> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.plantpredict.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Weather File

> Complete reference for all parameters and data within a PlantPredict weather file

A PlantPredict weather file contains time-series meteorological data required for energy predictions. Weather files are organized across three tabs for viewing summary statistics, interactive charts, and raw data.

## Tab Overview

| Tab | Description |
| - | - |
| **Summary** | Annual totals, averages, station metadata, and data source information |
| **Charts** | Interactive time-series visualization of weather variables |
| **Raw Data** | Complete time-series data table with all weather parameters |

### Header Actions

| Action | Description |
| - | - |
| **Save Weather** | Save changes to the weather file |
| **Map** | View the weather station location on a map |
| **Change Status** | Change the weather file status |
| **Quality Check** | Run data quality validation checks |
| **Export** | Export the weather file |
| **Delete** | Delete the weather file |

***

## Summary Tab

The Summary tab displays aggregated statistics and metadata for the weather file.

<Frame caption="Weather File - Summary Tab">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/terabaseenergy/9QaEeQr_jWZr4Y5f/images/weather-file-summary-ui.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=9QaEeQr_jWZr4Y5f&q=85&s=6ab08f02171008ba52bf649bae9318cc" alt="Weather File Summary" width="2048" height="857" data-path="images/weather-file-summary-ui.png" />
</Frame>

### Totals

Annual irradiance totals calculated from the time-series data.

| Parameter | Units | Description |
| - | - | - |
| **Global Horizontal** | kWh/m² | Total Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) |
| **Diffuse Horizontal** | kWh/m² | Total Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DHI) |
| **Direct Normal** | kWh/m² | Total Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) |
| **Plane of Array** | kWh/m² | Total Plane of Array Irradiance (if available) |
| **Backside Plane of Array** | kWh/m² | Total rear-side irradiance for bifacial systems (if available) |
| **Albedo** | — | Average ground reflectance (if available) |

### Averages

Annual average values for meteorological parameters.

| Parameter | Units | Description |
| - | - | - |
| **Air Temperature** | °C / °F | Average ambient air temperature |
| **Relative Humidity** | % | Average relative humidity |
| **Wind Speed** | m/s / ft/s | Average wind speed |
| **Precipitable Water** | cm / in | Average precipitable water in atmosphere |
| **Max Air Temperature** | °C / °F | Maximum recorded air temperature |
| **Soiling** | % | Average soiling loss (if available) |
| **Albedo** | — | Average ground albedo (if available) |

### Weather Station

Location and metadata for the weather data source.

| Parameter | Units | Description |
| - | - | - |
| **Latitude** | ° | Station latitude (positive = North) |
| **Longitude** | ° | Station longitude (positive = East) |
| **Elevation** | m / ft | Station elevation above sea level |
| **Time Zone** | hr | UTC offset for timestamps |
| **Time Step** | min | Data interval (e.g., 60 = hourly) |
| **Locality** | — | City or locality name |
| **State/Province** | — | State or province |
| **Country** | — | Country |
| **Region** | — | Geographic region |
| **Station Code** | — | Weather station identifier (if applicable) |

### Data Specifics

Information about the data source and file properties.

| Parameter | Units | Description |
| - | - | - |
| **Provider** | — | Weather data provider (e.g., Meteonorm, SolarAnywhere, NSRDB) |
| **Type** | — | Data type (Measured, Satellite-derived, TMY, etc.) |
| **Project/Station Name** | — | Name or identifier for the project or station |
| **Start Date** | — | First timestamp in the data |
| **End Date** | — | Last timestamp in the data |
| **P-Level** | — | Probability level (e.g., P50, P90, P95) |
| **Model Version** | — | Provider model version (if applicable) |
| **Import File Name** | — | Original filename when imported |

***

## Charts Tab

The Charts tab provides interactive visualization of weather data time-series.

<Frame caption="Weather File - Charts Tab">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/terabaseenergy/9QaEeQr_jWZr4Y5f/images/weather-file-charts-ui.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=9QaEeQr_jWZr4Y5f&q=85&s=3ed8b1b150bcdcc76c60b2daf2966234" alt="Weather File Charts" width="2048" height="1147" data-path="images/weather-file-charts-ui.png" />
</Frame>

### Display Options

| Element | Description |
| - | - |
| **Graph / Table** | Toggle between graphical chart and tabular data view |
| **Date Range Slider** | Adjust the displayed time range within the dataset |
| **Slider Display Range** | Select time scale: Day, Month, or Year |

### Increment

Select the data aggregation level for display:

| Option | Description |
| - | - |
| **Hourly** | Display hourly data points |
| **Daily** | Aggregate and display daily values |
| **Monthly** | Aggregate and display monthly values |

### Variables to Display

**Measured Variables:**

| Variable | Units | Description |
| - | - | - |
| **GHI** | W/m² | Global Horizontal Irradiance |
| **DHI** | W/m² | Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance |
| **DNI** | W/m² | Direct Normal Irradiance |
| **Horizontal Beam** | W/m² | Horizontal beam irradiance |
| **Backside POAI** | W/m² | Rear-side Plane of Array Irradiance |
| **Ambient Temperature** | °C / °F | Ambient air temperature |
| **Relative Humidity** | % | Relative humidity |
| **Wind Velocity** | m/s / ft/s | Wind speed |
| **Soiling Loss** | % | Soiling loss factor |
| **POAI** | W/m² | Plane of Array Irradiance |

**Calculated Variables:**

| Variable | Units | Description |
| - | - | - |
| **Clear Sky Model** | W/m² | Calculated clear sky irradiance for comparison |
| **POAI (Clear Sky)** | W/m² | Clear sky Plane of Array Irradiance |
| **POAI from GHI** | W/m² | POA calculated from GHI using transposition models |

<Tip>
  Use the **Clear Sky Model** overlay to identify potential data quality issues such as time shifts, sensor errors, or cloud enhancement events. Measured values significantly exceeding clear sky suggest data anomalies.
</Tip>

***

## Raw Data Tab

The Raw Data tab displays the complete time-series data in tabular format.

<Frame caption="Weather File - Raw Data Tab">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/terabaseenergy/9QaEeQr_jWZr4Y5f/images/weather-file-rawdata-ui.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=9QaEeQr_jWZr4Y5f&q=85&s=711db5143439fd373cf1bdbceb26c15f" alt="Weather File Raw Data" width="2048" height="1174" data-path="images/weather-file-rawdata-ui.png" />
</Frame>

### Data Columns

| Column | Units | Description |
| - | - | - |
| **Index** | — | Row number |
| **Timestamp** | — | Date and time (ISO 8601 format) |
| **GHI** | W/m² | Global Horizontal Irradiance |
| **DHI** | W/m² | Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance |
| **DNI** | W/m² | Direct Normal Irradiance |
| **POAI** | kW/m² | Plane of Array Irradiance |
| **Backside POAI** | kW/m² | Rear-side Plane of Array Irradiance |
| **Temp** | °C / °F | Ambient temperature |
| **Rel Hmdty** | % | Relative humidity |
| **Prec. Water** | cm / in | Precipitable water |
| **Dewpoint** | °C / °F | Dewpoint temperature |
| **Pressure** | mbars | Atmospheric pressure |
| **Wind Speed** | m/s / ft/s | Wind speed |
| **Wind Dir.** | ° | Wind direction |
| **Wind Gust** | m/s / ft/s | Maximum wind gust |
| **Rainfall** | mm / in | Precipitation |
| **Soiling Loss** | % | Soiling loss factor |
| **Albedo** | — | Ground reflectance |

<Note>
  Not all columns will contain data for every weather file. Available parameters depend on the data source and provider. Columns without data will display as empty or with placeholder values.
</Note>

***

## Data Quality Considerations

When reviewing weather files, consider the following:

| Check | Description |
| - | - |
| **GHI vs Clear Sky** | GHI should not consistently exceed clear sky values |
| **DHI + DNI ≈ GHI** | Component irradiances should sum approximately to GHI |
| **Time Alignment** | Irradiance peaks should align with solar noon |
| **Temperature Range** | Temperatures should be reasonable for the location and season |
| **Missing Data** | Check for gaps or extended periods of zero values |

<Info>
  Use the **Quality Check** button in the header to run automated data validation checks on the weather file.
</Info>


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