SGP/RUC/X1 - 00z and 12z files missing raob data

The RUC 20 analyses files for hours 00z and 12z may be missing 
raob data between 04/18/2002-02/04/2003.  This affects datastreams
sgpallruc20isobX1.00, sgpallruc20isobX1.c1, sgpruc20isobX1.c1,
sgpsynruc20isobX1.c1. sgpallruc20hybrX1.00, sgpallruc20hybrX1.c1,
and sgpruc20hybrX1.c1.

The situation was that we were picking up all data from the ruc2a directory
from NCEP's ftp server.  Apparently, the 00z and 12z files in this directory
are "early look" "A" analysis files which miss most of the raob data.  
Starting on 2/5/03, we started to pick up the 00z and 12z files from the 
second "B" analysis from the ruc2b directory.  Only data for hours 00z 
and 12z are affected. Below are exerpts from Stan Benjamin of FSL regarding this 
problem and how it affects the data.

Stan Benjamin in reply to a question on how the data is affected:
Feb 19 15:16:11 2003
" ... In your second question, the fields from the A analyses
will not be drastically in error.  The quality for
the near-surface grids would be about equal to that of the B analysis.
The wind conditions aloft would be slightly degraded
but not much.  The fields with the most degradation
would be the details of the vertical profiles of
humidity and, to a lesser extent, temperature..."

General message from Stan Benjamin (Feb 3, 2003):
"... Basically, the problem is that unless you've taken special precautions in your 
ftp scripts, you've been accessing RUC analyses at 0000 and 1200 UTC that do not
assimilate most of the raob data.

Let me explain:  There are 2 RUC analyses in the operational NCEP version at 00z
and 12z only.  The first is an "early look" analysis, called the "A" analysis 
that misses most of the raob data (although it does have most of the other obs 
in it - profiler, aircraft, sfc, etc.).  The 00z and 12z RUC forecasts do NOT 
run off the "A" analysis.  Instead, a second analysis called the "B" analysis 
with a later (30 min) data cut-off to catch raob data is run, and then the 
forecast is run.

At the NCEP ftp site, the ruc2a directories contain the "A" analyses and 
forecasts initialized from the "B" analysis.  Yes, a little confusing.  To 
obtain the "B" analyses, you must go to the corresponding ruc2b directory.  
In other words, you must access two different directories to obtain the best
RUC analysis and forecast (from the B run) at 0000 and 1200 UTC.   Again, 
there is no B run at times other than 0000 and 1200 UTC.

The information on the RUC web site about ftp'ing from the NCEP-ftp site was NOT
correct about this issue until this afternoon.  It is now corrected (see 
http://ruc.fsl.noaa.gov/ruc20.data-access.html).  ..."

• u-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windutrop)
• Water Condensation Rate near Surface(condensewaterratesrf)
• Mixing Ratio of Graupel (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiograupel)
• Rate of Water Dropping from Canopy to Ground(dropwaterratesrf)
• Snow Temperature at Snow or Top Soil Level(snowtemp)
• Relative Humidity (hybrid-b grid)(rh)
• 2 meter temperature(temp2m)
• snow density(snowdensity)
• Geopotential Height (hybrid-b grid)(heightgp)
• v-Component of Wind (hybrid-b grid)(windv)
• u-Component of Wind (hybrid-b grid)(windu)
• Precipitation Rate at Surface(preciprate)
• temperature inside snow or top soil level(snowtempinside)
• Sub-surface Runoff(runoffsubsrf)
• Mixing Ratio of Snow (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiosnow)
• Precipitable water vapor(pwv)
• Latent Heat Flux at Surface(fluxlatentsrf)
• Net Longwave Irradiance at Surface(fluxlwnetsrf)
• Number Concentration of Ice Particles (hybrid-b grid)(ndensice)
• Surface,Sub-surface Soil Volumetric Moisture(moistsoilvolumesrfsubsrf)
• Derived pressure(pressure)
• Surface,Sub-surface Soil Temperature(tempsoilsrfsubsrf)
• water vapor mixing ratio, 2m fixed height(mxratiovapor2m)
• forecast period(forecast_period)
• water vapor mixing ratio at surface(mxratiovaporsfc)
• altitude(altitude)
• Mixing Ratio of Water Vapor (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiovapor)
• Mixing Ratio of Cloud Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratioliquid)
• North latitude(latitude)
• Evaporation of Canopy Water near Surface(evapcanopysrf)
• water equivalent of snow depth(snowdepthwaterequiv)
• Plant Canopy Surface Water(watercanopy)
• MAPS Pressure at Mean Sea Level(pressuremsl)
• Environmental Temperature (hybrid-b grid)(temp)
• Convective Inhibition(cinhib)
• East longitude(longitude)
• Evaporation from Bare Soil at Surface(evapsoilsrf)
• Pressure at Tropopause(pressuretrop)
• Mixing Ratio of Ice Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratioice)
• Net Shortwave Irradiance at Surface(fluxswnetsrf)
• Snow Accumulation over 3-hr(snowaccum)
• Snow Depth(snowdepth)
• base time in epoch(base_time)
• Sensible Heat Flux at Surface(fluxsensiblesrf)
• Mixing Ratio of Rain Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiorain)
• Turbulent Kinetic Energy (hybrid-b grid)(tketurb)
• Surface/Sub-surface Heights(heightss)
• v-Component of Wind (10 m fixed height)(windv10m)
• Surface Runoff(runoffsrf)
• Sub-grid Scale Precipitation at Surface(precipsubgrid)
• Potential Temperature at Tropopause(temppottrop)
• Pressure Vertical Velocity (hybrid-b grid)(velocityw)
• u-Component of Wind (10 m fixed height)(windu10m)
• Resolvable Scale Precipitation at Surface(precipresolved)
• Time offset from base_time(time_offset)
• Evapotranspiration Flux near Surface(fluxevaptranssrf)
• Virtual Potential Temperature (hybrid-b grid)(tempvirtpot)
• Convective available potential energy(cape)
• v-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windvtrop)

• (Raw data stream - documentation not supported)

• (Raw data stream - documentation not supported)

• Snow Depth(snowdepth)
• Categorical Rain(catrain)
• Convective Inhibition(cinhib)
• Pressure at Top Freezing Level(pressurefrztop)
• Potential Temperature at Tropopause(temppottrop)
• Equivalent Potential temperature(tempeqpot)
• Temperature at Tropopause(temptrop)
• Resolvable Scale Precipitation (3 hr)(precipresolved3hr)
• Snow Accumulation over 3-hr(snowaccum)
• Dew Point Temperature (2 m fixed height)(tempdewpt2m)
• Pressures of the p grid(pressurepgrid)
• Resolvable Scale Precipitation (Accumulated)(precipresolvedacc)
• Categorical Snow(catsnow)
• Dew Point Depression (2 m fixed height)(tempdewptdep2m)
• Time offset from base_time(time_offset)
• u-Component of Wind (10 m fixed height)(windu10m)
• Vertical Velocity (p grid)(velocitywp)
• Vertical Velocity (m grid)(velocitywm)
• Water Equivalent Snow Depth(snowdepthwatereq)
• North latitude(latitude)
• Earth Surface Height(heightsrf)
• Gust Wind Speed(windgustspeed)
• Cloud Base Height(heightcldbase)
• Convective available potential energy(cape)
• Pressure Intervals (30-0,60-30,90-60,120-90,150-120,180-150) of the m grid(pressuremgrid)
• Cloud Top Height(heightcldtop)
• forecast period(forecast_period)
• u-Component of Wind (p grid)(windup)
• Relative Humidity at Freezing Level(rhfrz)
• u-Component of Wind (m grid)(windum)
• Precipitation Rate at Surface(preciprate)
• v-Component of Wind (p grid)(windvp)
• Pressure at Tropopause(pressuretrop)
• Storm-Relative Helicity 0-3 km(stormrelhelicity)
• v-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windvtrop)
• v-Component of Wind (m grid)(windvm)
• Visibility(visibility)
• Relative Humidity at Top Freezing Level(rhfrztop)
• Specific Humidity (2 m fixed height)(sh2m)
• v-Component of Storm Motion(stormmotionv)
• Lifted Index(indexlifted)
• u-Component of Storm Motion(stormmotionu)
• Relative Humidity (m grid)(rhm)
• Relative Humidity (p grid)(rhp)
• Earth Surface Pressure(pressuresrf)
• Potential Temperature (2 m fixed height)(temppot2m)
• Equilibrium Level Height(heightequillevel)
• Environmental Temperature (p grid)(tempp)
• Environmental Temperature (m grid)(tempm)
• Relative Humidity (2 m fixed height)(rh2m)
• Categorical Freezing Rain(catfreezerain)
• v-Component of Wind at Maximum Wind Level(windvwindmax)
• base time in epoch(base_time)
• Convective Cloud Top Height(heightcldtopconv)
• u-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windutrop)
• Geopotential Height at Freezing Level(heightgpfrz)
• Soil Moisture Availability(moistsoilavail)
• Categorical Ice Pellets(caticepellets)
• Best Lifted Index(indexliftedbest)
• East longitude(longitude)
• MAPS Pressure at Mean Sea Level(pressuremsl)
• Sub-surface Runoff(runoffsubsrf)
• altitude(altitude)
• 2 meter temperature(temp2m)
• Sub-grid Scale Precipitation (3 hr)(precipsubgrid3hr)
• Planetary Boundary Height(heightpbl)
• Pressure at Maximum Wind Level(pressurewindmax)
• Sub-grid Scale Precipitation (Accumulated)(precipsubgridacc)
• Geopotential Height at Top Freezing Level(heightgpfrztop)
• Surface Runoff Accumulated(runoffsrfacc)
• v-Component of Wind (10 m fixed height)(windv10m)
• Pressure Tendency (3-hr)(pressuretend)
• Precipitable water vapor(pwv)
• Geopotential Height (p grid)(heightgpp)
• u-Component of Wind at Maximum Wind Level(winduwindmax)
• Maximum Equivalent Potential Temperature Pressure(pressuretempeqpotmax)
• Pressure at Freezing Level(pressurefrz)

• Geopotential Height at Top Freezing Level(heightgpfrztop)
• Best Lifted Index(indexliftedbest)
• Dew Point Temperature (2 m fixed height)(tempdewpt2m)
• v-Component of Wind (10 m fixed height)(windv10m)
• Time offset from base_time(time_offset)
• Relative Humidity at Top Freezing Level(rhfrztop)
• v-Component of Wind (p grid)(windvp)
• base time in epoch(base_time)
• v-Component of Wind (m grid)(windvm)
• Equilibrium Level Height(heightequillevel)
• Environmental Temperature (p grid)(tempp)
• Environmental Temperature (m grid)(tempm)
• Relative Humidity at Freezing Level(rhfrz)
• Earth Surface Height(heightsrf)
• Pressure Tendency (3-hr)(pressuretend)
• forecast period(forecast_period)
• u-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windutrop)
• Pressure Intervals (30-0,60-30,90-60,120-90,150-120,180-150) of the m grid(pressuremgrid)
• Convective Cloud Top Height(heightcldtopconv)
• Precipitable water vapor(pwv)
• East longitude(longitude)
• Pressure at Tropopause(pressuretrop)
• Sub-surface Runoff(runoffsubsrf)
• Geopotential Height (p grid)(heightgpp)
• altitude(altitude)
• Planetary Boundary Height(heightpbl)
• Earth Surface Pressure(pressuresrf)
• Categorical Ice Pellets(caticepellets)
• Sub-grid Scale Precipitation (Accumulated)(precipsubgridacc)
• v-Component of Wind at Maximum Wind Level(windvwindmax)
• Sub-grid Scale Precipitation (3 hr)(precipsubgrid3hr)
• Dew Point Depression (2 m fixed height)(tempdewptdep2m)
• Relative Humidity (p grid)(rhp)
• Relative Humidity (m grid)(rhm)
• Cloud Top Height(heightcldtop)
• time_in_seconds_since_volume_start(time)
• Convective available potential energy(cape)
• Equivalent Potential temperature(tempeqpot)
• Temperature at Tropopause(temptrop)
• MAPS Pressure at Mean Sea Level(pressuremsl)
• Convective Inhibition(cinhib)
• Visibility(visibility)
• Snow Accumulation over 3-hr(snowaccum)
• Pressure at Maximum Wind Level(pressurewindmax)
• Resolvable Scale Precipitation (3 hr)(precipresolved3hr)
• Resolvable Scale Precipitation (Accumulated)(precipresolvedacc)
• Lifted Index(indexlifted)
• Snow Depth(snowdepth)
• Potential Temperature at Tropopause(temppottrop)
• Maximum Equivalent Potential Temperature Pressure(pressuretempeqpotmax)
• Pressure at Top Freezing Level(pressurefrztop)
• Precipitation Rate at Surface(preciprate)
• u-Component of Wind (10 m fixed height)(windu10m)
• Pressure at Freezing Level(pressurefrz)
• u-Component of Wind (p grid)(windup)
• u-Component of Wind (m grid)(windum)
• 2 meter temperature(temp2m)
• Relative Humidity (2 m fixed height)(rh2m)
• Categorical Freezing Rain(catfreezerain)
• Pressures of the p grid(pressurepgrid)
• Vertical Velocity (m grid)(velocitywm)
• Specific Humidity (2 m fixed height)(sh2m)
• Vertical Velocity (p grid)(velocitywp)
• Categorical Snow(catsnow)
• u-Component of Storm Motion(stormmotionu)
• v-Component of Storm Motion(stormmotionv)
• Geopotential Height at Freezing Level(heightgpfrz)
• Categorical Rain(catrain)
• North latitude(latitude)
• u-Component of Wind at Maximum Wind Level(winduwindmax)
• Potential Temperature (2 m fixed height)(temppot2m)
• Water Equivalent Snow Depth(snowdepthwatereq)
• Soil Moisture Availability(moistsoilavail)
• Surface Runoff Accumulated(runoffsrfacc)
• v-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windvtrop)
• Cloud Base Height(heightcldbase)
• Gust Wind Speed(windgustspeed)
• Storm-Relative Helicity 0-3 km(stormrelhelicity)

• forecast period(forecast_period)
• Surface,Sub-surface Soil Volumetric Moisture(moistsoilvolumesrfsubsrf)
• Resolvable Scale Precipitation at Surface(precipresolved)
• Turbulent Kinetic Energy (hybrid-b grid)(tketurb)
• Convective Inhibition(cinhib)
• Virtual Potential Temperature (hybrid-b grid)(tempvirtpot)
• East longitude(longitude)
• water equivalent of snow depth(snowdepthwaterequiv)
• MAPS Pressure at Mean Sea Level(pressuremsl)
• Pressure at Tropopause(pressuretrop)
• Relative Humidity (hybrid-b grid)(rh)
• base time in epoch(base_time)
• Snow Depth(snowdepth)
• Number Concentration of Ice Particles (hybrid-b grid)(ndensice)
• Water Condensation Rate near Surface(condensewaterratesrf)
• Snow Accumulation over 3-hr(snowaccum)
• Environmental Temperature (hybrid-b grid)(temp)
• Mixing Ratio of Water Vapor (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiovapor)
• Evaporation of Canopy Water near Surface(evapcanopysrf)
• Sub-surface Runoff(runoffsubsrf)
• v-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windvtrop)
• Surface Runoff(runoffsrf)
• Mixing Ratio of Ice Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratioice)
• temperature inside snow or top soil level(snowtempinside)
• Precipitation Rate at Surface(preciprate)
• Geopotential Height (hybrid-b grid)(heightgp)
• u-Component of Wind (10 m fixed height)(windu10m)
• Evapotranspiration Flux near Surface(fluxevaptranssrf)
• Pressure Vertical Velocity (hybrid-b grid)(velocityw)
• Surface,Sub-surface Soil Temperature(tempsoilsrfsubsrf)
• water vapor mixing ratio, 2m fixed height(mxratiovapor2m)
• v-Component of Wind (10 m fixed height)(windv10m)
• snow density(snowdensity)
• Sub-grid Scale Precipitation at Surface(precipsubgrid)
• Net Shortwave Irradiance at Surface(fluxswnetsrf)
• Sensible Heat Flux at Surface(fluxsensiblesrf)
• Rate of Water Dropping from Canopy to Ground(dropwaterratesrf)
• Net Longwave Irradiance at Surface(fluxlwnetsrf)
• u-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windutrop)
• Snow Temperature at Snow or Top Soil Level(snowtemp)
• Surface/Sub-surface Heights(heightss)
• Time offset from base_time(time_offset)
• Plant Canopy Surface Water(watercanopy)
• time_in_seconds_since_volume_start(time)
• v-Component of Wind (hybrid-b grid)(windv)
• u-Component of Wind (hybrid-b grid)(windu)
• Convective available potential energy(cape)
• Evaporation from Bare Soil at Surface(evapsoilsrf)
• altitude(altitude)
• North latitude(latitude)
• Latent Heat Flux at Surface(fluxlatentsrf)
• Mixing Ratio of Snow (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiosnow)
• Precipitable water vapor(pwv)
• 2 meter temperature(temp2m)
• Mixing Ratio of Rain Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiorain)
• Derived pressure(pressure)
• Mixing Ratio of Cloud Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratioliquid)
• Mixing Ratio of Graupel (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiograupel)
• Potential Temperature at Tropopause(temppottrop)
• water vapor mixing ratio at surface(mxratiovaporsfc)

• v-Component of Wind (10 m fixed height)(windv10m)
• MAPS Pressure at Mean Sea Level(pressuremsl)
• Categorical Snow(catsnow)
• Categorical Ice Pellets(caticepellets)
• Snow Depth(snowdepth)
• Resolvable Scale Precipitation (3 hr)(precipresolved3hr)
• u-Component of Wind (m grid)(windum)
• u-Component of Wind (p grid)(windup)
• Resolvable Scale Precipitation (Accumulated)(precipresolvedacc)
• Surface Runoff Accumulated(runoffsrfacc)
• u-Component of Wind at Maximum Wind Level(winduwindmax)
• Sub-grid Scale Precipitation (3 hr)(precipsubgrid3hr)
• Sub-surface Runoff(runoffsubsrf)
• Categorical Rain(catrain)
• Dew Point Depression (2 m fixed height)(tempdewptdep2m)
• Pressure Intervals (30-0,60-30,90-60,120-90,150-120,180-150) of the m grid(pressuremgrid)
• Sub-grid Scale Precipitation (Accumulated)(precipsubgridacc)
• Snow Accumulation over 3-hr(snowaccum)
• Pressure at Freezing Level(pressurefrz)
• North latitude(latitude)
• Pressure Tendency (3-hr)(pressuretend)
• Pressure at Top Freezing Level(pressurefrztop)
• Specific Humidity (2 m fixed height)(sh2m)
• Lifted Index(indexlifted)
• Pressure at Maximum Wind Level(pressurewindmax)
• Relative Humidity at Top Freezing Level(rhfrztop)
• Potential Temperature at Tropopause(temppottrop)
• Visibility(visibility)
• Storm-Relative Helicity 0-3 km(stormrelhelicity)
• Precipitation Rate at Surface(preciprate)
• Convective Inhibition(cinhib)
• Convective available potential energy(cape)
• Vertical Velocity (m grid)(velocitywm)
• Precipitable water vapor(pwv)
• Vertical Velocity (p grid)(velocitywp)
• Relative Humidity (2 m fixed height)(rh2m)
• Equilibrium Level Height(heightequillevel)
• altitude(altitude)
• Maximum Equivalent Potential Temperature Pressure(pressuretempeqpotmax)
• Geopotential Height at Freezing Level(heightgpfrz)
• Potential Temperature (2 m fixed height)(temppot2m)
• 2 meter temperature(temp2m)
• Equivalent Potential temperature(tempeqpot)
• Temperature at Tropopause(temptrop)
• v-Component of Storm Motion(stormmotionv)
• u-Component of Storm Motion(stormmotionu)
• Cloud Top Height(heightcldtop)
• Relative Humidity (p grid)(rhp)
• Relative Humidity (m grid)(rhm)
• v-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windvtrop)
• Time offset from base_time(time_offset)
• Best Lifted Index(indexliftedbest)
• Environmental Temperature (m grid)(tempm)
• Environmental Temperature (p grid)(tempp)
• base time in epoch(base_time)
• Dew Point Temperature (2 m fixed height)(tempdewpt2m)
• forecast period(forecast_period)
• Earth Surface Height(heightsrf)
• Geopotential Height at Top Freezing Level(heightgpfrztop)
• Water Equivalent Snow Depth(snowdepthwatereq)
• Pressure at Tropopause(pressuretrop)
• Relative Humidity at Freezing Level(rhfrz)
• Soil Moisture Availability(moistsoilavail)
• East longitude(longitude)
• Convective Cloud Top Height(heightcldtopconv)
• Planetary Boundary Height(heightpbl)
• u-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windutrop)
• Categorical Freezing Rain(catfreezerain)
• u-Component of Wind (10 m fixed height)(windu10m)
• Geopotential Height (p grid)(heightgpp)
• Cloud Base Height(heightcldbase)
• Gust Wind Speed(windgustspeed)
• v-Component of Wind (p grid)(windvp)
• v-Component of Wind (m grid)(windvm)
• Earth Surface Pressure(pressuresrf)
• Pressures of the p grid(pressurepgrid)
• v-Component of Wind at Maximum Wind Level(windvwindmax)