South Carolina Hydrometeorological Networks

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Regional Surface Meteorological Networks

None at present.

State and Local Surface Meteorological Networks

Road Weather Information System (RWIS) - The South Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) operates this network of 40 stations located throughout South Carolina. The network provides variable temporal resolution observations of air temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed, wind direction, visibility, and precipitation (yes/no). For further information visit the Surface Systems, Inc Road Weather page. Map at Web Site
WCSC WeatherNet - WCSC-TV in Charleston, South Carolina operates this network of 16 stations located primarily at schools throughout South Carolina. The network provides up to 1-minute observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and barometric pressure. For further information visit the WCSC network page. No map yet.

Precipitation and Radar Networks

NOAA/National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Hourly Precipitation Data - NOAA/NCEP routinely develops a National Multi-sensor Hourly Precipitation Analysis (Stage II) data set from hourly radar precipitation estimates and from hourly gage reports. The gage data includes hourly observations from ~4000 gages across the US (26 in South Carolina) collected by the NOAA River Forecast Centers and sent to NCEP. Further information on these data is available at: http://wwwt.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/ylin/pcpanl/.

NOAA/NWS Cooperative Observer 15-minute Precipitation Network - The NOAA/NWS routinely collects 15-minute observations of precipitation from Fisher-Porter and Universal rain gages operated by 2777 cooperative observers located throughout the US (24 in South Carolina). These data are archived at NOAA/NCDC as data set TD 3260. For further information visit the NOAA/NCDC TD3260 page.

Radiation and Flux Networks

None at present

Soil Networks

Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) - The SCAN is operated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The network provides hourly observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, precipitation, barometric pressure, snow water content, snow depth, soil temperature (at 2, 4, 8, 20, and 40 cm depths), and soil moisture (at 2, 4, 8, 20 and 40 cm depths). The 80 SCAN stations are located across the US in primarily agricultural regions (2 in South Carolina). For further information visit the SCAN home page.

Hydrology Networks

United States Geological Survey (USGS) Streamflow Network - The USGS (part of the US Department of the Interior) operates this network of 7237 streamflow gages (150 in South Carolina) at locations throughout the US. The network provides hourly or more frequent observations of stage (water level) from which discharge (flow) is comuputed using a stage-discharge rating relation. The rating is defined by occasional direct current-meter measurements of discharge. All data are available through the USGS and the district offices in each state. Many of these gages provide realtime data relayed via the GOES satellite data collection system. The realtime data are provisional data that have not been reviewed or edited. These realtime data may be subject to significant change and are not citeable until reviewed and approved by the USGS. Realtime data may be changed after review because the stage-discharge relationship may have been affected by: 1) backwater from ice or debris; 2) algal and aquatic growth in the stream; 3) sediment movement; and 4) malfunction of recording equipment. Each station record is considered provisional until the data are published. The data are usually published with 6 months of the end of the water year (1 October to 30 September). Data users are cautioned to consider carefully the provisional nature of the information before using it. For further information on the USGS stremflow network visit the USGS Water Resources of the United States page or the USGS South Carolina District Office home page.

Upper Air Networks

NOAA/NWS Radiosonde Network Low Vertical Resolution Data - The NOAA/NWS typically releases radiosondes twice per day at 0000 and 1200 UTC at 69 locations throughout the US (1 in South Carolina). During special weather situations the NWS can request to release additional radiosondes at off-times (e.g. 1800 UTC). The low resolution data is sent out over the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and provides mandatory and significant level observations of pressure, altitude, temperature, dew point, wind speed, and wind direction. There are 3 types of radiosondes utilized within the US network, Vaisala, VIZ (or Sippican), and Microsonde. These data are archived by NOAA/NCDC and other organizations. For further information on the NWS Radiosonde network visit the NWS Upper-air Observations Program home page. A several year archive of GTS upper air data is available at the NOAA/FSL Radiosonde Database.

NOAA/NWS Radiosonde Network High Vertical Resolution Data - The same radiosonde locations mentioned in the previous data set also provide a 6-second vertical resolution data set that provides observations of pressure, temperature, altitude, relative humidity, and azimuth and elevation angles. UCAR/JOSS has developed software to derive 6-second vertical resolution winds from the angle data. These data are archived by NCDC and UCAR/JOSS.

Ground Based Global Positioning System (GPS) Meteorology Demonstration Network (GPS-MET) - The NOAA/FSL ingests data from 323 GPS locations around the US operated by many different agencies (5 in South Carolina). Typically each location provides 30-minute observations of integrated precipitatable water along with a number of surface meteorology parameters (air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, etc). For further information visit the GPS-MET home page.

Aerosol Networks

None known at this time.

Coastal Networks

Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) - The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) operates this network of 55 C-MAN stations with locations along coastlines throughout the US (1 in South Carolina). The network typically provides hourly observations of air temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, and wind gust. Some stations also provide observations of sea water temperature, water level, waves, relative humidity, precipitation, and visibility. For further information visit the NDBC home page.

National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) Moored Buoy Network - The NDBC operates this network of 77 moored buoys with locations throughout the US coastal regions (2 off the coast of South Carolina). The network typically provides hourly observations of air temperature, dew point, water temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, wave height, wave period, and swell. For further information visit the NDBC home page.

National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) - The National Ocean Service (NOS) Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) maintains a long-term database containing water-level measurements and derived tidal data. NWLON provides water level observations at 318 locations throughout the United States. Some stations provide additional measurements including air and water temperature, pressure and winds. For additional information visit the NWLON web page.

Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System (SEACOOS) - SEACOOS is a collaborative university partnership that collects, manages and disseminates integrated regional ocean observations and information products for the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. For further information visit the SEACOOS web site.

Carolinas Coastal Ocean Observing and Prediction System (Caro-COOPS) - Caro-COOPS is based upon an instrumented array of coastal and offshore moorings which are being deployed off the coast of the Carolinas. It is a parternership among the University of South Carolina, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and is funded by NOAA. There are currently three shore-based water level/meteorological stations (integrated into the NOS CO-OPS NWLON) and four offshore moorings instrumented for surface wave field, current speed and direction at multiple levels, temperature, salinity, pressure, fluorescence/chlorophyll, as well as temperature, wind speed and gusts, air pressure and solar radiation. For further information visit the Caro-COOPS web site.

South Atlantic Bight Synoptic Offshore Observational Network (SABSOON) - SABSOON is a real-time observational network on the US southeastern continental shelf. Eight large offshore platforms, currently operated by the US Navy, are being instrumented to provide a range of oceanographic and meteorological observations on a continuous real-time basis. For further information visit the SABSOON web site.

Regional Surface Meteorological Networks
	Click on the maps for larger image


None at present.

State and Local Surface Meteorological Networks

Road Weather Information System (RWIS) - The South Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) operates this network of 40 stations located throughout South Carolina. The network provides variable temporal resolution observations of air temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed, wind direction, visibility, and precipitation (yes/no). For further information visit the Surface Systems, Inc Road Weather page.	Map at Web Site
WCSC WeatherNet - WCSC-TV in Charleston, South Carolina operates this network of 16 stations located primarily at schools throughout South Carolina. The network provides up to 1-minute observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and barometric pressure. For further information visit the WCSC network page.	No map yet.

Precipitation and Radar Networks

NOAA/National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Hourly Precipitation Data - NOAA/NCEP routinely develops a National Multi-sensor Hourly Precipitation Analysis (Stage II) data set from hourly radar precipitation estimates and from hourly gage reports. The gage data includes hourly observations from ~4000 gages across the US (26 in South Carolina) collected by the NOAA River Forecast Centers and sent to NCEP. Further information on these data is available at: http://wwwt.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/ylin/pcpanl/.

NOAA/NWS Cooperative Observer 15-minute Precipitation Network - The NOAA/NWS routinely collects 15-minute observations of precipitation from Fisher-Porter and Universal rain gages operated by 2777 cooperative observers located throughout the US (24 in South Carolina). These data are archived at NOAA/NCDC as data set TD 3260. For further information visit the NOAA/NCDC TD3260 page.

Radiation and Flux Networks

None at present

Soil Networks

Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) - The SCAN is operated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The network provides hourly observations of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, precipitation, barometric pressure, snow water content, snow depth, soil temperature (at 2, 4, 8, 20, and 40 cm depths), and soil moisture (at 2, 4, 8, 20 and 40 cm depths). The 80 SCAN stations are located across the US in primarily agricultural regions (2 in South Carolina). For further information visit the SCAN home page.

Hydrology Networks

United States Geological Survey (USGS) Streamflow Network - The USGS (part of the US Department of the Interior) operates this network of 7237 streamflow gages (150 in South Carolina) at locations throughout the US. The network provides hourly or more frequent observations of stage (water level) from which discharge (flow) is comuputed using a stage-discharge rating relation. The rating is defined by occasional direct current-meter measurements of discharge. All data are available through the USGS and the district offices in each state. Many of these gages provide realtime data relayed via the GOES satellite data collection system. The realtime data are provisional data that have not been reviewed or edited. These realtime data may be subject to significant change and are not citeable until reviewed and approved by the USGS. Realtime data may be changed after review because the stage-discharge relationship may have been affected by: 1) backwater from ice or debris; 2) algal and aquatic growth in the stream; 3) sediment movement; and 4) malfunction of recording equipment. Each station record is considered provisional until the data are published. The data are usually published with 6 months of the end of the water year (1 October to 30 September). Data users are cautioned to consider carefully the provisional nature of the information before using it. For further information on the USGS stremflow network visit the USGS Water Resources of the United States page or the USGS South Carolina District Office home page.

Upper Air Networks

NOAA/NWS Radiosonde Network Low Vertical Resolution Data - The NOAA/NWS typically releases radiosondes twice per day at 0000 and 1200 UTC at 69 locations throughout the US (1 in South Carolina). During special weather situations the NWS can request to release additional radiosondes at off-times (e.g. 1800 UTC). The low resolution data is sent out over the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and provides mandatory and significant level observations of pressure, altitude, temperature, dew point, wind speed, and wind direction. There are 3 types of radiosondes utilized within the US network, Vaisala, VIZ (or Sippican), and Microsonde. These data are archived by NOAA/NCDC and other organizations. For further information on the NWS Radiosonde network visit the NWS Upper-air Observations Program home page. A several year archive of GTS upper air data is available at the NOAA/FSL Radiosonde Database.

NOAA/NWS Radiosonde Network High Vertical Resolution Data - The same radiosonde locations mentioned in the previous data set also provide a 6-second vertical resolution data set that provides observations of pressure, temperature, altitude, relative humidity, and azimuth and elevation angles. UCAR/JOSS has developed software to derive 6-second vertical resolution winds from the angle data. These data are archived by NCDC and UCAR/JOSS.

Ground Based Global Positioning System (GPS) Meteorology Demonstration Network (GPS-MET) - The NOAA/FSL ingests data from 323 GPS locations around the US operated by many different agencies (5 in South Carolina). Typically each location provides 30-minute observations of integrated precipitatable water along with a number of surface meteorology parameters (air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, etc). For further information visit the GPS-MET home page.

Aerosol Networks

None known at this time.

Coastal Networks

Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) - The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) operates this network of 55 C-MAN stations with locations along coastlines throughout the US (1 in South Carolina). The network typically provides hourly observations of air temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, and wind gust. Some stations also provide observations of sea water temperature, water level, waves, relative humidity, precipitation, and visibility. For further information visit the NDBC home page.

National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) Moored Buoy Network - The NDBC operates this network of 77 moored buoys with locations throughout the US coastal regions (2 off the coast of South Carolina). The network typically provides hourly observations of air temperature, dew point, water temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, wave height, wave period, and swell. For further information visit the NDBC home page.

National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) - The National Ocean Service (NOS) Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) maintains a long-term database containing water-level measurements and derived tidal data. NWLON provides water level observations at 318 locations throughout the United States. Some stations provide additional measurements including air and water temperature, pressure and winds. For additional information visit the NWLON web page.

Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System (SEACOOS) - SEACOOS is a collaborative university partnership that collects, manages and disseminates integrated regional ocean observations and information products for the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. For further information visit the SEACOOS web site.

Carolinas Coastal Ocean Observing and Prediction System (Caro-COOPS) - Caro-COOPS is based upon an instrumented array of coastal and offshore moorings which are being deployed off the coast of the Carolinas. It is a parternership among the University of South Carolina, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and is funded by NOAA. There are currently three shore-based water level/meteorological stations (integrated into the NOS CO-OPS NWLON) and four offshore moorings instrumented for surface wave field, current speed and direction at multiple levels, temperature, salinity, pressure, fluorescence/chlorophyll, as well as temperature, wind speed and gusts, air pressure and solar radiation. For further information visit the Caro-COOPS web site.

South Atlantic Bight Synoptic Offshore Observational Network (SABSOON) - SABSOON is a real-time observational network on the US southeastern continental shelf. Eight large offshore platforms, currently operated by the US Navy, are being instrumented to provide a range of oceanographic and meteorological observations on a continuous real-time basis. For further information visit the SABSOON web site.