NOAA/NCEI Blended Global Sea Surface Winds, Version 2

NBSv2

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The NBSv2.0 dataset synthesizes observations from multiple satellites (up to 16 satellites since 1987) to create globally gridded, high-resolution 10 m neutral ocean wind speeds and wind stress components. The wind directions come from two sources depending on the products: for the research delayed mode product, the source is the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts ERA5 and for the near-real-time products, the source is the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) GFS. This is an updated version of the existing NOAA NBS v1.0, which is a global gridded 0.25 degree and 6-hourly/daily/monthly sea surface winds product that has wide applications in marine transportation, marine ecosystem and fisheries, offshore winds, weather and ocean forecasts, and other areas. A Climatological mean or WMO 30-year Normals are also generated for this product. This newly developed version 2 shows improvement (over its predecessor version 1.0) in following aspects: Resolving very high winds associated with Cyclones/Hurricanes, A gap-free global spatial coverage, Better improved algorithm and coded with open source Python reducing the computational clock time by 10x, and A near-real time production. The data are available in netCDF format for the period of record, July 1987 to present, with six-hourly, daily, and monthly time resolutions for both the blended Sea Surface Wind (SSW) as well as SSW stress data.
  • Cite as: Saha, Korak; and Zhang, Huai-Min. 2023. NOAA/NCEI Blended Global Sea Surface Winds. Version 2. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/{{DOI}}. Accessed [date].
  • NCEI DSI: 2084_01
  • gov.noaa.ncdc:C01702
Download Data
Distribution Formats
  • netCDF-4 (Version: 4)
  • PDF
  • PYTHON and BASH
Ordering InstructionsContact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
DistributorNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact Customer Engagement Branch
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1 828-271-4800
ncei.orders@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact Korak Saha
Assistant Research Scientist
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
korak.saha@noaa.gov
Time Period1987-07-09 to Present (time interval: 6-hour)
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
N: 90.0
S: -90.0
E: 180.0
W: -180.0
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Processing Documents
Associated Resources
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2023-10-15
EditionVersion 2
Dataset Progress StatusOngoing - data is continually being updated
Data Update Frequency Daily
PurposeThe hurricane and typhoon storm wind resolving NOAA/NCEI Blended Seawinds version 2.0 (NBSv2.0) contains globally gridded high-resolution 10m ocean neutral winds and wind stresses on a global 0.25 degree grid, and multiple time resolutions of 6-hourly, daily, monthly, and WMO recommended 30-year(1991-2020) climatology. The dataset has great value to the Offshore Wind Energy industries, marine ecosystems such as fisheries (including storminess), and the Ocean Health Indices, and in fact have been called out in NOAA's new Blue Economy plan, as well as the current Administration's initiative on Floating Offshore Wind Energy. Other impacted user communities with past specific examples include marine transportation (e.g. Ship Routing International), marine construction and engineering, ocean modeling and marine forecasts.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Saha, Korak; and Zhang, Huai-Min. 2023. NOAA/NCEI Blended Global Sea Surface Winds. Version 2. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/{{DOI}}. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
  • Saha, Korak
    NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
  • Zhang, Huai-Min
    NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Contributors
  • Saha, Korak
    NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
  • Zhang, Huai-Min
    NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Publishers
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Theme keywordsGlobal Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Winds > Surface Winds
  • Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Winds > Wind Stress
Place keywordsGlobal Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
  • Geographic Region > Global Ocean
Stratum keywordsGlobal Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
  • Vertical Location > Sea Surface
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Saha, Korak; and Zhang, Huai-Min. 2023. NOAA/NCEI Blended Global Sea Surface Winds. Version 2. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/{{DOI}}. Accessed [date].
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Lineage StatementThe data were produced and archived at the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). For more information, see associated processing documentation.
Processor
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Processing Steps
  • For transparency of the processing steps, see the NOAA/NCEI Blended Global Sea Surface Winds, Version 2 (NBSv2) source code.
Processing Documents
Lineage information for: repository
Processing Steps
  • 2015-04-22T00:00:00 - NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
Last Modified: 2024-04-24
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