Library

Weather Library

Comprehensive library of weather data files available in EnergyAtlas.

Overview

The Weather Library provides access to standard weather files for locations worldwide. These files are used for energy simulations and are available in EPW (EnergyPlus Weather) and TMY3 (Typical Meteorological Year 3) formats.

Library Sources

NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Coverage: United States and international locations Formats: EPW, TMY3 Quality: High-quality, validated data Access: Free, public domain

Website: https://www.nrel.gov/grid/solar-resource/renewable-resource-data.html

EnergyPlus Weather Data

Coverage: Worldwide Formats: EPW Quality: Standard EnergyPlus format Access: Free, public domain

Website: https://energyplus.net/weather

United States Locations

Major Cities

New York, NY - Station: LaGuardia Airport - Formats: EPW, TMY3 - Climate Zone: 4A

Los Angeles, CA - Station: Los Angeles International Airport - Formats: EPW, TMY3 - Climate Zone: 3B

Chicago, IL - Station: O'Hare International Airport - Formats: EPW, TMY3 - Climate Zone: 5A

Houston, TX - Station: George Bush Intercontinental Airport - Formats: EPW, TMY3 - Climate Zone: 2A

Phoenix, AZ - Station: Sky Harbor International Airport - Formats: EPW, TMY3 - Climate Zone: 2B

Climate Zones

Zone 1A: Very Hot - Humid - Examples: Miami, FL; Key West, FL

Zone 2A: Hot - Humid - Examples: Houston, TX; New Orleans, LA

Zone 2B: Hot - Dry - Examples: Phoenix, AZ; Las Vegas, NV

Zone 3A: Warm - Humid - Examples: Atlanta, GA; Memphis, TN

Zone 3B: Warm - Dry - Examples: Los Angeles, CA; San Diego, CA

Zone 3C: Warm - Marine - Examples: San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA

Zone 4A: Mixed - Humid - Examples: New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA

Zone 4B: Mixed - Dry - Examples: Denver, CO; Salt Lake City, UT

Zone 4C: Mixed - Marine - Examples: Portland, OR; Vancouver, BC

Zone 5A: Cool - Humid - Examples: Chicago, IL; Boston, MA

Zone 5B: Cool - Dry - Examples: Boise, ID; Cheyenne, WY

Zone 6A: Cold - Humid - Examples: Minneapolis, MN; Buffalo, NY

Zone 6B: Cold - Dry - Examples: Billings, MT; Fargo, ND

Zone 7: Very Cold - Examples: Fairbanks, AK; International Falls, MN

Zone 8: Subarctic - Examples: Anchorage, AK; Barrow, AK

International Locations

Canada

  • Toronto, ON
  • Vancouver, BC
  • Montreal, QC
  • Calgary, AB

Europe

  • London, UK
  • Paris, France
  • Berlin, Germany
  • Madrid, Spain
  • Rome, Italy

Asia

  • Tokyo, Japan
  • Beijing, China
  • Mumbai, India
  • Singapore
  • Seoul, South Korea

Australia

  • Sydney, NSW
  • Melbourne, VIC
  • Brisbane, QLD
  • Perth, WA

File Formats

EPW Format

Extension: .epw Structure: Comma-separated values Data: Hourly weather data Period: Full year (8760 hours)

Contents: - Dry bulb temperature - Dew point temperature - Relative humidity - Atmospheric pressure - Solar radiation (global, direct, diffuse) - Wind speed and direction - Sky cover

TMY3 Format

Extension: .tmy3 or .csv Structure: CSV format Data: Typical meteorological year Period: Representative year

Characteristics: - Selected from 30-year period - Typical conditions (not actual year) - Representative of long-term climate - Suitable for design and planning

Using the Library

Searching for Weather Files

  1. Navigate to Weather Library
  2. Use search or filters:
  3. Location name
  4. State/Province
  5. Country
  6. Climate zone
  7. Coordinates
  8. Browse available files
  9. Review file details

Selecting Weather File

  1. Review location information
  2. Check climate zone
  3. Verify file format
  4. Review data period
  5. Select appropriate file

Adding to Project

  1. Select weather file
  2. Click "Add to Datahub"
  3. Choose target datahub
  4. Confirm addition
  5. Link to project

Best Practices

  1. Match location: Use weather data from nearby station
  2. Consider distance: Closer stations are more accurate
  3. Check elevation: Similar elevation is preferable
  4. Verify period: Ensure data covers simulation period
  5. Document source: Record weather file used

Custom Weather Files

Uploading Custom Files

  1. Navigate to Datahub
  2. Select "Add Entry"
  3. Choose "Weather File"
  4. Upload EPW or TMY3 file
  5. Enter location information
  6. Save entry

Requirements

  • Valid EPW or TMY3 format
  • Complete data (8760 hours for annual)
  • Valid coordinate ranges
  • Proper file structure

Data Quality

Validation

Weather files are validated for: - Format compliance - Data completeness - Value ranges - Time continuity

Quality Indicators

  • Completeness: Percentage of data present
  • Source: Data origin and quality
  • Period: Years of data used
  • Station: Weather station information

Climate Data Summary

Temperature Statistics

  • Average: Mean annual temperature
  • Minimum: Coldest month average
  • Maximum: Warmest month average
  • Range: Temperature variation

Solar Radiation

  • Annual: Total annual solar radiation
  • Peak: Maximum monthly radiation
  • Seasonal: Variation by season

Other Statistics

  • Heating degree days
  • Cooling degree days
  • Precipitation
  • Wind patterns

References