nidsplot
Sections
NAME
nidsplot - NIDS radar plotting
SYNOPSIS
nidsplot [parameters...] filename
PARAMETERS
| Command Line | Resource | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| -h | help | No | Lists basic help information. |
| -df=filename | default | wxp.cfg | Sets the name of the resource file. |
| -na=name | name | the program name | Specifies the name used in resource file parsing. |
| -me=level | message | out2 | Specifies level of messages to be displayed |
| -fp=path | file_path | the current directory | Specifies location of database files. |
| -dp=path | data_path | the current directory | Specifies the location of the input raw data files. |
| -ip=path | image_path | the current directory | Specifies location of output image files (.gif/,png) from WXP. |
| -nc=name_conv | name_conv | name.cnv or name_conv file | This sets which name convention file to use. |
| -if=in_file | in_file | program specific | Specifies the input file name tag. |
| -of=out_file | out_file | program specific | Specifies the output file name tag. |
| -cf=filename | city_file | program specific | Specifies the name of the city database file |
| -mf=filename... | map_file | wxp.map | Specifies the name of the map database file. Multiple maps can be specified along with attributes to describe how to draw the map. |
| -cu=[hour] | current | none | This specifies to use current data files. |
| -ho=hour | hour | none | Specifies the exact hour that a data file is valid for. |
| -nh=hours[,skip] | num_hour | Value Generally 0 | Specifies the number of hours worth of data to use in the program |
| -id=ident[,ident...] | identifier | None | Specifies a station identifier to plot or parse for |
| -pd=domain | plot_domain | program dependent, mostly "us" | Sets the plotting domain |
| -va=variable | variable | none | Sets the parameter/variable to be displayed |
| -sc=type | plot_scale | 1.0 | Specifies a scaling factor for all plotted text, symbols, vectors, etc. |
| -fm=format | format | None | Specifies the output format of data. |
| -pa=param[,param...] | parameter | none | Specifies addition parameters to program. |
| -dr=value[,value...] | draw | all | Specifies which part of the plot is to be drawn. |
| -la=type | label | Program defaults | Specifies the labels to be plotted around the plot. By default, labels are generated by the program and plotted above and below the plot. This resource overrides these labels. |
| -fl=font_file[,font_file...] | font_list | modern.fnt | Specifies a list of fonts to use in the plots. |
| -ct=color_table | color_table | wxp.clr | Specifies the color table to use in the plot. This maps color names to actual RGB color values. |
| -col=color[:attribute...] | color_label | white (black on inverse plots) | Specifies the text color for labels above and below the plot. |
| -cod=color[:attribute...] | color_data | green (for most programs) | Specifies the color for plotted data. |
| -com=color[:attribute...] | color_map | red (for most programs) | Specifies the color for background maps. |
| -coll=color[:attribute...] | color_latlon | magenta:st=dsh | Specifies the color for lat/lon lines. |
| -cof=[value:]color[:attribute...],[value:]color[:attribute...],... -cof=filename |
color_fill | magenta, lmagenta, blue, lblue, cyan, lcyan, green, lgreen, brown, yellow, red, lred, dgray, lgray, white | Specifies the colors in the color fill contours. |
| -de=device[,parameters] | device | d for display | Specifies the output device. |
| -ti=title | title | The name of the program or the value of the name resource | Specifies the window title. |
| -ic | icon | off | Specifies whether to open window in iconified mode. |
| -bg=color | background | black | Specifies the background color of the window. |
| -ge=widthxheight[+x+y] | geometry | 640x512 (for windowed plots) | Specifies the window and paper geometry. |
| filename (positional) | filename | none | Specify input filename |
DESCRIPTION
This program plots NIDS level 3 radar data.
The NIDS data feed contains many types of images from each WSR-88D radar. The images are for a single radar site and include the following:
| Name | Description | Type |
| bref1 | Base reflectivity, level 1 | radial |
| bref2 | Base reflectivity, level 2 | radial |
| bref3 | Base reflectivity, level 3 | radial |
| bref4 | Base reflectivity, level 4 | radial |
| lref1 | Layer reflectivity, level 1 | rastor |
| lref2 | Layer reflectivity, level 2 | rastor |
| lref3 | Layer reflectivity, level 3 | rastor |
| cref | Composite reflectivity, level 1 | rastor, with text |
| vel1 | Base velocity, level 1 | radial |
| vel2 | Base velocity, level 2 | radial |
| vel3 | Base velocity, level 3 | radial |
| vel4 | Base velocity, level 4 | radial |
| srmv1 | Storm relative mean velocity, level 1 | radial |
| srmv2 | Storm relative mean velocity, level 2 | radial |
| tops | Echo tops | rastor |
| vil | Vertical integrated liquid | rastor |
| pre1 | 1 hour precipitation total | rastor |
| pret | Storm total precipitation | rastor |
| prea | Digital precipitation array | rastor, 1/40th LFM grid |
| vad | Vertical azimuth display | winds aloft time cross section |
To access these files, it is recommended to use the above names as file name extensions such as 9707241255.bref1. Then allot the name convention to use a extension (%e) and use nids_bref1 for the input file type. The input resource must be set to nids in order for rad to know that the data are in NIDS format.
After the file type is determined, the program will prompt for the input file name. This can be entered via the command line or using the current resource. To generate a loop, the num_hour resource can be specified. This will tell the program to loop through this number of hours.
The program will then display the image and overlay a map. If no plot domain is specified, the image is plotted in a polar stereographic projection sized so the image fits the window. A plot domain can be specified to remap the image for overlay. The remap will only work with polar stereographic and lat/lon projections.
The default image colors are dependent on the image type:
- bref, cref, lref, tops, vil, pre - uses a standard set of colors but the cutoffs are based on the threshold values in the NIDS file. The colors are "off, blue, lblue, cyan, lcyan, green, lgreen, brown, yellow, red, lred, magenta, lmagenta, dgray, lgray, white".
- vad - the wind barbs are color coded base on RMS of the variability of winds over the reporting period. These values range from 0-16 in intervals of 4. The colors are "lblue, lcyan, lgreen, yellow, lred".
- vel - uses a preset color scheme for consistency between plots. The color scheme is: "-70:blue, -63:lblue, -49:cyan, -35:lcyan, -25:green, -19:lgreen, -9:dgray, 0:off, 1:lgray, 10:yellow, 20:brown, 26:lred, 36:red, 50:lmagenta, 64:magenta".
- srmv - uses a preset color scheme for consistency between plots. The color scheme is: "-50:lblue, -40:cyan, -30:lcyan, -22:green, -10:lgreen, -5:dgray, -1:off, 0:lgray, 5:yellow, 10:brown, 22:lred, 30:red, 40:lmagenta, 50:magenta".
This can be changed using the color_fill resource.
Storm Attributes Plotting
The composite reflectivity product contains the storm attributes table. By default, only the reflectivity plot is displayed. If the variable resource is specified, attributes will be plotted over the reflectivity. The possible variables are:
| Variable | Description and units | Plots | ||||||||||||||||
| id | Storm ID | text | ||||||||||||||||
| tvs | Tornado Vortex Signature (TVS) | value=1, text=TVS | ||||||||||||||||
| meso | Mesocyclone | value=1,text=MESO | ||||||||||||||||
| posh | Probability of severe hail. | value=prob, prob>75, text=*, prob>50, text=X |
||||||||||||||||
| poh | Probability of hail. | same as posh | ||||||||||||||||
| hsize | Hail size in inches | value | ||||||||||||||||
| dbzm | Maximum Dbz value | value | ||||||||||||||||
| dbzht | Height of max. Dbz | value | ||||||||||||||||
| top | Echo tops in 100s ft | value | ||||||||||||||||
| dir | Direction of movement | value | ||||||||||||||||
| spd | Speed of movement in knots | value | ||||||||||||||||
| mvmt | Direction and speed of movement | value0=dir, value1=spd | ||||||||||||||||
| comp |
|
These parameters can be accessed by name if they have not been redefined in the nids.var file.
EXAMPLES
rad -cu=la -re=mw -va=all -de=d
This plots a radar summary overlaid with a composite of MDR data including watch boxes.
rad -if=nowrad -cu=la -re=40,-90,.4
-mf=fi:map_cnty -de=d
This will plot the latest NOWRad MASTER sector for a location in Illinois and overlay it with a county map.
rad -if=nids_bref1 -cu=la -de=d
This will plot the latest BREF1 NIDS image. The file name convention uses the "bref1" as the extension (%e) in naming the file.
rad -if=nids_cref -cu=la -de=d -va=comp
This will plot the latest composite reflectivity image overlaid with the composite storm attributes.
FILES
- rad.cty - the radar location database file
- rad.var - the variable menu and definitions for MDR display
- nids.var - the variable menu and definitions for NIDS storm attributes
SEE ALSO
Last updated November 2013