Catalog > NOAA URMA analysis, virtual > Validation report

NOAA URMA analysis, virtual validation report

This dataset validation report plots a sample of values from the NOAA URMA analysis, virtual dataset over time and across space, comparing where possible to a previously validated reference dataset. It also reports the quantity of unavailable values and their associated timestamps. These analyses are one layer of a multi-layered dataset validation process we perform at dynamical.org and also provide users a preview of the dataset contents.

Report generation start time: 2026-10-27T02:24:19 UTC

Summary

This report reviews hourly UnRestricted Mesoscale Analysis (URMA) data from May 2, 2017 through October 20, 2026. Checks compared stored data with source files and tested samples of their values. The notes below describe gaps and interpretation limits; not every value was checked.

What looks good

All 1,146,611 links to source data across 14 variables matched independent source-file checks.
Independent value comparisons covered early and recent data, as well as periods when the source changed.
All 276 sampled fields were readable. These checks sample the archive rather than test every value.

Review notes

There are 121 missing hourly source files across 14 dates. The expected analysis files for this expanded geographic area are absent from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) public archive used here; the reason is unconfirmed. Missing files in this archive do not establish that NOAA failed to produce these analyses. See the exact missing hours.
Wave height starts on December 3, 2018 at 12:00 UTC. Earlier source data used zero for both land and calm water, so those fields are deliberately excluded.
Great Lakes wave values start on July 27, 2020 at 12:00 UTC.
Cloud-ceiling height and visibility limits change in the checked December 3, 2018 samples. From 11:00 to 12:00 UTC, both maxima fall from 20,000 m to 16,000 m and both minima rise to 1 m. At 11:00 UTC, ceiling height reaches 0.1 m and visibility reaches 0 m. The reason for the historical change is unconfirmed. See the source comparisons.
The treatment of cloud ceiling changes in the checked July 27, 2020 samples. At 12:00 UTC, every grid cell with total cloud cover below 50% has the maximum ceiling value of 16,000 m; at 11:00 UTC, only about 53% do. This reflects a change in how ceiling height is calculated, not a measured rise in clouds, and matters for long-term comparisons. See the source checks.
NOAA prepares cloud-ceiling estimates in metres above ground before analysis. See NOAA’s URMA v2.10.9 code (accessed October 28, 2026). Source metadata labels the field only “Ceiling” in metres. The height reference has not been verified for every historical period; this dataset makes no terrain-height adjustment.

Datasets

Role	Name	ID	Version	URL
Validation	NOAA URMA analysis, virtual	`noaa-urma-analysis-virtual`	`v0.1.0`	`s3://dynamical-noaa-urma/noaa-urma-analysis-virtual/v0.1.0.icechunk`
Reference	NOAA GEFS analysis	`noaa-gefs-analysis`	`0.1.2`	`s3://dynamical-noaa-gefs/noaa-gefs-analysis/v0.1.2.icechunk/`

Run parameters

Parameter	Value
Validation dataset type	analysis
Icechunk snapshot	`8H2JJXCAF6YSMT6W121G`
Validation time range	time 2017-05-02T00:00 → 2026-10-20T23:00
Reference time range	time 2000-01-01T00:00 → 2026-10-23T00:00
Point 1	lat=39.9932, lon=-104.9857
Point 2	lat=33.9994, lon=-73.0068
Spatial comparison time	2026-10-19T12:00 (reference at 2026-10-19T12:00)
Timeseries period	2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00
Store type	virtual — availability manifest-probed; value series sampled

Availability

The plot below shows the availability of each variable over time — light red marks unavailable data, dark green marks present data.

availability heatmap

Variable	Complete positions	Incomplete %	First incomplete	Last incomplete
`cloud_ceiling_height`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`dew_point_temperature_2m`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`geopotential_height_surface`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`pressure_surface`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`significant_wave_height_surface`	68976/83016	16.91%	2017-05-02T00:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`specific_humidity_2m`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`temperature_2m`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`total_cloud_cover_atmosphere`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`visibility_surface`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`wind_direction_10m`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`wind_gust_10m`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`wind_speed_10m`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`wind_u_10m`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00
`wind_v_10m`	82895/83016	0.15%	2017-07-11T11:00	2020-06-24T17:00

Unavailable timestamps: unavailable_timestamps.txt

Decode health

276 references decoded successfully across 20 sampled hourly positions out of 83,016. These are single-level analyses; no forecast lead-time or vertical-level sampling applies.

Per-variable details

`cloud_ceiling_height`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`m`
long_name	Ceiling
short_name	ceil
standard_name	n/a
step_type	instant

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	13.4	1.273e+04	2e+04
P2	41.2	1.243e+04	2e+04

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference not available)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	1	1.267e+04	1.6e+04

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	26.9	1.144e+04	1.6e+04
P2 Validation	175	9633	1.6e+04

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

cloud_ceiling_height — full-period value time series

cloud_ceiling_height — spatial comparison

cloud_ceiling_height — time series comparison

cloud_ceiling_height — availability over append dim

`dew_point_temperature_2m`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`degree_Celsius`
long_name	2 metre dewpoint temperature
short_name	2d
standard_name	dew_point_temperature
step_type	instant

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	-20.19	0.2444	15.82
P2	0.46	17.04	26.71

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference not available)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	-38.48	7.232	26.74

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	-6.65	2.867	9.88
P2 Validation	17.73	21.08	24.68

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

dew_point_temperature_2m — full-period value time series

dew_point_temperature_2m — spatial comparison

dew_point_temperature_2m — time series comparison

dew_point_temperature_2m — availability over append dim

`geopotential_height_surface`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`m`
long_name	Geopotential height
short_name	gh
standard_name	geopotential_height
step_type	instant

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	1585	1585	1585
P2	0	0	0

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference not available)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	-81	441.8	4226

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	1585	1585	1585
P2 Validation	0	0	0

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

geopotential_height_surface — full-period value time series

geopotential_height_surface — spatial comparison

geopotential_height_surface — time series comparison

geopotential_height_surface — availability over append dim

`pressure_surface`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`Pa`
long_name	Surface pressure
short_name	sp
standard_name	surface_air_pressure
step_type	instant

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	8.216e+04	8.398e+04	8.532e+04
P2	9.957e+04	1.018e+05	1.036e+05

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference at 2026-10-19T12:00)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	6.125e+04	9.696e+04	1.037e+05
Reference	6.822e+04	9.761e+04	1.038e+05

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	8.304e+04	8.434e+04	8.614e+04
P1 Reference	8.288e+04	8.414e+04	8.595e+04
P2 Validation	1.008e+05	1.016e+05	1.025e+05
P2 Reference	1.009e+05	1.016e+05	1.025e+05

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

pressure_surface — full-period value time series

pressure_surface — time series comparison

pressure_surface — availability over append dim

`significant_wave_height_surface`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`m`
long_name	Significant height of combined wind waves and swell
short_name	swh
standard_name	sea_surface_wave_significant_height
step_type	instant
comment	NaN where no wave analysis is made, such as over land and ice-covered water.

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	n/a	n/a	n/a
P2	0.55	1.859	5.34

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference not available)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	0	2.414	7.21

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	n/a	n/a	n/a
P2 Validation	0.69	2.706	7.22

Availability — 68976 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-05-02T00:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

significant_wave_height_surface — full-period value time series

significant_wave_height_surface — spatial comparison

significant_wave_height_surface — time series comparison

significant_wave_height_surface — availability over append dim

`specific_humidity_2m`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`1`
long_name	Specific humidity
short_name	q
standard_name	specific_humidity
step_type	instant

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	0.0009	0.005338	0.01333
P2	0.003847	0.01277	0.02179

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference not available)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	0.000206	0.00768	0.02191

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	0.002754	0.005762	0.009059
P2 Validation	0.01248	0.01552	0.01932

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

specific_humidity_2m — full-period value time series

specific_humidity_2m — spatial comparison

specific_humidity_2m — time series comparison

specific_humidity_2m — availability over append dim

`temperature_2m`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`degree_Celsius`
long_name	2 metre temperature
short_name	2t
standard_name	air_temperature
step_type	instant

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	-16.88	11.75	38.84
P2	6.13	21.56	28.55

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference at 2026-10-19T12:00)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	-9.64	10.92	30.49
Reference	-6.938	13.39	30

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	0.75	12.97	28.39
P1 Reference	1.367	13.63	28.88
P2 Validation	20.59	24.07	26.26
P2 Reference	19.88	23.89	26.38

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

temperature_2m — full-period value time series

temperature_2m — availability over append dim

`total_cloud_cover_atmosphere`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`percent`
long_name	Total cloud cover
short_name	tcc
standard_name	cloud_area_fraction
step_type	instant

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	0	34.71	100
P2	0	52.49	100

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference at 2026-10-19T12:00)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	0	41.79	100
Reference	0	43.98	100

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	mean	max
P1 Validation	40.61	100
P1 Reference	36.08	100
P2 Validation	53.94	100
P2 Reference	54.83	100

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

total_cloud_cover_atmosphere — full-period value time series

total_cloud_cover_atmosphere — spatial comparison

total_cloud_cover_atmosphere — time series comparison

total_cloud_cover_atmosphere — availability over append dim

`visibility_surface`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`m`
long_name	Visibility
short_name	vis
standard_name	visibility_in_air
step_type	instant

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	979	1.517e+04	1.852e+04
P2	290	1.513e+04	2e+04

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference not available)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	1	1.504e+04	1.6e+04

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	2542	1.481e+04	1.6e+04
P2 Validation	1000	1.436e+04	1.6e+04

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

visibility_surface — full-period value time series

visibility_surface — time series comparison

visibility_surface — availability over append dim

`wind_direction_10m`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`degree`
long_name	10 metre wind direction
short_name	10wdir
standard_name	wind_from_direction
step_type	instant
comment	Direction the wind blows from, clockwise from true north.

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	0	308.2	358.8
P2	10.9	247.3	357.8

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference not available)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	0	42.16	360

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	0	41	359.5
P2 Validation	0.4	294.7	358

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

wind_direction_10m — full-period value time series

wind_direction_10m — time series comparison

wind_direction_10m — availability over append dim

`wind_gust_10m`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`m s-1`
long_name	Wind speed (gust)
short_name	gust
standard_name	wind_speed_of_gust
step_type	instant

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	0.17	5.306	16.65
P2	1.92	9.155	24.51

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference not available)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	0	6.439	29.3

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	0.28	4.88	15.69
P2 Validation	0.71	12.63	28.35

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

wind_gust_10m — full-period value time series

wind_gust_10m — availability over append dim

`wind_speed_10m`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`m s-1`
long_name	10 metre wind speed
short_name	10si
standard_name	wind_speed
step_type	instant

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	0	2.596	10.25
P2	0.66	7.396	19.29

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference not available)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	0	4.423	22.78

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	0	2.68	10.82
P2 Validation	0.31	10.26	22.66

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

wind_speed_10m — full-period value time series

wind_speed_10m — availability over append dim

`wind_u_10m`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`m s-1`
long_name	10 metre U wind component
short_name	10u
standard_name	x_wind
step_type	instant
comment	Velocity along the model grid's x dimension, not eastward velocity.

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	-7.01	0.2118	7.69
P2	-16.16	1.198	10.84

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference at 2026-10-19T12:00)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	-20.15	-0.3591	16.9
Reference	-23	-0.454	18.25

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	-4.43	-0.4869	5.71
P1 Reference	-4.562	-0.5538	4.062
P2 Validation	-14.01	1.335	12.18
P2 Reference	-14.5	0.9561	12.38

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

wind_u_10m — full-period value time series

wind_u_10m — availability over append dim

`wind_v_10m`

Metadata

Field	Value
units	`m s-1`
long_name	10 metre V wind component
short_name	10v
standard_name	y_wind
step_type	instant
comment	Velocity along the model grid's y dimension, not northward velocity.

Point time series — 2017-05-02T00:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00, sampled

Point	min	mean	max
P1	-10.24	-0.2041	9.08
P2	-16.86	0.5107	13.69

Spatial — 2026-10-19T12:00 (reference at 2026-10-19T12:00)

Source	min	mean	max
Validation	-22.08	-0.7911	15.74
Reference	-22.75	-0.7699	17.5

Temporal — 2026-10-10T23:00 - 2026-10-20T23:00

Source	min	mean	max
P1 Validation	-10.81	-0.5058	8.49
P1 Reference	-10.38	-0.4352	6.938
P2 Validation	-21.14	-2.764	14.15
P2 Reference	-19.75	-2.884	12.25

Availability — 82895 of 83016 positions complete (incomplete 2017-07-11T11:00 → 2020-06-24T17:00)

wind_v_10m — full-period value time series

wind_v_10m — availability over append dim