The data output of the weather_dl()
function include a corresponding _flag
column for each data column. These columns are used by ECCC to add notes regarding measurements.
In the weather_dl()
function if format = TRUE
(the default), data corresponding to flags M
, NA
, [empty]
and L
are all replaced with NA
.
For example, a sample of unformatted data from Magog station in Quebec looks like:
## # A tibble: 6 x 4
## station_name `Date/Time` `Total Precip (mm)` `Total Precip Flag`
## <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr>
## 1 MAGOG 2017-09 63.0 ^
## 2 MAGOG 2017-10 140.8 ^
## 3 MAGOG 2017-11 70.0 ^
## 4 MAGOG 2017-12 45.7 ^
## 5 MAGOG 2018-01 34.6 ^
## 6 MAGOG 2018-02 77.2 ^
## # A tibble: 6 x 4
## station_name `Date/Time` `Snow Grnd Last Day (cm)` `Snow Grnd Last Day Flag`
## <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr>
## 1 MAGOG 2017-09 0 ""
## 2 MAGOG 2017-10 0 ""
## 3 MAGOG 2017-11 0 ""
## 4 MAGOG 2017-12 10 ""
## 5 MAGOG 2018-01 2 ""
## 6 MAGOG 2018-02 0 ""
In this output, you can see two flags: ^
in Total Precip
and M
in Snow Grnd Last Day
This same sample, formatted looks like:
## # A tibble: 6 x 5
## date total_precip total_precip_flag snow_grnd_last_day snow_grnd_last_day_flag
## <date> <dbl> <chr> <dbl> <chr>
## 1 2017-09-01 63 ^ 0 ""
## 2 2017-10-01 141. ^ 0 ""
## 3 2017-11-01 70 ^ 0 ""
## 4 2017-12-01 45.7 ^ 10 ""
## 5 2018-01-01 34.6 ^ 2 ""
## 6 2018-02-01 77.2 ^ 0 ""
As you can see, we still have the two flags, but the missing data flag (M
) is now replaced with NA. The other flag ^
is not, as it indicates that “The value displayed is based on incomplete data” (see below).
The flags index can be accessed through the built in data frame: flags
code | meaning |
---|---|
E | Estimated |
M | Missing |
NA | Not Available |
Date/Time | Year |
A | Accumulated |
C | Precipitation occurred, amount uncertain |
F | Accumulated and estimated |
L | Precipitation may or may not have occurred |
N | Temperature missing but known to be > 0 |
S | More than one occurrence |
T | Trace |
Y | Temperature missing but known to be < 0 |
[empty] | No data available |
^ | The value displayed is based on incomplete data |
† | Data that is not subject to review by the National Climate Archives |
B | More than one occurrence and estimated |