MCH - Meteorology, Climatology and Hydrology Database Management System
What is MCH ?
MCH is a database management system (DBMS)* based on open source database and software.
The System, developed by Mexico and adapted by the Programme of Cooperation for the Iberoamerican National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), has been transferred to WMO in 2011.
Originally developed in Spanish, the whole software has been translated into English and French.
MCH can be used on a single computer (stand alone configuration) or in a network configuration. It allows also to connect automatic stations and gather real time data.
*“A Data Base Management System (DBMS) is a computer program (or more typically, a suite of them) designed to manage a database, a large set of structured data, and run operations on the data requested by numerous users.” (source :From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
For whom?
MCH is mainly designed for:
- Small NMHSs that don’t have any DBMS or other solutions to digitize, store and process large amount of data.
- NMHSs looking for a simple, customizable and license-free solution to store, analyze data and generate reports on large amount of meteorological, climatological and hydrological data.
How can you obtain MCH?
MCH is available on request through the Permanent Representative of your country with WMO
Main features
Data capture, importation and exportation interfaces
- Data validation rules (including 4 levels of alert for each variable)
- Manual data capture (from one to ten variables simultaneously)
- Data importation in text tab-separated (.txt) format and .mch format
- Data exportation in .cvs, .txt and .mch format
Data visualization interfaces
- Tables
- Single Graphics
- Comparative graphics
- Maps
- Sketch maps
- Animations
Definitions and Metadata
- Stations definition
- Variables definition
- Data validation rules
- Define users and users roles
- Metadata for stations
- Metadata for instruments
Data analyses and processing
- Data availability
- Missing data
- Convert detailled data to daily data
- Generate weekly,dekadal, monthly, annual data
- Normals
- Isolines
- Derived variables
Additional features
- Digitband (interface to digitize paper bands)
- Hydrological module
- Web interface
Minimum technical requirements
- Windows Operating system (from 2000 to Windows 10)
- 1 GB of RAM
- Processor speed of 1.5 GHz
- A video resolution 1024 x 768
- 5 GB hard disk space
Support
User community
A user community platform has been implemented and provides MCH users' with the latest version and updates of MCH. This plateform provides as well a way to share experiences and ask assistance on specific features of MCH.
User manual
A complete user manual is available in Spanish, English and French on request or through the user community