UK Daily Rain data - Columns in the RD table

Table Description - Columns in the RD table - How to start filtering the rows of data out

The surface observation data are in a simple ASCII format.

Table Description:

This entity contains rainfall amounts measured over one or more 24 hour periods, ending on the stated day. Attributes ob_end_day and ob_day_count define the observation period. It does NOT contain 09-21Z and 21-09Z rainfall; they are attributes of the rain_hrly_ob entity. The entity can contain rainfall of two types: Some stations report rainfall at 10Z, so time is included as an attribute, although there is no time field on the rainfall postcard. To prevent multiple observations for a station for a day, attribute ob_day_count is not in the primary key. The identifier is a rainfall station number. Some stations report daily rainfall via F3208 using their DCNN. MIDAS will store them as rows in this table using their rainfall number, i.e. id_type = 'rain' and id = rainfall_number.

Columns in the RD table:

For the convenience of users, the RD file column headers are available for download in Excel or as a comma separated text file

PK Attribute Description / Units / Precision
* id raingauge number
* id_type Identifier type
* ob_date Date of observation
* version_num Observation version number. Use the row with '1', as this has been quality checked by the Met Office
* met_domain_name Message type
  ob_end_ctime Clock-time at end of observation
  ob_day_cnt Observation day count
  src_id Unique source identifier or station site number
  rec_st_ind State indicator for the record**
  prcp_amt Precipitation amount
Units=1mm, reported to the nearest 0.1 mm
  ob_day_cnt_q QC code - day count**
  prcp_amt_q QC code - precipitation amount**
  meto_stmp_time Met Office receipt stamp time
  midas_stmp_etime Elapsed time to storage in MIDAS
minutes
  prcp_amt_j Descriptor - precipitation amount**


** Details available to registered users only.

More information about the Met Office surface data is available in the documentation provided by the Met Office.

How to start filtering the rows of data out:

  1. As the data arrive at the Met Office it undergoes quality control to check that the data are correct and consistent with the surrounding data points. Whether the process has occured or not is indicated by the version number (1 is the one to use as indicated in the table above).

  2. To show the progress of the data through the quality control the various variables will have an associated _q value (e.g. prcp_amt_q). This _q value will have different values for each record (see details in table above).

  3. While the Met Office MIDAS system overwrites the existing entry in their database the BADC's MIDAS entries do not as the BADC takes snapshots of the the MIDAS database from time to time leading to duplicate entries occuring in our archive. If duplicate records are found, check the associated meto_stmp_time to determine which record is the most recent one - this is the one to use and the other(s) can be ignored.