NOAA IBTrACS Data
Overview
The International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) is the most complete global collection of tropical cyclone tracks. It provides a unified, publicly available dataset that merges storm information from multiple meteorological agencies, improving inter-agency comparisons.
Data Specifications
- Provider: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Frequency: Event-based / Monthly updates
- Data Latency: 2-5 days post-event
- Data Type: Storm track data
- Temporal Coverage: 1842 to present
- Data Format: NetCDF, CSV
- Coverage: Global
Variables
Onboarded Variables
The following tropical cyclone parameters are currently implemented in Riskwolf's data processing pipeline:
| Variable | Units | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum 6-hour wind speeds | kph | Peak sustained wind speed over 6-hour intervals |
Available Variables
Additional tropical cyclone parameters that can be onboarded from IBTrACS:
- Storm position coordinates (latitude, longitude)
- Minimum central pressure measurements
- Storm size parameters (radius of maximum winds, outer wind radii)
- Storm classification (tropical depression, tropical storm, hurricane categories)
- Storm translation speed and direction
- Agency-specific parameters and quality metadata
- Storm intensity change rates
- Environmental pressure readings
- Eye diameter measurements
- Storm track forecasting data
Key Features
- Most comprehensive global collection of tropical cyclone best tracks
- Combines data from all available Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers (RSMCs)
- Harmonized format for consistent analysis
- Most common dataset used for backtesting of cyclone data in re-insurance
Use in Parametric Insurance
IBTrACS data is valuable for:
- Tropical cyclone parametric insurance
- Wind speed-based trigger mechanisms
- Historical storm analysis for risk modeling
- Post-event verification
- Insurance industry standards for cyclone event definition
Data Access
Official URL: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/international-best-track-archive
Link verified: ✅ Active (HTTP 200) - Last checked: 2025-09-24