NBM Card 3.2 - MDL
NBM v3.2 Text Bulletins
The NBM text bulletins take data from the gridded NBM forecasts and generate data for weather stations from the closest usable grid point. (Note that these products are NOT calibrated to ground station observations, which is different from the MOS text bulletins.) Bulletins are available for over 6,000 land and marine stations in the CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Oceanic-domains. Not all elements may be available for all stations. All regions (including both land and marine stations) are included in the same product.
There are five NBM text bulletins, which cover different time scales and different elements. The products are as follows:
Product Name | Product Type | Time step | Forecast Hours covered |
---|---|---|---|
NBH | Hourly | 1-Hourly | Hours 1-25 |
NBS | Short | 3-Hourly | Hours 6-72* |
NBE | Extended | 12-Hourly | Hours 24-192* |
NBX | Super-Extended | 12-Hourly | Hours 204-264* (continuation of NBE) |
NBP | Probabilistic (Extended period) | 12-Hourly | Hours 24-228* |
(*Actual forecast hours change according to cycle. Listed times are for 00Z and 12Z cycles.)
The bulletins consist of the following:
- The first line always consists of: the station call(short name), bulletin name, forecast date, and forecast cycle.
- The following 2-3 lines show the forecast valid date/time and/or model forecast hour. All forecast dates and times are listed in UTC time.
- The lines following the date/time consist of various weather elements. These elements vary by bulletin type, region, and sometimes cycle.
- Large values: any value which would be printed as >998 will be printed as 998**
-
Missing Data:
For all Elements, a value of 999 indicates missing data**. If data are missing for all forecast hours, the line for that element will not be printed.
(**Except for Mean Sea Level Pressure (MSLP). Missing MSLP values are noted as -99.)
Example bulletins for each of the types (NBH,NBS,NBE,NBX,NBP) are listed below. At the bottom of the page, additional stations from different locations are displayed to show expected data at different regions (and at land vs. marine stations).
Changes from NBM v3.1 Text Bulletins
Users should take note of the following changes from the NBM v3.1 products:
- New elements have been added. New elements are listed in bold and marked with an asterisk (*).
- Some elements have changed format and/or are included in additional domains than in NBM v3.1. Please read the key for current data format.
- The order of the elements have changed to make the products more consistent. Elements whose relative order have changed are marked with a double asterisk (**).
- The number of spaces in the element names for NBE has increased from 3 to 5 characters (to match NBP) and the total length of NBE has increased by 2 characters (from 70 to 72 characters)
- The length of NBS has increased from 66 hours (69 characters) to 72 hours (74 characters)
- NBX no longer prints data after 264 hours (blank characters instead of printing all missing values)
NBS
NBS Example Bulletin (CONUS, land station)
KBWI NBM V3.2 NBS GUIDANCE 5/29/2019 0700 UTC DT /MAY 29 /MAY 30 /MAY 31 /JUNE 1 UTC 12 15 18 21 00 03 06 09 12 15 18 21 00 03 06 09 12 15 18 21 00 03 06 FHR 05 08 11 14 17 20 23 26 29 32 35 38 41 44 47 50 53 56 59 62 65 68 71 X/N 92 70 87 66 81 TMP 75 85 90 88 82 76 73 71 75 82 87 82 78 73 71 68 68 74 79 79 75 70 67 DPT 67 68 66 68 68 68 67 67 68 67 66 66 67 66 65 62 61 59 58 58 60 60 60 SKY 15 44 38 52 63 68 52 38 36 27 43 79 78 68 50 21 15 16 20 37 29 23 10 WDR 23 25 24 24 26 26 25 26 28 27 26 28 23 24 27 30 33 33 32 31 00 00 00 WSP 2 5 6 6 5 4 4 2 3 4 4 5 3 3 5 5 5 4 3 2 0 0 0 GST 6 12 16 18 15 12 11 8 11 11 15 14 10 13 11 13 13 11 8 9 6 3 5 P06 5 48 26 5 11 61 50 17 9 17 9 P12 57 26 61 50 17 Q06 0 2 0 0 0 8 3 0 0 0 0 Q12 2 0 8 3 0 DUR 2 0 5 2 0 T03 3 2 4 30 44 21 9 3 1 2 9 27 21 16 11 4 2 1 1 3 4 3 2 T12 54 24 39 25 5 PZR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PSN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PPL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PRA 100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100 S06 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SLV 111113111117121121120123118115114118119118113 96 93 90 89 90 88 88 88 I06 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CIG 888888888888280260888888888888888100130 90888888888888888888888888888 VIS 130150190160130130130130140140130130110110120120120110110110110110110 LCB 120260250180170170200110130 90100 49 49 46110 45170140120 90 70 60999 MHT 11 42 69 50 9 13 8 6 14 42 67 22 10 4 13 19 25 43 68 72 36 4 4 TWD 24 27 26 26 28 28 24 26 28 27 24 24 23 22 25 32 34 35 29 28 31 27 31 TWS 8 14 19 19 14 18 12 8 11 12 15 14 10 10 19 20 15 10 7 10 7 3 5 HID 6 6 5 5 6 6 5 5 5 6 6 SOL 330740830430 70 0 0 0300760670140 30 0 0 0340620720660330 0 0
Data Key
Date/time lines
- DT (or blank) = forcast valid date (in UTC)
- UTC = forcast valid hour (in UTC)
- FHR = model forecast hour (number of hours forward from forecast date/cycle)
Elements
- X / N (or N/X) = 18-hour max / min (or min / max) temperature, degrees F. Min is between 00Z-18Z and recorded as 12Z; Max is between 12Z(current day)-06Z(next day) and recorded as 00Z(following day).
- TMP = temperature, degrees F
- DPT = dew point temperature, degrees F
- SKY = sky cover, percent
- WDR = wind direction, nearest tens degrees (northerly=36; easterly=9; calm=00)
- WSP = wind speed, knots (<0.5 knots will be listed as 0 (calm))
- GST = wind gust, knots
- P06 = 6-hour PoP, percent
- P12 = 12-hour PoP, percent
- Q06 = 6-hour QPF, 1/100 inches
- Q12 = 12-hour QPF, 1/100 inches
- DUR* = Duration of precipitation, hours
- T03 = 3-hour thunderstorm probability, percent
- T12 = 12-hour thunderstorm probability, percent
- PZR = conditional probability of freezing rain, percent
- PSN = conditional probability of snow, percent
- PPL = conditional probability of sleet / ice pellets, percent
- PRA = conditional probability of rain, percent
- S06 = 6-hour snow amount, 1/10 inches
- SLV = snow level, 100s feet MSL
- I06 = 6-hour ice amount, 1/100 inches
- CIG = ceiling height, 100s feet (>5000 ft reported to the nearest 1000 ft; 888=unlimited)
- VIS = visibility, 1/10th miles (rounded to nearest mile for values >= 1 mile) [Note: values before approx. 2019-06-01 are in full miles]
- LCB = lowest cloud base, 100s feet (>5000 ft reported to the nearest 1000 ft)
- MHT* = mixing height, 100s feet MSL
- TWD* = transport wind direction, nearest tens degrees (northerly=36; easterly=9; calm=00)
- TWS* = transport wind speed, knots (<0.5 knots will be listed as 0 (calm))
- HID* = Haines Index (unitless)
- SOL* = solar radiation, W/m2 (to nearest 10).
- SWH = significant wave height, feet (marine and some near-water stations only)
(For additional information about NBM weather elements, see the Element Key)
NBH
NBH Example Bulletin (CONUS, land station)
KBWI NBM V3.2 NBH GUIDANCE 5/29/2019 0700 UTC UTC 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 TMP 71 71 71 72 75 79 82 85 87 89 90 91 89 88 87 84 82 79 77 76 75 74 73 73 72 DPT 66 66 66 67 67 68 68 68 67 67 66 67 68 68 68 67 68 67 68 68 67 67 67 67 67 SKY 21 20 19 14 15 16 31 44 38 33 38 53 43 52 62 55 63 58 62 68 58 62 52 42 35 WDR 29 27 25 24 23 23 24 25 25 25 24 24 26 24 25 27 26 27 26 26 26 25 25 25 25 WSP 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 6 7 8 6 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 4 3 2 GST 4 4 4 4 6 8 10 12 13 15 16 16 18 18 18 17 15 12 14 12 11 11 11 9 9 P01 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 3 3 5 5 10 54 57 57 47 18 26 18 14 11 10 9 6 5 P06 5 48 26 Q01 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 DUR 2 T01 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 7 17 18 16 14 15 12 11 9 5 3 2 1 1 PZR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PSN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PPL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PRA 100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100100 S01 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SLV 101103104107111114114113110109111117122117119121121121119121121121120122123 I01 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CIG 888888888888888888888888888888888888888888450888280330290260440890888888888 VIS 120120120120130130140150170180190200100160160170130120120130130120130130130 LCB 280240290110120150220260280270250150130180120210170230190170210180200110210 MHT 5 4 4 7 11 16 27 42 56 64 69 72 58 50 31 20 9 9 10 13 10 10 8 7 6 TWD 36 28 26 23 24 26 27 27 27 27 26 26 24 26 27 27 28 29 28 28 28 28 24 27 27 TWS 4 4 4 5 8 9 12 14 16 18 19 20 20 19 18 18 14 12 15 18 14 12 12 11 9 HID 6 6 5 SOL 0 0 30170330500650740830850830730550430280170 70 0 20 0 0 0 0 0 0
Data Key
Date/time lines
- UTC = forcast valid hour (in UTC) (date as in line 1, unless past 23Z - then the following date is valid)
Elements
- TMP = temperature, degrees F
- DPT = dew point temperature, degrees F
- SKY = sky cover, percent
- WDR = wind direction, nearest tens degrees (northerly=36; easterly=9; calm=00)
- WSP = wind speed, knots
- WARNING: Due to a bug, when wind speed is under 0.5 knots, wind speed is printed as ' NG'
- GST = wind gust, knots
- WARNING: Due to a bug, when wind speed is under 0.5 knots, wind gust is not printed.
- P01 = 1-hour PoP, percent
- P06 = 6-hour PoP, percent
- Q01** = 1-hour QPF, 1/100 inches
- DUR* = Duration of precipitation, hours
- T01** = 1-hour thunderstorm probability, percent
- PZR = conditional probability of freezing rain, percent
- PSN = conditional probability of snow, percent
- PPL = conditional probability of sleet / ice pellets, percent
- PRA = conditional probability of rain, percent
- S01 = 1-hour snow amount, 1/10 inches
- SLV* = snow level, 100s feet MSL
- I01 = 1-hour ice amount, 1/100 inches
- CIG = ceiling height, 100s feet (>5000 ft reported to the nearest 1000 ft; 888=unlimited)
- VIS = visibility, 1/10th miles (rounded to nearest mile for values >= 1 mile) [Note: values before approx. 2019-06-01 are in full miles]
- LCB = lowest cloud base, 100s feet (>5000 ft reported to the nearest 1000 ft)
- MHT* = mixing height, 100s feet MSL
- TWD* = transport wind direction, nearest tens degrees (northerly=36; easterly=9; calm=00)
- TWS* = transport wind speed, knots (<0.5 knots will be listed as 0 (calm))
- HID* = Haines Index (unitless)
- SOL* = solar radiation, W/m2 (to nearest 10).
(For additional information about NBM weather elements, see the Element Key)
NBE
NBE Example Bulletin (CONUS, land station)
KBWI NBM V3.2 NBE GUIDANCE 3/26/2019 0000 UTC WED 27| THU 28| FRI 29| SAT 30| SUN 31| MON 01| TUE 02|WED CLIMO UTC 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 FHR 24 36| 48 60| 72 84| 96 108|120 132|144 156|168 180|192 X/N 49 29| 50 32| 58 45| 67 50| 70 46| 55 36| 53 39| 56 38 59 TMP 42 31| 43 35| 51 46| 59 51| 64 50| 48 37| 46 40| 50 DPT 20 17| 23 29| 36 40| 47 46| 49 41| 33 27| 30 31| 35 SKY 0 5| 3 11| 56 62| 64 65| 65 65| 45 30| 34 58| 47 WDR 1 2| 13 18| 17 22| 17 19| 19 29| 32 33| 31 2| 12 WSP 4 3| 2 2| 5 2| 4 4| 8 5| 7 5| 3 2| 4 GST 11 8| 6 7| 13 7| 10 11| 18 17| 19 14| 9 7| 12 P12 0 0| 0 0| 1 3| 9 4| 10 29| 47 38| 24 26| 27 25 22 Q12 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 6 1| 0 0| 3 Q24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 DUR 0 0|999 999|999 999|999 999|999 999|999 999|999 999|999 T12 1 1| 1 0| 0 2| 5 3| 2 10| 2 1| 0 2|999 PZR 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 PSN 0 100| 0 100| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 79| 0 21| 0 PPL 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 PRA 100 0|100 19|100 100|100 100|100 100|100 21|100 79|100 S12 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 SLV 1 0| 2 2| 50 71| 76 67| 80 62| 38 5| 19 9| 34 I12 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 S24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 SOL 120 180|190 210|340 210| 80 200|330 4| 60 240|370 240|340
Data Key
Date/time lines
- (second line) = forcast valid dates (in UTC)
- UTC = forcast valid hour (in UTC)
- FHR = model forecast hour (number of hours forward from forecast date/cycle)
Elements
- X / N (or N/X) = 18-hour max / min (or min / max) temperature, degrees F. Min is between 00Z-18Z and recorded as 12Z; Max is between 12Z(current day)-06Z(next day) and recorded as 00Z(following day).
- TMP = temperature, degrees F
- DPT = dew point temperature, degrees F
- SKY = sky cover, percent
- WDR = wind direction, nearest tens degrees (northerly=36; easterly=9; calm=00)
- WSP = wind speed, knots (<0.5 knots will be listed as 0 (calm))
- GST = wind gust, knots
- P12 = 12-hour PoP, percent
- Q12 = 12-hour QPF, 1/100 inches
- Q24 = 24-hour QPF, 1/100 inches
- DUR* = Duration of precipitation, hours
- T12 = 12-hour thunderstorm probability, percent
- PZR = conditional probability of freezing rain, percent
- PSN = conditional probability of snow, percent
- PPL = conditional probability of sleet / ice pellets, percent
- PRA = conditional probability of rain, percent
- S12 = 12-hour snow amount, 1/10 inches
- SLV = snow level, 100s feet MSL
- I12 = 12-hour ice amount, 1/100 inches
- S24 = 24-hour snow amount, 1/10 inches
- SOL* = solar radiation, W/m2 (to nearest 10).
- SWH = significant wave height, feet (marine and some near-water stations only)
(For additional information about NBM weather elements, see the Element Key)
CLIMO
For 00Z and 12Z cycles, Max/Min Temperature and 12-hour PoP, a reference climatology is displayed. These numbers are the climatological normal max and min temperature for the given date, based on the 1971-2000 NCDC data. For PoP12, the CLIMO displays the normal observed relative frequencies of 0.01 inches or more of precipitation during the 96-108 and 108-120h (00z) or 84-96 and 96-108 h (12Z) periods. The technique generating these climatologies is the same as for MEX bulletins, and detailed information can be found in MDL TPB 05-07. These numbers are the same for both NBE and NBX of a given date.
NBX
NBX Example Bulletin (CONUS, land station)
KBWI NBM V3.2 NBX GUIDANCE 3/26/2019 0000 UTC WED 03 |THU 04 |FRI 05 |SAT 06 UTC 12 |00 12 |00 12 |00 FHR 204|216 228|240 252|264 N/X 41| 60 42| 62 45|999 TMP 42| 53 45| 55 48| 56 DPT 35| 37 39| 42 42| 45 SKY 30| 41 56| 44 53| 54 WDR 1| 9 36| 19 25| 17 WSP 2| 3 2| 4 2| 3 GST 10| 14 9| 12 11| 13 P12 27| 20 15| 15 13| 24 Q12 8| 0 0| 0 0| 0 Q24 | 11 | 0 | 0 PZR 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 PSN 12| 0 0| 0 0| 0 PPL 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 PRA 100|100 100|100 100|100 S12 0| 0 0| 0 0|999 SLV 29| 42 40| 58 58| 63 I12 0| 0 0|999 999|999 S24 | 0 | 0 | 0 SOL 10|430 10|999 999|999
Data Key
Date/time lines
- (second line) = forcast valid dates (in UTC)
- UTC = forcast valid hour (in UTC)
- FHR = model forecast hour (number of hours forward from forecast date/cycle)
Elements
- X / N (or N/X) = 18-hour max / min (or min / max) temperature, degrees F. Min is between 00Z-18Z and recorded as 12Z; Max is between 12Z(current day)-06Z(next day) and recorded as 00Z(following day).
- TMP = temperature, degrees F
- DPT = dew point temperature, degrees F
- SKY = sky cover, percent
- WDR = wind direction, nearest tens degrees (northerly=36; easterly=9; calm=00)
- WSP = wind speed, knots (<0.5 knots will be listed as 0 (calm))
- GST = wind gust, knots
- P12 = 12-hour PoP, percent
- Q12 = 12-hour QPF, 1/100 inches
- Q24 = 24-hour QPF, 1/100 inches
- DUR* = Duration of precipitation, hours
- PZR = conditional probability of freezing rain, percent
- PSN = conditional probability of snow, percent
- PPL = conditional probability of sleet / ice pellets, percent
- PRA = conditional probability of rain, percent
- S12 = 12-hour snow amount, 1/10 inches
- SLV = snow level, 100s feet MSL
- I12 = 12-hour ice amount, 1/100 inches
- S24 = 24-hour snow amount, 1/10 inches
- SOL* = solar radiation, W/m2 (to nearest 10).
- SWH = significant wave height, feet (marine and some near-water stations only)
(For additional information about NBM weather elements, see the Element Key)
NBP
NBP Example Bulletin (CONUS, land station)
Note on Data Availability
Data for all elements in NBP is not available for all cycles. All elements are available for 07Z and 19Z., and a majority of elements are available for 00Z,01Z,12Z,and 13Z. All other cycles data is limited. See entries below for more details.
KBWI NBM V3.2 NBP GUIDANCE 4/18/2019 0700 UTC FRI 19| SAT 20| SUN 21| MON 22| TUE 23| WED 24| THU 25|FRI 26 |SAT 27 UTC 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 12| 00 12 FHR 17 29| 41 53| 65 77| 89 101|113 125|137 149|161 173|185 197|209 221 WSPP1 9 8| 11 9| 6 3| 2 2| 1 1| 1 1| 2 1| 3 1| 3 0 WSPP5 10 10| 14 11| 8 5| 4 4| 5 3| 4 5| 5 4| 6 5| 6 4 WSPP9 11 12| 19 15| 11 9| 7 7| 7 6| 8 11| 9 9| 11 10| 11 10 Q12P1 0 0| 6 9| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0 Q12P5 0 0| 42 52| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0 Q12P9 0 0| 87 115| 13 6| 10 0| 0 0| 8 17| 17 40| 29 19| 27 23 S24P1 999 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0 S24P5 999 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0 S24P9 999 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0 I24P1 999 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0 I24P5 999 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0 I24P9 999 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0| 0 0 SLPP1 010 007|001 999|005 010|012 017|015 016|012 014|013 015|010 012|010 011 SLPP5 010 009|002 001|006 012|017 022|019 021|020 022|022 022|020 019|017 019 SLPP9 011 010|004 004|008 014|019 023|022 025|024 029|028 028|024 025|022 023
Data Key
Date/time lines
- (second line) = forcast valid dates (in UTC)
- UTC = forcast valid hour (in UTC)
- FHR = model forecast hour (number of hours forward from forecast date/cycle)
Elements
About Probabilistic Elements
The weather elements for NBP are probabilistic percentiles. For X percentile, there is an X% probability that the weather element will be EQUAL TO or BELOW the value listed (or a (100-X) % chance the value will be above what is listed). So for 10th percentile, there is a 10% chance the value will be at or below the number listed, and a 90% chance it will be above. For additional information about NBM weather elements, see the Element Key
Begin Key
-
- WSPP1 = 10th percentile wind speed, knots.
- WSPP5 = 50th percentile wind speed, knots.
- WSPP9 = 90th percentile wind speed, knots.
-
- Wind data are only available for the following cycles: 00,07,12,19
-
- Q12P1 = 10th percentile 12-hour QPF, 1/100 inch.
- Q12P5 = 50th percentile 12-hour QPF, 1/100 inch.
- Q12P9 = 90th percentile 12-hour QPF, 1/100 inch.
-
- Q12P data is QMD QPF12 for CONUS-domain stations, and dervied 12-hr QPF for oceanic stations where there is no QMD.
- Q12P data are only available for the following cycles: 00,07,12,19
-
- S24P1 = 10th percentile 24-hour snowfall accumulation, 1/10 inch.
- S24P5 = 50th percentile 24-hour snowfall accumulation, 1/10 inch.
- S24P9 = 90th percentile 24-hour snowfall accumulation, 1/10 inch.
-
- I24P1 = 10th percentile 24-hour flat ice accumulation, 1/100 inch.
- I24P5 = 50th percentile 24-hour flat ice accumulation, 1/100 inch.
- I24P9 = 90th percentile 24-hour flat ice accumulation, 1/100 inch.
-
- SLPP1 = 10th percentile mean sea level pressure, mb.
- SLPP5 = 50th percentile mean sea level pressure, mb.
- SLPP9 = 90th percentile mean sea level pressure, mb.
-
- Any SLP value 1000 mb or higher does not show the thousands value. (ex: 1000 mb = 000; 987 mb = 987).
- SLP data are only available for the following cycles: 00,07,12,19
-
NOTE: Missing SLP values are noted as -99; 999 is a real value for this element.
(For additional information about NBM weather elements, see the Element Key)