TAFCVT
Sections
NAME
tafcvt - Terminal forecast (TAF format) decoder
SYNOPSIS
tafcvt [parameters...] filename
PARAMETERS
| Command Line | Resource | Default | Description |
| -h | help | No | Lists basic help information. |
| -df=filename | default | .wxpdef | Sets the name of the resource file. |
| -na=name | name | tafcvt | Specifies the name used in resource file parsing. |
| -ba | batch | No | Run program in batch mode |
| -me=level | message | out2 | Specifies level of messages to be displayed
|
| -fp=filepath | file_path | current directory | Specifies location of database files. |
| -dp=datapath | data_path | current directory | Specifies the location (path) of the input raw data files. This is the location where the ingest program has saved the data files. This may be modified in the name convention file. |
| -nc=name_conv | name_conv | name_conv | The name convention file specifies how files are named in WXP. This sets which name convention file to use. |
| -if=in_file | in_file | term_dat | Specifies the input file name tag. The default is term_dat, but it can be modified to any value in the filename convention file. A full name convention can be specified as well. |
| -ou=outout | output | dec | Specifies what type of output to be generated:
|
| -cf=cityfile | city_file | None | Specifies the name of the city database file used in finding station names. |
| -cu=[hour|la] | current | None | This specifies to use current data files. The current filename is based on the name convention. An optional hour can be specified for older data. If la is specified, the program will search back to find the most recent available file. |
| -ho=hour | hour | None | This resource specifies the exact hour that a data file is valid for. This locks in the start hour for a multi-file sequence. |
| -nh=num_hour | num_hour | 0 | This specifies the number of hours that will be searched for hourly data. |
| -id=identifier | identifier | User prompt | Used to decode a specific TAF. The value "all" can be used to decode all reports. If not specified, the user is prompted for the ID. |
| -pa=param[,param...] | parameter | None | Extra parameters (none currently) |
| filename[#seq] | filename | None User Pompt Batch: current=la |
The name of the raw data file to be converted. An optional sequence number can be added to designate the time for non-WXP files. |
DESCRIPTION
Terminal forecasts are coded in the format which is often hard to read and decode. As a result, it is handy to decode the TAFs into a readable form which can be used by the general public. By default, the program searches a single terminal forecast file (term_dat in_file type) and prompts the user for a station to decode. The data file is searched for that station and the appropriate TAF is decoded. A sample TAF is:
KORD 020525Z 020606 04012KT P6SM SCT120 OVC200
BECMG 1416 04016G28KT P6SM OVC200
BECMG 1820 04015G25KT P6SM BKN250
BECMG 0002 05012KT P6SM SCT250=
The user may want to decode all the TAFs in a file. This can be done by specifying "all" for the station identifier either at the prompt or with the identifier resource. The default output is a reformatting into an easier to read form with some minimal decoding:
ID: KORD CHICAGO/O'HARE, IL REPORT TIME: 2 5:25 VALID TIME: 2 JUN AT 06Z TO 06Z NEXT DAY INITIAL WX WINDS: 40 AT 12 VISIBILITY: >6.0 MILES CLOUDS: 120 SCT CLOUDS: 200 OVC WX BECOMING FROM 14Z TO 16Z WINDS: 40 AT 16 GUST 28 VISIBILITY: >6.0 MILES CLOUDS: 200 OVC WX BECOMING FROM 18Z TO 20Z WINDS: 40 AT 15 GUST 25 VISIBILITY: >6.0 MILES CLOUDS: 250 BKN WX BECOMING FROM 00Z TO 02Z WINDS: 50 AT 12 VISIBILITY: >6.0 MILES CLOUDS: 250 SCT COMMENTS: =
If more decoding is desired, the output can be in a near English format with simple sentence structure:
Chicago/O'hare, IL (KORD) terminal forecast issued on 2 June at 05:25Z valid from 2 June at 06Z to 06Z the next day. The initial weather is: winds from 40 deg at 12 kts, visibility is greater than 6.0 miles, clouds 12000 ft scattered, 20000 ft overcast. The weather from 14Z to 16Z will change to: winds from 40 deg at 16 kts with gusts to 28, visibility is greater than 6.0 miles, clouds 20000 ft overcast. The weather from 18Z to 20Z will change to: winds from 40 deg at 15 kts with gusts to 25, visibility is greater than 6.0 miles, clouds 25000 ft broken. The weather from 00Z to 02Z will change to: winds from 50 deg at 12 kts, visibility is greater than 6.0 miles, clouds 25000 ft scattered.
FILES
- term_dat - raw terminal forecast data files
SEE ALSO
- parse - generic parsing program
Last updated Jun 11, 1997