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Task 1: Satellite images
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TODO:
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Open the folder 'satellite'.
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This task will look at the synoptic development of Hurricane Nadine and the cutoff low up to 00Z, 20th September 2012. The forecasts in the next exercises start from this time and date.
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TODO:1.
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an_1x1.mv : this plots horizontal maps of parameters from the ECMWF analyses overlaid on one plot. an_2x2.mv : this plots horizontal maps of parameters from the ECMWF analyses four plots to a page (two by two). |
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After a pause, this will generate a map showing mean-sea-level pressure (MSLP).
Use the an_1x1.mv and/ or the an_2x2.mv macros to compare the ECMWF analyses with the satellite images.
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Task 2: MSLP and 500hPa geopotential height
This task creates Figure 2. from Pantillon et al.
Right-click the mouse button on the 'an_1x1.mv' icon and select the 'Edit' menu item.
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With the edit window open, find the line that defines 'plot1':
Change this line to:
The '.s' means plot the 500hPa geopotential as a shaded plot instead of using contours (this style is not available for all fields). Make sure 'mslp' is second to plot the contours on top of the z500 shaded colour map. Click the play button and then animate the map that appears |
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Q. What do you notice about the SST field? |
Task 6: Cross-sections -- delete, just use HRES
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Should this task should move to the second look at analyses after 20/9? |
The last task in this exercise is to look at cross-sections through Hurricane Nadine and the cut-off low.
Right click on the icon 'an_xs.mv', select 'Edit' and push the play 
button.
The plot shows potential vorticity (PV), wind vectors and potential temperature roughly through the centre of the Hurricane and the cut-off low. The red line on the map of MSLP shows the location of the cross-section.
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Q. Look at the PV field, how do the vertical structures of Nadine and the cut-off low differ? |
Changing forecast time
Cross-section data is only available every 24hrs.
This means the 'steps' value in the macros is only valid for the times: [2012-09-20 00:00], [2012-09-21 00:00], [2012-09-22 00:00], [2012-09-23 00:00], [2012-09-24 00:00], [2012-09-25 00:00]
To change the date/time of the plot, edit the macro and change the line:
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steps=[2012-09-22 00:00] |
Changing fields
A reduced number of fields is available for cross-sections: temperature (t), potential temperature (pt), relative humidity (r), potential vorticity (pv), vertical velocity (w), wind-speed (speed; sqrt(u*u+v*v)) and wind vectors (wind3).
Changing cross-section location
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#Cross section line [ South, West, North, East ]
line = [30,-29,45,-15] |
The cross-section location (red line) can be changed in this macro by defining the end points of the line as shown above.
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Exercise 2: Operational ECMWF HRES forecast
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