IBTrACS: Global Tropical Cyclone Best Track Data

IBTrACS provides a unified global collection of tropical cyclones, merging recent and historical data from multiple agencies. The dataset includes storm tracks, intensity, and basin information. It is hosted on HDX and was last updated on 2026-07-14.

Use Cases

• Track storm paths and positions over time based on LAT and LON fields.
• Analyze storm intensity and pressure trends using WMO_WIND and WMO_PRES fields.
• Study the distribution and nature of storms across ocean basins using BASIN, SUBBASIN, and NATURE fields.
• Perform temporal analysis of storm observations using the ISO_TIME field.
• Link and compare individual storm events across agencies using the unique SID identifier.

Strengths

• Merges data from multiple agencies to create a unified best-track dataset, improving inter-agency comparisons.
• Includes key storm attributes such as position, wind speed, central pressure, and basin classification.
• Available in multiple formats including GEOJSON and CSV for flexibility.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Freshness should be verified as the last update date is 2026-07-14.

Provenance

Source

International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) project.

Collection Method

Merges tropical cyclone data from multiple responsible agencies.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-14 11:48:21.065354

Geography

Global, with basin and sub-basin classifications.