This short tutorial explains how to add a new experiment to the metview macros used during the workshop.

Before you begin

Make sure that the monthly mean files have been created from the model ensemble forecast. This is described: in Creating a new experiment: postprocessing.

Transfer the files via ftp to ICTP. They should be placed in directory you are advised to use e.g. 'data_local'.

Add experiment to Metview plotting

A small definition needs to be created in order for the Metview scripts to know how to use the new experiment.

In the main Metview window with the openifs_workshop_2017 macros, find the folder 'base' and open it.

Find the macro labelled 'base_input.mv', right-click and select 'Edit':

Create new experiment definition

Locate the following text:

#User experiment
global expDef_ob_user = (
    label: "OBS xx",
	id: "obxx",
	dir: "data_local/obxx",
    fname : "oif_obxx_$P_$D_$T.grib",
    steps : [2015-12-01,2016-01-01,2016-02-01,2016-03-01,2016-04-01],  
    noCf: 1,
    member: -1    
)

You can either edit this or make a copy if you have multiple new experiments. Changes need to be made to the items with 'xx'.

As an example, for a new experiment 'ob01', make a copy of the above as shown below:

# My ob01 experiment
global expDef_ob01_user = (
    label: "OBS Pacific anomaly",
	id: "ob01",
	dir: "data_local/ob01",
    fname : "oif_ob01_$P_$D_$T.grib",
    steps : [2015-12-01,2016-01-01,2016-02-01,2016-03-01,2016-04-01],  
    noCf: 1,
    member: 10    
)

Changes are:

  • expDef_ob_user   →  expDef_ob01_user
       This is the variable name of the new definition
  • label: "OBS xx"→"OBS Pacific anomaly"
       This is the label used in the plot titles, so choose something meaningful for your experiment.
  • id: "obxx"  →  "ob01"
           This is the experiment id, the same string that appears in the experiment initial files (e.g. ICMCLob01INIT). It is used in the macros to select this experiment.
  • dir: "data_local/obxx"  →  "data_local/ob01"
       This specifies the local of the monthly mean files. The directory 'data_local' will be in the same directory as the plotting macros. The monthly mean files should be in a sub-directory called 'ob01'. This directory can be called any name but it is best to keep it consistent with the experiment name.
  • fname: "oifs_obxx_$P_$D_$T.grib"  →  "oif_ob01_$P_$D_$T.grib"
       Only the 'obxx' part needs to change here. This is the filename pattern that the monthly mean files will be created with when using the oifs_to_mv script.
  • steps / noCf - unchanged
  • member : -1  →  10
       Change this to the total number of ensemble members - remember that the ensemble members are numbered from 0 (zero) in the OpenIFS run directory.

Add to list of experiment definitions

A final and very important change is to amend this line:

List of experiments in base_input.mv
global expDefLst = [expDef_ei, expDef_clim, expDef_ob00, expDef_ob50, expDef_cl50,
                   expDef_ob_user]

to include the new experiment definition, expDef_ob01_user,  to the end:

global expDefLst = [expDef_ei, expDef_clim, expDef_ob00, expDef_ob50, expDef_cl50,
                   expDef_ob_user, expDef_ob01_user]

The variable name used must match the variable name for the definition as described above.

 

And that's it!  If the metview plotting fails, check that the experiment definition is known and the data is located in the correct directory.