WRF Plot

plotwrf.py

Python script to plot various WRF-ARW output. Written for Python 2.x

Currently plots

• 2m temp and wind barbs
• MSLP only
• Total accumulated precipitation
• Total precipitation
• Convective precipitation
• 2m dew point temperature
• Relative humidity
• Snow accumulation
• Hail accumulation
• Simulated reflectivity
• Composite reflectivity
• LCL
• Theta-e
• Upper level charts (geopotential height, wind barbs and temperature)
• H7-H5 lapse rates
• 500mb absolute vorticity
• 0-6km Shear
• Vertical Velocity
• IR Temp
• Skew-t Plots (Uses pyMeteo package)
• Skew-t Plots using SHARPpy (Currently testing stage)
• 2-5km Updraft Helicity (Testing)

Also supports saving plots as PNG images.

Example Usage: plotwrf.py --infile filename.nc --sfc --tunit C --td --ppn --punit mm

Use plotwrf.py --help to see all possible options.

Future improvements

• Plotting of severe weather parameters such as; CAPE, SRH, 0-6 SHR etc
• Plotting of soundings at a given latitude and longitude. Currently using pyMeteo package and SHARPpy. Need to plot more detailed soundings.
• Get data for given latitude and longitude such as max/min of variables
• Revise reflectivity routine. Possibly use FORTRAN routines to compute reflectivity

Known Issues

• Simulated and Composite Reflectivity calculations used are for Ferrier, WSM5, fixed intercept microphysics. Plots seem to work.
• Need to fix vertical velocity calculation to use vertical motion omega equation (microbars/s) and not vertical velocity

Feel free to use and modify this script but please give credit when used.