International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS)

Chronology and News


Current update plans are described in Program Status.
Release 3.0.2 (2015-present):

February 2022: Following format changes to BUFR on the WMO Global Telecommunication System (GTS) in recent years, ICOADS is now decoding near-real-time (NRT) BUFR observations and merging them with Traditional Alphanumeric Code (TAC) formats for a new NRT product, updated within the first 10 days of the most current month. The NRT observations are based on blended marine observations in the TAC and BUFR formats from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) GTS collections.

Release 3.1 (1662-2014):

October 2017: The complete fileset for Release 3.1.0 (1662-2014) was produced at NCAR and made public. This version marks the first time multi-line linked reports (Main plus Subsidiary) in IMMA1 data format have been used. The Subsidiary records are linked to the Main records through replication of the unique identification number and expand the IMMA1 capability to hold ICOADS value-added data (Ivad) and reanalysis feedback quality control (Rean-qc) information.

Release 3.0.1 (2015-present):

June 2017: Following the official end date of R3.0.0 (December 2014), preliminary (note: subject to change and not officially part of R3.0; release numbered as R3.0.1) near-real-time (NRT) monthly updates (available 2-5 days after the end of each data month) augment this collection and extend the dates from 2014 to the most recent month available. The NRT observations are based on blended marine Global Telecommunication System (GTS) observations from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Data characteristics of the blend are available at the following webpage.

Release 3.0 (1662-2014):

June 2017: NCEI releases a NetCDF version of the ICOADS Release 3.0 (R3.0), which is converted from the original IMMA1 format. Useful metadata have been added in the global and variable attributes of each file to make the NetCDF self-contained. The variable names in the NetCDF files are the same as the field name abbreviations (i.e. "Abbr." column) in the IMMA1 documentation. Therefore, the same IMMA1 documentation can be used as reference for the NetCDF version. Access options for these data can be found on the ICOADS Products page.

June 2016: ICOADS.DM observational data extensively updated and extended to cover 1662-2014, with revised monthly summaries for 1800-2014. Figure 3 illustrates the platform type (PT) makeup of Release 3.0 for 1936-2014 (extensive DM ship and other data have been included through 2014), and this webpage reviews a variety of Release 3.0 data characteristics. Coincident with Release 3.0 we are extending ICOADS observations (IMMA1 format), together with monthly summary statistics, to near-real-time based on improved preliminary near-real-time (NRT) blend data (as described on this webpage), updated monthly, and lagging real-time by 2-6 weeks (note: data and products following the December 2014 official end date of Release 3.0 are subject to change). See NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information's webstory regarding the release.

Release 2.5 (1662-2007):

July 2009: ICOADS.DM observational data extensively updated and extended to cover 1662-2007, with revised monthly summaries for 1800-2007. Figure 2 illustrates the platform type (PT) makeup of Release 2.5 for 1936-2007 (extensive DM ship data have been included through 2007), and this webpage reviews a variety of Release 2.5 data characteristics. Coincident with Release 2.5 we are extending ICOADS observations (IMMA format), together with monthly summary statistics, to near-real-time based on preliminary ICOADS.RT data, updated monthly, and lagging real-time by 2-6 weeks (note: data and products following the December 2007 official end date of Release 2.5 are subject to change).

Preliminary ICOADS.RT (IMMA format) observations (note: these data following the May 2007 official end date of Release 2.4 are subject to change):

February 2009: January-December 2008.

December 2008: August-December 2007.

June 2008: June-July 2007.

Release 2.4 (1784-2007):

July 2007: ICOADS.RT observational data and monthly summaries made available for 2006-May 2007, and ICOADS.DM observational data and monthly summaries replaced for 1784-2005 to correct minor problems and attach supplemental data through 1997.

Release 2.3 (1784-2005):

March-May 2006: ICOADS.RT observational data and monthly summaries made available for 2005 as an extension to the ICOADS.DM archive. Also, some updates and minor corrections were made to IMMA data for 1999-2004, limited to the ship metadata attachment. Figure 1 illustrates the platform type (PT) makeup of Release 2.3 for 1936-2005, and indicates the degree to which DM ship and other data have been included, versus real-time GTS data.

Release 2.2 (1784-2004):

October-November 2005: ICOADS.DM observational data and monthly summaries made available for 1998-2004 to replace the 1998-2002 ICOADS.RT products. Thus for this release, products for 1784-2004 were entirely ICOADS.DM based. Specifically, this included replacement of some Ocean Data Acquisition System (ODAS) data received via the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) with these DM sources:

  • Worldwide drifting buoy data from Canada's Marine Environmental Data Service (MEDS).
  • Tropical Pacific and Atlantic moored buoy data, for the TAO/TRITON and PIRATA arrays, from NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).
  • US moored buoy and Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) data from NOAA's National Data Buoy Center (NDBC).
Release 2.1 (1784-2002):

November 2003: Real-time (ICOADS.RT) observational data and monthly summaries made available for 1998-2002 as an extension to the ICOADS.DM archive, plus the ICOADS.RT observations were offered in a new ascii IMMA format.

Release 2.0 (1784-1997):

September 2002: Began website transition from the earlier Release terminology and, by international agreement, to the name ICOADS. The delayed-mode (ICOADS.DM) archive encompasses the data and monthly summary products referred to below as from three separate COADS updates: Releases 1a (1980-97), 1b (1950-79), and 1c (1784-1949).

Release 1c status (1784-1949):
Individual observations, plus 2°x2° monthly summaries. Together with Releases 1b and 1a, this update completed replacement of the original Release 1 products, plus it extended coverage prior to 1854.

August 2001: Report rejection (ZQ) problem corrected (description), including revised 2°x2° summaries back to 1800.

March 2001: Initial 2°x2° summaries completed (available back to 1800).

February 2001: Final LMRF completed.

November 2000: Preliminary ("beta") individual observations (LMRF) completed.

Release 1b status (1950-79):
Individual observations, plus 2°x2° monthly summaries (and 1°x1° summaries starting in 1960).

January 1999: For October-November 1970, 505 mislocated reports (LMRF) were deleted from deck 555 (Monterey Telecom.); 2°x2° and 1°x1° summaries in MSG format were updated in June 1999.

November 1996: 2°x2° summaries for 1950-79 completed.

October 1996: 1950-1959 individual observations completed (also, individual observations for the additional period 1946-49 were completed in October 1997 for the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis Project).

July 1996: 1960-1969 LMRF completed.

January 1996: 1970-1979 individual observations (LMRF) completed.

Release 1a status (1980-97):
Individual observations, plus 2°x2° and 1°x1° monthly summaries.

June 1999: 1980-97 update and extension completed, including an update of the previously available 1980-95 data (a preliminary version of the data for this period was completed in March 1999).

March 1997: 1990-95 extension completed, including an update of the previously available 1990-93 data.

June 1995: 1992-93 extension completed, including an update of the previously available 1988 and 1992 data to correct dew point and wet bulb temperature errors in US-keyed data. For more information see Moisture Variable Corrections for 1988 and 1992-1993.

July 1993: Data completed for 1980-92 (original version of Release 1a), introducing the LMRF format to replace the CMR observational format.

Modernized 1°x1° and 2°x2° summary products (MSG format), initially developed for the Pan-American Climate Studies (PACS) Program:
March 2001: 2°x2° summaries in the MSG format were made available for 1800-1949 based on Release 1c data.

June 1999: The 1°x1° summaries were revised to include updated Release 1a data for 1980-97. In addition, 2°x2° summaries in the MSG format were made available for 1950-97 based on the latest Release 1b and 1a data.

November 1997: The 1°x1° summaries were revised and extended to include the latest Release 1a data available for 1990-95.

November 1996: A new set of 1° latitude x 1° longitude monthly summary statistics for an expanded set of 22 variables became available for 1960-93 (see PACS examples).

Interim products (1980-91):
Following completion of Release 1, Interim updates were constructed using simplified procedures and preliminary input data. Note: Release 1a superseded the interim products.
COADS Release 1 (1854-1979):
April 1985: 70M reports output for 1854-1979 (abbreviated CMR format), plus 2° latitude x 2° longitude monthly summary statistics for 19 observed and derived variables.

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