Neal Lott
NCDC/RCSG
Asheville, NC
nlott@ncdc.noaa.gov
Ph  704-271-4995
FAX 704-271-4876

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              Global Summary of Day Via Internet


The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) announces the
availability of global surface summary of day data (over 8000
stations) on-line via anonymous ftp (internet).  These summary of
day data files include the latest month's data--normally available
about 1 month after the end of the data month.  They are accessible
through our mosaic/homepage server at -- http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/
(click on 'anonymous ftp') or through direct ftp connection as follows:

-- open 192.67.134.72
-- login is:  anonymous
-- password is:  your email address
-- directory for global summary of day:  /pub/data/globalsod

The directory has a 'readme.txt' file with information about the
contents and individual file names.  The data are available as 7
regional files or as 1 file containing all of the data (in ASCII
or compressed mode).  The daily elements included in the dataset
(as available from each station) are:

Mean temperature (.1 Fahrenheit)
Mean dew point (.1 Fahrenheit)
Mean sea level pressure (.1 mb)
Mean station pressure (.1 mb)
Mean visibility (.1 miles)
Mean wind speed (.1 knots)
Maximum sustained wind speed (.1 knots)
Maximum wind gust (.1 knots)
Maximum temperature (.1 Fahrenheit)
Minimum temperature (.1 Fahrenheit)
Precipitation amount (.01 inches)
Snow depth (.1 inches)
Indicator for occurrence of:  Fog
                              Rain
                              Snow
                              Hail
                              Thunder
                              Tornado

Other periods of historical summary of day data can be obtained
off-line from NCDC.  Additional information and complete
documentation are available from NCDC's Climate Services Branch
(phone 704-271-4800, fax 704-271-4876, internet
orders@ncdc.noaa.gov).

We also have various inventories (surface data, NEXRAD, etc) on-line in the
'\pub\data\inventories' subdirectory.  A 'README.TXT' (upper-case) file
describes its contents.  The instructions for obtaining these files are the
same as for the summary of day data above.  These inventories, along with
the summary of day data, will be updated and enhanced as often as possible,
so we encourage users to check frequently to see what's available.  Other
inventories/datasets are also planned for the near future.


National Climatic Data Center
Research Customer Service Group






.