<p>The only open and ongoing data source for in-situ ocean wave measurements I am aware of is the <a href="http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/">National Data Buoy Center</a>. Though NDBC manages data service from plenty of moored buoys in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, unfortunately there isn't much in your region of interest. </p>

<p>The only buoys I have found that are somewhat near the Southeast Asian region are 2 buoys on the east and west side of Guam, and one right by Northern Mariana Islands:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=52200">http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=52200</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=52202">http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=52202</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=52211">http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=52211</a></li>
</ul>

<p>These buoys provide directional energy spectrum data, as well as integrated quantities like significant wave height and mean and dominant wave period. I've written a Python library that lets you parse NDBC server and access data from buoys from command line or your Python programs. Once I tidy it up and make it public, I will update this answer so that other people can use it.</p>

<p>Your other option, as suggested by @DeerHunter, is to use altimetry data from polar-orbiting satellites. Although these are sparse and provide only wave heights (no period or direction information), they may be your only bet depending on the region of interest.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-11T17:52:14.947Z
+1 Looked around too, though the best I was able to find was [data for surfers](http://magicseaweed.com/South-East-Asia-Surf-Forecast/71/), and a [very limited set of data from China via the National Marine Data and Information Service published 6 volumes of tide tables each year.](http://www.coi.gov.cn/english/products/cxyb/). @DeerHunter's [Sea Wave Height from Satellite Altimeters data looks good too.](http://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/877/where-can-i-obtain-ocean-wave-data-of-the-southeast-asian-region#comment1715_877)
blunders
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-11T17:43:54.740Z
2014-05-11T17:58:10.260Z
2014-05-11T17:58:10.260Z
milancurcic
<p>I am interested in obtaining ocean wave data (preferably from actual measurements), such as wave height, period, and direction, in the Southeast Asian region. Where can I obtain them?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-11T03:04:38.410Z
Have you tried USGODAE: http://www.usgodae.org/cgi-bin/datalist.pl?Data_Type=ALL&Parameter=wave_height&Provider=ALL&meta=Go
Deer Hunter
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-11T12:38:28.230Z
@DeerHunter, thank you. But how do I open the files?
adipro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-11T13:34:58.450Z
They have a simple decoder in Fortran at the site.
Deer Hunter
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-11T15:20:48.487Z
@DeerHunter: Took a [peak at the **Sea Wave Height from Satellite Altimeters** data](http://www.usgodae.org/cgi-bin/thumbnail.pl?generate=IMG&filetime=2014050100&product=fnmoc_swh), but also unable to figure out where the decoder is, and how to use it from start to finish to extract the data to for example CSV.
blunders
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-11T17:48:46.823Z
To access data, use the UNIX `uncompress` tool to unpack the .Z archives that you choose to download. To use the decoder, download the `.f` and `.h` files from http://www.usgodae.org/ftp/outgoing/fnmoc/data/ocn/docs/. Compile with any recent Fortran compiler, e.g. `gfortran ocn_obs.f`. Then run `a.out` and follow directions from the screen.
milancurcic
<oceanography><measurements><waves><open-data>
Where can I obtain ocean wave data of the Southeast Asian region?
adipro
# Where can I obtain ocean wave data of the Southeast Asian region?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-05-10)

I am interested in obtaining ocean wave data (preferably from actual measurements), such as wave height, period, and direction, in the Southeast Asian region. Where can I obtain them?

**Tags:** oceanography, measurements, waves, open-data

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Have you tried USGODAE: http://www.usgodae.org/cgi-bin/datalist.pl?Data_Type=ALL&Parameter=wave_height&Provider=ALL&meta=Go  
> **username_0**: @username_1, thank you. But how do I open the files?  
> **username_1**: They have a simple decoder in Fortran at the site.  
> **username_2**: @username_1: Took a [peak at the **Sea Wave Height from Satellite Altimeters** data](http://www.usgodae.org/cgi-bin/thumbnail.pl?generate=IMG&filetime=2014050100&product=fnmoc_swh), but also unable to figure out where the decoder is, and how to use it from start to finish to extract the data to for example CSV.  
> **username_3**: To access data, use the UNIX `uncompress` tool to unpack the .Z archives that you choose to download. To use the decoder, download the `.f` and `.h` files from http://www.usgodae.org/ftp/outgoing/fnmoc/data/ocn/docs/. Compile with any recent Fortran compiler, e.g. `gfortran ocn_obs.f`. Then run `a.out` and follow directions from the screen.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-05-11. Score: 9

The only open and ongoing data source for in-situ ocean wave measurements I am aware of is the [National Data Buoy Center](http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/). Though NDBC manages data service from plenty of moored buoys in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, unfortunately there isn't much in your region of interest.

The only buoys I have found that are somewhat near the Southeast Asian region are 2 buoys on the east and west side of Guam, and one right by Northern Mariana Islands:

* <http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=52200>
* <http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=52202>
* <http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=52211>

These buoys provide directional energy spectrum data, as well as integrated quantities like significant wave height and mean and dominant wave period. I've written a Python library that lets you parse NDBC server and access data from buoys from command line or your Python programs. Once I tidy it up and make it public, I will update this answer so that other people can use it.

Your other option, as suggested by @username_1, is to use altimetry data from polar-orbiting satellites. Although these are sparse and provide only wave heights (no period or direction information), they may be your only bet depending on the region of interest.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: +1 Looked around too, though the best I was able to find was [data for surfers](http://magicseaweed.com/South-East-Asia-Surf-Forecast/71/), and a [very limited set of data from China via the National Marine Data and Information Service published 6 volumes of tide tables each year.](http://www.coi.gov.cn/english/products/cxyb/). @username_1's [Sea Wave Height from Satellite Altimeters data looks good too.](http://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/877/where-can-i-obtain-ocean-wave-data-of-the-southeast-asian-region#comment1715_877)  

---

