McIDAS Learning Guide
Version 2006

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GUI - Plotting and Looping Grids

In this exercise, you will display a single grid, and then a loop of grids. The test dataset "Blizzard" will be used because as of McIDAS-X 2006, the grid display and grid copy GUIs do not support GRIB data served from a database, which is how McIDAS-XCD stores real-time grids. Although no real-time data will be used in this exercise, you will still learn the basics of displaying grids with the grid GUI.

Displaying Grid Data over an Image

1. Display the 24 hour 850 mb temperature forecast from the March 13, 1993 00:00 UTC NGM model run (valid 14 MAR 00:00 UTC) over the Blizzard satellite image.

   Select:  Display/Grid

   Select:  Dataset/BLIZZARD/GRIDS

   Select:  Source/NGM

   Select:  Parameter/T

   Select:  Level/850 MB

   Select:  Date/13 Mar 1993

   Click:   the 24 hour forecast (second in the list)

   Click:   Load Grid(s)

2. Overlay the relative humidity in a different color.

   Select:  Parameter/RH

   Select:  Date/12 Mar 1993

   Click:   the Options tab

   Select:  Contour Color/the color of your choice

   Click:   Load and Dismiss

Displaying and Looping Grid Data on a map

1. Erase the images and graphics on frames 1-6.

   Click:   Erase Image

   Click:   Erase Graphics

   Click:   Advance Frame

   Repeat process until all frames have been erased.

2. Select the 24 hour MSL pressure forecast from the March 13, 1993 00:00 UTC NGM model run (valid 14 MAR 00:00 UTC) to be displayed on frame 5.

   Select:  Display/Grid

   Select:  Select Frame/ALL FRAMES/5

   Select:  Dataset/BLIZZARD/GRIDS

   Select:  Source/NGM

   Select:  Parameter/P

   Select:  Date/13 Mar 1993

   Click:   the 24 hour forecast (second in the list)

3. Display the grid over the United States.

   Click:   the Options tab

   Select:  Map Boundaries/USA

   Click:   Load Grid(s)

4. Display the same grid, but this time as part of a loop in frames 1-3.

   Click:   the Data tab

   Select:  Select Frame/Satellites/1

   Select:  the first three grids in the list by clicking the first grid and dragging your mouse down over the next two grids listed

   Click:   Load and Dismiss

5. Loop the grids to see the movement of the Low Pressure System.

   Click:   Play

6. When done viewing the grids, stop the loop.

   Click:   Stop

7. Erase the images and graphics on frames 1-6.

   Select:  Show Frame/ALL FRAMES/1

   Click:   Erase Graphics

   Click:   Advance Frame

   Repeat process until all frames have been erased.

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