs.

Reference the following article (to be submitted) when using the CFS version 2 Reforecast model or data:

Notice 12/02/2011:

NCDC and NCEP have identified that the "High-priority Reforecast" data sets are roughly 99% serially complete at this time and may contain isolated damaged files.

^♠ Climate Forecast System Reanalysis and Reforecast

For a complete schedule of CFS Reforecast availability, please see: Reforecast Access Schedule

^♠ Not serially complete at this time.

^‡ notice: Please be aware of digital signature (MD5) files. (read more).

NCEP North American Regional Reanalysis (32km, 25 years)

Documentation

• NCEP North American Regional Reanalysis Homepage
• NARR Overview
• NARR Presentation to NESDIS Archive Requirements Council (ARC)
• NCDC DSI-6175 NARR Dataset Documentation
• Differences between NARR A and B Files
• Contents of NARR Output GRIB Files
• Fixed Field Data & Information

NARR fields use Earth relative winds, which do not need adjustment when used with GrADS and GDS.

Monthly Means:
The NARRMON dataset contains a monthly average (computed at NCEP) of all the fields in the NARR. The NARRMON-3hr dataset is a monthly average of all fields, seperated into eight three-hour time periods for each day throughout a month.

NCEP GFS Ensemble Probabilities

The following interfaces are testbed capabilities to multiple members of the NCEP Ensembles run under the Global Forecast System. These interfaces allow user selectable flow-dependant probabilities predictions of several meteorological sensible weather elements. These pages are in development. Please report feedback to NOMADS.ncdc@noaa.gov.

NCEP GFS Ensembles

NOMADS Ensemble Probability Tool

Description of NOMADS Global Ensemble Weather Prediction Forecast Probabilities

NCDC Climate Datasets

Below are several operational data sets provided by the NCDC and NOMADS.

NODC AVHRR Pathfinder Version 5.0 SST Dataset

The 4 km AVHRR Pathfinder Version 5.0 SST Project (Pathfinder V5) is a new reanalysis of the AVHRR data stream developed by the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) and the NOAA National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC). This reprocessing uses an improved version of the Pathfinder algorithm and processing steps to produce twice-daily global SST and related parameters back to 1985, at a resolution of approximately 4 km, the highest possible for a global AVHRR data set. Temporal averages for 5-day, 7-day, 8-day, Monthly, and Yearly periods are also produced. Current key improvements over the original 9 km Pathfinder SST data set include a more accurate, consistent land mask, higher spatial resolution, and inclusion of sea ice information. Other improvements are under development and will be implemented in the next reprocessing, which will commence in mid-2004.

NCEP Model GDAS Assimilation Dataset (in BUFR & GRIB format)

Below are several operational data sets provided by the NCDC and NOMADS.

We will be adding plotting and ftp capabilities as programs are completed.

Climate Model Datasets

Through the NOMADS Collaboration, model output and documentation from a set of multi-century experiments performed using GFDL's CM2.0 and CM2.1 global climate models are being made available at GFDL's NOMADS Data Portal. Datasets are available at their GFDL CM2.x Coupled Climate Models page.

The Community Data Portal (CDP) is a collection of earth science datasets from NCAR, UCAR, UOP, and participating organizations in the following research areas:

• Oceanic
• Atmospheric
• Space Weather
• Turbulence

Paleoclimate Datasets

The paleoclimate model data sets available here are derived primarily from climate model experiments associated with peer reviewed scientific publications. The archive includes many of the experiments performed as part of the Paleoclimate Model Intercomparison Project (PMIP), plus other, PMIP-like experiments. Also included here are other model runs such as transient simulations of the past 1,000 years, and some data sets related to model forcing and model boundary conditions. Additional information on paleoclimate model data sets, including tools to access and plot model data and a web form to search for data, are available on the paleoclimate modeling page.

Paleoclimate model output on NOMADS GrADS Data Server
Paleoclimate modeling page at NCDC
PMIP II web site

National Digital Forecast Database