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🌦️ SWAT-Met Studio 4.0
Prepare daily weather inputs for your watershed model—from study-area selection to organised station files.
SWAT-Met Studio is a Windows desktop application for downloading NASA POWER daily weather data, preparing station grids, assigning elevations, reviewing terrain, and generating SWAT weather files. Version 4 brings these tasks together in one workspace, with DEM support, map and table exports, and a simpler output structure.
Modelling workflows
Prepare daily weather datasets for QSWAT in QGIS, ArcSWAT for ArcGIS Pro, and SWAT+ modelling workflows.
The application exports weather files in SWAT2012 text format. For SWAT+ projects, use SWAT+ Editor's SWAT2012 weather-data import workflow, described in the official SWAT+ Quick Start Guide.
⬇️ Download for Windows
Download SWAT-Met Studio 4.0 — Windows installer
| Release information | Details |
|---|---|
| Version | 4.0.0 |
| Platform | 64-bit Windows |
| Installer | SWAT-MetStudio-4.0.0-Setup.msi |
| Weather data source | NASA POWER |
Download and run the Windows .msi installer, complete the installation, and launch SWAT-Met Studio. The standalone application includes its required software dependencies; a separate Python or R installation is not required.
An internet connection is required to download weather data. A DEM is optional; when supplied, it must have a valid coordinate reference system and elevations in metres.
✨ Highlights of Version 4
A complete preparation workspace
Define geographic bounds, select a year range and station spacing, choose elevation information, and review the adjusted station grid before generating files. The station table, map preview, processing log, and progress indicator help you follow each stage.
NASA or DEM-based station elevations
Choose NASA POWER MERRA-2 elevations or load your own Digital Elevation Model.
- Use the DEM extent to define the study region.
- Sample station elevations from the original raster.
- Retain only stations on valid DEM pixels, excluding NoData and locations outside the raster footprint.
- Review the retained stations on the terrain map and in the station table.
The source DEM remains unchanged.
Terrain previews and map exports
Inspect terrain with latitude and longitude axes, a station overlay, and an elevation legend. The legend runs from green for lower elevations to red for higher elevations.
Export maps as PNG, TIFF, PDF, or SVG, with a selectable resolution of 72–2400 DPI.
Station-table CSV export
Save the prepared station table to a CSV file in a folder of your choice. The table includes station identifiers, latitude, longitude, and DEM elevations when a DEM is selected. With NASA elevations selected, elevations are obtained during the weather download and written to the generated station indexes.
Clear, organised outputs
Completed exports contain the SWAT weather files, processed daily station CSVs, and a run summary. Downloaded and intermediate cleaning files are kept out of the completed output folder.
Improvements to everyday use
- The loaded map remains visible when weather generation begins, and an unchanged grid retains its current zoom.
- Repeated exports use a new folder number for the selected year range, including after restarting the application.
- The activation window includes a Copy request code button.
- Check for update and About are available from the main window.
🌧️ Daily weather variables
Select individual variables or download all five together:
| Variable | Daily output |
|---|---|
| Precipitation | Daily precipitation |
| Temperature | Maximum and minimum temperature |
| Relative humidity | Daily relative humidity |
| Solar radiation | Daily solar radiation |
| Wind speed | Daily wind speed |
Data coverage and missing values
- The application accepts starting years from 1981; actual coverage depends on NASA POWER and the selected variables.
- 1984 or later is recommended when solar radiation is included. Missing solar values before 1984 are filled using the average of valid solar observations returned for the same station and selected period.
- Other missing values use the preceding valid value; leading gaps use the first available valid value.
- Processing stops if a selected variable has no valid observations.
Station spacing determines the requested locations; it does not increase the underlying resolution of NASA POWER data. Review downloaded and filled records for suitability in your study area and compare them with local observations where available.
🧭 Getting started
- Define your study area: enter the southern, northern, western, and eastern boundaries.
- Choose the period and spacing: select start and end years and the station spacing in decimal degrees.
- Select elevations: use NASA POWER elevations or browse to a DEM.
- Prepare the adjusted grid: inspect station coverage on the map and review the station table.
- Select weather variables and an output folder.
- Generate SWAT files: follow the progress log, then review the completed outputs.
The regular grid extends the northern and eastern edges when necessary to cover the requested bounds. With a DEM selected, only stations on valid DEM pixels are retained.
📁 Generated files
Each completed run is saved in a folder containing the selected year range and a three-digit export number:
SWAT_1984_2025_001/
├── SWAT_format/
├── Stations_data/
└── README.txt
| Output | Contents |
|---|---|
SWAT_format |
SWAT station weather files and matching station indexes |
Stations_data |
Daily station CSV files after missing values are filled |
README.txt |
Region, years, station count, selected variables, elevation source, and processing summary |
Further exports for the same year range use the next available number, such as 002 or 003, preserving earlier runs.
Station indexes and weather files
| Variable | Station index | Station weather files |
|---|---|---|
| Precipitation | pcp.txt |
pcp1.txt, pcp2.txt, … |
| Temperature | tmp.txt |
tmp1.txt, tmp2.txt, … |
| Relative humidity | rh.txt |
rh1.txt, rh2.txt, … |
| Solar radiation | solar.txt |
solar1.txt, solar2.txt, … |
| Wind speed | wind.txt |
wind1.txt, wind2.txt, … |
Index files contain station identifiers, names, latitude, longitude, and elevation. Each station name corresponds to its weather filename. Temperature files contain daily maximum and minimum temperature, in that order.
📚 Documentation and support
- Tutorial video: Watch Tutorial on YouTube
- User manual: Download SWAT-Met Studio 4 User Manual (PDF)
- Software enquiries: swatmetstudio@gmail.com
- Developer: IIT Roorkee Alumni
- Website: www.indiaremotesensing.com
Windows Smart App Control – Installation Note
If Windows 11 blocks the installation of SWAT-Met Studio, you may need to temporarily disable Smart App Control.
Steps:
- Open Start → Windows Security.
- Select App & browser control.
- Click Smart App Control settings.
- Select Off and confirm.
- Install SWAT-Met Studio.
- After installation, return to the same settings and select On to restore protection, if available.
Note: Re-enabling Smart App Control is supported on updated Windows 11 systems. On some older configurations, turning it back on may require a Windows reset or reinstall. Only disable this protection if you trust the downloaded installer.
Report software issues through the repository's Issues page. Include the application version, steps to reproduce the problem, and the relevant error message or screenshot.
🔑 Free trial, purchase, and activation
Free to process a single study area once.
One completed processing run is available before activation. Purchase activation to continue processing further runs.
| Users | Activation price |
|---|---|
| Global | US$10 USD |
Visit the official purchase page for purchase and activation information.
Activation steps
- Open SWAT-Met Studio and click Activate… in the upper-right corner.
- Enter your name and email address.
- Click Copy request code to copy the code generated automatically for your computer.
- Enter the Request code on purchase page and checkout.
- Your activation code will be delivered by email within 24 hours of purchase.
- Reopen the activation window on the same computer, enter the same name and email, paste the complete code into Activation code, and click Activate.
After successful activation, your registered name appears in the main window and the Activate… button disappears. The activation code is linked to the computer that generated the request code.