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Tyler M edited this page Apr 8, 2024 · 5 revisions

NOAA Datasets

Colorado River Basin Forecast Center (CBRFC)

The Colorado River Basin Forecast Center (CBRFC) is a dataset provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It contains valuable information and forecasts related to the Colorado River Basin, which is a significant water resource in the southwestern United States.

The CBRFC dataset includes the following information:

  • Streamflow forecasts
  • Precipitation data
  • Snow water equivalent data
  • Reservoir levels and inflows
  • Evapotranspiration estimates
  • Soil moisture conditions

The data is collected from various sources, including weather stations, stream gauges, and satellite imagery. It is used to support water management decisions, flood forecasting, and drought monitoring in the Colorado River Basin.

API Endpoints

The CBRFC dataset can be accessed through the following API endpoints:

Streamflow Forecasts

GET https://www.cbrfc.noaa.gov/ws/forecast/streamflow
  • Description: Provides streamflow forecasts for various locations in the Colorado River Basin.
  • Parameters:
    • location: The identifier of the location for which the forecast is requested.
    • startDate: The start date of the forecast period (YYYY-MM-DD).
    • endDate: The end date of the forecast period (YYYY-MM-DD).

Precipitation Data

GET https://www.cbrfc.noaa.gov/ws/data/precipitation
  • Description: Provides historical and real-time precipitation data for the Colorado River Basin.
  • Parameters:
    • location: The identifier of the location for which the precipitation data is requested.
    • startDate: The start date of the data period (YYYY-MM-DD).
    • endDate: The end date of the data period (YYYY-MM-DD).

Snow Water Equivalent Data

GET https://www.cbrfc.noaa.gov/ws/data/swe
  • Description: Provides snow water equivalent data for various locations in the Colorado River Basin.
  • Parameters:
    • location: The identifier of the location for which the snow water equivalent data is requested.
    • date: The date for which the data is requested (YYYY-MM-DD).

Reservoir Levels and Inflows

GET https://www.cbrfc.noaa.gov/ws/data/reservoir
  • Description: Provides reservoir level and inflow data for major reservoirs in the Colorado River Basin.
  • Parameters:
    • reservoir: The identifier of the reservoir for which the data is requested.
    • startDate: The start date of the data period (YYYY-MM-DD).
    • endDate: The end date of the data period (YYYY-MM-DD).

Additional Resources

NOAA Water Information

water.noaa.gov is a website maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that serves as a central hub for water-related information, data, and resources. The site provides access to a wide range of water data, including real-time observations, forecasts, and historical records. Comparison with NWS and CRBFC The National Weather Service (NWS) and the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC) are both part of NOAA, and their data and services are integrated into the water.noaa.gov website. NWS Is a department within NOAA so this is granddaddy of water data

  • Water quality data
  • Groundwater data
  • Precipitation and climate data
  • Flood and drought information

APIs and Data Access

water.noaa.gov provides several APIs and web services that allow developers and researchers to access water data programmatically. Some of the key APIs include: USGS Water Services: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides web services for accessing real-time and historical streamflow data, water quality data, and groundwater data. These services can be accessed through the water.noaa.gov website. National Water Model API: The National Water Model is a hydrologic model that simulates and forecasts water flow in rivers and streams across the continental United States.

GHCND (Global Historical Climatology Network - Daily):

  • Description: A comprehensive dataset with daily weather observations from global land-based stations.
  • Variables: Precipitation, snowfall, snow depth, and extreme temperatures.
  • Uses: Climate monitoring, weather forecasting, and research.
  • Data Frequency: Daily observations.
  • Core Values:
    • PRCP: Precipitation
    • SNOW: Snowfall
    • SNWD: Snow depth
    • TMAX: Maximum temperature
    • TMIN: Minimum temperature
  • Access: GHCND Readme

GHCNM (Global Historical Climatology Network - Monthly):

  • Description: Monthly climate summaries from global land-based stations.
  • Variables: Mean, max, and min temperature, total precipitation.
  • Uses: Climate trend analysis and climate change studies.
  • Data Frequency: Monthly summaries.

GSOD (Global Surface Summary of the Day):

  • Description: Daily summary from the Integrated Surface Dataset (ISD).
  • Variables: Temperature, dew point, pressure, wind, visibility, precipitation.
  • Uses: Aviation, weather forecasting, and climate research.
  • Data Frequency: Daily summaries.

Global Summary of the Month (GSOM) v1:

  • Description: Monthly weather summaries providing aggregated data on key weather variables.

Global Summary of the Year (GSOY) v2:

  • Description: Annual weather summaries offering a broad overview of yearly weather patterns.

Integrated Surface Dataset (Global):

  • Description: A global collection combining surface weather observations from stations and ships.
  • Variables: Includes a wide range of weather parameters.
  • Uses: Comprehensive climate analysis and historical weather studies.
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