View source for RFE2

== About ==

This dataset is called "CPC/Famine Early Warning System Daily Estimates", also known as RFE2, Rainfall Estimates. The data are calculated by merging GTS gauge observations and 3 kinds of satellite estimates. (GPI, SSM/I and ASMU).
== Getting Access ==

Completely open access from ftp://ftp.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/fews/fewsdata/africa/rfe2/bin.

== File Format ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="text-align:right;" scope="col" | Pixel resolution
| style="text-align:left;" | 751 x 801
|-
! style="text-align:right;" scope="col"| Geographical resolution
| style="text-align:left;" | 0.1&ordm; x 0.1&ordm;
|-
! style="text-align:right;" scope="col"| Longitude range of first pixel
| style="text-align:left;" | 20.0&ordm;W - 55.0&ordm;E
|-
! style="text-align:right;" scope="col"| Latitude range of first pixel
| style="text-align:left;" | 40.0&ordm;N - 40.0&ordm;N
|-
! style="text-align:right;" scope="col"| Data / units:
| style="text-align:left;" | mm (per day)
|-
! style="text-align:right;" scope="col"| No Data Value:
| style="text-align:left;" | -999
|}

* Each file is a daily total, compressed with gzip. (A simple '''7z x''' using 7-zip from the command-line will unzip it). 
* 2004/07/24 and 2007/11/13 are missing. 
* Important: the data is ordered in rows starting at the South-most.
* And also, there range is supposed to be <300mm. I found some insane values - (1.2E7, 1.1E8, 2005/04/08 and 2005/08/13). Recommendation from NOAA was to apply the 300mm ceiling.

== Example Code ==
=== Java Tool ===
[https://mrcdata.dide.ic.ac.uk/resources/rfe2_java.zip Download] a little Java tool here for working with the .gz files that RFE2 is packaged in. See the JAVA file for the source-code.
Usage:-
  java ExportRFE - shows all the options

  java ExportRFE /series /lon:-15.5 /lat:25.2 /start:20050101 /end:20050228
    will print a list of values for the given location, between the given days.
    add /accmonthly for monthly accumulation and daily average for each month.
    
  java ExportRFE /png /start:yyyymmdd /end:yyyymmdd 
    will produce png file for that range. Add /plain if you don't want any text.
    Add /out:path to specify where the pngs go.
    
  java ExportRFE /tsv /start:yyyymmdd /end:yyyymmdd 
    will produce tab-separated text grids for each day.
    Add /out:path to specify where the pngs go.

== Citation ==
	
No citation information given - only: "Please refer to this product as the CPC/Famine Early Warning System Daily Estimates". Contact information: Nick Novella, NOAA / NWS / NCEP / Climate Prediction Center, NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction, 5830 University Research Court, College Park, MD 20740, (o) 301.683.3458. E-mail:  Nicholas.Novella@noaa.gov