IBTrACS Q&A

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This is the IBTrACS Questions and Answers forum. Users of IBTrACS can ask questions here.

The easiest way to post is to send your question in an email to: ibtracs-qa [at] googlegroups.com.

If you are asking questions about IBTrACS, please also join the IBTrACS News group which is where the IBTrACS team posts updates on the product.

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Kevin J. Nelson, … Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal4

Nov 14

ATCF ID Changing over Time

Hi Kevin, I think it depends on the use case, but if you are intending to use the USA source data,

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ATCF ID Changing over Time

Hi Kevin, I think it depends on the use case, but if you are intending to use the USA source data,

Nov 14

Slattery, Michael P, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal2

Oct 30

Display track do not match shapefile/csv downloads

Hi Michael, IBTrACS contains data from multiple different sources which are all used in the general

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Display track do not match shapefile/csv downloads

Hi Michael, IBTrACS contains data from multiple different sources which are all used in the general

Oct 30

项潜, Ken Knapp - NOAA Federal2

Oct 24

Discrepancies in 'Dist2Land' values in IBTrACS

Hi Please start by reviewing Appendix B of the Technical Guide: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/sites/g/

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Discrepancies in 'Dist2Land' values in IBTrACS

Hi Please start by reviewing Appendix B of the Technical Guide: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/sites/g/

Oct 24

Paxton Turner, Ken Knapp - NOAA Federal2

Oct 16

Provisional track updates?

Hi Good question. In theory ... Provisional means "arranged or existing for the present,

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Provisional track updates?

Hi Good question. In theory ... Provisional means "arranged or existing for the present,

Oct 16

Pasmorade

Oct 14

Tropical Storm Theresa (1967)

At the end, the track shows Theresa transitioning from a low-pressure area into a high-pressure area.

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Tropical Storm Theresa (1967)

At the end, the track shows Theresa transitioning from a low-pressure area into a high-pressure area.

Oct 14

Michael Morrone, … Ken Knapp - NOAA Federal4

Oct 3

IBTracs site unreachable

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI),

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IBTracs site unreachable

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI),

Oct 3

Dennis Wagenaar, Howard Diamond4

Oct 2

Wind speed definition at sea

Hi Dennis, Okay, thanks for your understanding of the situation in Asheville, but again, we depend on

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Wind speed definition at sea

Hi Dennis, Okay, thanks for your understanding of the situation in Asheville, but again, we depend on

Oct 2

Yuriy Goncharenko, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal2

Sep 3

potential double-counting issue

Hi Yuriy, In this case, during this period of time, there are UNNAMED storms with spur track_type

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potential double-counting issue

Hi Yuriy, In this case, during this period of time, there are UNNAMED storms with spur track_type

Sep 3

Kevin J. Nelson, Ken Knapp - NOAA Federal2

Aug 14

Shear Information in IBTrACS

Hi Kevin That is a great question and one we have wrestled with for years. We have kept IBTrACS as

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Shear Information in IBTrACS

Hi Kevin That is a great question and one we have wrestled with for years. We have kept IBTrACS as

Aug 14

Mahendra Benke, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal2

Jul 15

Converting 3 min wind speed to 1 min

Hi- None of the maximum wind speeds in IBTrACS are converted between wind averaging periods but are

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Converting 3 min wind speed to 1 min

Hi- None of the maximum wind speeds in IBTrACS are converted between wind averaging periods but are

Jul 15

Michael Morrone, Ken Knapp - NOAA Federal4

Jul 9

503 error on IBTracs site

Hi Ken, While the link is working, the data itself was last updated on 7/2. Thank you for your help!

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503 error on IBTracs site

Hi Ken, While the link is working, the data itself was last updated on 7/2. Thank you for your help!

Jul 9

Michael Dezube, Ken Knapp - NOAA Federal5

Jul 8

NOAA's BigQuery Hurricane Table Seems to No Longer be Updated

The latest documentation is at our website: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/international-best-

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NOAA's BigQuery Hurricane Table Seems to No Longer be Updated

The latest documentation is at our website: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/international-best-

Jul 8

wenyu, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal4

Jun 21

missing wmo_wind since 2023

Hi Wenyu, The wmo_wind contains wind data from different agencies based on the official RSMCs

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missing wmo_wind since 2023

Hi Wenyu, The wmo_wind contains wind data from different agencies based on the official RSMCs

Jun 21

Michael Morrone, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal6

Jun 11

Status of IBTracs data access

Hi Jennifer, Noted! Thanks for the quick reply. Best, Mike From: Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal <

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Status of IBTracs data access

Hi Jennifer, Noted! Thanks for the quick reply. Best, Mike From: Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal <

Jun 11

Paolo De Luca, Ken Knapp - NOAA Federal3

May 30

Question on time-steps of tracks

Hi Paolo You can use the coordinate variable 'time' to calculate the time of the observation.

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Question on time-steps of tracks

Hi Paolo You can use the coordinate variable 'time' to calculate the time of the observation.

May 30

guiling ye, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal2

May 29

TC minimum pressure

Hello Guiling Ye, Since IBTrACS includes data from many sources, the start year for minimum central

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TC minimum pressure

Hello Guiling Ye, Since IBTrACS includes data from many sources, the start year for minimum central

May 29

羅倫素, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal2

May 13

WPAC Basin Best Track Data from 2022-2023

Hi-Apologies for the delay. The best track data will be in IBTrACS soon with the release of our new

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WPAC Basin Best Track Data from 2022-2023

Hi-Apologies for the delay. The best track data will be in IBTrACS soon with the release of our new

May 13

Somnath Pal, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal2

May 2

Inquiry regarding missing storms

Hi Somnath, IBTrACS is a database for tropical cyclones, so extratropical cyclones will not get

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Inquiry regarding missing storms

Hi Somnath, IBTrACS is a database for tropical cyclones, so extratropical cyclones will not get

May 2

大野悠斗521313, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal3

May 1

Typhoon TRIX in 1952

---------- 転送メッセージ --------- From: 大野悠斗521313 <521...@m.mie-u.ac.jp> 日付: 2024年5月2日(木) 9:35 件名:

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Typhoon TRIX in 1952

---------- 転送メッセージ --------- From: 大野悠斗521313 <521...@m.mie-u.ac.jp> 日付: 2024年5月2日(木) 9:35 件名:

May 1

Dek Ina, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal3

Apr 30

Different report in 2024 and 2021

I see. Thank you! Pada Senin, 01 April 2024 pukul 22.28.39 UTC+7 Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal

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Different report in 2024 and 2021

I see. Thank you! Pada Senin, 01 April 2024 pukul 22.28.39 UTC+7 Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal

Apr 30

Thano, Ken Knapp - NOAA Federal2

Apr 24

its doubt about data

Hi Thanks for your interest in IBTrACS data. IBTrACS is solely for position and intensity of tropical

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its doubt about data

Hi Thanks for your interest in IBTrACS data. IBTrACS is solely for position and intensity of tropical

Apr 24

Michael Morrone, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal2

Mar 29

Typo in SLP for 1997216N20091?

Hi Mike, Thanks for bringing this to our attention-we'll look into it further. -Jennifer On Fri,

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Typo in SLP for 1997216N20091?

Hi Mike, Thanks for bringing this to our attention-we'll look into it further. -Jennifer On Fri,

Mar 29

Dek Ina, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal2

Mar 29

Wind Speed in IBTrACS

It depends on which source data you want to use and your use case. The WMO_WIND option will give wind

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Wind Speed in IBTrACS

It depends on which source data you want to use and your use case. The WMO_WIND option will give wind

Mar 29

Michael Morrone, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal6

Mar 20

Track-type Designation of Madge (1973)

Hi Jennifer, Thank you for those notes on storms Pat and Fame and for your quick reply. Best Regards,

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Track-type Designation of Madge (1973)

Hi Jennifer, Thank you for those notes on storms Pat and Fame and for your quick reply. Best Regards,

Mar 20

Sohum Chatterjee, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal2

Mar 14

Incorrectly converted longitude data for AL121967 Chloe

Hi Sohum, Thanks for bringing this issue to our attention and we are looking into it further. Best, -

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Incorrectly converted longitude data for AL121967 Chloe

Hi Sohum, Thanks for bringing this issue to our attention and we are looking into it further. Best, -

Mar 14

Wishnie, Eric B CIV USN FLENUMMETOCCEN CA (USA), Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal4

Feb 21

IBTrACS Q&A - Dimensions

Most of the timesteps are every 3 hours (usually interpolated from the 6 hourly data provided by most

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IBTrACS Q&A - Dimensions

Most of the timesteps are every 3 hours (usually interpolated from the 6 hourly data provided by most

Feb 21

Vincent MAAREK, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal4

12/6/23

Judy 2023 not accurately reported in Ibtracs

Hi Jennifer, Thank you very much for the update. Kind regards, VIncent De : Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA

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Judy 2023 not accurately reported in Ibtracs

Hi Jennifer, Thank you very much for the update. Kind regards, VIncent De : Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA

12/6/23

Mahdieh Givehki, Ken Knapp - NOAA Federal2

11/14/23

Information

Hi- IBTrACS has the same data available in 3 formats. No one product is different except in format.

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Information

Hi- IBTrACS has the same data available in 3 formats. No one product is different except in format.

11/14/23

Sayan Jana, Jennifer Gahtan - NOAA Federal2

9/11/23

Not able to download Netcdf4 data

Hi Sayan, Please try again; the data should be accessible now. Thanks, Jennifer On Sun, Sep 10, 2023

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Not able to download Netcdf4 data

Hi Sayan, Please try again; the data should be accessible now. Thanks, Jennifer On Sun, Sep 10, 2023

9/11/23

Lam Nguyen, … David Schmid4

9/1/23

Past Provisional track

Hi Ken Many thanks for your answer. This is very helpful. Nevertheless, it would be very much

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Past Provisional track

Hi Ken Many thanks for your answer. This is very helpful. Nevertheless, it would be very much

9/1/23