[Wrf-users] Visualization in Matlab

[Hein Zelle]

Roberto Chavez wrote:

> Has anyone written code to use MATLAB to view WRF-ARW output?

Plenty, but it's not generic code.  I tend to prefer to visualize WRF
output with the Ferret tool (PMEL/NOAA), which is not standard within
the WRF community.

For Matlab, look into the Mexnc/NetCDF toolbox for reading WRF output
files.  This is completely generic and not WRF specific, read the
NetCDF documentation if you're not familiar with the file format.

For simple visualization the 'imagesc' command performs quite well,
combined with the quiver command to draw wind vectors.

To draw proper maps you'll need to make use of the XLAT and XLONG
coordinate fields, I use the griddata function to interpolate from WRF
"curved grids" to regular lat/lon grids.  I've also reversed the
process (interpolating the coordinate fields) to plot WRF data as a
rectangle, with a lat/lon graticule overlaid on the plot and proper
lat/lon coordinates along the axis.  Both methods are fairly
cumbersome in MATLAB.

For coastlines we make use of the GSHHS dataset (freely available)
for which we've written a custom reading routine.  There are plenty of
alternatives there too.

Note that MATLAB also has a mapping toolbox, which may provide many of
these features.  I don't have it and have no experience with it, so I
can't say if it's worth trying.

Kind regards,
     Hein Zelle


-- 

Dr. ir. Hein Zelle
Advisor Meteorology & Oceanography

Tel:    +31 (0)527-242299
Fax:    +31 (0)527-242016
Email:  hein.zelle at bmtargoss.com
Web:    www.bmtargoss.com

BMT ARGOSS
P.O. Box 61, 8325 ZH Vollenhove
Voorsterweg 28, 8316 PT Marknesse
The Netherlands

----Confidentiality Notice & Disclaimer---- 

The contents of this e-mail and any attachments are intended for the
use of the mail addressee(s) shown. If you are not that person, you
are not allowed to read it, to take any action based upon it or to
copy it, forward, distribute or disclose the contents of it and you
should please delete it from your system. BMT ARGOSS does not accept
liability for any errors or omissions in the context of this e-mail or
its attachments which arise as a result of internet transmission, nor
accept liability for statements which are those of the author and
clearly not made on behalf of BMT ARGOSS.