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    • Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) Hourly Precipitation Data (HPD), Version 2

    Metadata Updated: September 1, 2024

    The Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) Hourly Precipitation Data (HPD) consists of quality controlled precipitation amounts, which are measurements of hourly accumulation of precipitation, including rain and snow for approximately 2,000 observing stations around the country, and several U.S. territories in the Caribbean and Pacific from the National Weather Service (NWS) Fischer-Porter Network. This new version of COOP HPD with faster automations due updated stations will result in faster access for the public. The data are from 1940 to present, depending upon when each station was installed. These stations, nearly all of which were part of HPD version 1, also known as DSI-3240, were gradually upgraded from paper punch tape data recording systems to a more modern electronic data logger system from 2004-2013.

    The 15-min gauge depth time series are processed at NCEI via automated quality control and filtering algorithms to identify and remove spurious observations from noise and malfunctioning equipment, and also those due to natural phenomena such as evaporation and the necessary occasional emptying of the gauge. Hourly precipitation totals are then computed from the 15-min data and are quality controlled by a suite of automated algorithms that combine checks on the daily and hourly time scale. Data and metadata are ingested on a daily basis and combined in a single integrated dataset.

    As with the legacy punch paper instrumentation, the electronic loggers record rain gauge depth every 15 minutes. Monthly site visits to each station are still performed, but instead of collecting punched paper (that would subsequently need conversion to a digital record via a MITRON reader), data are downloaded from the station's datalogger to a memory stick and centrally collected at the local Weather Forecast Office (WFO) for all stations in the WFO area. The WFO subsequently combines all data into a single tar file and transfers the data to NCEI via ftp upload nominally each month.

    This updated HPD includes the historical data from the punch paper era and the recent digital era in order to provide the full period of record for each location. These data are formatted consistent with practices for NCEI Global In-situ datasets.

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Date August 5, 2024
    Metadata Created Date October 28, 2022
    Metadata Updated Date September 1, 2024
    Reference Date(s) May 31, 2018 (publication)
    Frequency Of Update monthly

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from ncdc

    Other Data Resources

    Graphic Preview

    NCEI COOP Hourly Precipitation

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date August 5, 2024
    Metadata Created Date October 28, 2022
    Metadata Updated Date September 1, 2024
    Reference Date(s) May 31, 2018 (publication)
    Responsible Party NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.ncdc:C00988
    Access Constraints Cite as: Wuertz, David; Lawrimore, Jay; and Korzeniewski, Bryant (2018). Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) Hourly Precipitation Data (HPD), Version 2.0. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.25921/p7j8-2170 [access date]., Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives., Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
    Bbox East Long -64.0
    Bbox North Lat 72.0
    Bbox South Lat -15.0
    Bbox West Long 134.0
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update monthly
    Graphic Preview Description NCEI COOP Hourly Precipitation
    Graphic Preview File https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/metadata/images/C00988.JPG
    Graphic Preview Type JPEG
    Harvest Object Id 47ccb265-f349-44b2-97ac-cd8635cfa9d4
    Harvest Source Id 2cb3ef77-1683-4c2a-9119-dc65e50917c6
    Harvest Source Title ncdc
    Licence The punch paper (legacy) system provided observations to 0.10". The newer network of digital recorders provides data to 0.01". However, it is important to note that the stated accuracy of the gauges remains 0.10". Although hourly totals are provided to hundredths of an inch, users should not that the presence of noise in the record can create spurious light precipitation amounts while also making it difficult to always identifying actual light amounts (<0.05").
    Lineage This is a new version that follows the legacy Hourly Precipitation Data (HPD), version 1, (DSI-3240) that has been maintained at NCEI (formerly NCDC) since at least the 1980s. The HPD network has operated since the middle of the 20th century, providing 15-minute precipitation observations and hourly totals for approximately 2000 stations. It originally consisted of several different weighing rain gauge instruments before F&P gauges, with automated readout recorded on paper tape, were phased into the network in the early 1960s. Small changes in the number of stations have occurred throughout the period of record, but the number of stations remains near 2000. Additional information is available in the ATBD (Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document).
    Metadata Language eng; USA
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[134.0, -15.0], [-64.0, -15.0], [-64.0, 72.0], [134.0, 72.0], [134.0, -15.0]]]}
    Progress onGoing
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 1940

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