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Beaufort Code
Code Appearance of sea if fetch and duraction of the blow have been sufficient to develop the sea fully Description
00 Sea like a mirror Calm
01 Ripples with the appearance of scales are formed, but without foam crests Light air
02 Small wavelets; crests have a glassy appearance and do not break Light breeze
03 Large wavelets; crests begin to break; foam of glassy appearance; perhaps scattered white horses Gentle breeze
04 Small waves, becoming longer; fairly frequent white horses Moderate breeze
05 Moderate waves; many white horses are formed (chance of some spray) Fresh breeze
06 Large waves; white foam crests everywhere (probably some spray) Strong breeze
07 Sea heaps up and white foam from breaking waves begins to be blown in streaks along the direction of the wind Near gale
08 Moderately high waves; edges of crests begin to break into the spindrift; foam is blown in well-marked streaks along the direction of the wind Gale
09 High waves; dense streaks of foam along wind; crests begin to topple, tumble and roll over; spray may affect visibility Strong gale
10 Very high waves with long overhanging crests; foam in great patches blown in dense white streaks along wind; sea surface takes a white appearance; tumbling becomes heavy and shock-like; visibility affected Storm
11 Exceptionally high waves (medium sized ships may be lost to view behind waves); sea covered with long white patches of foam lying along the wind; everywhere edges of crests are blown into froth; visibility affected Violent storm
12 Air is filled with foam and spray; sea completely white with driving spray; visibility seriously affected Hurricane


NODC Code Table 1555: Wave height (modified from WMO code table 1555)

Code Meaning
0 calm
1 0.5 meter
2 1 meter
3 1.5 meter
4 2 meter
5 2.5 meter
6 3 meter
7 3.5 meter
8 4 meter
9 4.5 meter
10 5 meter
11 5.5 meter
12 6 meter
13 6.5 meter
14 7 meter
15 7.5 meter
16 8 meter
17 8.5 meter
18 9 meter
19 9.5 meter
20 10 meter
21 10.5 meter
22 11 meter
23 11.5 meter
24 12 meter
25 12.5 meter
26 13 meter
27 greater than 13 meters


WMO Code Tables

Table 0500: Cloud Type

Code Figure Meaning
0 Cirrus (Cl)
1 Cirrocumulus (Cc)
2 Cirrostratus (Cs)
3 Altocumulus (Ac)
4 Altostratus (As)
5 Nimbostratus (Ns)
6 Stratocumulus (Sc)
7 Stratus (St)
8 Cumulus (Cu)
9 Cumulonimbus (Cb)
/ Cloud not visible owning to darkness, fog, duststorm, sandstorm, or other analogous phenomena


Table 0877 and 0885: Direction (true)

Code Meaning
00 Calm (no waves)
01 5 - 14 degrees
02 15 - 24 degrees
03 25 - 34 degrees
04 35 - 44 degrees
05 45 - 54 degrees
06 55 - 64 degrees
07 65 - 74 degrees
08 75 - 84 degrees
09 85 - 94 degrees
10 95 - 104 degrees
11 105 - 114 degrees
12 115 - 124 degrees
13 125 - 134 degrees
14 135 - 144 degrees
15 145 - 154 degrees
16 155 - 164 degrees
17 165 - 174 degrees
18 175 - 184 degrees
19 185 - 194 degrees
20 195 - 204 degrees
21 205 - 214 degrees
22 215 - 224 degrees
23 225 - 234 degrees
24 235 - 244 degrees
25 245 - 254 degrees
26 255 - 264 degrees
27 265 - 274 degrees
28 275 - 284 degrees
29 285 - 294 degrees
30 295 - 304 degrees
31 305 - 314 degrees
32 315 - 324 degrees
33 325 - 334 degrees
34 335 - 344 degrees
35 345 - 354 degrees
36 355 - 4 degrees
99 Variable or all directions, or unknown


Code Table 1770: Ix Ix Ix - Instrument type for temperature, with fall rate equation coefficients for XBT

Code Figure Instrument Coefficient a Coefficient b
001 Sippican T-4 6.472 -2.16
002 Sippican T-4 6.691 -2.25
011 Sippican T-5 6.828 -1.82
021 Sippican Fast Deep 6.346 -1.82
031 Sippican T-6 6.472 -2.16
032 Sippican T-6 6.691 -2.25
041 Sippican T-7 6.472 -2.16
042 Sippican T-7 6.691 -2.25
051 Sippican Deep Blue 6.472 -2.16
052 Sippican Deep Blue 6.691 -2.25
061 Sippican T-10 6.301 -2.16
071 Sippican T-11 1.779 -0.255
201 TSK T-4 6.472 -2.16
202 TSK T-4 6.691 -2.25
211 TSK T-6 6.472 -2.16
212 TSK T-6 6.691 -2.25
221 TSK T-7 6.472 -2.16
222 TSK T-7 6.691 -2.25
231 TSK T-5 6.828 -1.82
241 TSK T-10 6.301 -2.16
251 TSK Deep Blue 6.472 -2.16
252 TSK Deep Blue 6.691 -2.25
261 TSK Deep AXBT    
401 Sparton XBT-1 6.301 -2.16
411 Sparton XBT-3 5.861 -0.0904
421 Sparton XBT-4 6.472 -2.16
431 Sparton XBT-5 6.828 -1.82
441 Sparton XBT-5DB 6.828 -1.82
451 Sparton XBT-6 6.472 -2.16
461 Sparton XBT-7 6.472 -2.16
462 Sparton XBT-7 6.705 -2.28
471 Sparton XBT-7DB 6.472 -2.16
481 Sparton XBT-10 6.301 -2.16
491 Sparton XBT-20 6.472 -2.16
501 Sparton XBT-20DB 6.472 -2.16
700 Sippican XCTD standard    
710 Sippican XCTD deep    
720 Sippican AXCTD    
730 Sippican SXCTD    
741 TSK XCTD    
751 TSK AXCTD    
761 Sparton XCTD standard 3.38 -0.214
800 Mechanical XBT not applicable
810 Hydrocast not applicable
820 Thermistor Chain not applicable
830 CTD not applicable
831 CTD - P-ALACE float not applicable
840 P-ALACE float, PROVOR, no conductivity sensor not applicable
841 P-ALACE float, PROVOR, Seabird conductivity sensor not applicable
842 P-ALACE float, PROVOR, FSI conductivity sensor not applicable
845 P-ALACE float, Web Research, no conductivity sensor not applicable
846 P-ALACE float, Web Research, Seabird conductivity sensor not applicable
847 P-ALACE float, Web Research, FSI conductivity sensor not applicable
850 P-ALACE float, SOLO, no conductivity sensor not applicable
851 P-ALACE float, SOLO, Seabird conductivity sensor not applicable
852 P-ALACE float, SOLO, FSI conductivity sensor not applicable
853-999 Reserved Reserved    


Notes:
(1) The depth is calculated from coefficients a and b and the time, t, as follows:
z = at + 10-3bt2
(2) All unassigned numbers are reserved for future use.
(3) The values of a and b are supplied for information only.



Table 2266: K5 - indicator for the method of current measurement

Code Figure Meaning
2 GEK (Geomagnetic ElectroKinetograph)
3 Ship's set and drift determined by fixes 3-6 hours apart
4 Ship's set and drift determined by fixes more than 6 hours but less than 12 hours apart


Table 2700: Total Cloud amount

Code Figure Meaning
0 0 0
1 1 okta or less, but not zero 1/10 or less but not zero
2 2 oktas 2/10 - 3/10
3 3 oktas 4/10
4 4 oktas 5/10
5 5 oktas 6/10
6 6 oktas 7/10 - 8/10
7 7 oktas of more, but not 8 oktas 9/10 or more, but not 10/10
8 8 oktas 10/10
9 Sky obscured by fog and/or other meteorological phenomena
/ Cloud cover is indiscernible for reasons other than fog or other meteorological phenomena, or observation is not made


Table 3155: Period of waves

Code Meaning
0 10 seconds
1 11 seconds
2 12 seconds
3 13 seconds
4 14 seconds or more
5 5 seconds or less
6 6 seconds
7 7 seconds
8 8 seconds
9 9 seconds
/ Calm or period not determined



Table 3313:Quality of the buoy satellite transmission

Code Figure Description
0 Good quality (several identical reports have been received)
1 Dubious quality (no identical reports)

 



Table 3700: Sea State

Code Figure Descriptive terms Height* (in meters)
0 Calm (glassy) 0
1 Calm (rippled) 0 - 0.1
2 Smooth (wavelets) 0.1 - 0.5
3 Slight 0.5 - 1.25
4 Moderate 1.25 - 2.5
5 Rough 2.5 - 4
6 Very rough 4 - 6
7 High 6 - 9
8 Very high 9 - 14
9 Phenomenal Over 14
Notes:

(1) * These values refer to well-developed wind waves of the open sea. While priority shall be given to the descriptive terms, these height values may be used for guidance by the observer when reporting the total state of agitation of the sea resulting from various factors such as wind, swell, currents, angle between swell and wind, etc.

(2) The exact bounding height shall be assigned for the lower code figure; e.g. a height of 4 m is coded as 5.



Table 4300: Horizontal visibility

Code Figure Meaning
0 Less than 50 m
1 50 - 200 m
2 200 - 500 m
3 500 - 1000 m
4 1 - 2 km
5 2 - 4 km
6 4 - 10 km
7 10 - 20 km
8 20 - 50 km
9 50 km or more


Table 4677: Present weather reported from a manned weather station

00 - 49 No precipitation at the station at the time of observation
00 - 19 No precipitation, fog, ice fog (except for 11 and 12), duststorm, sandstorm, drifting or blowing snow at the station* at the time of observation or, except for 09 and 17, during the preceding hour
Code Figure Meaning
No meteors except photometeors (00 - 03)
00 Cloud development not observed or not observable Characteristic change of the state of sky during the past hour
01 Clouds generally dissolving or becoming less developed
02 State of sky on the whole unchanged
03 Clouds generally forming or developing
Haze, dust, sand or smoke (04 - 09)
04 Visibility reduced by smoke,e.g. veldt or forest fires, industrial smoke or volcanic ashes
05 Haze
06 Widespread dust in suspension in the air, not raised by wind at or near the station at the time of observation
07 Dust or sand raised by wind at or near the station at the time of observation, but no well-developed dust whirl(s) or sand whirl(s), and no duststorm, or sandstorm seen; or, in the case of ships, blowing spray at the station
08 Well-developed dust whirl(s) or sand whirl(s) seen at or near the station during the preceding hour or at the time of observation, but no duststorm or sandstorm
09 Duststorm or sandstorm within sight at the time of observation, or at the station during the preceding hour
10 Mist

11 Patches shallow fog or ice fog at the station, whether on land or sea, not deeper than about 2 meters on land or 10 m at sea
12 More or less continuous
13 Lightning visible, no thunder heard
14 Precipitation within sight, not reaching the ground or the surface of the sea
15 Precipitation within sight, reaching the ground or the surface of the sea, but distant, i.e. estimated to be more than 5 km from the station
16 Precipitation within sight, reaching the ground or the surface of the sea, near to, but not at the station
17 Thunderstorm, but no precipitation at the time of observation
18 Squalls at or within sight of the station during the preceding hour or at the time of observation
19 Funnel cloud(s)**
20 - 29 Precipitation, fog, ice fog or thunderstorm at the station during the preceding hour but not at the time of observation
20 Drizzle (not freezing) or snow grains not falling as shower(s)
21 Rain (not freezing)
22 Snow
23 Rain and snow or ice pellets
24 Freezing drizzle or freezing rain
25 Shower(s) of rain
26 Shower(s) of snow, or of rain and snow
27 Shower(s) of hail***, or of rain and hail
28 Fog or ice fog
29 Thunderstorm (with or withour precipitaion)
30 - 39 Duststorm, sandstorm, drifting or blowing snow
30 Slight or moderate duststorm or sandstorm has decreased during the preceding hour
31 no appreciable change during the preceding hour
32 has begun or has increased during the preceding hour
33 Severe duststorm or sandstorm has decreased during the preceding hour
34 no appreciable change during the preceding hour
35 has begun or has increased during the preceding hour
36 Slight or moderate drifting snow generally low (below eye level)
37 Heavy drifting snow
38 Slight or moderate blowing snow generally high (above eye level)
39 Heavy blowing snow
40 - 49 Fog or ice fog at the time of observation
40 Fog or ice fog at a distance at the time of observation, but not at the station during the preceding hour, the fog or ice fog extending to a level above that of the observer
41 Fog or ice fog in patches
42 Fog or ice fog, sky visible has become thinner during the preceding hour
43 Fog or ice fog, sky invisible
44 Fog or ice fog, sky visible no appreciable change during the preceding hour
45 Fog or ice fog, sky invisible
46 Fog or ice fog, sky visible has begun or has become thicker during the preceding hour
47 Fog or ice fog, sky invisible
48 Fog, depositing rime, sky visible
49 Fog, depositing rime, sky invisible
50 - 99 Precipitation at the station at the time of observation
50 - 59 Drizzle
50 Drizzle, not freezing, intermittent Slight at time of observation
51 Drizzle, not freezing, continuous
52 Drizzle, not freezing, intermittent Moderate at time of observation
53 Drizzle, not freezing, continuous
54 Drizzle, not freezing, intermittent Heavy (dense) at time of observation
55 Drizzle, not freezing, continuous
56 Drizzle, freezing, slight
57 Drizzle, freezing, moderate or heavy (dense)
58 Drizzle and rain, slight
59 Drizzle and rain, moderate or heavy
60 - 69 Rain
60 Rain, not freezing, intermittent Slight at time of observation
61 Rain, not freezing, continuous
62 Rain, not freezing, intermittent Moderate at time of observation
63 Rain, not freezing, continuous
64 Rain, not freezing, intermittent heavy at time of observation
65 Rain, not freezing, continuous
66 Rain, freezing, slight
67 Rain, freezing, moderate or heavy
68 Rain, or drizzle and snow, slight
69 Rain, or drizzle and snow, moderate or heavy
70 - 79 Solid precipitation not in showers
70 Intermittent fall of snowflakes Slight at time of observation
71 Continuous fall of snowflakes
72 Intermittent fall of snowflakes Moderate at time of observation
73 Continuous fall of snowflakes
74 Intermittent fall of snowflakes heavy at time of observation
75 Continuous fall of snowflakes
76 Diamond dust (without or without fog)
77 Snow grains (without or without fog)
78 Isolated star-like snow crystals (without or without fog)
79 Ice pellets
80 - 99 Showery precipitation, or precipitation with current or recent thunderstorm
80 Rain shower(s), slight
81 Rain shower(s), moderate or heavy
82 Rain shower(s), violent
83 Shower(s) of rain and snow, mixed, slight
84 Shower(s) of rain and snow, mixed, moderate or heavy
85 Snow shower(s), slight
86 Snow shower(s), moderate or heavy
87 Shower(s) of snow pellets or small hail, with or without rain or rain and snow mixed slight
88 moderate or heavy
89 Shower(s) of hail**** with or without rain or rain and snow mixed not associated with thunder slight
90 moderate or heavy
91 Slight rain at time of observation Thunderstorm during the preceding hour but not at time observation
92 Moderate or heavy rain at time of observation
93 Slight snow, or rain and snow mixed or hail*** at time of observation
94 Moderate or heavy snow, or rain and snow mixed or hail*** at time of observation
95 Thunderstorm, slight or moderate, without hail***, but with rain and/or snow at time of observation Thunderstorm at time observation
96 Thunderstorm, slight or moderate, with hail*** at time of observation
97 Thunderstorm, heavy, without hail***, but with rain and/or snow at time of observation
98 Thunderstorm combined with duststorm or sandstorm at time of observation
99 Thunderstorm, heavy, with hail*** at time of observation

* The expression "at the station" refers to a land station or a ship

** Tornado cloud or water spout

*** Hail, small hail, snow pellets. French: grêle, grésil ou neige coulée

**** French: grêle



Code Table 4770: XrXr -Recorder Type
This table encodes the various recorders used to log temperatures from the instruments listed.

Code Recorder
01 Sippican strip chart recorder
02 Sippican MK2A/SSQ-61
03 Sippican MK-9
04 Sippican AN/BHQ-7/MK8
05 Sippican MK-12
10 Sparton SOC BT/SV Processor Model 100
20 Argos XBT-ST
21 CLS-ARGOS / Protecno XBT-ST Model-1
22 CLS-ARGOS / Protecno XBT-ST Model-2
30 BATHY Systems SA-810
31 Scripps Metrobyte controller
32 Murayama Denki Z-60-16 III
33 Murayama Denki Z-60-16 II
34 Protecno ETSM2
35 Nautilus Marine Service NMS-XBT
40 TSK MK-2A
41 TSK MK-2S
42 TSK MK-30
43 TSK MK-30N
45 TSK MK-100
46 TSK MK-130 compatible recorder for both XBT and XCTD
48 TSK AXBT receiver MK-300
50 JMA ASTOS
60 P-ALACE float, ARGOS communications, sampling on up transit.
61 P-ALACE float, ARGOS communications, sampling on down transit.
62 P-ALACE float, Orbcomm communications, sampling on up transit.
63 P-ALACE float, Orbcomm communications, sampling on down transit.
99 Unknown

Note: All unassigned numbers are reserved.