General description of the CMA Tropical Cyclone Best Track Dataset
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.
Citation
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
Filename Format
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.
Data Format
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. |
Revision history
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
|
Statement
- 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.