What Is xmACIS?
Web application developed specifically forNWS
Basically xmACIS is a search engine forclimate data (NCDC)
Includes all known published records frommany sites across all CWAs, including LCDsites and COOP stations
Available to NWS, NCDC, and RCCs/SCOs toanswer customer requests regarding historicalweather data
Not available to the public! (The public versionis “NOWData” on our climate webpage.)
Why Use xmACIS?
Provides a consistent answer to customer questions no matter who isanswering (NWS, NCDC, or RCC/SCO)
Database is maintained by NCDC
◦Quality control changes flow into the database
◦Updates can be sparked by NWS, NCDC, or RCC/SCO – and everyone receivesthe updates!
◦Updated daily
NWS policy says so (NWSI 10-1003):
“WFOs should use xmACIS in lieu of datasets from other systems whenresponding to data user requests. The xmACIS is automatically updated andsynchronized between NCDC and the RCCs with the most recent data available(including near real-time preliminary data and archived final data). Therefore,xmACIS includes the most complete and up-to-date-data available to all ofNOAA. The xmACIS is nationally maintained and has replaced locally developed,uncoordinated, and inconsistent datasets.
Use of datasets from other systems perpetuates the inconsistencies of the past.WFOs should work with NCDC and the RCCs to ensure the xmACIS database isthe best, most up-to-date, consistent dataset available. WFO should correcthistorical data errors found in xmACIS through Datzilla submissions.”
xmACIS can answer questions like…
What’s the record high temperature in Hastings for August 4?
What was our snowiest March on record?
How many days saw temperatures of at least 90 degrees? 100 degrees?
How does this year’s rainfall compare with last year’s?
What is the longest stretch of consecutive days with high temperatures below freezing?
What was the weather like last election day?
During the summer of 1936, what was the average temperature during the month
of August?
How long was the growing season in 1927?
Can I get a plot of the daily highs and lows for 1954?
So Why Again Use xmACIS?
Benefits of xmACIS
Consistent database among all data providers
Workload of keeping up data distributed amongagencies
◦Interface maintained by RCCs
◦Database maintained by NCDC
◦Data collection done by NWS
◦Quality control done by all agencies
Quality control changes to data ingestedautomatically
ThreadEx sites include longer data sets for LCDsites
Convenient database for answering inquiries
Drawbacks to xmACIS
Some gaps in the database still exist
If you don’t look at raw data, averages andtrends can be skewed due to missing data
Internet-based application, thus notavailable during internet outages
Station Lists in xmACIS
Station lists consist of:
ThreadEx stations (at top of list and have “Area”in the station name)
Stations requested by NWS offices
All real-time reporters with 1981-2010 normals(marked with an asterisk *)
Station lists can be modified by NWSoffices through CSPM.
What If I Find Errors inxmACIS Data?
Let Ryan of Myself know of the error
An official submission to Datzilla will bemade and often corrected the same day
Be as specific as possible with any error you find– which site had the error, which function, whichdate, and what is the other data in comparisonthat does not match?
○Example: The CF6 for HSI in October 2009 has3.46 inches of rain, but xmACIS under “Daily Datafor a Month” at Hastings Municipal Airport has 3.47inches
Recent Changes
Kearney Records? (Due to conflict betweenAWOS and official COOP Observations)
Black Book? (Still around until HSI getsThreaded)
Phillipsburg and Beloit? (Still in RTP, but nolonger generating LCD’s/daily climate)