[Wrf-users] processing NCEP prepbufr observations for WRF-Var

[Hein Zelle]

Hello,

I'm in the process of writing a conversion routine from NCEP prepbufr
files (observations) to little_r format.  The purpose is to use the
observations in WRF-Var, feeding them to the obsproc program.

This seems a bit pointless as obsproc can write out prepbufr format
(as input for WRF-Var), but I would like to keep the obsproc step
as we have global observation files and a very regional domain, so
filtering the relevant observations seems important.

There is a problem with the requested little-r format as input for
obsproc: it has a "platform" field (string3) which is apparently
parsed by obsproc for a WMO code, e.g. "FM-35 TEMP".  I can't find
this code anywhere in the NCEP prepbufr file or documentation.  I do
have category strings like "ADPUPA, ADPSFC, SATWND, AIRCFT" and a
numeric report type, see
http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/data_processing/prepbufr.doc/table_5.htm .

Questions:

1) Does anyone know if this WMO code is stored somewhere in prepbufr
   files, and how to get it out?
2) If not, is there a translation table somewhere?
3) Is there a clear list of the WMO FM-* codes somewhere?
4) What FM-* types will WRF-Var actually understand?

Any help is appreciated.

Kind regards,
     Hein Zelle


-- 

dr. ir. Hein Zelle
Project manager

Tel:    +31 (0)527-242299
Fax:    +31 (0)527-242016
Web:    www.bmtargoss.com

BMT ARGOSS
P.O. Box 61, 8325 ZH Vollenhove
Voorsterweg 28, 8316 PT Marknesse
The Netherlands

----Confidentiality Notice & Disclaimer---- 

The contents of this e-mail and any attachments are intended for the
use of the mail addressee(s) shown. If you are not that person, you
are not allowed to read it, to take any action based upon it or to
copy it, forward, distribute or disclose the contents of it and you
should please delete it from your system. BMT ARGOSS does not accept
liability for any errors or omissions in the context of this e-mail or
its attachments which arise as a result of internet transmission, nor
accept liability for statements which are those of the author and
clearly not made on behalf of BMT ARGOSS.