Differences in Location Information from various Data Sources

This website gathers data from a number of different data sources for the locations of the METAR stations. Not suprisingly, there are a number of differences in the data, but what is suprising (to me at least) is the scale of the problem. This page does not attempt to analyze elevation errors. However, the links to the pjsg_*_location.txt files below do have the best estimate of elevation for each location. It is important to note that the positions and elevations in these files are taken from one or other source. There is no averaging of data.

The logic on this website imports data from the following sources:
NameLocationEntries Differences > 3 miles Differences > 1 mile
AFAF50HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
AFDAFD286HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
AIRNowAIRNow702HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
AQAQ28HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
AQWAQWisc31HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
ASOSASOS913HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
ASOS2ASOS2982HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
AWOSAWOS737HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
BoMAustralia BOM865HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
BRBR323HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
CACA2190HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
CHSwissMetNet132HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
COCO68HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
CWOPCWOP12527HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
DafifDAFIF ARPT10054HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
DEDE238HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
FAAFAA Airport Database5435HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
FlickrFlickr635HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
FMIFMI11095HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
GHCNGHCN5597HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
GRGR68HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
IDID120HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
ININ58HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
ISHISH30398HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
JAJA154HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MetarMETARTable10631HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MeteoMeteo1796HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MLIDMaster Location Identifier Datab35572HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MSIMSI2586HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MTRMTR.goodness2758HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MWMesowest5417HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MXMX78HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NCEPNCEP7525HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NDBCNDBC38HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NEPPNEPP185HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NexradNexrad169HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NonFedAWOSNonFedAWOS164HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NPNP31HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NSDNSD6697HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
OAptsOurAirports37503HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
OverrideOverride58HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
PCPC114HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
PersonalPersonal Comms222HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
RAOBRAOB1406HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
RAPRAP stations13227HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
RUMeteoRU518HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
RusARusAir448HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
UASCUASC2093HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
UDDFUDDF329HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
UpdateUpdate1479HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
VEVE17HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
VedurIceland30HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
WMOWMO12742HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File

The best estimate as to the locations of all sites above can be found in the fixed format file pjsg_all_location.txt, pjsg_all_location.xml and pjsg_all_location.csv.

The table above includes all the records imported from the various sources. However, data is only available for a subset of these stations (both METAR reports and Synoptic reports), and the table below is filtered by that criteria. This also reduces (dramatically) the number of stations in error.

NameLocationEntries Differences > 3 miles Differences > 1 mile
AFAF7HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
AFDAFD181HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
AIRNowAIRNow648HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
AQAQ14HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
AQWAQWisc23HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
ASOSASOS890HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
ASOS2ASOS2942HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
AWOSAWOS680HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
BoMAustralia BOM648HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
BRBR98HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
CACA926HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
CHSwissMetNet95HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
COCO29HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
CWOPCWOP9716HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
DafifDAFIF ARPT4597HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
DEDE132HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
FAAFAA Airport Database2123HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
FlickrFlickr454HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
FMIFMI5208HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
GHCNGHCN1897HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
GRGR1HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
IDID23HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
ININ9HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
ISHISH12226HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
JAJA45HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MetarMETARTable5645HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MeteoMeteo847HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MLIDMaster Location Identifier Datab10561HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MSIMSI2152HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MTRMTR.goodness2433HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MWMesowest3068HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
MXMX36HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NCEPNCEP5608HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NDBCNDBC27HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NEPPNEPP51HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NexradNexrad56HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NonFedAWOSNonFedAWOS134HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NPNP17HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
NSDNSD5117HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
OAptsOurAirports5407HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
OverrideOverride26HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
PCPC62HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
PersonalPersonal Comms133HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
RAOBRAOB721HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
RAPRAP stations6143HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
RUMeteoRU303HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
RusARusAir259HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
UASCUASC425HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
UDDFUDDF286HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
UpdateUpdate1121HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
VEVE16HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
VedurIceland4HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File
WMOWMO4069HTML FileCSV FileHTML FileCSV File

The best estimate as to the locations of all the active sites above can be found in the fixed format file pjsg_active_location.txt, pjsg_active_location.xml and pjsg_active_location.csv.

You can also compare the data sources in a pairwise manner. This table is for > 3 miles. It is divided into two sections -- those sites with Data, and All sites. The format in both cases is HTML;
AFAFDAIRNowAQAQWASOSASOS2AWOSBoMBRCACHCODafifDEFAAFlickrFMIGHCNGRIDINISHJAMetarMeteoMLIDMSIMTRMWMXNCEPNDBCNEPPNexradNonFedAWOSNPNSDOAptsOverridePCPersonalRAOBRAPRURusAUASCUDDFUpdateVEVedurWMO
AF--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
AFDAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
AIRNowAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
AQAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
AQWAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
ASOSAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
ASOS2AllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
AWOSAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
BoMAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
BRAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
CAAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
CHAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
COAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
DafifAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
DEAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
FAAAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
FlickrAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
FMIAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
GHCNAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
GRAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
IDAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
INAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
ISHAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
JAAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
MetarAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
MeteoAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
MLIDAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
MSIAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
MTRAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
MWAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
MXAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
NCEPAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
NDBCAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
NEPPAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
NexradAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
NonFedAWOSAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
NPAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
NSDAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
OAptsAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
OverrideAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
PCAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
PersonalAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
RAOBAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
RAPAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataDataData
RUAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataDataData
RusAAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataDataData
UASCAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataDataData
UDDFAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataDataData
UpdateAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataDataData
VEAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--DataData
VedurAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--Data
WMOAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAllAll--

The HTML files above contain a number of columns:
DistanceThe distance in miles to the chosen point
NameThe station name (ICAO code)
LatitudeThe chosen station Latitude (in decimal degrees). This is what this website has determined is the best guess as to the location.
LongitudeThe chosen station Longitude (in decimal degrees). This is what this website has determined is the best guess as to the location.
ElevationThe chosen station Elevation (in meters). This is what this website has determined is the best guess as to the location.
AltLatitudeThe station Latitude from the comparison source.
AltLongitudeThe station Longitude from the comparison source.
AltElevationThe station Elevation from the comparison source.
SourceThe URL (or other) of the chosen source for the location data.

The TXT and CSV files that contain the complete database have the following columns:

  1. Site code
  2. WMO Id (if available)
  3. Place name
  4. State
  5. Country code
  6. Latitude
  7. Longitude
  8. Elevation in meters
Website comments, problems etc to
Philip Gladstone

Last modified Monday, 13 February 2012