WRF to GrADS Converter

 

Purpose:

  • Generate 'ieee' files from WRF netCDF files
  • All WRF input, output and static (real and idealized data) in netCDF format can be converted
  • Make the corresponding grads_control_files


Necessary software to run script:

  • Obtain the WRF2GrADS TAR file from the WRF Download page
  • GrADS software - You can download and install GrADS from   http://grads/iges.org/grads
Hardware:
The code has been ported to the following machines
  • DEC Alpha
  • Linux
  • Sun
  • SGI
  • IBM
Steps:
  1. Untar the WRF2GrADS file - you will now have the following files:
     

    Makefile
    README
    control_file
    control_file_height
    control_file_pressure
    module_wrf_to_grads_netcdf.F
    module_wrf_to_grads_util.F
    wrf_to_grads.F


       
  2. Compile
    1. To compile the code, EDIT the Makefile to select the compiler flags for your machine
    2. make
    3. This will create a   wrf_to_grads executable
       
  3. Edit the control file
    1. The control_file control:
      • the times that will be processed
      • which variables to process
      • input files
      • if the dataset is real/ideal/static
      • which vertical levels to interpolate to
      • For extra comments regarding the control_file, please refer to the README file
         
  4. Run
    1. wrf_to_grads control_file MyOutput [-options]
    2. This will create MyOutput.dat and MyOutput.ctl for use with GrADS
    3. There are 3 debug levels (options) available:

       

         

      Only basic information will be written to the screen

      -v

       

      Debug option low

      -V

       

      Debug option high (lots of output)


       
  5. Now you are ready to use GrADS

To help users get started a number of grads scrips have been provided:

  • The scripts provided are only examples of the type of plots one can generate with GrADS data.
  • The user will need to modify these script to suit their data (Example, if you did not specify 0.25 km and 2 km as levels to interpolate to when you run the "bwave" data through the converter, the "bwave.gs" script will not display any plots, since it will specifically look for these to levels).

  • GENERAL SCRIPTS
    cbar.gs        Plot color bar on shaded plots (from GrADS home page)
    rgbset.gs   Some extra colors (Users can add/change colors from color number 20 to 99)
    skew.gs   Program to plot skewT (modified version of function as found on http://www.ems.psu.edu/~bryan/mm5/grads/)
    TO RUN TYPE: run skew.gs (needs pressure level TC,TD,U,V as input)
    User will be prompted if a hardcopy of the plot must be create - 1 for yes and 0 for no.
    If 1 is entered a GIF image will be created.
    Need to enter lon/lat of point you are interested in
    Need to enter time you are interested in
    Can overlay 2 different times

     
  • SCRIPTS FOR REAL DATA
    real_surf.gs        Plot some surface data
    Need input data on model levels
    plevels.gs   Plot some pressure level fields
    Need model output on pressure levels
    rain.gs  

    Plot total rainfall
    Need a model output data set (any vertical coordinate), that contain fields "RAINC" and "RAINNC"

    cross_z.gs   Need z level data as input
    Will plot a NS and EW cross section of RH and T (C)
    Plots will run through middel of the domain
    zlevels.gs   Plot some height level fields
    Need input data on height levels
    Will plot data on 2, 5, 10 and 16km levels
    input.gs   Need WRF INPUT data on height levels

     
  • SCRIPTS FOR IDEALIZED DATA
    bwave.gs        Need height level data as input
    Will look for 0.25 and 2 km data to plot
    grav2d.gs   Need normal model level datals
    hill2d.gs  

    Need normal model level data

    qss.gs   Need height level data as input.
    Will look for heights 0.75, 1.5, 4 and 8 km to plot
    sqx.gs   Need normal model level data a input
    sqy.gs   Need normal model level data a input