METAR Decoder Software Package (MDSP)

The Systems Operations Center (SOC) of the National Weather Service (NWS) has developed an ANSI "C" language software package to decode WMO FM 15-IX Ext. (METAR) and FM 16-IX Ext. (SPECI) format reports. The format specifications for these report types are described in the Federal Meteorological Handbook Number 1 (FMH-1), Surface Weather Observations and Reports (METAR) ("FINAL DRAFT").

A METAR report may consist of two parts -

1. the main body of the report which consists of observational data that is aviation specific (e.g. wind speed and direction, sky condition, temperature and dew point temperature, etc.)
2. the remarks which may consist of one or more sections (i.e. Automated and Manual, Plain Language (Manual Only), and Additive Data and Automated Maintenance)

The MDSP is designed specifically to meet SOC operational requirements. Nevertheless, the MDSP is a comprehensive decoder and as a result, SOC management decided to make the MDSP available to any interested party via the Internet. In so doing, the SOC is providing decoding assistance to the METAR user community at large.

However, as the SOC makes this software available, it neither implies or guarantees the accuracy or dependability of the MDSP.

The MDSP makes no attempt to decode any METAR/SPECI group that does not conform to the METAR/SPECI format outlined in FMH-1 (METAR).

The MDSP is available either as a single compressed file (49K) or in two text files, the MDSP description (9K) and the MDSP ASCII Source Code (413K).

Questions, comments, or problems regarding the MDSP, should be directed to Carl McCalla at -

NOAA/National Weather Service
1325 East-West Highway
SSMC2, W/OSO242, Station 5114
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Work: (301) 713-0882, Ext 115
FAX: (301) 608-0911
E-Mail Address: cmccalla@smtpgate.ssmc.noaa.gov