Easy to Read HURDAT Format
Note to Researchers : This 'easy-to-read' version is a
derived product from the HURDAT file. It is strongly recommended
that for research purposes one utilize the current
official HURDAT file rather than this secondarily derived dataset.
An easier to read version of the
HURDAT Atlantic Best Track data files were formulated by Chris Landsea
to aid researchers. The data layout is self-explanatory with headers included
for each column.
The files look like this :
Storm ETHEL is number 6 of the year 1960
************************************************
Month Day Hour Lat. Long. Dir. ----Speed----- -----Wind------ Pressure ------------Type-----------
September 14 12 UTC 23.9N 90.6W -- deg -- mph -- kph 45 mph 75 kph -- mb Tropical Storm
September 14 18 UTC 25.6N 89.7W 25 deg 20 mph 33 kph 85 mph 140 kph -- mb Hurricane - Category 1
September 15 0 UTC 27.0N 89.1W 20 deg 16 mph 25 kph 125 mph 205 kph 981 mb Major Hurricane - Category 3
September 15 6 UTC 28.1N 88.9W 10 deg 12 mph 20 kph 160 mph 260 kph -- mb Major Hurricane - Category 5
September 15 12 UTC 29.1N 88.9W 0 deg 11 mph 18 kph 90 mph 150 kph -- mb Hurricane - Category 1
September 15 18 UTC 29.9N 89.0W 355 deg 9 mph 14 kph 70 mph 110 kph -- mb Tropical Storm
September 16 0 UTC 30.7N 89.0W 0 deg 9 mph 14 kph 50 mph 85 kph -- mb Tropical Storm
September 16 6 UTC 31.3N 89.0W 0 deg 5 mph 9 kph 40 mph 65 kph -- mb Tropical Storm
September 16 12 UTC 32.0N 88.9W 5 deg 8 mph 12 kph 40 mph 65 kph -- mb Tropical Storm
September 16 18 UTC 32.9N 88.5W 20 deg 10 mph 16 kph 35 mph 55 kph -- mb Tropical Depression
September 17 0 UTC 33.9N 88.1W 20 deg 11 mph 18 kph 30 mph 45 kph -- mb Tropical Depression
September 17 6 UTC 35.0N 88.0W 5 deg 12 mph 20 kph 25 mph 35 kph -- mb Tropical Depression
September 17 12 UTC 36.0N 87.6W 20 deg 11 mph 18 kph 15 mph 30 kph -- mb Tropical Depression
September 17 18 UTC 36.8N 87.0W 30 deg 10 mph 16 kph 15 mph 30 kph -- mb Tropical Depression
Each storm entry begins with a header line, listing the storm name
and its sequence number for the year followed by the year the
storm occured. Next is a seperator line of asterisks '*'. Then
there is another header line providing the information of each
column of data to follow. The actual data follows with the date,
time, position, maximum sustained wind direction and speed,
central minimum pressure, and storm type.
Time is given in Universal Time Code (UTC) which is a 24 hour
clock rendering of the the time at 0 degrees Longitude or
Greenwich Mean Time (to convert to Eastern Standard Time add five
hours, to convert to Eastern Daylight Savings Time add four hours).
Latitude and Longitude are to the nearest
tenth of a degree and the Hemispheres are listed as 'N' or 'S' for
North or South and 'E' or 'W' for East or West. Wind direction is
degrees clockwise from due north (0 deg.). Wind speed is given in
both miles per hour and kilometers per hour. The central minimum
pressure is given in millibars. And storm type is either Tropical
Disturbance, Tropical Depression, Tropical Storm, Hurricane, or
Major Hurricane. If it is a Hurricane or Major Hurricane the
Category on the Saffir-Simpson scale is then listed.
Each 6 hour value is on a seperate ASCII line and the listing
continues until the next storm listing begins as noted by the
header line.
