World Meteorological Organization

No.

Field Name

Type

Width

Description

Sequence number of record according to the increment manner through the year. There are two different series of the sequence numbers (0001 to 9999) for "observational data" and one for "products” which are initialized at the beginning of each year.

Type of change to the record whose contents are shown in the last twelve fields (field No.4 to 15).

• DD = deleting a record (ie deleting a bulletin)
• AA = adding a record (ie adding a new bulletin)
• DM = deletion of the record for modification
• AM = addition of the record for modification

Explanation: When modifying an entry use “DM” for deletion of an existing record to be modified and “AM” for addition of the modified record.  The placement order of the records in the file is important.  The record to be modified with the type of “DM” should be followed by the modified one with the type of “AM”.  It shows that the “DM” record is replaced by the “AM” one.

Date from which this change becomes effective, in the form of day/month/year (e.g. 01/01/2008 for 1st January 2008).

4

Region

Numeric

1

WMO Regions:

5

RTH

Character

Variable

Regional Telecommunication Hub whose zone of responsibility corresponds to the bulletin.

6

Country

Character

Variable

Country where centre is located

Centre

Character

Variable

Centre (usually the NMC) who originates the bulletin or controls the originator of the bulletin

8

Date

Character

10

Date when record becomes effective. day/month/year (e.g. 05/12/1998 for 5th December 1998)

9

Category

Character

1

A= Additional data/products; E= Essential data/products; O= Other data/products

10

TTAAii

Character

6

Abbreviated heading of the bulletin (a):

• TT = standard data designators (b)
• AA = Geographical designator (b)

(a) See WMO Publication 386: Manual on the GTS, Att. II-5, Vol I, Pt II, para 2.3.2 for full details of abbreviated headings.
(b) See Attachment II-5 of the above-mentioned publication WMO No. 386 for WMO standard data designators ("TT....") and geographical designators ("..AA..").

CCCC

Character

4

International four-letter location indicator, used in the abbreviated heading (see Annex I)

CodeForm

Character

Variable

FM code form – see WMO No 306 – Manual on Codes
eg: FM 51 – XII; PLAIN LANGUAGE; Blank

13

TimeGroup

Character

Variable

Time(s) in UTC (= "GG"):

For bulletins containing meteorological reports: The standard time of observation, in UTC; For aerodrome, route and area (aeronautical) forecasts: The hour (in UTC) during which the transmission is made (eg 15 is shown if the transmission time is 15:30).

For other forecasts and analyses: The standard time, in UTC, of the observation on which the forecast or analysis is based.

For other messages: The time of issuing, in UTC as GG in YYGGgg group of the abbreviated heading. Day of month for the bulletin issued on a fixed day every month.

Other comment on issuance of a bulletin could be inserted in "Remarks" field.

11

Content

Character

Variable

Contents of the bulletin: the international station index number or the international four-letter indicator (ICAO location indicators) of stations whose reports are included in the bulletin.

For GRID and GRIB bulletins, area of coverage and grid spacing.

15

Remarks

Character

Variable

Memo field used for any information not described in the preceding fields. In case that contents of a GRID/GRIB bulletin differ from those derived from the abbreviated heading, such information as parameters on actual contents should be inserted in this field.