McIDAS User's Guide
Version 2018.1
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Contours upper-air data from IRAB-schema point files.
RAOBCON param
level map time day [keywords]
RAOBCON par1-par2
lev1-lev2 map time1-time2 day1-day2 [keywords]
contour interval; specify 0 to let RAOBCON compute a reasonable interval; specify your own interval as an integer or decimal value greater than zero (default=from the CONTOUR.DEF text file; if no file entry matches the parameter, level, and units, default=0) |
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contour values; specify the name of a string that contains up to 64 values; e.g., CINT=SNOWDEPTH will draw contours at the values specified in the string named SNOWDEPTH |
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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) |
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you cannot use the NAV keyword if you specify a map with the map parameter |
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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 |
RAOBCON builds and runs a PTCON command to display mandatory-level upper-air data from IRAB-schema point files. RAOBCON accepts all the keywords in the PTCON command except LAT, LON, MAP, PRO, SLAT, SLON and PARAM because they may conflict with RAOBCON's parameters or keywords. You can use the PTCON SELECT keyword to limit the analysis to a specified list or range of values, but you cannot specify a different parameter, level, time, day or unit than those defined by the RAOBCON parameters or keywords.
The table below lists the parameter name, default units and a description of each parameter defined in the RAOBCON.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.
Parameter advection or divergence is done by appending ADV or DVG to the parameter name, e.g., TADV and SPDDVG. Parameters with their default units enclosed in parenthesis in the table above (e.g., MIX, THA and ABV) and advected or diverged parameters cannot be used with the differencing options (par1-par2, lev1-lev2, time1-time2 and day1-day2).
If you specify both a time difference (time1-time2) and a day difference (day1-day2), RAOBCON contours the values equal to the parameter and level at time1,day1 minus the parameter and level at time2,day2. For example, RAOBCON Z 500 USA 0-12 2000123-2000122 contours 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, RAOBCON contours the values equal to the parameter difference at time1,day1 minus the parameter difference at time2,day2. For example, RAOBCON T-TD 500 USA 0-12 2000123-2000122 contours 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), RAOBCON does the computations for both levels. For example, RAOBCON T-TD 850-500 USA 0-12 2000123-2000122 contours 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
RAOBCON
This entry contours 500-mb temperatures for the current day and time using the navigation of the current frame.
RAOBCON P SFC USA 12 UNIT=INHG COLOR=7 LABEL='Surface Pressure, in inches of mercury' 7 420 150
This entry contours surface pressure in inches of mercury at 12 UTC over a map of the United States. The contours are drawn in graphics color level 7. The default label below the plot is replaced with the text Surface Pressure, in inches of mercury near the center of the frame in graphics color level 7. Label is a PTCON keyword
TE DEWPOINTS "-20 -10 0 10 20 25 30 32 35
RAOBCON TD 700 CINT=DEWPOINTS DASH=NEG UNIT=F
The TE command creates a string called DEWPOINTS containing contour values for the RAOBCON entry. The RAOBCON entry draws the 700-mb 20, -10, 0, 10, 20, 25, 30, 32, and 35° Fahrenheit dew-point temperature contours for the current day and time using the navigation of the current frame. The -20° and -10° contours are dashed; the others are solid. Do not specify a pound sign (#) before the string name in the CINT keyword.
RAOBCON Z 500 USA 12 17/JAN/1996 DATASET=CLIMATE/1996
This entry plots 500-mb temperatures over a map of the United States. The data is from 12 UTC on 17 January 1996 in dataset CLIMATE/1996.
RAOBCON VOR 500 USA 0
This entry contours today's 0 UTC 500-mb relative vorticity over a map of the United States.
RAOBCON Z 500 EURO 0 2000131-2000130
This entry contours the 24-hour 500-mb height change from 0 UTC, day 2000130 to 0 UTC, day 2000131 over a map of Europe.
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