Coastal Water Temperature Observations

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Available Data File on this CD-ROM:
Summary of Coastal Water Temperature Observations

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has carried out water temperature observations at stations along the Japanese coast [Map]. Table 2-1 shows names, positions and observation periods of the 21 stations whose data are available in this CD-ROM.

The coastal water temperature had been measured at 10:00 JST (Japan Standard Time) every day with a mercury thermometer until 1970/80s. In 1970/80s, self-recording apparatus with resistance thermometer were introduced at the stations except Sakata in the months shown in Table 2-1. JMA discontinued the observation in November 1993 at Naze and in March 1995 at other 13 stations. Since April 1995, the coastal water temperature has been observed at 7 stations: Esashi, Miyako, Onahama, Omaezaki, Hachijojima, Hamada and Ishigaki. Hourly sampling has been made at the 7 stations since March 1996. The observation at the Hachijojima has been suspended since October 2002 due to trouble with the sensor and transmitter.

The coastal water temperature data are provided in the files named COAST03J, COAST03D, and COAST03H.nnn, where nnn is the last 3 figures of WMO station index.

COAST03J contains historical time series of 10-day and monthly mean values at the 21 stations during the period shown in Table 2-1. The file consists of half-yearly records which include the first 10-day mean, the second 10-day mean, the last 10-day mean, and the monthly mean in the former or latter half of the year. The records also include WMO station index, year and period indicator: "A" or "B", which indicates the former or latter half of the year. 10-day or monthly mean value is specified as "999" in case of more than 20% of the data are missing during the period. The format is shown in Table 2-3.

COAST03D contains daily observed temperatures at 10:00 JST at the 21 stations during the period shown in Table 2-2. The file consists of monthly records which include daily observed temperatures in the month, WMO station index, year and month. The format is shown in Table 2-4.

COAST03H.nnn contains hourly observed temperatures at each station for the period from March 1996 to December 2003. Each file consists of daily records which contain the temperatures observed every hour from 01 to 24 JST in the day, WMO station index, year, month and day. The format is shown in Table 2-5.

Table 2-1. List of stations in the file COAST03J and related information.
StationWMO station indexPostition
LatitudeLongitude
COAST03J Data are available from Introduction of the resistance thermometer COAST03J Data are available to
WAKKANAI47401
45-24 N141-41E
 Sep. 1938Feb. 1981Mar. 1995
SUTTSU47421
42-48 N140-14 E
 Jan. 1908Mar. 1984Mar. 1995
URAKAWA47426
42-10 N142-47 E
 Nov. 1940Oct. 1980Mar. 1995
ESASHI47428
41-52 N140-08 E
 Jan. 1941Apr. 1984Dec. 2003
MOMBETSU47435
44-21 N143-21 E
 Jan. 1957Jul. 1983Mar. 1995
MIYAKO47585
39-39 N141-59 E
 Sep. 1927Nov. 1978Dec. 2003
SAKATA (TOBISHIMA)47587
38-54 N139-51 E
 Jan. 1934-Mar. 1995
ONAHAMA47598
36-56 N140-54 E
 Jan. 1936Jun. 1976Dec. 2003
WAJIMA47600
37-24 N136-54 E
 Jan. 1932Feb. 1978Mar. 1995
OMAEZAKI47655
34-37 N138-13 E
 May 1934Aug. 1983Dec. 2003
TATEYAMA (MERA)47672
34-59 N139-52 E
 Aug. 1982Aug. 1982Mar. 1995
HACHIJOJIMA47678
33-06 N139-46 E
 Jan. 1936Aug. 1972Sep. 2002
SAIGO47740
36-12 N133-20 E
 Nov. 1939Jul. 1983Mar. 1995
HAMADA47755
34-54 N132-04 E
 Dec. 1941Jul. 1985Dec. 2003
SHIONOMISAKI47778
33-27 N135-46 E
 Jan. 1939Jul. 1982Mar. 1995
SHIMIZU (ASHIZURI)47898
32-43 N133-01 E
 Jan. 1946Jul. 1983Mar. 1995
IZUHARA47800
34-12 N129-18 E
 Jan. 1934Aug. 1986Mar. 1995
USHIBUKA47838
32-12 N130-01 E
 Jun. 1955Jun. 1985Mar. 1995
NAZE47909
28-23 N129-30 E
 Jan. 1939Jul. 1984Nov. 1993
ISHIGAKI47918
24-20 N124-09 E
 Jan. 1914Sep. 1981Dec. 2003
NAHA47936
26-13 N127-40 E
 Jan. 1936Jul. 1982Mar. 1995

Table 2-2. Data available periods of COAST03D and COAST03H.nnn
Station COAST03D Data are available
fromto
 COAST03H.nnn Data are available
fromto
WAKKANAI
Feb. 1981Mar. 1995
--
SUTTSU
Mar. 1984Mar. 1995
--
URAKAWA
Oct. 1980Mar. 1995
--
ESASHI
Apr. 1984Dec. 2003
Mar. 1996Dec. 2003
MOMBETSU
Jul. 1983Mar. 1995
--
MIYAKO
Nov. 1978Dec. 2003
Mar. 1996Dec. 2003
SAKATA (TOBISHIMA)
Jan. 1961Mar. 1995
--
ONAHAMA
May. 1976Dec. 2003
Mar. 1996Dec. 2003
WAJIMA
Jan. 1961Mar. 1995
--
OMAEZAKI
Jan. 1961Dec. 2003
Mar. 1996Dec. 2003
TATEYAMA (MERA)
Aug. 1982Mar. 1995
--
HACHIJOJIMA
Jan. 1961Sep. 2002
Mar. 1996Sep. 2002
SAIGO
Jul. 1983Mar. 1995
--
HAMADA
Jul. 1985Dec. 2003
Mar. 1996Dec. 2003
SHIONOMISAKI
Jul. 1982Mar. 1995
--
SHIMIZU (ASHIZURI)
Jan. 1961Mar. 1995
--
IZUHARA
Aug. 1986Mar. 1995
--
USHIBUKA
Jun. 1985Mar. 1995
--
NAZE
Jul. 1984Nov. 1993
--
ISHIGAKI
Jan. 1961Dec. 2003
Mar. 1996Dec. 2003
NAHA
Jul. 1982Mar. 1995
--

Table 2-3. Record format of COAST03J
Element Start Position Field TypeDescription of Field
10-DAY AND MONTHLY MEAN WATER TEMPERATURE 16(4I3) unit; 0.1 degrees centigrade. 999: no data. Six consecutive monthly sets of 1st, 2nd and 3rd 10-day means and monthly mean.
STATION INDEX 73I3 The last three figures of WMO station index number.
YEAR 76I4
PERIOD INDICATOR 80A1 "A" means former half of the year. "B" means latter half of the year.

Table 2-4. Record format of COAST03D
Element Start Position Field Type Description of Field
STATION INDEX 1 I5 WMO station index number.
YEAR AND MONTH 6 I4,I2
WATER TEMPERATURE 12 31(I3) unit; 0.1 degrees centigrade. 999: no data. 31 consecutive daily observed temperatures.

Table 2-5. Record format of COAST03H.nnn (nnn: Last 3 figures of WMO index number)
Element Start Position Field TypeDescription of Field
STATION INDEX 1 I5 WMO station index number.
YEAR AND MONTH 7 I4,1X,I2
DAY 15 I2
WATER TEMPERATURE 18 24(I3,1X) unit; 0.1 degrees centigrade. 999: no data. 24 consecutive hourly observed temperatures.