Skip to main content
Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

International Comprehensive Ocean Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS) R3.0 in Near-Real-Time (NRT)

browse graphicICOADS logo
The International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS) Near-Real-Time (NRT) product is an extension of the official ICOADS data set based on preliminary Global Telecommunication System (GTS) data. The data are considered 'preliminary' until fully incorporated into a full major ICOADS data set release. The NRT data set is a merged product of various marine GTS data sources providing surface marine in situ observations from different observing platforms. Observations in the NRT product are primarily from ships (merchant, research, fishing, navy, etc.), moored and drifting buoys, and coastal stations. Each report contains individual observations of meteorological and oceanographic variables, such as sea surface and air temperatures, winds, pressure, humidity, wet bulb, dew point, ocean waves and cloudiness. The data are provided in the ICOADS common International Maritime Meteorological Archive (IMMA) data format and NetCDF. Useful metadata have been added in the global and variable attributes of each file to make the netCDF self-contained. R3.0 includes changes designed to enable more effective exchange of information describing data quality between ICOADS, reanalysis centers, data set developers, scientists and the public. These user-driven innovations include the assignment of a unique identifier (UID) to each marine report, to enable tracing of observations, linking with reports and improved data sharing. Many new input data and metadata sources have been assembled, and updates and improvements to existing data sources, or removal of erroneous data, made. For NRT creation the data are first quality controlled and blended together, with duplicates (Intermediate product) retained. The duplicates are then compared and removed for the Final product and a statistical output summary file providing justifications for duplicate deletions that occurred during the blending process. User groups include sea surface temperature analyses, global surface temperature analyses, model/reanalysis input, and general ocean research. The data set is produced and archived monthly. Spatial coverage is global and the current period of record for these files begins in January 2008 to the most current complete month.
  • Cite as: Wang, Zhankun; National Centers for Environmental Information; Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado; Research Data Archive, Computational and Information Systems Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce; NERC National Oceanography Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, United Kingdom; Met Office, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom; Deutscher Wetterdienst (German Meteorological Service), Germany; University of Washington, Department of Atmospheric Science; Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, Florida State University (2017). International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS) R3.0 in Near-Real-Time (NRT). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. [access date].
  • NCEI DSI 1178_02
  • gov.noaa.ncdc:C01596
gov.noaa.ncdc:C01596
Download Data
Distribution Formats
  • NetCDF (Version: 4)
  • ASCII
Ordering Instructions Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact Customer Engagement Branch
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
1-828-271-4800
ncei.orders@noaa.gov
Time Period 1662-10-15 to Present
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -180
East: 180
South: -90
North: 90
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Processing Documents
  • IMMA format Description
Associated Resources
  • A Major Update to the Historical Marine Climate Record
    • Journal article published June 2016 by Wiley (International Journal of Climatology)
      Freeman, E., S.D. Woodruff, S.J. Worley, S.J. Lubker, E.C. Kent, W.E. Angel, D.I . Berry, P. Brohan, R. Eastman, L. Gates, W. Gloeden, Z. Ji, J. Lawrimore, N.A. Rayner, G. Rosenhagen, and S.R. Smith, 2017: ICOADS Release 3.0: A major update to the historical marine climate record. Int. J. Climatol. (CLIMAR-IV Special Issue), 37, 2211-2237. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.4775
  • International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS) Release 3.0 Final, Individual Reports in the International Maritime Meteorological Archive Format version 1 (IMMA1)
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2017-04-04
  • revision: 2019-09-15
Edition Version 3.0
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Ongoing - data is continually being updated
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Purpose This dataset is available to the public for a wide variety of uses including scientific research and analysis.
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: Public
  • 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.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Wang, Zhankun; National Centers for Environmental Information; Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado; Research Data Archive, Computational and Information Systems Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce; NERC National Oceanography Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, United Kingdom; Met Office, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom; Deutscher Wetterdienst (German Meteorological Service), Germany; University of Washington, Department of Atmospheric Science; Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, Florida State University (2017). International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS) R3.0 in Near-Real-Time (NRT). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. [access date].
Cited Authors
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Wang, Zhankun
    DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • ICOADS Partner
    UCO/CIRES > Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado
  • UCAR/NCAR/CISL/RDA > Research Data Archive, Computational and Information Systems Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
  • DOC/NOAA/ESRL > Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • National Oceanography
    UK/NERC/NEODC > NERC National Oceanography Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, United Kingdom
  • UK/MOD/MET > Met Office, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom
  • DE/DWD > Deutscher Wetterdienst (German Meteorological Service), Germany
  • UWA/DOA > University of Washington, Department of Atmospheric Science
  • FSU/COAPS > Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, Florida State University
Principal Investigators
  • Wang, Zhankun
    DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Collaborators
  • ICOADS Partner
    UCO/CIRES > Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado
  • UCAR/NCAR/CISL/RDA > Research Data Archive, Computational and Information Systems Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
  • DOC/NOAA/ESRL > Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • National Oceanography
    UK/NERC/NEODC > NERC National Oceanography Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, United Kingdom
  • UK/MOD/MET > Met Office, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom
  • DE/DWD > Deutscher Wetterdienst (German Meteorological Service), Germany
  • UWA/DOA > University of Washington, Department of Atmospheric Science
  • FSU/COAPS > Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, Florida State University
Publishers
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Acknowledgments
  • Conversion of ICOADS data from IMMA1 to netCDF format by NCEI is supported by the NOAA Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI).
Theme keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Atmospheric Pressure Measurements
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Pressure Tendency
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Sea Level Pressure
  • Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Pressure > Surface Pressure
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Pressure > Sea Level Pressure
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Temperature > Sea Surface Temperature
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Temperature > Water Temperature
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Sea State
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Swells
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Wave Height
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Wave Period
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Wave Speed/Direction
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Wind Waves
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Winds > Surface Winds
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Sea Ice > Ice Edges
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Sea Ice > Icebergs
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Sea Ice > Sea Ice Concentration
Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Essential Climate Variables (ECVs)
  • Oceanic - Surface - Sea-surface Temperature
  • Atmospheric - Surface - Air Temperature
  • Atmospheric - Surface - Wind Speed And Direction
  • Atmospheric - Surface - Pressure
Data Center keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Platform keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords
  • Ships
  • C-MAN > Coastal Marine Network
  • Buoys
  • Ocean Platforms
  • Moorings
  • Ocean Weather Stations
  • TAO > Tropical Atmosphere Ocean
  • TRITON > TRIangle Trans-Ocean Buoy Network
  • Floats
  • NDBC Moored Buoy
Instrument keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
  • Anemometers
  • Barometers
  • Hygrometers
  • Drifting Buoys
  • Wind Vane
  • Thermometers
  • Aneroid Pressure Sensor
  • Visual Observations
Place keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
  • Ocean
Project keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Project Keywords
  • ICOADS > International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set
Data Resolution keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Horizontal Data Resolution Keywords
  • Point Resolution
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Temporal Data Resolution Keywords
  • Hourly - < Daily
  • 1 minute - < 1 hour
Stratum keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
  • Vertical Location > Sea Surface
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Wang, Zhankun; National Centers for Environmental Information; Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado; Research Data Archive, Computational and Information Systems Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce; NERC National Oceanography Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, United Kingdom; Met Office, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom; Deutscher Wetterdienst (German Meteorological Service), Germany; University of Washington, Department of Atmospheric Science; Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, Florida State University (2017). International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS) R3.0 in Near-Real-Time (NRT). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. [access date].
Access Constraints
  • 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.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Lineage Statement This release includes a netCDF version of the ICOADS Release 3.0 which is converted from the original IMMA1 format.
Processor
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Processing Steps
  • Final dataset after inclusion of new sources, qc and final validation.
    Rationale: To provide the highest quality data set.
Processing Documents
    • IMMA format Description
Source Datasets
  • International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS)
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • bathythermograph - MBT
  • bathythermograph - XBT
  • buoy - drifting buoy
  • buoy - moored buoy
  • CTD
  • Glider
  • profiling floats
  • tide gauge
Platform
  • DRIFTING BUOY
  • FIXED PLATFORM
  • FIXED STATIONS
  • ICE STATION
  • LIGHT VESSELS
  • Moored Buoy
  • MULTIPLE SHIPS
Last Modified: 2023-06-23
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov