What are flags/codes
The data output of the weather_dl() function include
corresponding _flag columns for each data column. These
columns are used by ECCC to add notes regarding measurements.
Similarly, the data output of the normals_dl() function
include corresponding _code columns. These columns are used
by ECCC to add notes regarding the amount of data used to calculate the
normals.
In the weather_dl() function if
format = TRUE (the default), data corresponding to flags
M, NA, and [empty] are all
replaced with NA (if they are not already
NA).
Flags - Weather Data
The flags index can be accessed through the built in data frame:
flags
| code | meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Accumulated |
| B | More than one occurrence and estimated |
| C | Precipitation occurred, amount uncertain |
| D | Data subject to further quality control procedure |
| E | Estimated |
| F | Accumulated and estimated |
| L | Precipitation may or may not have occurred |
| M | Missing |
| N | Temperature missing but known to be > 0 |
| S | More than one occurrence |
| T | Trace |
| Y | Temperature missing but known to be < 0 |
| [empty] | Indicates an unobserved value |
| ^ | The value displayed is based on incomplete data |
| † | Data that is not subject to review by the National Climate Archives |
| NA | Not Available |
Codes
In the normals_dl() function, codes are associated with
each variable:
## The most current normals available for download by weathercan are '1991-2020'## Using composite locations: BRANDON## # A tibble: 338 × 35
## period daily_average_c daily_average_c_code daily_maximum_c daily_maximum_c_code
## <chr> <dbl> <chr> <dbl> <chr>
## 1 Jan -16.7 A -11.4 A
## 2 Feb -14.1 A -8.5 A
## 3 Mar -7 A -1.6 A
## 4 Apr 3.1 A 9.6 A
## 5 May 10.3 A 17.4 A
## 6 Jun 16.2 A 22.6 A
## 7 Jul 18.4 A 24.9 A
## 8 Aug 17.7 A 25.1 A
## 9 Sep 12.2 A 19.5 A
## 10 Oct 4 A 10.1 A
## # ℹ 328 more rows
## # ℹ 30 more variables: daily_minimum_c <dbl>, daily_minimum_c_code <chr>,
## # maximum_daily_mean_c <dbl>, maximum_daily_mean_c_code <lgl>,
## # maximum_daily_mean_c_date <date>, maximum_daily_mean_c_date_code <lgl>,
## # minimum_daily_mean_c <dbl>, minimum_daily_mean_c_code <lgl>,
## # minimum_daily_mean_c_date <date>, minimum_daily_mean_c_date_code <lgl>,
## # minimum_daily_maximum_c <dbl>, minimum_daily_maximum_c_code <lgl>, …For example, here, the code indicates that these temperature variables meet the WMO ‘3 and 5 rule’ (no more than 3 consecutive and no more than 5 total missing for either temperature or precipitation).
Older climate normals are in a different format, but the codes are the same
## # A tibble: 13 × 23
## period temp_daily_average temp_daily_average_code temp_daily_max temp_daily_max_code
## <fct> <dbl> <chr> <dbl> <chr>
## 1 Jan -16.6 A -11.1 A
## 2 Feb -13.6 A -8.1 A
## 3 Mar -6.2 A -1 A
## 4 Apr 4 A 10.5 A
## 5 May 10.6 A 17.8 A
## 6 Jun 15.9 A 22.4 A
## 7 Jul 18.5 A 25.2 A
## 8 Aug 17.7 A 24.9 A
## 9 Sep 11.8 A 18.9 A
## 10 Oct 4.1 A 10.4 A
## 11 Nov -5.6 A -0.5 A
## 12 Dec -14 A -9 A
## 13 Year 2.2 A 8.4 A
## # ℹ 18 more variables: temp_daily_min <dbl>, temp_daily_min_code <chr>,
## # rain_extreme_daily <dbl>, rain_extreme_daily_code <chr>,
## # rain_extreme_daily_date <date>, rain_extreme_daily_date_code <chr>,
## # snow_extreme_daily <dbl>, snow_extreme_daily_code <chr>,
## # snow_extreme_daily_date <date>, snow_extreme_daily_date_code <chr>,
## # precip_extreme_daily <dbl>, precip_extreme_daily_code <chr>,
## # precip_extreme_daily_date <date>, precip_extreme_daily_date_code <chr>, …Codes - Climate Normals
The codes index for climate normals can be accessed through the
built-in data frame: codes
| code | meaning |
|---|---|
| A | WMO ‘3 and 5 rule’ (i.e. no more than 3 consecutive and no more than 5 total missing for either temperature or precipitation) |
| B | At least 25 years |
| C | At least 20 years |
| D | At least 15 years |