The CMA Tropical Cyclone Best Track Dataset covers tropical cyclones that develop over the western North Pacific. The basin is to the north of the equator and to the west of 180°E, and includes the South China Sea (SCS). The present version of the dataset includes 6-hourly track and intensity analyses since 1949. Each file in the dataset contains data for one year, and the dataset will be updated annually.
Updates and downloads:
Recently updated: Mar 28, 2024
Since Nov., 2020, the total number of downloads:
Please indicate that the CMA Tropical Cyclone Best Track Data was obtained from tcdata.typhoon.org.cn, and refer to the following paper in any written work using the dataset:
- Ying, M., W. Zhang, H. Yu, X. Lu, J. Feng, Y. Fan, Y. Zhu, and D. Chen, 2014: An overview of the China Meteorological Administration tropical cyclone database. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 31, 287-301. doi: 10.1175/JTECH-D-12-00119.1
- Lu, X. Q., H. Yu, M. Ying, B. K. Zhao, S. Zhang, L. M. Lin, L. N. Bai, and R. J. Wan, 2021: Western North Pacific tropical cyclone database created by the China Meteorological Administration. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 38(4), 690−699. doi: 10.1007/s00376-020-0211-7
CHYYYYBST.txt ——
CH: First label of the dataset, denotes CHINA.
YYYY: Four-digit calendar year.
BST: Second label of the dataset, denotes BEST TRACK data.
1. Header record
| AAAAA | 5 columns | Header line indicator, '66666' indicates best track data. |
| BBBB | 4 columns | International ID. |
| CCC | 3 columns | Number of data lines. |
| DDDD | 4 columns | Tropical cyclone serial number. |
| EEEE | 4 columns | Chinese ID. |
| F | 1 column |
Flag of the last data line: F = 0 Decay;F = 1 Move outside of the region;F = 2 Merge;F = 3 Quasi-stationary. |
| G | 1 column |
Time interval (hours): = 6 before 2017 and non-landfall TCs since 2017, and = 3 indicates extra records for TCs made landfall in China since 2017. |
| H...H | 20 columns | Storm names, ‘(-)n’ denotes sub-center and its number. The sub-center refers to a center that was split or induced from the original tropical cyclone circulation center. |
| I...I | 8 columns | Date of the latest revision. |
| YYYYMMDDHH: | Date and time in UTC: 4-digit year, 2-digit month, 2-digit day, and 2-digit hour. |
| I: |
Intensity category according to the Chinese National
Standard for Grade of Tropical Cyclones (which has been
used since 15 June 2006): 0 –– Weaker than Tropical Depression or unknown intensity; 1 –– Tropical Depression (TD: 10.8–17.1 m/s); 2 –– Tropical Storm (TS:17.2–24.4 m/s); 3 –– Severe Tropical Storm (STS: 24.5–32.6 m/s); 4 –– Typhoon (TY: 32.7–41.4 m/s); 5 –– Severe Typhoon (STY: 41.5–50.9 m/s); 6 –– Super Typhoon (SuperTY: ≥51.0 m/s); 9 –– Extratropical Cyclone (ET) stage. |
| LAT: | Latitude (0.1°N); |
| LONG: | Longitude (0.1°E); |
| PRES: | Minimum pressure (hPa) near the TC center. |
| WND: |
Two-minute mean maximum sustained wind (MSW; m/s) near the
TC center. WND = 9 indicates MSW < 10 m/s, WND = 0 indicates unknown intensity. |
| OWD: |
Two-minute mean sustained wind (m/s) for: (a) the coastal severe wind of TCs that make landfall, and (b) the MSW within a radius of about 300–500 km of TCs over the South China Sea. |
14 April, 2014:
- The track of Ioke (2006) was extended to include its ENP part.
9 January, 2014:
- Revised the extratropical transition information of Sanba(2012).
30 October, 2013:
- Typographical errors corrected:
|
Year
|
Error
|
Correction
|
|---|
|
2010 Mindulle
|
(nameless)
|
Mindulle
|
|
2012 Sanba
|
(nameless)
|
Sanba
|
|
2012 Gaemi
|
header record: ...0021 1202...
|
...0021 1220...
|
24 June, 2013:
- Typographical errors corrected:
|
Year
|
Error
|
Correction
|
|---|
|
1979 Alice
|
1979123112 1979123118
|
1978123112 (time of the second record) 1978123118
(time of the third record)
|
|
2001
|
Damrcy
|
Damrey
|
|
2003
|
Lmbudo
|
Imbudo
|
|
2005
|
Damrcy
|
Damrey
|
|
2008
|
Mekkhla
|
Mekkhala
|
26 March, 2013:
- Typographical errors corrected:
|
Year
|
Error
|
Correction
|
|---|
|
2000
|
Mari
|
Maria
|
|
2003
|
Lmbudo
|
Imbudo
|
|
2005
|
Sanvn
|
Sanvu
|
4 May, 2012:
- Typographical errors corrected:
|
Year
|
Error
|
Correction
|
|---|
|
1950
|
Helen
|
Helene
|
29 July, 2011:
- Information regarding the last data line added to header record (F).
- New data column (OWD) added to best track record; some related errors in WND corrected.
2010:
- Confusion regarding MSW = 10 m/s and MSW < 10 m/s clarified.
- Errors in best track record (I) of the extratropical cyclone stage for 2007–2009 corrected.
- Errors in some TC positions (longitude and latitude) corrected.
- Errors in date of Soulik (2006) corrected.
- Errors in some TC names corrected:
|
Year
|
Error
|
Correction
|
|---|
|
Babe, Agness
|
Babs, Agnes
|
|
|
1952
|
Lois
|
|
|
1986
|
Georgette
|
|
|
1987
|
Percy, Peke, Ogden
|
|
|
1988
|
Uleki
|
|
|
1992
|
Gay
|
|
|
1993
|
Keoni, Abe, Manny
|
|
|
1994
|
Li, John, Melissa
|
|
|
1995
|
Gary
|
|
|
1996
|
Beth
|
|
|
1997
|
Oliwa
|
|
|
2001
|
Vipa
|
|
|
2005
|
Guchol
|
|
|
2006
|
Maria
|
CH1949BST.txt CH1950BST.txt CH1951BST.txt CH1952BST.txt CH1953BST.txt CH1954BST.txt CH1955BST.txt CH1956BST.txt CH1957BST.txt CH1958BST.txt CH1959BST.txt CH1960BST.txt CH1961BST.txt CH1962BST.txt CH1963BST.txt CH1964BST.txt CH1965BST.txt CH1966BST.txt CH1967BST.txt CH1968BST.txt CH1969BST.txt CH1970BST.txt CH1971BST.txt CH1972BST.txt CH1973BST.txt CH1974BST.txt CH1975BST.txt CH1976BST.txt CH1977BST.txt CH1978BST.txt CH1979BST.txt CH1980BST.txt CH1981BST.txt CH1982BST.txt CH1983BST.txt CH1984BST.txt CH1985BST.txt CH1986BST.txt CH1987BST.txt CH1988BST.txt CH1989BST.txt CH1990BST.txt CH1991BST.txt CH1992BST.txt CH1993BST.txt CH1994BST.txt CH1995BST.txt CH1996BST.txt CH1997BST.txt CH1998BST.txt CH1999BST.txt CH2000BST.txt CH2001BST.txt CH2002BST.txt CH2003BST.txt CH2004BST.txt CH2005BST.txt CH2006BST.txt CH2007BST.txt CH2008BST.txt CH2009BST.txt CH2010BST.txt CH2011BST.txt CH2012BST.txt CH2013BST.txt CH2014BST.txt CH2015BST.txt CH2016BST.txt CH2017BST.txt CH2018BST.txt CH2019BST.txt CH2020BST.txt CH2021BST.txt CH2022BST.txt CH2023BST.txt
- This website provides tropical cyclone related data in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China and meteorological data sharing provisions. The data of this website is for research reference only and shall not be used for commercial purposes. China Meteorological Administration, Shanghai Typhoon Institute and the website are not responsible for any loss caused by the use (or inability to use) of the data of this website.