How to use the wxinfo shell. Developed to allow students access to weather
data that is stored at the Regional Weather Information Center.
TEXT BULLETIN ACCESS
This feature allows the user to access any text product issued by the
National Weather Service.
Usage: bull (station) (bulletin id)
Example: Current zone forecast from Bismarck: bull kbis fpus5
Example: List all bulletins available from Minneapolis: bull kmsp
Here are some examples of commonly used bulletins:
FPUS1 - State current & extended forecast
FPUS3 - State forecast Discussion
FPUS5 - State Zone forecast
SXUS90 - State road conditions
WWUS30 - Storm reports (damage reports, etc...)
WWUS34 - Severe weather statement
WWUS35 - Special weather statement
LATEST TERMINAL FORECASTS (FT)
This feature will give the user the most current FT available for any
station in the US.
The (id) can be the 3-letter identifier for any single station and/or can be the
2-letter for a state.
Example: FTs for Minnesota and Grand Forks and Fargo: ft mn gfk far
LATEST AERODROME FORECASTS (TAF)
This feature will give the user the most current TAF for any site throughout
the world.
Example: TAFs for TTCP and KJFK: taf ttcp kjfk
METEOROLOGICAL AERODROME REPORTS (METAR)
This feature will give the user the most current METAR available for any
station in the US.
Usage: metar ((start time) - (end time)) (id(s))
Example: Grand Forks METARs for a Day: metar YYMMDD kgfk
Example: Fargo METARs from 18Z 12 Aug - 6Z 18 Aug: metar 94081218-94081806 kfar
Example: Current METARs for Minneapolis and Grand Forks: metar kmsp kgfk
NOTE: There MUST be spaces surrounding the hyphen.
MANUALLY DIGITIZED RADAR REPORTS (SD)
This feature will give the user the most current SD available for any
station in the US.
Usage: sd (YYMMDDTT) (id(s))
Example: SDs for Minneapolis and Fargo: sd msp far
PILOT REPORTS (UA)
This feature will give the user the most current UA available for any
state or province.
Usage: ua YYMMDDTT (id(s))
Example: UAs for North Dakota: ua 95120212 nd
NDAWN OBSERVATIONS
This feature will give the user surface observation from any of the 37
North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network sites.
Usage: ndawn ((start time) - (end time)) (id(s))
Example 1: All NDAWN Observations: ndawn
Example 2: Latest NDAWN Observations from Hillsboro: ndawn ndhil
Example 3: Grand Forks NDAWN Observations for a day: ndawn YYMMDD ndgfk
Example 4: All NDAWN Observations for Month: ndawn YYMM
Example 5: Prosper and Jamestown NDAWN
Observation 12Z 20 Oct- 12Z 31 Oct: ndawn 94102812 - 94103112 ndpro ndjms
NOTE: There MUST be spaces surrounding the hyphen.
SURFACE AVIATION OBSERVATIONS
This feature will give the user the Surface Airway Observations from any
location in the US or Canada.
Usage: sao ((start time) - (end time)) (id(s))
Example 1: Current SAOs for North Dakota: sao nd
Example 2: Current SAOs for Grand Forks and Bismarck: sao gfk bis
Example 3: Grand Forks SAOs for April 20, 1995: sao 950420 gfk
Example 4: Fargo SAOs from 18Z Aug 12, 94 - 6Z Aug 18, 94: sao 94081218 - 94081806 far
NOTE: There MUST be spaces surrounding the hyphen.
RAWINSODE DATA (RAOB)
This feature will give the user the upper air observations (TTAA, TTBB,
TTCC, TTDD) and the upper level wind observations (PPAA, PPBB, PPCC, PPDD)
for any station that collects the data.
Usage: raob (YYMMDDHH) (WMO id)
Example 1: Bismarck RAOB for Oct 31, 94 at 12Z: raob 94103112 72764
Example 2: Int'l Falls RAOB for Nov 28, 95 at both 00Z and 12Z: raob 951128 72747
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
This feature figures the approximate relative humidity, accurate to about
1/2 percent within a normal range and to about 2 percent in extremes.
Usage: rh (temp degrees F) (dew point degrees F)
Example: Temperature of 86 degrees F and dew point of 60 degrees F: rh 86 60
WINDCHILL
This feature figures the windchill.
Usage: windchill (temp degrees F) (wind speed in knots)
Example: Temperature of 10 degrees F and wind speed of 13 knots: windchill 10 13
HEAT INDEX
This feature figures the heat index.
Usage: hi (temp degrees F) (dew point degrees F)
Example: Temperature of 90 degrees F and dew point of 72 degrees F: hi 90 72
STATION IDENTIFICATION
This feature gives the CALL, ICAO, and WMO identification, latitude and
longitude, and elevation for a station.
Example: Grand Forks by using the Call: station gfk
Example: Int'l Falls by using the WMO: station 72747
Example: Bismarck by using the ICAO: station kbis
For information on all the stations in a certain state or country(only US,
Canada(CA), or France(FR)).
Usage: station -state/country (2 letter abbreviation)
Example: List of all stations in North Dakota: station -state nd
Example: List of all stations in Canada: station -country ca
For information on all the stations within a latitude/longitude box. West
is -, and East is +.
Usage: station -latlon (min lat) (max lat) (min long) (max long)
Example: List of stations in Eastern North Dakota: station -latlon 45 49 -101 -97
OTHER commands available:
cls - Clears the screen
date - Gives the current system date and time.
convert - converts simple meteorological parameters:
Usage: "convert help" - for more information
