Directory structure

Typical macro structure

#=========================================
# Plot analysis fields
#=========================================

#-------------------------------------------------------------------------
#Available parameters:
# mslp,t2,wind10,speed10,sst
# t,z,pt,eqpt,wind,speed,w[850,500,200]
# r[850,700,500,200]
# vo850, pv320K
# tp (only for ERA5)
#
#Adding ".flag" suffix to 'wind' results in wind barbs otherwise arrows are used
#Adding ".s" suffix to 'z' results in a shaded plot instead of contours
#-------------------------------------------------------------------------

#Define plot list (min 1 - max 4)
plot1=["t850","mslp"]

#Experiment ID
# an: operational analysis
# e5: ERA5 analysis
exp_id = "e5"

#Map type: 1=Atl, 2=Norway 
mapType=1

#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#-------------------------------------
# Do not edit below this line!!!!!
#-------------------------------------
#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...

plot_maps(exp_id,plots,-1,steps,mapType)

You can specify usually the following parameters:

meteorological variable to visualize (the available variables are always listed in the macro header)
experiment ID
plotting area: two pre-defined maps are available, over a larger North-Atlantic area and over Norway
forecast time steps (examples for the format is given in the macros)
cross-section line (examples for the format is given in the macros)

The macros should not be modified after the line Do not edit below this line!!!!!.

Study the analysis

Available macros in the Analysis folder are:

an_1x1.mv: plots the analysis field in 1 panel for 1 to 4 variables over a pre-defined area, the analysis can be both the operational analysis and ERA5
an_2x2.mv: plots the analysis field in 4 panels for several variables over a pre-defined area
an_xs.mv: plots cross-section from the analysis for several variables over a user-defined line
mv_track.mv:
- a "drag-and-drop" macro, users have to drop it into a plot (e.g. a mean sea level pressure plot) and it visualizes the track on top of the original layer
- users can change the filename from where the track data are taken (track.csv is for track from 'observations' published by the National Hurricane Center, track_op_an.csv is track from the operational analysis, track_ea_an.csv is track from ERA5 data)

Precipitation is available only in ERA5 data, but not in the operational analysis.

Study the operational high-resolution forecast (HRES)

Available macros in the HRES_forecast folder are:

hres_1x1.mv: plots the HRES forecast in 1 panel for 1 to 4 variables over a pre-defined area
hres_2x2.mv: plots the HRES forecast in 4 panels for several variables over a pre-defined area
hres_xs.mv: plots cross-section from the HRES forecast for several variables over a user-defined line
mv_track.mv: a "drag-and-drop" macro, users have to drop it into a plot (e.g. a mean sea level pressure plot) and the macro visualizes the track on top of the original layer (track.csv is for track from the HRES forecast)

Study the user experiments

Available macros in the Experiments folder are:

exp_1x1.mv: plots the experiment results in 1 panel for 1 to 4 variables over a pre-defined area, additional variables are physics tendencies (see the macro header for guidance)
exp_2x2.mv: plots the experiment results in 4 panels for several variables over a pre-defined area
exp_diff.mv: plots the difference between two forecast fields for a given variable over a pre-defined area
exp_xs.mv: plots cross-section from the experiment results for several variables over a user-defined line, additional variables are physics tendencies (see the macro header for guidance)
exp_profile.mv: plots vertical profile from the experiment results for physics tendencies over a user-defined area or point

3 macros are designed for physics tendencies: exp_1x1.mv, exp_xs.mv and exp_profile.mv.

Forecast verification

Available macros in the Forecast_errors folder are:

exp_rmse.mv: plots the root mean square error (RMSE) curves of several experiments over a pre-defined area, analysis can be both the operational analysis and ERA5
exp-an_diff.mv: plots the differences between a forecast field and the analysis for a given variable over a pre-defined area, analysis can be both the operational analysis and ERA5

Physics tendencies cannot be verified with these macros.

Precipitation can be verified only against ERA5 data.

Saving figures

The participants will need to save plots for the group presentations on Friday. The plots generated by the macros can be easily saved into files if you run the macro not from the Macro window, but with right click on the macro and then selecting the Execute point. In this case the output is not displayed on the screen, but it is automatically saved into a .ps file and an animated .gif file. The pictures are stored in the figures folder which is linked into every directory mentioned above.