Identifiers
This page provides information about WIGOS Identifiers.
WIGOS identifers provide a means of identifying individual observing facilities (stations or platforms) so that their characteristics can be found in OSCAR/Surface ([http://oscar.wmo.int/surface). The details held in OSCAR/Surface are a subset of those required by the WIGOS metadata standard.
The system of WIGOS identifiers is defined in the Manual on the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WMO-No. 1160), Attachment 2.1.
Each observing station must have at least one WIGOS station identifier. The station identifier(s) link(s) the station to its WIGOS metadata.
The structure of a WIGOS Identifier is:
The sizes given in the table are the initial maximum sizes. In future any of the components might have the length extended, but in this case a new WIGOS Identifier Series would be started so that software can be programmed to handle the different lengths.
Only the WIGOS Identifier Series 0 has been defined. This series is used to identify observing stations.
Centres that are unable to process Table Driven Code Forms will not be able to access the reports from stations that only have WIGOS station identifiers.
identifier. A WIGOS station identifier can only be associated with one observing station. If you
need additional help after reading this guidance, please contact the Secretariat at the Secretariat at wigos-help@wmo.int.
Figure 2. Outline procedure for allocating a WIGOS station identifier.
Observing stations that had been allocated identifiers by a WMO Programme before the introduction of WIGOS station identifiers (that is, before 1 July 2016) may continue to use those identifiers and are not required to have additional ones created for them. For these observing facilities, the WIGOS station identifier can be deduced from the pre-existing identifier using the tables below. Further, should the station take on new responsibilities (such as an aviation station starting to report World Weather Watch synoptic information), the WIGOS identifier can also be used in that new context, even though it was derived from a station identifier associated with a different programme (in this example, the synoptic report could use the WIGOS station identifier derived from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aerodrome indicator)
Although an observing station can have more than one WIGOS station identifier, it is desirable to associate as few identifiers as possible with one station. Therefore, if an observing station is already associated with a WIGOS identifier, or is associated with an identifier issued by a WMO or partner programme, an additional WIGOS station identifier should not be issued.
A Member for which there is an ISO 3166-1 numeric country code can assign its country code as the issuer of identifier value for its newly established observing stations. For example, the Korea Meteorological Administration can use “410” as the issuer of identifier number. This structure provides for an open range of station numbers that can be defined and allocated by the Republic of Korea to its expanding network (i.e. 0-410-0-XXXX).
Table 1 lists the issue of identifier values that have been allocated for use for observing stations.
Table 1. Issuer of identifier values that have been allocated for observing stations
WIGOS identifers provide a means of identifying individual observing facilities (stations or platforms) so that their characteristics can be found in OSCAR/Surface ([http://oscar.wmo.int/surface). The details held in OSCAR/Surface are a subset of those required by the WIGOS metadata standard.
System of WIGOS identifiers
The system of WIGOS identifiers is defined in the Manual on the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WMO-No. 1160), Attachment 2.1.
Each observing station must have at least one WIGOS station identifier. The station identifier(s) link(s) the station to its WIGOS metadata.
The structure of a WIGOS Identifier is:
| WIGOS Identifier Series (number 0) | Issuer of Identifier (number in range 0-65534) | Issue Number (number in range 0-65534) | Local Identifier (up to 16 characters in the CCIT ITA5 alphabet) |
The sizes given in the table are the initial maximum sizes. In future any of the components might have the length extended, but in this case a new WIGOS Identifier Series would be started so that software can be programmed to handle the different lengths.
Only the WIGOS Identifier Series 0 has been defined. This series is used to identify observing stations.
Advice for users of WIGOS Identifiers
WIGOS Identifiers do not have meaning in themselves. Users must not interpret any patterns they see in WIGOS Identifiers; for WIGOS station identifiers users should use OSCAR/surface to look up the metadata for the station associated with the WIGOS station identifier.Recording the WIGOS station identifier in observation reports (in the standard WMO reporting formats)
WIGOS station identifiers cannot be represented in the traditional alphanumeric code forms such as FM-12 SYNOP or FM-35 TEMP. The Table Driven Code Form equivalents have to be used (FM-94 BUFR or FM-95 CREX, or, in the future, model driven code forms). Further information on representing the WIGOS station identifier in BUFR/CREX is available from http://wis.wmo.int/page=WIGOS-ID-BUFR.Centres that are unable to process Table Driven Code Forms will not be able to access the reports from stations that only have WIGOS station identifiers.
Advice for people responsible for allocating WIGOS Identifiers
As mentioned above, all observing stations must be associated with at least one WIGOS stationidentifier. A WIGOS station identifier can only be associated with one observing station. If you
need additional help after reading this guidance, please contact the Secretariat at the Secretariat at wigos-help@wmo.int.
Assigning WIGOS Identifiers to observing stations
The process for allocating a WIGOS station identifer is illustrated in Figure 2.Figure 2. Outline procedure for allocating a WIGOS station identifier.
Observing stations that had been allocated identifiers by a WMO Programme before the introduction of WIGOS station identifiers (that is, before 1 July 2016) may continue to use those identifiers and are not required to have additional ones created for them. For these observing facilities, the WIGOS station identifier can be deduced from the pre-existing identifier using the tables below. Further, should the station take on new responsibilities (such as an aviation station starting to report World Weather Watch synoptic information), the WIGOS identifier can also be used in that new context, even though it was derived from a station identifier associated with a different programme (in this example, the synoptic report could use the WIGOS station identifier derived from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aerodrome indicator)
Although an observing station can have more than one WIGOS station identifier, it is desirable to associate as few identifiers as possible with one station. Therefore, if an observing station is already associated with a WIGOS identifier, or is associated with an identifier issued by a WMO or partner programme, an additional WIGOS station identifier should not be issued.
A Member for which there is an ISO 3166-1 numeric country code can assign its country code as the issuer of identifier value for its newly established observing stations. For example, the Korea Meteorological Administration can use “410” as the issuer of identifier number. This structure provides for an open range of station numbers that can be defined and allocated by the Republic of Korea to its expanding network (i.e. 0-410-0-XXXX).
Table 1 lists the issue of identifier values that have been allocated for use for observing stations.
Table 1. Issuer of identifier values that have been allocated for observing stations
| Range of Issuer of Identifier | Category of issuer | Method of allocating | Procedures for issuing Issue Number and Local Identifier |
| 0 | Reserved for internal use by OSCAR | OSCAR allocates the value | Determined by OSCAR |
| 1-9999 | Member state or territory for which there is an ISO 3166-1 numeric country code | Use of ISO 3166-1 three-digit numeric country code (by convention, leading zeroes are not shown in WIGOS identifiers). See the ISO web site and click on "Officially assigned codes" (on the left of the screen) | Issuer determines its own procedures. Further guidance is available in WIGOS-Id-Country. |
| 10000-11999 | Member state or territory for which there is no ISO 3166-1 numeric country code | WMO Secretariat allocates an available number on request | Issuer determines its own procedures. Further guidance is available in WIGOS-Id-Country. |
| 12000-19999 | Reserved for future use. | To be determined. | To be determined. |
| Identifiers in the ranges 20000–21999 and 22000–39999 are intended to be used only to allocate WIGOS identifiers to observing facilities that have one or more pre-existing identifiers. | |||
| 20000-21999 | WMO Secretariat for identifiers associated with WMO Programmes. | Details are provided in the section WIGOS-Id-WMOProg | Details are provided in the section WIGOS-Id-WMOProg |
| 22000-39999 | WMO Secretariat for identifiers associated with programmes of partner organizations. | Details are provided in the section WIGOS-Id-Partner. | Details are provided in the section WIGOS-Id-Partner. |
| 40000-65534 | Reserved for future use. | To be determined. | To be determined. |
| 65535 | Missing value (reserved value in Table Driven Code Forms). | ||