Format of RSMC Best Track Data

  • 1 Header Line for Each Tropical Cyclone

    5    10   15   20   25   30   35   40   45   50   55   60   65   70   75   80
::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|
AAAAA BBBB  CCC DDDD EEEE F G HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH              IIIIIIII

Sample: 66666 9119 150 0045 9119 0 6 MIRREILE 19920701


AAAAA    5 columns     <Indicator> '66666'
BBBB     4 columns     <International number ID> 
                          Last two digits of calendar year followed by 2-digit serial 
                          number ID of the storm of Tropical Storm (TS) intensity or 
                          greater
CCC      3 columns     <Number of data lines>
DDDD     4 columns     <Tropical cyclone number ID>
                          Serial number ID of the storm of intensity with maximum 
                          sustained wind speed of 28 kt (near gale) or  greater
EEEE     4 columns     <International number ID> Replicate BBBB
F        1 column      <Flag of the last data line> 
                          0 : Dissipation
                          1 : Going out of the responsible area of RSMC Tokyo-Typhoon Center
G        1 column      <Difference between the time of the last data and the time of 
                          the final analysis> Unit : hour
H...H   20 columns     <Name of the storm>
I...I    8 columns     <Date of the latest revision>


          

  • 2 Data Lines

    5    10   15   20   25   30   35   40   45   50   55   60   65   70   75   80
::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|::::+::::|
AAAAAAAA BBB C DDD EEEE FFFF     GGG     HIIII JJJJ KLLLL MMMM         P

Sample: 91092706 002 5 325 1293 935 095 30180 0140 30400 0260 #
A...A    8 columns     <Time of analysis> yymmddhh (UTC)
BBB      3 columns     <Indicator> '002'
C        1 column      <Grade> 1 : Not used
                                     2 : Tropical Depression (TD)
                                     3 : Tropical Storm (TS)
                                     4 : Severe Tropical Storm (STS)
                                     5 : Typhoon (TY)
                                     6 : Extra-tropical Cyclone (L)
                                     7 : Just entering into the responsible area of
                                         RSMC Tokyo-Typhoon Center
                                     8 : Not used
                                     9 : Tropical Cyclone of TS intensity or higher
DDD      3 columns     <Latitude of the center> Unit : 0.1 degree
EEEE     4 columns     <Longitude of the center> Unit : 0.1 degree
FFFF     4 columns     <Central pressure> Unit : hPa
GGG      3 columns     <Maximum sustained wind speed> Unit : knot (kt)
H        1 column      <Direction of the longest radius of 50kt winds or greater>
                          0 : No direction (Longest radius of 50kt winds is 0)
                          1 : Northeast (NE)
                          2 : East (E)
                          3 : Southeast (SE)
                          4 : South (S)
                          5 : Southwest (SW)
                          6 : West (W)
                          7 : Northwest (NW)
                          8 : North (N)
                          9 : (symmetric circle)
IIII     4 columns     <The longest radius of 50kt winds or greater>
                          Unit : nautical mile (nm)
JJJJ     4 columns     <The shortest radius of 50kt winds or greater>
                          Unit : nautical mile (nm)
K        1 column      <Direction of the longest radius of 30kt winds or greater>
                          0 : No direction (Longest radius of 30kt winds is 0)
                          1 : Northeast (NE)
                          2 : East (E)
                          3 : Southeast (SE)
                          4 : South (S)
                          5 : Southwest (SW)
                          6 : West (W)
                          7 : Northwest (NW)
                          8 : North (N)
                          9 : (symmetric circle)
LLLL     4 columns     <The longest radius of 30kt winds or greater>
                          Unit : nautical mile (nm)
MMMM     4 columns     <The shortest radius of 30kt winds or greater>
                          Unit : nautical mile (nm)
P        1 column      <Indicator of landfall or passage>
                          Landfall or passage over the Japanese islands occurred within 
                          one hour after the time of the analysis with this indicator.

          

(All data are recorded in the ASCII code.)