12th Annual Northern Plains Workshop, Bismarck, ND, 8-9 April 2008

Sounding Analysis and Research Tools: What is used at Rapid City?

Matthew J. BunkersNOAA/NWS, Rapid City, SD

Motivation

Do you like this graph? Or this one?

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MotivationDo you want to make charts like this?

3http://www.crh.noaa.gov/unr/?n=pw

Outline

• Plot and analyze a hodograph

• Create a precipitable water chart

• Tell you where to get the tools

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Hodograph1. Get data – http://raob.fsl.noaa.gov; or

radiosonde database on CD-ROMs

2. Run C program – hodo.c– Need UNIX/Linux

3. Plot in spreadsheet – Excel graph– Customize, analyze, print, save image

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Hodograph – Get data

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6/6/04:70-110 nmNW of BIS

Ord: 240 @ 30 ktsRM: 269 @ 26 ktsLM: 217 @ 47 kts

Hodograph – Get data

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http://raob.fsl.noaa.gov/

Plus Radiosonde Database of North America CD-ROMs (1948mid 1990s)

Hodograph – Get data

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Hodograph – Get data

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Hodograph – C program

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Hodograph – C program

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Hodograph – Excel spreadsheet

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Ord: 240 @ 30 ktsRM: 269 @ 26 ktsLM: 217 @ 47 kts

Precipitable water1. Get data – http://raob.fsl.noaa.gov; or

radiosonde database on CD-ROMs

2. Run C program – pw.c

3. Plot in spreadsheet – Excel graph– Customize, analyze, print, save image

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Precipitable water – Get data

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http://raob.fsl.noaa.gov/

Plus Radiosonde Database of North America CD-ROMs (1948mid 1990s)

Precipitable water – Get data

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Precipitable water – Get data

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May have to concatenate several files; put 999 at end

Precipitable water – pw.c• Compile this program just like hodo.c

– See comments within program

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Precipitable water – Excel spreadsheet

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Where do I get this?• http://www.crh.noaa.gov/unr/?n=scm

• convectM.c– Computes multiple sounding variables

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Bulk1 Bulk2 Bulk3 Bulk4 Bulk5 Bulk6 Bulk7 Bulk8 SRH1 SRH2 SRH3 Year Mo Dy Hr5 10 15 20 25.4 30.9 31.5 31.5 38 76 115 1998 1 16 0

5.5 5 5 5.5 2.6 1.9 3.5 11.3 -25 -20 -20 1998 1 20 121.3 8.9 13.8 13.1 12 19.7 15.9 17.2 -17 71 89 1998 2 23 0

12.5 13.1 20 21.6 25.7 26.3 27.1 26.3 203 212 262 1998 2 25 126.4 17.1 18.7 22.2 26.2 31.9 32.8 33.3 90 186 198 1998 3 25 0

10.4 15.1 21.8 25.2 23.8 24.9 25.2 25.9 170 217 266 1998 3 26 09.9 17.1 17.8 18.9 20.9 26.5 37.9 41.8 123 186 197 1998 3 27 07.9 11.8 15.4 24.2 13 19.3 25 19.6 -104 -89 -305 1998 4 14 127.3 8.6 1.6 2.3 4.9 9.9 12.2 12.2 -35 -1 59 1998 4 15 0

12.5 13.4 10.9 9.7 14.2 18.2 23.5 23.2 -29 -24 -14 1998 4 18 0

Wrap-up• These programs provide opportunity for nice

graphics and climatological studies

• Garbage input soundings = garbage output variables

• I don’t provide “official” support

• New variables don’t get added quickly

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Thanks for your attention!

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