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).  ..."

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

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

• null(Raw data stream - documentation not supported)

• MAPS Pressure at Mean Sea Level(pressuremsl)
• Snow Depth(snowdepth)
• water vapor mixing ratio at surface(mxratiovaporsfc)
• 10 meter component u-wind(windu10m)
• forecast period(forecast_period)
• Beam 0 Temperature(temp)
• Pressure at Tropopause(pressuretrop)
• Mixing Ratio of Ice Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratioice)
• Geopotential Height (hybrid-b grid)(heightgp)
• Mixing Ratio of Water Vapor (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiovapor)
• Evaporation from Bare Soil at Surface(evapsoilsrf)
• Net Shortwave Irradiance at Surface(fluxswnetsrf)
• Precipitation Rate at Surface(preciprate)
• Evaporation of Canopy Water near Surface(evapcanopysrf)
• Net Longwave Irradiance at Surface(fluxlwnetsrf)
• Resolvable Scale Precipitation at Surface(precipresolved)
• 10 meter component v-wind(windv10m)
• Convective Inhibition(cinhib)
• Convective Available Potential Energy(cape)
• Number Concentration of Ice Particles (hybrid-b grid)(ndensice)
• Mixing Ratio of Graupel (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiograupel)
• u-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windutrop)
• Virtual Potential Temperature (hybrid-b grid)(tempvirtpot)
• Rate of Water Dropping from Canopy to Ground(dropwaterratesrf)
• Plant Canopy Surface Water(watercanopy)
• Turbulent Kinetic Energy (hybrid-b grid)(tketurb)
• Altitude(altitude)
• v-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windvtrop)
• 2 meter temperature(temp2m)
• Surface,Sub-surface Soil Temperature(tempsoilsrfsubsrf)
• temperature inside snow or top soil level(snowtempinside)
• Evapotranspiration Flux near Surface(fluxevaptranssrf)
• Sensible Heat Flux at Surface(fluxsensiblesrf)
• snow density(snowdensity)
• Mixing Ratio of Rain Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiorain)
• Latent Heat Flux at Surface(fluxlatentsrf)
• Mixing Ratio of Cloud Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratioliquid)
• north latitude(latitude)
• Surface Runoff(runoffsrf)
• water equivalent of snow depth(snowdepthwaterequiv)
• water vapor mixing ratio, 2m fixed height(mxratiovapor2m)
• Snow Temperature at Snow or Top Soil Level(snowtemp)
• Mixing Ratio of Snow (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiosnow)
• east longitude(longitude)
• base time(base_time)
• Potential Temperature at Tropopause(temppottrop)
• u-Component of Wind (hybrid-b grid)(windu)
• Precipitable water vapr, from MWR (through lssonde)(pwv)
• v-Component of Wind (hybrid-b grid)(windv)
• Water Condensation Rate near Surface(condensewaterratesrf)
• Sub-surface Runoff(runoffsubsrf)
• Snow Accumulation over 3-hr(snowaccum)
• Pressure Vertical Velocity (hybrid-b grid)(velocityw)
• Relative humidity inside the instrument enclosure(rh)
• Surface,Sub-surface Soil Volumetric Moisture(moistsoilvolumesrfsubsrf)
• Time offset of tweaks from base_time(time_offset)
• time(time)
• atmospheric pressure at mean sea level and at tropopause (NGM250 predicted)(pressure)
• Sub-grid Scale Precipitation at Surface(precipsubgrid)
• Surface/Sub-surface Heights(heightss)

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

• null(Raw data stream - documentation not supported)

• Geopotential Height (hybrid-b grid)(heightgp)
• Surface,Sub-surface Soil Volumetric Moisture(moistsoilvolumesrfsubsrf)
• Turbulent Kinetic Energy (hybrid-b grid)(tketurb)
• base time(base_time)
• Mixing Ratio of Cloud Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratioliquid)
• Latent Heat Flux at Surface(fluxlatentsrf)
• Virtual Potential Temperature (hybrid-b grid)(tempvirtpot)
• Rate of Water Dropping from Canopy to Ground(dropwaterratesrf)
• Mixing Ratio of Rain Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiorain)
• Net Longwave Irradiance at Surface(fluxlwnetsrf)
• Beam 0 Temperature(temp)
• Snow Depth(snowdepth)
• Sub-surface Runoff(runoffsubsrf)
• Mixing Ratio of Ice Water (hybrid-b grid)(mxratioice)
• Mixing Ratio of Graupel (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiograupel)
• north latitude(latitude)
• Potential Temperature at Tropopause(temppottrop)
• atmospheric pressure at mean sea level and at tropopause (NGM250 predicted)(pressure)
• Surface,Sub-surface Soil Temperature(tempsoilsrfsubsrf)
• Net Shortwave Irradiance at Surface(fluxswnetsrf)
• Surface Runoff(runoffsrf)
• Pressure Vertical Velocity (hybrid-b grid)(velocityw)
• Water Condensation Rate near Surface(condensewaterratesrf)
• MAPS Pressure at Mean Sea Level(pressuremsl)
• Evaporation from Bare Soil at Surface(evapsoilsrf)
• Mixing Ratio of Water Vapor (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiovapor)
• u-Component of Wind (hybrid-b grid)(windu)
• v-Component of Wind (hybrid-b grid)(windv)
• Snow Temperature at Snow or Top Soil Level(snowtemp)
• Sensible Heat Flux at Surface(fluxsensiblesrf)
• Time offset of tweaks from base_time(time_offset)
• u-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windutrop)
• Pressure at Tropopause(pressuretrop)
• snow density(snowdensity)
• 10 meter component v-wind(windv10m)
• Evapotranspiration Flux near Surface(fluxevaptranssrf)
• v-Component of Wind at Tropopause(windvtrop)
• Relative humidity inside the instrument enclosure(rh)
• Sub-grid Scale Precipitation at Surface(precipsubgrid)
• Precipitable water vapr, from MWR (through lssonde)(pwv)
• Precipitation Rate at Surface(preciprate)
• Plant Canopy Surface Water(watercanopy)
• Altitude(altitude)
• Evaporation of Canopy Water near Surface(evapcanopysrf)
• water vapor mixing ratio, 2m fixed height(mxratiovapor2m)
• Convective Inhibition(cinhib)
• 2 meter temperature(temp2m)
• Resolvable Scale Precipitation at Surface(precipresolved)
• 10 meter component u-wind(windu10m)
• Convective Available Potential Energy(cape)
• forecast period(forecast_period)
• water vapor mixing ratio at surface(mxratiovaporsfc)
• temperature inside snow or top soil level(snowtempinside)
• Surface/Sub-surface Heights(heightss)
• east longitude(longitude)
• water equivalent of snow depth(snowdepthwaterequiv)
• Mixing Ratio of Snow (hybrid-b grid)(mxratiosnow)
• Number Concentration of Ice Particles (hybrid-b grid)(ndensice)
• Snow Accumulation over 3-hr(snowaccum)