Explanation of the F6 Codes

Preliminary Climate Data (F6) Codes Explained

Column #	Abbreviation	Explanation
1	Dy	The date.
2	Max	The highest temperature for the date.
3	Min	The lowest temperature for the date.
4	Avg	The average temperature for the date. Computed by finding the average of the values in columns 2 and 3, then rounding up (or warmer), if necessary.
5	Dep	Departure from normal. The difference between column 4 and the 30 year normal temperature for this date.
6a	Hdd	Heating degree days. Computed by subtracting the average temperature from 65. If less than 0, HDD=0.
6b	Cdd	Cooling degree days. Computed by subtracting 65 from the average temperature. If less than 0, CDD=0.
7	Wtr	Total precipitation for the date in inches. This includes all forms of precipitation, melted if snow or ice occurred.
8	Snw	Total frozen precipitation for the date in inches. (snow, sleet, and hail)
9	Dpth	Snow depth in whole inches at 6am CST.
10	Avg Spd	Average wind speed for the date in mph.
11	Mx Spd	The highest wind speed measured over a 2 minute period in mph.
12	2 Min Dir	The direction (in compass degrees) from which the wind speed in column 11 came from. ( 360=from the north, 180=from the south, 270=from the west, 90=from the east, etc.)
13	Min	The number of minutes of sunshine received at the station.
14	Psbl	The percentage of possible sunshine. Computed by dividing the minutes of sunshine (column 13) into the total possible minutes.
15	S-S	The average sky cover between sunrise and sunset in tenths. (0-3=CLR, 4-7=Partly Cloudy, 8-10=Cloudy)
16	Wx	Weather types observed for the date. 1=Fog or mist. 2=Dense fog (visibility is reduced to 1/4 mile or less). 3=Thunder. 4=Ice pellets (sleet). 5=Hail. 6=Glaze or rime (freezing rain). 7=Dust storm or sandstorm (visibility reduced to 1/4 mile or less). 8=Smoke or Haze. 9=Blowing snow. X=Tornado.
17	Wnd Spd	Peak wind speed for the date in mph. The highest wind speed observed at the station.
18	Wnd Dr	The compass direction from which the peak wind speed came.