Details:DAT-File

The *.DAT Format for Climate Data

The German National Meteorological Service DWD uses the *.DAT format for the new test reference years (published in 2004 [1]; the old test reference years [2] were in *.TRY format).
You can use existing *.DAT files (such as those offered by DWD) for a WUFI calculation, but you can also convert your own weather data to this format and use them for a calculation.

Note: as the test reference years are mainly intended as a basis for energy consumption calculations, the new test reference years do not have rain data any more and thus are not suitable for hygrothermic simulations in which the effect of rain is an essential factor.

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• Column 1-2: TRY region {1..15}.
  Not used by WUFI.

 

• Column 3-4: blank.
  

 

• Column 5-8: Information on location of measurement {1; 2}.
  Not used by WUFI.

 

• Column 9-10: blank.
  

 

• Column 11-12: Month {1..12}.
  

 

• Column 13-14: blank.
  

 

• Column 15-16: Day {1..28, 30, 31}.
  

 

• Column 17-18: blank.
  

 

• Column 19-20: Hour (CET) {1..24}.
  

 

• Column 21-22: blank.
  

 

• Column 23: Cloud cover [octa] {0..8; 9}.
  Fraction of the sky covered with clouds (9=not determined, e.g. because of fog).
  Currently not used by WUFI.

 

• Column 24-25: blank.
  

 

• Column 26-28: Wind direction [°] {0; 10..360; 999},
  90°=east,..., 360°=north;
  0=calm, 999 = variable.

 

• Column 29-30: blank.
  

 

• Column 31-36: Wind speed [m/s].
  

 

• Column 37-38: blank.
  

 

• Column 39-44: Air Temperature [°C].
  

 

• Column 45-46: blank.
  

 

• Column 47-53: Barometric pressure [hPa],
  at station height.

 

• Column 54-55: blank.
  

 

• Column 56-61: Water vapor content or mixing ratio [g/kg].
  Not used by WUFI.

 

• Column 62-63: blank.
  

 

• Column 64-66: Relative humidity [%] {1..100}.
  

 

• Column 67-68: blank.
  

 

• Column 69-70: Code for current weather conditions {0..99}.
  Not used by WUFI.

 

• Column 71-72: blank.
  

 

• Column 73-76: Direct solar irradiance B [W/m²],
  impinging on a horizontal surface.
  Directed downwards: positive;
  Zeros: may result from rounding small irradiances,
  Blanks: sun below horizon; no irradiance possible.

 

• Column 77-78: blank.
  

&bnsp;

• Column 79-82: Diffuse solar irradiance D [W/m²],
  impinging on a horizontal surface.
  Directed downwards: positive;
  Blanks: sun below horizon; no irradiance possible.

 

• Column 83: blank.
  

 

• Column 84: Information whether B and/or D measured/calculated {1; 2; 3; 4}.
  Not used by WUFI

 

• Column 85-86: blank.
  

 

• Column 87-90: Irradiance of atmospheric thermal radiation [W/m²],
  "atmospheric counterradiation",
  impinging on a horizontal surface.
  Directed downwards: positive.
  

 
Please refer to the topic Long-wave Radiation Emissivity for a description of when and how to use counterradiation data and what to do if you have no counterradiation data.  

• Column 91-92: blank.
  

 

• Column 93-97: Irradiance of terrestrial thermal radiation [W/m²],
  i.e., specific emission of thermal radiation from the ground, including the reflected atmospheric counterradition,
  impinging on a horizontal surface.
  Directed upwards: negative.
  

 
Currently not used by WUFI-2D  

• Column 98-99: blank.
  

 

• Column 100: Quality bit for the long-wave irradiances {1..8}.
  Not used by WUFI.

 

A *.DAT file supplied by the user must be accompanied by a *.AGD file which contains geographical information on the climate location.

Literature:

[1]	Christoffer, J., Deutschländer, Th., Webs, M.: Testreferenzjahre von Deutschland für mittlere und extreme Witterungsverhältnisse TRY, Offenbach 2004.
[2]	Blümel, K. et al.: Entwicklung von Testreferenzjahren (TRY) für Klimaregionen der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. BMFT-Forschungsbericht T 86-051.