RUC-20 Meteorological and Soil Parameter Dataset

The Rapid Update Cycle 20 km (RUC-20) dataset provides short-range numerical weather guidance for general and specialized aviation forecasting. It contains 60 distinct meteorological and soil parameters modeled across 50 computational levels at a 20-km horizontal resolution. The dataset is produced by NOAA's Forecast Systems Laboratory and archived by NASA.

Use Cases

• Analyzing atmospheric temperature and pressure profiles across 50 levels for weather system development.
• Investigating soil moisture and temperature parameters for land-atmosphere interaction studies.
• Forecasting aviation hazards using wind, humidity, and cloud property data.
• Studying precipitation and snow energy balance processes for hydrological applications.
• Validating other weather models against this high-resolution analysis system.

Strengths

• Contains 60 distinct meteorological and soil parameters, providing a multi-faceted view of the atmosphere and land surface.
• Data is modeled at a relatively high 20-km horizontal resolution for detailed spatial analysis.
• The model system is designed for rapid updating, supporting frequent short-term forecasting needs.

Limitations

• Sources conflict on the dataset's last update date, with one platform listing 2003 and another listing a future date of 2026.
• Specific column names, row counts, and total dataset size are not provided by any source.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' without clear terms.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Forecast Systems Laboratory (FSL).

Collection Method

Output from the Rapid Update Cycle numerical weather prediction and analysis system.

Time Range

null

Freshness

2003-09-30 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Coverage area not explicitly stated, but the RUC system traditionally covers North America.