The potential for heavy snow at higher elevations in the western U.S. will continue for many spots through the weekend. In the meantime, the eastern half of the continental U.S. will transition to above normal temperatures ahead of a pair of cold fronts next week that will bring readings back to closer to normal as we approach Thanksgiving Day. Read More >
The U.S. National Weather Service provides anonymous FTP access to files containing collectives of code generated and binary radar imagery products from NWS, FAA, and DOD radar sites located in the United States and Puerto Rico. The collectives are in the same format as received from the WSR-88D Radar Product Generator (RPG) and the TDWR Supplemental Product Generator (SPG). The server internal structure for sub-directory names and file names can be found with descriptions in the document TOC File Name Standards. The naming conventions for the sub-directories and files are described in the document titled: File and Directory Name Standards. The data is available at the NWS Telecommunication Gateway on the server ftp://tgftp.nws.noaa.gov/ via anonymous FTP.
The data can be obtained either through a direct LDM data feed from the NWS or by standard ftp. Either process follows the directory path established below.
The Implementation Guide for a LDM connection is available.
Directory and File Descriptions
See "Directory and File Naming Standards" for information about directory and file name formats and structure.
| DIRECTORY NAME | CONTENTS |
|---|---|
| SL.us008001/ | Data root - for NWS Telecommunication Gateway Server (top directory) |
| DF.of/ | Data in NWS coded form either ASCII or Binary depending on product |
| DC.radar/ | Data category: Above Surface - land (see radar site ID list below) |
| DS.p2gsm/ | Data Subcategory: general status of the the radar message |
| DS.p19r0/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 124 nmi Range (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.p20-r/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 248 nmi Range (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.p27v0/ | Data Subcategory: Base Radial Velocity - 124 nmi Range (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.p30sw/ | Data Subcategory: Base Spectrum Width - 124 nmi Range (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.32dhr/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Hybrid Scan Reflectivity |
| DS.34cf1/ | Data Subcategory: Clutter Filter Control (Segment 1) |
| DS.34cf2/ | Data Subcategory: Clutter Filter Control (Segment 2) |
| DS.34cf3/ | Data Subcategory: Clutter Filter Control (Segment 3) |
| DS.34cf4/ | Data Subcategory: Clutter Filter Control (Segment 4) |
| DS.34cf5/ | Data Subcategory: Clutter Filter Control (Segment 5) |
| DS.p37cr/ | Data Subcategory: Composite Reflectivity - 16 levels, 124 nmi range |
| DS.p38cr/ | Data Subcategory: Composite Reflectivity - 16 levels, 248 nmi range |
| DS.p41et/ | Data Subcategory: Echo Tops |
| DS.48vwp/ | Data Subcategory: Velocity Azimuth Dispaly (VAD) Wind Profile |
| DS.56rm0/ | Data Subcategory: Storm Relative Mean radial velocity map (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.56rm1/ | Data Subcategory: Storm Relative Mean radial velocity map (angle = 1.3°/1.5°) |
| DS.56rm2/ | Data Subcategory: Storm Relative Mean radial velocity map (angle = 2.4°/2.5°) |
| DS.56rm3/ | Data Subcategory: Storm Relative Mean radial velocity map (angle = 3.1°/3.4°/3.5°) |
| DS.57vil/ | Data Subcategory: Vertical Integrated Liquid |
| DS.58sti/ | Data Subcategory: Storm Tracking Information |
| DS.p59hi/ | Data Subcategory: Hail Index |
| DS.61tvs/ | Data Subcategory: Tornadic Vortex Signature |
| DS.p62ss/ | Data Subcategory: Storm Structure |
| DS.66lrm/ | Data Subcategory: Layer Composite Reflectivity Maximum (middle level) |
| DS.67apr/ | Data Subcategory: Layer Composite Reflectivity with AP removed |
| DS.74rcm/ | Data Subcategory: Radar Coded message |
| DS.75ftm/ | Data Subcategory: Free Text message |
| DS.78ohp/ | Data Subcategory: Surface rainfall accums - one hr Total |
| DS.79thp/ | Data Subcategory: Surface rainfall accums - three hr Total |
| DS.80stp/ | Data Subcategory: Surface rainfall accums - storm total |
| DS.81dpr/ | Data Subcategory: Hourly digital precip array |
| DS.82spd/ | Data Subcategory: Supplemental precip data |
| DS.90lrm/ | Data Subcategory: Layer composite reflectivity max - high level |
| DS.p94r0/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 248 nmi Range (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.p94ra/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 248 nmi Range (angle = 0.9°) |
| DS.p94r1/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 248 nmi Range (angle = 1.3°/1.5°) |
| DS.p94rb/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 248 nmi Range (angle = 1.8°) |
| DS.p94r2/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 248 nmi Range (angle = 2.4°/2.5°) |
| DS.p94r3/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 248 nmi Range (angle = 3.1°/3.4°/3.5°) |
| DS.p99v0/ | Data Subcategory: Base Radial Velocity - 162 nmi Range (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.p99va/ | Data Subcategory: Base Radial Velocity - 162 nmi Range (angle = 0.9°) |
| DS.p99v1/ | Data Subcategory: Base Radial Velocity - 162 nmi Range (angle = 1.3°/1.5°) |
| DS.p99vb/ | Data Subcategory: Base Radial Velocity - 162 nmi Range (angle = 1.8°) |
| DS.p99v2/ | Data Subcategory: Base Radial Velocity - 162 nmi Range (angle = 2.4°/2.5°) |
| DS.p99v3/ | Data Subcategory: Base Radial Velocity - 162 nmi Range (angle = 3.1°/3.4°/3.5°) |
| DS.134il/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Vertical Integrated Liquid |
| DS.135et/ | Data Subcategory: Enhanced Echo Tops |
| DS.138dp/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Storm Total Precipitation |
| DS.141md/ | Data Subcategory: Mesocyclone |
| DS.152rs/ | Data Subcategory: Archive III Status Product |
| DS.159x0/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Differential Reflectivity (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.159xa/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Differential Reflectivity (angle = 0.9°) |
| DS.159x1/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Differential Reflectivity (angle = 1.3°/1.5°) |
| DS.159xb/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Differential Reflectivity (angle = 1.8°) |
| DS.159x2/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Differential Reflectivity (angle = 2.4°/2.5°) |
| DS.159x3/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Differential Reflectivity (angle = 3.1°/3.4°/3.5°) |
| DS.161c0/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Correlation Coefficient (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.161ca/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Correlation Coefficient (angle = 0.9°) |
| DS.161c1/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Correlation Coefficient (angle = 1.3°/1.5°) |
| DS.161cb/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Correlation Coefficient (angle = 1.8°) |
| DS.161c2/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Correlation Coefficient (angle = 2.4°/2.5°) |
| DS.161c3/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Correlation Coefficient (angle = 3.1°/3.4°/3.5°) |
| DS.163k0/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Specific Differential Phase (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.163ka/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Specific Differential Phase (angle = 0.9°) |
| DS.163k1/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Specific Differential Phase (angle = 1.3°/1.5°) |
| DS.163kb/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Specific Differential Phase (angle = 1.8°) |
| DS.163k2/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Specific Differential Phase (angle = 2.4°/2.5°) |
| DS.163k3/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Specific Differential Phase (angle = 3.1°/3.4°/3.5°) |
| DS.165h0/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Hydrometeor Classification (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.165ha/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Hydrometeor Classification (angle = 0.9°) |
| DS.165h1/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Hydrometeor Classification (angle = 1.3°/1.5°) |
| DS.165hb/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Hydrometeor Classification (angle = 1.8°) |
| DS.165h2/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Hydrometeor Classification (angle = 2.4°/2.5°) |
| DS.165h3/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Hydrometeor Classification (angle = 3.1°/3.4°/3.5°) |
| DS.166m0/ | Data Subcategory: Melting Layer (angle = 0.5°) |
| DS.166ma/ | Data Subcategory: Melting Layer (angle = 0.9°) |
| DS.166m1/ | Data Subcategory: Melting Layer (angle = 1.3°/1.5°) |
| DS.166mb/ | Data Subcategory: Melting Layer (angle = 1.8°) |
| DS.166m2/ | Data Subcategory: Melting Layer (angle = 2.4°/2.5°) |
| DS.166m3/ | Data Subcategory: Melting Layer (angle = 3.1°/3.4°/3.5°) |
| DS.169oh/ | Data Subcategory: One Hour Accum |
| DS.170aa/ | Data Subcategory: Dig. Accum Array (unbiased) |
| DS.171st/ | Data Subcategory: Storm Total Accum |
| DS.172dt/ | Data Subcategory: Dig. Storm Total Accum |
| DS.173u1/ | Data Subcategory: Dig. User-Selectable Accum: 3hr/hrly |
| DS.173u3/ | Data Subcategory: Dig. User-Selectable Accum: 24hr/12Z |
| DS.174od/ | Data Subcategory: Dig. One Hour Difference Accum |
| DS.175sd/ | Data Subcategory: Dig. Storm Total Difference Accum |
| DS.176pr/ | Data Subcategory: Digital Inst. Precip. Rate (in/hr) |
| DS.177hh/ | Data Subcategory: Hybrid Scan Hydrometeor Classification |
| DS.181r0/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 48 nmi Range (angle = 0.1°-0.8°) |
| DS.181r1/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 48 nmi Range (angle = 1.0°) |
| DS.181r2/ | Data Subcategory: Base reflectivity - 48 nmi Range (angle = 1.6°-3.7°) |
| DS.182v0/ | Data Subcategory: Base Radial Velocity - 48 nmi Range (angle = 0.1°-0.8°) |
| DS.182v1/ | Data Subcategory: Base Radial Velocity - 48 nmi Range (angle = 1.0°) |
| DS.182v2/ | Data Subcategory: Base Radial Velocity - 48 nmi Range (angle = 1.6°-3.7°) |
| DS.186zl/ | Data Subcategory: Long Range reflectivity - 225 nmi Range (angle = 0.6°) |
| SI.ktlx/ | Data site: Oklahoma City, OK/Norman |
| SI.tden | Data site: Denver, CO |
| : | |
| SI.cccc/ | Data site: A radar site for each data subcategory for all 200 sites |
Data files are updated on the FTP server every five minutes or sooner with data from the RPG or SPG. File names within each radar site directory have the format sn.nnnn where nnnn is a four-digit number ranging from 0000 to 0250. Files are written in sequence with the file sn.0000 following sn.0250. This scheme provides unique file names for at least the previous 48 hours of data received, as older files are over-written.
A sample of the most recently written radar file (base reflectivity - 54 nmi range, elevation of 1.5°) for Dallas/Fort Worth, TX is:
| SL.us008001/DF.of/DC.radar/DS.p19r1/SI.kfws/sn.0114 |
Data files are written only when data of that subcategory type is available.
Further questions or comments concerning data in SL.us008001 path may be directed to nws.isg@noaa.gov .
