El Niño Rapid Response Radiosonde Data from Kiritimati Island

Two radiosonde soundings per day were launched from Kiritimati Island (2.01°N, 157.40°W) between 26 January and 27 March 2016. This Level 2 dataset, produced by NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory, contains 1-second resolution vertical profiles of atmospheric variables like temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind. It was collected during the El Niño Rapid Response Field Campaign to document the strong 2015-2016 El Niño event.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical atmospheric structure during a strong El Niño using columns like air_temperature, dew_point_temperature, and relative_humidity.
• Studying wind shear and directional changes with eastward_wind, northward_wind, wind_speed, and wind_from_direction data.
• Investigating the relationship between geopotential_height, air_pressure, and altitude in the tropical Pacific.
• Assessing data quality for model assimilation using the provided status_flag columns for each key variable.
• Tracking the balloon's ascent dynamics and GPS-derived position via upward_platform_speed_wrt_ground, latitude, and longitude.

Strengths

• Data underwent automatic, objective quality control checks after reprocessing with corrected surface observations.
• Provides high temporal resolution with measurements recorded every second within each atmospheric sounding.
• Captures a specific, intense observation period during the peak of the very strong 2015-2016 El Niño event.
• Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA EarthData signals recognized importance and reliability.

Limitations

• Key metadata conflicts exist: the last_updated date differs significantly between Data.gov (2026) and NASA EarthData (2016).
• Core dataset specifications like total row count, file size, and exact column count are unavailable from all sources.
• The dataset's license and specific author information are not provided.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Radiosonde (weather balloon) soundings released twice daily from a fixed land site.

Time Range

2016-01-26 to 2016-03-27

Freshness

2026-03-06 00:04:58.001207

Geography

Launch site at Kiritimati (Christmas) Island (2.01°N, 157.40°W), with vertical profiles over the central/eastern Pacific Ocean.