ARS | Publication request: SYNTOR: A synthetic daily weather generator version 3.4 user manual

Submitted to: Grazinglands Research Laboratory Miscellaneous Publication
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: October 15, 2011
Publication Date: November 8, 2011
Citation: Garbrecht, J.D., Busteed, P.R. 2011. SYNTOR: A synthetic daily weather generator version 3.4 user manual. Grazinglands Research Laboratory Miscellaneous Publication. Available on: http://ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid=22071.

Interpretive Summary: Hydrologic and environmental investigations of ten require more weather observations than are available. This can be remedied by using a computer program to generate daily weather outcomes that are representative of the climatic characteristics at a location of interest. Such a computer program is called a synthetic weather generator. SYNTOR, which stands for SYNthetic weather generaTOR, is such computer program. SYNTOR Version 3.4 generates daily value of precipitation, minimum and maximum air temperature, and solar radiation. The program requires a record of historical weather observations to calculate weather statistics needed for the weather generation. Synthetic weather can be generated that is representative of the historical weather characteristics or a seasonal climate forecast. This manual provides a brief overview of SYNTOR programs, user options, input requirements, and program operation.

Technical Abstract: Existing records of weather observations are often too short to conduct long duration hydrologic and environmental computer simulations. A computer program can be used to generate synthetic weather data to increase the length of existing weather records. SYNTOR, which stands for SYNthetic weather generaTOR, is such computer program. SYNTOR Version 3.4 generates time-series of synthetic daily precipitation, daily minimum and maximum air temperature, and daily solar radiation at a location of interest. A record of historical weather observations for that location must be provided to calculate weather statistics needed for weather generation. Synthetic weather can be generated that represents the historical weather characteristics or a seasonal climate forecast. This manual provides a brief overview of SYNTOR programs, user options, input requirements, and program operation.