RAOBPLOT

Plots upper-air data from IRAB-schema point files.

Formats

RAOBPLOT param level map time day [keywords]
RAOBPLOT par1-par2 lev1-lev2 map time1-time2 day1-day2 [keywords]

Parameters

param

parameter to plot; valid parameters are those defined in the RAOBPLOT.CORE, RAOBPLOT.SITE and RAOBPLOT.USER files; see the Remarks for more information and a list of the parameters in RAOBPLOT.CORE (default=PLOT)

par1-par2

parameter difference to plot, e.g., T-TD for dewpoint depression; see the Remarks

level

level of the data; valid options are the mandatory levels: SFC, TRO1, TRO2, MAXW, 1000, 925, 850, 700, 500, 400, 300, 250, 200, 150, 100, 70, 50, 30, 20, 10 (default=500)

lev1-lev2

level difference to plot, e.g., 1000-500 to subtract 500mb data from 1000mb data; see the Remarks

map

map for the contour; see the MAP command for a list of valid predefined maps, for example, FL, MID, USA, WORL (default=do not draw a map; use the navigation of the frame specified with NAV keyword)

time

observation time (default=0 if current time is between 0 UTC and 11:59 UTC; otherwise default=12)

time1-time2

time difference to plot, e.g., 12-6 to subtract 6 UTC data from 12 UTC data; see the Remarks

day

observation date; valid formats include YYYYDDD, YYYY/MM/DD, and DD/MON/YYYY where YYYY, DDD, MM, and DD are integers and MON is three or more letters, for example, JAN or JANUARY (default=current)

day1-day2

day difference to plot, e.g., 2000110-2000109 to subtract day 2000109 data from day 2000110 data; see the Remarks

Keywords

COLor=

graphics color level (default=3); specify as a single number, e.g., COLOR=5, or in the format color[min-maxBinc] to assign multiple colors for the parameter, based on its values; e.g., COLOR=2[30-59B10] plots values 30-39 in level 2, values 40-49 in level 3, values 50-59 in level 4, values less than 30 in level 1, and values greater than 59 in level 5

DATaset=

ADDE point dataset name and position; specify as group/descriptor.position or alias.position where position is a positive integer (absolute position), 0 or a negative integer (relative position), or ALL (default=RTPTSRC/UPPERMAND.ALL)

DEClut=

YES

declutter the plot, meaning do not plot overlapping values (default)

 

NO

do not declutter the plot

GRA=

graphic frame number for the display (default=current)

LSIze=

height of the plot characters, in pixels (default=8)

NAV=

num

frame to use for navigation

 

C

use the current frame's navigation (default)

 

you cannot use the NAV keyword if you specify a map with the map parameter

UNIt=

units for the specified parameter; see the Remarks for defaults; run the CU LIST command to list the valid units and abbreviations for the parameters that can be changed

Remarks

RAOBPLOT builds and runs a PTDISP command to display mandatory-level upper-air data from IRAB-schema point files. RAOBPLOT accepts all the keywords in the PTDISP command except LAT, LON, MAP, PRO, SLAT, SLON and PARAM because they may conflict with RAOBPLOT's parameters or keywords. You can use the PTDISP SELECT keyword to limit the plot to a specified list or range of values, but you cannot specify a different parameter, time, day or unit than those defined by the RAOBPLOT parameters or keywords.

The table below lists the parameter name, default units and a description of each parameter defined in the RAOBPLOT.CORE file. Default units enclosed in parenthesis cannot be changed. The .CORE file is supplied with McIDAS-X and should not be modified. The .USER file overrides the .SITE file, which overrides the .CORE file. This order of precedence allows you or your site to change existing parameters and/or add new parameters in your .USER or .SITE file. To create a .USER or .SITE file, copy the .CORE file from ~mcidas/data to your $HOME/mcidas/data directory (or another MCPATH directory), rename it, then edit the existing predefined parameters and/or add new ones.

param Default Units Description
IDN (number) five-digit station ID
OBS (dots) observation locations
ELEV M station elevation
OBTIME (HMS) actual time of observation
PLOT M station plot of the IDN, T, TD, Z, and WINDB parameters; units are M, for metric, or A, for American
P MB pressure
Z M height from surface
T C temperature
TD C dew point temperature
MIX (G/KG) mixing ratio
THA (K) potential temperature
THAE (K) equivalent potential temperature
DIR (degrees) wind direction
SPD KTS wind speed
WIND (deg) KTS two-digit wind direction and two- or three-digit speed, in the form DDSSS
WINDB (barb) wind barb (DIR and SPD); flag=25 mps (~50 kts), long barb=5 mps (~10 kts), short barb=2.5 mps (~5 kts) kts
WINDV (vector) wind vector (DIR and SPD)

If you specify both a time difference (time1-time2) and a day difference (day1-day2), RAOBPLOT plots the values equal to the parameter and level at time1,day1 minus the parameter and level at at time2,day2. For example, RAOBPLOT Z 500 USA 0-12 2000123-2000122 plots the values equal to the 500-mb heights at 0 UTC, day 2000123 minus the 500-mb heights at 12 UTC, day 2000122.

If you specify a parameter difference (par1-par2) with a time difference and day difference, RAOBPLOT plots the values equal to the parameter difference at time1,day1 minus the parameter difference at time2,day2. For example, RAOBPLOT T-TD 500 USA 0-12 2000123-2000122 plots the values equal to the 500-mb dewpoint depression at 0 UTC, day 2000123 minus the 500-mb dewpoint depression at 12 UTC, day 2000122. If you also include a level difference (lev1-lev2), RAOBPLOT does the computations for both levels. For example, RAOBPLOT T-TD 850-500 USA 0-12 2000123-2000122 plots the values computed by the equation [A-B]-[C-D], where:

A = 850-mb dewpoint depression at 0 UTC, day 2000123

B = 500-mb dewpoint depression at 0 UTC, day 2000123

C = 850-mb dewpoint depression at 12 UTC, day 2000122

D = 500-mb dewpoint depression at 12 UTC, day 2000122

Parameters with their default units enclosed in parenthesis in the table above (e.g., IDN, MIX and THA) cannot be used with the differencing options (par1-par2, lev1-lev2, time1-time2 and day1-day2).

Examples

RAOBPLOT

This entry plots 500-mb station model data for the current day and time using the navigation of the current frame.

RAOBPLOT IDN SFC USA LSIZE=6

This entry plots station ID numbers over a map of the United States with a plot size of six pixels.

RAOBPLOT T 850 NA DECLUT=NO UNIT=K LSIZE=6

This entry plots 850-mb temperatures in degrees Kelvin over a map of North America for the current day and time. The data is drawn with a plot size of six pixels. It is not decluttered, so all values are plotted and some may overlap.

RAOBPLOT WINDB 200 WORL 0 SELECT='SPD[KTS] 80 300' COLOR=5 LSIZE=10 TITLE='0 UTC 200-mb winds of at least 80 knots' 7 420 150

This entry plots wind barbs for all 0 UTC 200-mb winds with speeds of 80 knots or greater over a map of the world. The barbs are drawn in graphics color level 5 with a plot size of 10 pixels. The default title below the plot is replaced with the text 0 UTC 200-mb winds of at least 80 knots near the center of the frame in graphics color level 7. SELECT and TITLE are PTDISP keywords.

RAOBPLOT TD 700 USA 12 17/JAN/1996 DATASET=CLIMATE/1996

This entry plots 700-mb dew point temperatures over a map of North America. The data is from 12 UTC on 17 January 1996 in dataset CLIMATE/1996.

RAOBPLOT Z 500 USA 12 2000130-2000129

This entry plots the 24-hour 500-mb height change from 12 UTC, day 2000129 to 12 UTC, day 2000130 over a map of the United States.

RAOBPLOT Z 500-1000 NA 0

This entry plots today's 0 UTC 1000/500-mb thickness over a map of North America.