Data Access Form

Dataset Title:	Global Forecast System (GFS) model (02)
Institution:	NOAA (Dataset ID: noaa_forecast_gfs_3h_02)
Information:	Summary \| License \| FGDC \| ISO 19115 \| Metadata \| Background \| Files \| Make a graph

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Dimensions	Size	Spacing
time (UTC)	40	3h 0m 0s (even)

latitude (degrees_north)	721	-0.25 (even)

longitude (degrees_east)	1440	0.25 (even)

Grid Variables (which always also download all of the dimension variables)

Downward_Long_Wave_Radp_Flux_surface_Mixed_intervals_Average (W.m-2)

Upward_Long_Wave_Radp_Flux_surface_Mixed_intervals_Average (W.m-2)

Upward_Short_Wave_Radiation_Flux_surface_Mixed_intervals_Average (W.m-2)

Downward_Short_Wave_Radiation_Flux_surface_Mixed_intervals_Average (W.m-2)

File type: (more information)

(Documentation / Bypass this form)

(Please be patient. It may take a while to get the data.)

The Dataset Attribute Structure (.das) for this Dataset

Attributes {
  time {
    String _CoordinateAxisType "Time";
    Float64 actual_range 1.7750988e+9, 1.77552e+9;
    String axis "T";
    String calendar "proleptic_gregorian";
    String ioos_category "Time";
    String long_name "GRIB forecast or observation time";
    String standard_name "time";
    String time_origin "01-JAN-1970 00:00:00";
    String units "seconds since 1970-01-01T00:00:00Z";
  }
  latitude {
    String _CoordinateAxisType "Lat";
    Float32 actual_range -90.0, 90.0;
    String axis "Y";
    String ioos_category "Location";
    String long_name "Latitude";
    String standard_name "latitude";
    String units "degrees_north";
  }
  longitude {
    String _CoordinateAxisType "Lon";
    Float32 actual_range 0.0, 359.75;
    String axis "X";
    String ioos_category "Location";
    String long_name "Longitude";
    String standard_name "longitude";
    String units "degrees_east";
  }
  Downward_Long_Wave_Radp_Flux_surface_Mixed_intervals_Average {
    String abbreviation "DLWRF";
    String Grib2_Generating_Process_Type "Forecast";
    String Grib2_Level_Desc "Ground or water surface";
    Int32 Grib2_Level_Type 1;
    Int32 Grib2_Parameter 0, 5, 192;
    String Grib2_Parameter_Category "Long wave radiation";
    String Grib2_Parameter_Discipline "Meteorological products";
    String Grib2_Parameter_Name "Downward Long-Wave Rad. Flux";
    String Grib_Statistical_Interval_Type "Average";
    String Grib_Variable_Id "VAR_0-5-192_L1_Imixed_S0";
    String long_name "Downward Long-Wave Rad. Flux (Mixed_intervals Average) @ Ground or water surface";
    Float32 missing_value NaN;
    String units "W.m-2";
  }
  Upward_Long_Wave_Radp_Flux_surface_Mixed_intervals_Average {
    String abbreviation "ULWRF";
    String Grib2_Generating_Process_Type "Forecast";
    String Grib2_Level_Desc "Ground or water surface";
    Int32 Grib2_Level_Type 1;
    Int32 Grib2_Parameter 0, 5, 193;
    String Grib2_Parameter_Category "Long wave radiation";
    String Grib2_Parameter_Discipline "Meteorological products";
    String Grib2_Parameter_Name "Upward Long-Wave Rad. Flux";
    String Grib_Statistical_Interval_Type "Average";
    String Grib_Variable_Id "VAR_0-5-193_L1_Imixed_S0";
    String long_name "Upward Long-Wave Rad. Flux (Mixed_intervals Average) @ Ground or water surface";
    Float32 missing_value NaN;
    String units "W.m-2";
  }
  Upward_Short_Wave_Radiation_Flux_surface_Mixed_intervals_Average {
    String abbreviation "USWRF";
    Float64 colorBarMaximum 500.0;
    Float64 colorBarMinimum -500.0;
    String Grib2_Generating_Process_Type "Forecast";
    String Grib2_Level_Desc "Ground or water surface";
    Int32 Grib2_Level_Type 1;
    Int32 Grib2_Parameter 0, 4, 193;
    String Grib2_Parameter_Category "Short wave radiation";
    String Grib2_Parameter_Discipline "Meteorological products";
    String Grib2_Parameter_Name "Upward Short-Wave Radiation Flux";
    String Grib_Statistical_Interval_Type "Average";
    String Grib_Variable_Id "VAR_0-4-193_L1_Imixed_S0";
    String long_name "Upward Short-Wave Radiation Flux (Mixed_intervals Average) @ Ground or water surface";
    Float32 missing_value NaN;
    String units "W.m-2";
  }
  Downward_Short_Wave_Radiation_Flux_surface_Mixed_intervals_Average {
    String abbreviation "DSWRF";
    Float64 colorBarMaximum 500.0;
    Float64 colorBarMinimum -500.0;
    String Grib2_Generating_Process_Type "Forecast";
    String Grib2_Level_Desc "Ground or water surface";
    Int32 Grib2_Level_Type 1;
    Int32 Grib2_Parameter 0, 4, 192;
    String Grib2_Parameter_Category "Short wave radiation";
    String Grib2_Parameter_Discipline "Meteorological products";
    String Grib2_Parameter_Name "Downward Short-Wave Radiation Flux";
    String Grib_Statistical_Interval_Type "Average";
    String Grib_Variable_Id "VAR_0-4-192_L1_Imixed_S0";
    String long_name "Downward Short-Wave Radiation Flux (Mixed_intervals Average) @ Ground or water surface";
    Float32 missing_value NaN;
    String units "W.m-2";
  }
  NC_GLOBAL {
    String cdm_data_type "Grid";
    String Conventions "COARDS, CF-1.6, ACDD-1.3";
    String creator_name "NOAA";
    String creator_type "institution";
    String creator_url "https://www.noaa.gov/";
    String documentation "https://s4raise.it/dssmare/metocean_models/, https://raise-spoke3.s4raise.it/";
    Float64 Easternmost_Easting 359.75;
    Float64 geospatial_lat_max 90.0;
    Float64 geospatial_lat_min -90.0;
    Float64 geospatial_lat_resolution 0.25;
    String geospatial_lat_units "degrees_north";
    Float64 geospatial_lon_max 359.75;
    Float64 geospatial_lon_min 0.0;
    Float64 geospatial_lon_resolution 0.25;
    String geospatial_lon_units "degrees_east";
    String grid_mapping__CoordinateAxisTypes "GeoX GeoY";
    String grid_mapping__CoordinateTransformType "Projection";
    String grid_mapping_earth_radius "6371229.0";
    String grid_mapping_name "latitude_longitude";
    String history 
"2026-04-03T05:48:44Z (local files)
2026-04-03T05:48:44Z https://erddap.s4raise.it/erddap/griddap/noaa_forecast_gfs_3h_02.das";
    String infoUrl "https://www.noaa.gov/";
    String inspire "Oceanographic geographical features";
    String institution "NOAA";
    String institution_country "US";
    String institution_edmo_code "1433";
    String keywords "(a8f5c969-34e9-4284-afb5-ff2113f5f881)";
    String keywords_vocabulary "GCMD Science Keywords";
    String license "CC-BY 4.0";
    String maintainer "ETT S.p.A.";
    String model_realtime "true";
    String naming_authority "NOAA";
    Float64 Northernmost_Northing 90.0;
    String owner "NOAA";
    String owner_url "https://www.noaa.gov/";
    String project_code "NOAA";
    String project_name "National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration";
    String project_url "https://www.noaa.gov/";
    String publisher "ETT S.p.A.";
    String references "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/weather-climate-models/global-forecast";
    String source "Global Forecast System (GFS) model";
    String sourceUrl "(local files)";
    Float64 Southernmost_Northing -90.0;
    String standard_name_vocabulary "CF Standard Name Table v70";
    String summary "Global Forecast System (GFS) model";
    String testOutOfDate "now+4days";
    String time_coverage_end "2026-04-07T00:00:00Z";
    String time_coverage_start "2026-04-02T03:00:00Z";
    String title "Global Forecast System (GFS) model (02)";
    Float64 Westernmost_Easting 0.0;
  }
}

Using griddap to Request Data and Graphs from Gridded Datasets

griddap lets you request a data subset, graph, or map from a gridded dataset (for example, sea surface temperature data from a satellite), via a specially formed URL. griddap uses the OPeNDAP (external link)

Data Access Protocol (DAP) (external link)

and its projection constraints (external link)

The URL specifies what you want: the dataset, a description of the graph or the subset of the data, and the file type for the response.

(easy) You can get data by using the dataset's Data Access Form. It makes the URL for you.
(easy) You can make a graph or map by using the dataset's Make A Graph form. It makes the URL for you.
(not hard) You can bypass the forms and get the data or make a graph or map by generating the URL by hand or with a computer program or script.

griddap request URLs must be in the form
https://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/datasetID.fileType{?query}
For example,
https://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/jplMURSST41.htmlTable?analysed_sst[(2002-06-01T09:00:00Z)][(-89.99):1000:(89.99)][(-179.99):1000:(180.0)]
Thus, the query is often a data variable name (e.g., analysed_sst), followed by [(start):stride:(stop)] (or a shorter variation of that) for each of the variable's dimensions (for example, [time][latitude][longitude]).

For details, see the griddap Documentation.