STORM-Fronts Experiment Systems Test (STORM-FEST) 15 Minute and Hourly Precipitation Composite Dataset (1992) for the U.S.

The STORM-FEST 15-Minute and Hourly Precipitation Composite datasets
are derived from all networks measuring precipitation (about 2700
sites). Data includes that from national, regional and special
research network data sets.

The STORM-FEST operational period (February 1 - March 15, 1992) is
available online.

The composites are available as hourly and 15-minute datasets
separated into daily files. The files consist of data grouped with 1
day of precipitation values per station in each record, and are sorted
by time, station latitude and station longitude. The 15-minute surface
composite dataset contains data from the PAM Network, ASOS Network,
AWOS Network, Illinois State Water Survey Network, PROFS Network,
National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) Precipitation Observations,
Oklahoma Agricultural Research Stations, and the U.S. Geological
Survey Network. The hourly surface composite dataset contains data
from those mentioned except for NCDC with additional data from the
Nebraska High Plains Climate Network, Wind Profiler Demonstration
Network, and the National Weather Service (NWS) Cooperative Network.

The 'Composite Format' applies to both the hourly and 15-minute
composites with one variation. The hourly composite dataset contains
the nominal date and time of observation, whereas the 15-minute
composite does not. The nominal date and time is the nearest top of
the hour time for the observation as compared to the actual time of
the observation. Most networks actually take the observation about
5-minutes before the hour, but this varies from network to network and
station to station in a network. The parameters include nominal date
of observation, nominal time of observation, network identifier,
station identifier, latitude, longitude, station occurrence,
precipitation amount, qualification code, and the quality control
flag.

Parameter notes:

1. The nominal date and time differs from actual time. It is
the actual time rounded to the nearest hour for the hourly
dataset and rounded to the nearest quarter hour for the
15-Minute dataset. Actual times may vary a few minutes
before or after nominal time. Actual times are not
included in the dataset.

2. The station occurence is a uniqueness code to separate
two different stations that may be co-located in the same
latitude/longitude point.

3. The meaning of the precipitation amounts is determined by the
qualification code.