downloadndbcdata#

[station_url, station_real_time_url, station_hist_data_url] = downloadndbcdata(station_ID, data_type, data_year, data_month, filelocation)

Description#

Download meteorological data from NOAA National Data Buoy Center
https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/

Inputs#

station_ID
Station ID between ‘ ‘ mark, example: ‘42035’
Find stationdata at: https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/
data_type=’last5’;
Define which data to download
‘last5’ : download data of last 5 days
‘last45’ : download data of last 45 days
‘current_year’ : download 1 month of data from current year
‘historical’ : download 1 year of historical data
data_year=2020;
Define a year that its data to be downloaded
It is required for data_type=’current_year’ and data_type=’historical’
data_month=1;
Define a month of a year that its data to be downloaded
It is one of the: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
It is required for data_type=’current_year’
filelocation=pwd;

Location of data file to be downloaded (saved) between ‘ ‘ mark, example: ‘C:'

Outputs#

station_url

Station web address

station_real_time_url

Station real time data web address

station_hist_data_url

Station historical data web address

Examples#

station_ID='42035';
data_type='last5';
[station_url, station_real_time_url, station_hist_data_url] = downloadndbcdata(station_ID, data_type);

station_ID='42035';
data_type='last45';
[station_url, station_real_time_url, station_hist_data_url] = downloadndbcdata(station_ID, data_type);

station_ID='42035';
data_type='current_year';
data_year=2020; %Assume current year is 2020
data_month=1;
filelocation=pwd;
[station_url, station_real_time_url, station_hist_data_url] = downloadndbcdata(station_ID, data_type, data_year, data_month, filelocation);

station_ID='42035';
data_type='historical';
data_year=2019;
[station_url, station_real_time_url, station_hist_data_url] = downloadndbcdata(station_ID, data_type, data_year);

References#

Measurement Descriptions (https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/measdes.shtml):

WDIR

Wind direction (the direction the wind is coming from in degrees clockwise from true N) during the same period used for WSPD. See Wind Averaging Methods

WSPD

Wind speed (m/s) averaged over an eight-minute period for buoys and a two-minute period for land stations. Reported Hourly. See Wind Averaging Methods.

GST

Peak 5 or 8 second gust speed (m/s) measured during the eight-minute or two-minute period. The 5 or 8 second period can be determined by payload, See the Sensor Reporting, Sampling, and Accuracy section.

WVHT

Significant wave height (meters) is calculated as the average of the highest one-third of all of the wave heights during the 20-minute sampling period. See the Wave Measurements section.

DPD

Dominant wave period (seconds) is the period with the maximum wave energy. See the Wave Measurements section.

APD

Average wave period (seconds) of all waves during the 20-minute period. See the Wave Measurements section.

MWD

The direction from which the waves at the dominant period (DPD) are coming. The units are degrees from true North, increasing clockwise, with North as 0 (zero) degrees and East as 90 degrees. See the Wave Measurements section.

PRES

Sea level pressure (hPa). For C-MAN sites and Great Lakes buoys, the recorded pressure is reduced to sea level using the method described in NWS Technical Procedures Bulletin 291 (11/14/80). ( labeled BAR in Historical files)

ATMP

Air temperature (Celsius). For sensor heights on buoys, see Hull Descriptions. For sensor heights at C-MAN stations, see C-MAN Sensor Locations

WTMP

Sea surface temperature (Celsius). For buoys the depth is referenced to the hull’s waterline. For fixed platforms it varies with tide, but is referenced to, or near Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW).

DEWP

Dewpoint temperature taken at the same height as the air temperature measurement.

VIS

Station visibility (nautical miles). Note that buoy stations are limited to reports from 0 to 1.6 nmi.

PTDY

Pressure Tendency is the direction (plus or minus) and the amount of pressure change (hPa)for a three hour period ending at the time of observation. (not in Historical files)

TIDE

The water level in feet above or below Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW).