Retrieving Surface Data from 1933-present
for Research and Case Study Analysis
2/21/2002
(Updated for change in NSSL IP Address for Vortex)






Surface data is now available from 1933-present in GEMPAK format for research purposes.  You can access data from 1933-1998 via NSSL using Vortex.  Data from 1999-present is available from the SPC archive.  The outline of procedures you will follow are:
 

1.   Retrieve the data from the NSSL Vortex or SPC (depending on the dates of the data you require).
2.   Run applications to display and analyze your surface air data on N-AWIPS.

 
 

I. Determine the source of your archived data and retrieve

There are two locations to retrieve archived surface data.  Data from 1933-1998 can be retrieved from NSSL (VORTEX) (below).  Data from 2000-present is available from SPC.  1999 data is on tape (requests must be made to Paul Janish).  This data will be added to te SPC on-line archive shortly.
 
 

Retrieval of Data from NSSL  (1933-1998):
 

 1.   Logon to Troi.  To do this you may go to Troi and log on OR from any hpterm,

TYPE:  telnet   troi.spc.noaa.gov
USERNAME: caseuser
PASSWORD: *********


 2.   Go to your local surface data  subdirectory. Type: cd   your_lastname/hrly
 

 3.   Retrieve the desired files from the on-line NSSL archive.
 

   TYPE:  129.15.69.99  (NOTE:  You can no longer use vortex.nssl.noaa.gov)
   USER: janish
   PASS: *********

  TYPE: cd  /optical/modelers/surface/YYYY
      (Where YYYY is the year [e.g. 1997], etc.)
  TYPE: bin
  TYPE: prompt
  TYPE: mget YYYYMMDD.gem
 


 4.   Repeat Step 3 for additional data files as necessary.  When finished, end the FTP Session.
       TYPE: quit
       This should return you to your active hpterm on Troi.
 
 

 5.   From your hpterm, you must now convert the file name into a format which N-AWIPS applications use.  For each file you transferred,

   TYPE:   mv  YYYYMMDD.gem   YYMMDD.hrly
      If you get an error message, be sure you are in the proper subdirectory (Type: pwd) (The directory listed on the screen should be /scratch/your_lastname/hrly).

      If you are not in the proper subdirectory,

   TYPE:   cd /scratch/your_lastname/hrly
   Repeat Step 5 (above).
    When finished converting files, proceed to Step II or III for display instructions.
 
 
 

Retrieval of Data from SPC Online Surface Archive (1999-present):
 

 1.   Logon to Troi.  To do this you may go to Troi and log on OR from any hpterm,

   TYPE:  telnet   troi.spc.noaa.gov
   USERNAME: caseuser
   PASSWORD: *********


 2.   Go to your local surface data  subdirectory. Type: cd   your_lastname/hrly
 

 3.   Retrieve the desired files from the on-line SPC archive.

  TYPE: ftp troi
  USER: caseuser
  PASS: *********

  TYPE: cd  /sparse/observations/hrly
  TYPE: bin
  TYPE: prompt
  TYPE: cd mmmyy   (Where mmm is the month, yy is year; e.g. may97)
  TYPE: mget YYMMDD.hrly

In some cases, the data may not have been moved to /sparse from the operational data storage on odo.  Thus for more recent data, you may want to ftp to odo (using the same user/pass) and cd  /NAWIPS/nadata2/observations/hrly to retrieve your data.
 4.   Repeat the process for additional files to retrieve.  When finished, end the FTP Session.
       TYPE: quit
 

 5.   These files are already in GEMPAK format and can be used by N-AWIPS applications with no further processing.  Skip to STEP  II (page 5) for instructions on display of the data.
 
 
 
 

 II. Running N-AWIPS applications on archived GEMPAK surface data files on Troi.
 

These instructions will enable the user to display sounding data in N-AWIPS for analysis and display.  Examples include NMAP, GEMPAK scripts, etc.  These instructions are written specifically for workstation Troi (located in the forecaster case study area).

Directions for displaying data on other operational SPC workstations is provided in Section III of this document (page 6).
 

First you must login into Troi.

USERNAME: caseuser
PASSWORD: ********
N-MAP
 

1.   Close the NTL menu bar on the screen you wish to display your surface data.
 

2.   Open an hpterm.  TYPE: setenv OBS /scratch/your_lastname
       (e.g     setenv OBS /scratch/janish)
 

3.   TYPE: ntl
 

4.   LMC on NMAP.
      LMC on DATA
      LMC on OBS
      LMC on SET TIME
      LMC on the DATE  and set the time to the date you wish to view.
      LMC on ACCEPT
 

5.   Use the NMAP tools to display the desired data and create hard copies.
 

6.   You can change map backgrounds etc. by LMC on MAP and modifying the options.  If your hard copy printouts do not contain a map background for some reason, change the color of the background map to a dark color (like purple or maroon).
 
 
 

GEMPAK SCRIPTS

The processed sounding files will also work with any GEMPAK script.  The following provides instruction on use of the SAMAPA script which produces horizontal plots of surface data  to the screen (via x-window) or to a printer (hard copy).  These instructions are for using the workstation TROI.  To do this remotely, see the last the last section of this document.

To access this script, go to an hpterm on Troi and your local subdirectory on the /scratch disk.

  Type:  cd   /scratch/your_lastname    (e.g. cd /scratch/thompson)
  Type: samapa h

Gives information in the form of a “help file” on the program samapa.
Example:   samapa  ok 12 .4 951010

This command will display a surface plot centered on Oklahoma at 1200 UTC 10 October 1995 with a filter of .4 (has to do with spacing).    If you include “print” at the end of the command string, the output will be directed to spclj3.  If “print” is omitted, the output will be directed to the screen (x-window).
 
 

M. Kay SFCMAP Program:

 1.   You must be logged on to Troi using the caseuser account and you must have already retrieved the data into /scratch/your_lastname/hrly before going further.
 

 2.   Type: cd /scratch/your_lastname/hrly   (e.g. cd /scratch/janish/hrly)
 

3.   Type:  setenv  OBS  /scratch/your_lastname
       If you are NOT on Troi,
       You must also Type: setenv DISPLAY your_machine:0.0 (e.g. riker:0.0)
 

4.   Type: SPCBETA
       Type: sfcmap
 

5.   LMC on LATEST (at the bottom of the Surface Map pop-up window) and specify the time of the plot you wish to create (e.g.  970629/1200).

6.   Enter other relevant information (printer, etc.) and LMC on CREATE.  Your printout will be generated on the printer you selected (or default)  for the workstation you are working on. III. Running N-AWIPS applications on archived GEMPAK sounding files on other operations workstations.
 
 
 

III.  Running N-AWIPS applications on archived GEMPAK surface data files on other workstations .

These instructions will enable the user to display surface data in N-AWIPS for analysis and display using any operational SPC workstation.  Examples include NMAP, GEMPAK scripts, etc.
 

First, you must be logged on to an operational workstation.  From any x-term (or hpterm) on that workstation,
 

1.   Type:  xhost  +troi
 

2.   Type:  telnet troi.spc.noaa.gov
 

3.   Logon  using   username: caseuser
                              password: ********
 

4.   Type:  setenv  DISPLAY machine_name:0.0 (Where machine_name is the name of the workstation you are using (e.g. riker, etc.)
 

5.   Type:  cd your_lastname       (e.g. cd janish)

6.   Follow the instructions listed in Section II (pages 4-5) to display the desired data.