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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.
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