Reconnaissance Decoder

This decoder decodes raw observations from reconnaisance aircraft investigating tropical cyclones and winter storms. Please enter the observation(s) you wish to decode in the box below. For a list of products this decoder can decode and for additional options please view the information after the box below.

0 of 100,000 maximum characters

This decoder decodes high-density (HDOB), vortex, dropsonde, reconnaissance code (RECCO) and airborne expendable bathythermograph (AXBT) observations from Air Force and NOAA aircraft performing reconnaissance in both tropical and non tropical systems. It also decodes dropsondes from NASA's Global Hawk if they are in the same WMO format as Air Force and NOAA sondes. You can access most of the raw data through the National Hurricane Center's Aircraft Reconnaissance page and also at the links at the bottom of this page. This decoder can decode multiple messages of any combination of the above products. This decoder also decodes the no longer used SXXX50, URNT40 and URNT50 formats but does not decode supplementary vortex messages (URNT14). It can also decode another NOAA AXBT format that may or may not be still in use.

Main Options

Render decoded observation as:

HTML Table (default)
Plain Text
Message Board Friendly

Include option to map observations with Google Maps:

Normal (default)
None

More Options

Include interactive diagram (applicable products)

View diagram of normal size
Only available with the "HTML Table" option

Storm Slice for HDOB Decoder:

Include storm slice (About)
Slice Grouping:
Includes a customizable chart that allows you to graph various variables in an HDOB message.

Options for Vortex Decoder:

Use verbose mode
Add informative information in addition to the normal output

Use strict mode (About)

Independent Calculations for HDOB messages with the "HTML Table" option

Show wind reduction factor of flight level peak wind compared to SFMR peak surface wind. (About)

Show background color in reduction factor calculation to denote estimated Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale category.

Show observation distance from the center of the storm. (HDOB messages only) (About)

Raw Atlantic Basin Observations

Main Air Force Products (KNHC)

Sites:

URNT15 - High Density (HDOB) Message

1, 2

URNT12 - Vortex Message

UZNT13 - Dropsonde Report

URNT11 - Tropical RECCO Observation

URNT10 - Non-Tropical RECCO Observation

WMO FM 63-XI Ext. BATHY (JJVV) - AXBT Ob.

Info

Main NOAA Products (KWBC)

URNT15 - High Density (HDOB) Message

1, 2

URNT12 - Vortex Message

UZNT13 - Dropsonde Report

URNT11 - Tropical RECCO Observation

URNT10 - Non-Tropical RECCO Observation

SOFX01 - AXBT Observation

Air Force Backup Products (KBIX)

URNT15 - High Density (HDOB) Message

URNT12 - Vortex Message

UZNT13 - Dropsonde Report

URNT11 - Tropical RECCO Observation

URNT10 - Non-Tropical RECCO Observation

Raw East & Central Pacific Basin Observations

Main Air Force Products (KNHC)

Sites:

URPN15 - High Density (HDOB) Message

1, 2

URPN12 - Vortex Message

UZPN13 - Dropsonde Report

URPN11 - Tropical RECCO Observation

URPN10 - Non-Tropical RECCO Observation

Main NOAA Products (KWBC)

URPN15 - High Density (HDOB) Message

1, 2

URPN12 - Vortex Message

UZPN13 - Dropsonde Report

URPN11 - Tropical RECCO Observation

URPN10 - Non-Tropical RECCO Observation

Air Force Backup Products (KBIX)

URPN15 - High Density (HDOB) Message

URPN12 - Vortex Message

UZPN13 - Dropsonde Report

URPN11 - Tropical RECCO Observation

URPN10 - Non-Tropical RECCO Observation