[Met_help] [rt.rap.ucar.edu #60890] History for MODE configuration file question

Mon Apr 8 09:34:15 MDT 2013

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  Initial Request
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Hello,

I am attempting to verify simulated radar reflectivity in the WRF model using MODE. I am having an issue with what forecast field name and level I should input. I have already used the Unified Post Proecessor, Version 2 on the model outputs. The field I am wanting to verify has the following information taken from Table 3 of Chapter 7 of the WRF Version 3 User's Guide (page 7-17):

Field Name: Radar reflectivity on model surface

Name In Control File: RADAR REFL MDL SFCS

Grib ID: 211

Vertical Level: 109

I have tried various inputs for the field name in the MODE configuration file, such as "RADAR REFL MDL SFCS" and "R211", but I always get an error that says 'unrecognized GRIB1 field abbreviation'.

If you could provide any insight on how to resolve this issue, it would be greatly appreciated. One possible error I've considered might be that the information from Table 7 listed above is only for WRF-NMM, while I'm using WRF-ARW (not sure if that makes a difference). Another possible error might be that I had an error in my UPP control file that I was unaware of. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response!

Michael Hollan

Graduate Student - Atmospheric Sciences
Teaching Assistant
Texas Tech University

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  Complete Ticket History
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Subject: Re: [rt.rap.ucar.edu #60890] MODE configuration file question
From: John Halley Gotway
Time: Fri Apr 05 20:06:47 2013

Michael,

I see that you're having trouble getting MODE to select the field
you'd
like from the GRIB output of UPP.  Specifically, you're after radar
reflectivity.

You need to tell MET the GRIB code abbreviation for the field you're
after.  These are defined in this GRIB table:
   http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/docs/on388/table2.html

I'm guessing that you're after either GRIB code 211 or 212 from
parameter
table version number 129:
   211 Derived radar reflectivity dbZ REFD
   212 Maximum/Composite radar reflectivity dbZ REFC

These are reflectivity fields.  Use the wgrib utility to figure out
which
output fields you have:
   wgrib my_file.grb | egrep "REFC|REFD"

If you want to verify REFC, you could try the following setting in the
MODE config file:
field = {
      name      = "REFC";
      level     = "L0";
      GRIB1_ptv = 129;
   };

You could also try plotting this field directly using the
plot_data_plane
utility:

   METv4.0/bin/plot_data_plane \
   my_file.grb \
   refc.ps \
   'name="REFC"; level="LO"; GRIB1_ptv=129;'

That will read the field described from the input file and create a
PostScript plot of it.  You can read more about the config file
settings
in METv4.0/data/config/README.

Just let me know if you continue to have problems.

Also, I'd suggest upgrading to METv4.1 when it's released in the next
few
weeks.  It will include a bugfix for MODE that is causing the object
areas
reported by MODE to be larger than they should be.  Basically, an
extra
row and column are being added to the area of each of the objects.

That'll be fixed in METv4.1.

Thanks,
John Halley Gotway
met_help at ucar.edu
>
> Thu Apr 04 14:57:41 2013: Request 60890 was acted upon.
> Transaction: Ticket created by michael.hollan at ttu.edu
>        Queue: met_help
>      Subject: MODE configuration file question
>        Owner: Nobody
>   Requestors: michael.hollan at ttu.edu
>       Status: new
>  Ticket <URL:
https://rt.rap.ucar.edu/rt/Ticket/Display.html?id=60890 >
>
>
> Hello,
>
>
>
> I am attempting to verify simulated radar reflectivity in the WRF
model
> using MODE. I am having an issue with what forecast field name and
level I
> should input. I have already used the Unified Post Proecessor,
Version 2
> on the model outputs. The field I am wanting to verify has the
following
> information taken from Table 3 of Chapter 7 of the WRF Version 3
User's
> Guide (page 7-17):
>
>
>
> Field Name: Radar reflectivity on model surface
>
> Name In Control File: RADAR REFL MDL SFCS
>
> Grib ID: 211
>
> Vertical Level: 109
>
>
>
> I have tried various inputs for the field name in the MODE
configuration
> file, such as "RADAR REFL MDL SFCS" and "R211", but I always get an
error
> that says 'unrecognized GRIB1 field abbreviation'.
>
>
>
> If you could provide any insight on how to resolve this issue, it
would be
> greatly appreciated. One possible error I've considered might be
that the
> information from Table 7 listed above is only for WRF-NMM, while I'm
using
> WRF-ARW (not sure if that makes a difference). Another possible
error
> might be that I had an error in my UPP control file that I was
unaware of.
> Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response!
>
>
>
> Michael Hollan
>
> Graduate Student - Atmospheric Sciences
> Teaching Assistant
> Texas Tech University
>

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Subject: RE: [rt.rap.ucar.edu #60890] MODE configuration file question
From: Hollan, Michael
Time: Sun Apr 07 11:32:40 2013

John,

Thank you so much! This really helps out a lot!

Michael

________________________________________
From: John Halley Gotway via RT [met_help at ucar.edu]
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 9:06 PM
To: Hollan, Michael
Subject: Re: [rt.rap.ucar.edu #60890] MODE configuration file question

Michael,