Weatherdata

Weatherdata refers to information collected and stored about atmospheric conditions at a given time and place. It encompasses observations, analyses, forecasts, and historical records used to describe weather and to study climate. Observational weatherdata are gathered from surface weather stations, radiosounding systems, weather buoys, ships, radar, lidar, and satellites. Common meteorological variables include temperature, dew point, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction, precipitation, cloud cover, visibility, and solar radiation. Historical weatherdata provide long-term records for climate research and climate normals, while forecast weatherdata consist of model outputs and nowcasting products.

Data are stored in a variety of formats and databases. Machines-readable formats such as netCDF, GRIB, and HDF5 are widely used, often with metadata that follows standards such as ISO 19115 or WMO conventions. Real-time and archived data are accessed via portals and Application Programming Interfaces, with licensing ranging from public domain to specific restrictions. Data quality is maintained through quality control, bias correction, and homogenization; uncertainties arise from sensor errors, sampling, and model limitations.

Weatherdata underpin numerical weather prediction, data assimilation, and climate studies. They support applications in aviation, agriculture, disaster management, transportation, and energy management. Standards organizations, notably the World Meteorological Organization, coordinate networks and data exchange to improve interoperability and accessibility. As technology advances, expanded sensor coverage, satellite observations, and open data initiatives continue to increase the availability and usefulness of weatherdata.