A Guide to WMO Code Form
FM 94 BUFR
FCM-I6-1995
FOREWORD
This guide documents and defines the unique self-descriptive
characteristics of FM-94 BUFR and serves to greatly improve the
user-friendliness of this widely used code form.
The development and global implementation of BUFR code has been on-going
for the past several years. In 1988, the World Meteorological Organization
adopted BUFR code as a test code and recently adopted it as an operational
code. The Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and
Supporting Research (ICMSSR) Working Group for Meteorological Information
Management (WG/MIM) recognized the need for an improved guide to the code
that provided examples and detailed explanations on how to encode the BUFR
code. This recognition led to the development of this document under the
WG/MIM's guidance. The WG/MIM has been instrumental in encouraging,
reviewing and guiding the development of this document.
The OFCM recognizes that we are in a time period marked by rapid
world-wide growth and enhancement of meteorological communications
systems. OFCM believes that this document, A Guide to WMO Code Form FM 94
BUFR: FCM-I6 1995, will have positive impact on the acceptance and use of
the BUFR code. We commend Mr. Wayne Thorpe, Dr. John D. Stackpole, and the
WG/MIM for their most significant contributions.
To view the following PDF files, Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed. Click on the following link to go to Adobe's website. Adobe Acrobat.
Adobe Acrobat (PDF)
The complete bufr plan (2.2M)
TABLE OF CONTENTS (105kb)
CHAPTER 1 SECTIONS OF A BUFR MESSAGE (45kb)
CHAPTER 2 BUFR TABLES (88kb)
CHAPTER 3 USING DATA REPLICATION (35kb)
CHAPTER 4 DATA COMPRESSION (35kb)
CHAPTER 5 TABLE C - DATA DESCRIPTION OPERATORS
(125kb)
CHAPTER 6 Quirks, Advanced Features, and
Special Uses of BUFR (57kb)
APPENDIX A REFERENCES (4kb)
APPENDIX B BUFR TABLE B - Classification of
Elements (1.8M)