Provided by: libgeo-metar-perl_1.15-2_all bug

NAME

       Geo::METAR - Process aviation weather reports in the METAR format.

SYNOPSIS

         use Geo::METAR;
         use strict;

         my $m = new Geo::METAR;
         $m->metar("KFDY 251450Z 21012G21KT 8SM OVC065 04/M01 A3010 RMK 57014");
         print $m->dump;

         exit;

DESCRIPTION

       METAR reports are available on-line, thanks to the National Weather Service.  Since
       reading the METAR format isn't easy for non-pilots, these reports are relatively useles to
       the common man who just wants a quick glace at the weather. This module tries to parse the
       METAR reports so the data can be used to create readable weather reports and/or process
       the data in applications.

USAGE

   How you might use this
       Here is how you might use the Geo::METAR module.

       One use that I have had for this module is to query the NWS METAR page (using the LWP
       modules) at:

       http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/mgetmetar.pl?cccc=EHSB

       to get an up-to-date METAR. Then, I scan thru the output, looking for what looks like a
       METAR string (that's not hard in Perl). Oh, EHSB can be any site location code where there
       is a reporting station.

       I then pass the METAR into this module and get the info I want. I can then update my
       webcam page with the current temperature, sky conditions, or whatnot. See for yourself at
       http://webcam.idefix.net/

       See the BUGS section for a remark about multiple passes with the same Geo::METAR object.

   Functions
       The following functions are defined in the METAR module. Most of them are public, meaning
       that you're supposed to use them. Some are private, meaning that you're not supposed to
       use them -- but I won't stop you. Assume that functions are public unless otherwise
       documented.

       metar()
           metar() is the function to whwich you should pass a METAR string.  It will take care
           of decomposing it into its component parts converting the units and so on.

           Example: "$m->metar("KFDY 251450Z 21012G21KT 8SM OVC065 04/M01 A3010 RMK 57014");"

       debug()
           debug() toggles debugging messages. By default, debugging is turned off. Turn it on if
           you are developing METAR or having trouble with it.

           debug() understands all of the following:

                   Enable       Disable
                   ------       -------
                     1             0
                   'yes'         'no'
                   'on'          'off'

           If you contact me for help, I'll likely ask you for some debugging output.

           Example: "$m->debug(1);"

       dump()
           dump() will dump the internal data structure for the METAR in a semi-human readable
           format.

           Example: "$m->dump;"

       version()
           version() will print out the current version.

           Example: "print $m->version;"

       _tokenize()
           PRIVATE

           Called internally to break the METAR into its component tokens.

       _process()
           PRIVATE

           Used to make sense of the tokens found in _tokenize().

   Variables
       After you've called metar(), you'd probably like to get at the individual values for
       things like temperature, dew point, and so on. You do that by accessing individual
       variables via the METAR object.

       This section lists those variables and what they represent.

       If you call dump(), you'll find that it spits all of these out.

       VERSION
           The version of METAR.pm that you're using.

       METAR
           The actual, raw METAR.

       TYPE
           Report type in English ("Routine Weather Report" or "Special Weather Report")

       SITE
           4-letter site code.

       DATE
           The date (just the day of the month) on which the report was issued.

       TIME
           The time at which the report was issued.

       MOD Modifier (AUTO/COR) if any.

       WIND_DIR_ENG
           The current wind direction in English (Southwest, East, North, etc.)

       WIND_DIR_ABB
           The current wind direction in abbreviated English (S, E, N, etc.)

       WIND_DIR_DEG
           The current wind direction in degrees.

       WIND_KTS
           The current wind speed in Knots.

       WIND_MPH
           The current wind speed in Miles Per Hour.

       WIND_MS
           The current wind speed in Metres Per Second.

       WIND_GUST_KTS
           The current wind gusting speed in Knots.

       WIND_GUST_MPH
           The current wind gusting speed in Miles Per Hour.

       WIND_GUST_MS
           The current wind gusting speed in Metres Per Second.

       WIND_VAR
           The wind variation in English

       WIND_VAR_1
           The first wind variation direction

       WIND_VAR_ENG_1
           The first wind variation direction in English

       WIND_VAR_2
           The second wind variation direction

       WIND_VAR_ENG_2
           The second wind variation direction in English

       VISIBILITY
           Visibility information.

       WIND
           Wind information.

       RUNWAY
           Runway information.

       WEATHER
           Current weather (array)

       WEATHER_LOG
           Current weather log (array)

       SKY Current cloud cover (array)

       TEMP_C
           Temperature in Celsius.

       TEMP_F
           Temperature in Fahrenheit.

       DEW_C
           Dew point in Celsius.

       DEW_F
           Dew point in Fahrenheit.

       HOURLY_TEMP_F
           Hourly current temperature, fahrenheit

       HOURLY_TEMP_C
           Hourly current temperature, celcius

       HOURLY_DEW_F
           Hourly dewpoint, fahrenheit

       HOURLY_DEW_C
           Hourly dewpoint, celcius

       ALT Altimeter setting (barometric pressure).

       ALT_HP
           Altimeter setting in hectopascals.

       REMARKS
           Any remarks in the report.

NOTES

       Test suite is small and incomplete. Needs work yet.

       Older versions of this module were installed as "METAR" instaed of "Geo::METAR"

BUGS

       The Geo::METAR is only initialized once, which means you'll get left-over crud in
       variables when you call the metar() function twice.

       What is an invalid METAR in one country is a standard one in the next.  The standard is
       interpreted and used by meteorologists all over the world, with local variations. This
       means there will always be METARs that will trip the parser.

TODO

       There is a TODO file included in the Geo::METAR distribution listing the outstanding tasks
       that I or others have devised. Please check that list before you submit a bug report or
       request a new feture. It might already be on the TODO list.

AUTHORS AND COPYRIGHT

       Copyright 1997-2000, Jeremy D. Zawodny <Jeremy [at] Zawodny.com>

       Copyright 2007, Koos van den Hout <koos@kzdoos.xs4all.nl>

       Geo::METAR is covered under the GNU Public License (GPL) version 2 or later.

       The Geo::METAR Web site is located at:

         http://idefix.net/~koos/perl/Geo-METAR/

CREDITS

       In addition to our work on Geo::METAR, We've received ideas, help, and patches from the
       following folks:

         * Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks [at] gmail.com>

           Testing of Geo::METAR at the South Pole. Corrections and pointers
               to interesting cases to test.

         * Otterboy <jong [at] watchguard.com>

           Random script fixes and initial debugging help

         * Remi Lefebvre <remi [at] solaria.dhis.org>

           Debian packaging as libgeo-metar-perl.deb.

         * Mike Engelhart <mengelhart [at] earthtrip.com>

           Wind direction naming corrections.

         * Michael Starling <mstarling [at] logic.bm>

           Wind direction naming corrections.

         * Hans Einar Nielssen <hans.einar [at] nielssen.com>

           Wind direction naming corrections.

         * Nathan Neulinger <nneul [at] umr.edu>

           Lots of enhancements and corrections. Too many to list here.

RELATED PROJECTS

       lcdproc at http://www.lcdproc.org/ uses Geo::METAR in lcdmetar.pl to display weather data
       on an lcd.