MI3: the NCDC's master station history

As the preeminent climatological data archive, NOAA's National Climatic Data Center receives data from many observing systems and networks. Managing the associated station information has proven a significant challenge. This paper describes the Metadata Integration and Improvement Initiative (MI3) Station History System, developed and implemented as a central repository of station information for NOAA and non-NOAA observing systems.

With a web-based user interface accessing a relational database, MI3 provides users immediate, flexible online access to rich station details for tens of thousands of current and historical observing stations. The paper briefly discusses some of the challenges overcome in developing and implementing the system, provides an overview of content and functionality and examines current and future integration with other systems. It also describes the long-term vision for the system, as well as specific content and feature enhancements now underway.