[AWIPS #SWZ-435980]: Python-AWIPS sounding levels

It appears that the bufrua records available by python-awips are complete, it's 
just that the way in which they are structured is causing some confusion.  The 
link U of Wyoming link that you sent me before is a constructed upper air 
profile text file, an ordered list of all mandatory and significant levels 
including interpolation.  That file should not be used for verification, rather 
you want the raw raob values. 

For May 26 12 UTC KDNR 
http://weather.uwyo.edu/cgi-bin/sounding?region=naconf&TYPE=TEXT%3ARAW&YEAR=2016&MONTH=05&FROM=2612&TO=2612&STNM=72469

The Python DAF was designed to return levels of each type individually, leaving 
it to the user (forecaster) to combine them if needed.  I still think it's a 
good idea to return all parms at all levels, I will see about adding that 
feature.  But it seems the Python DAF is returning the complete radiosonde 
record. 

I will refer you to these two docs for information about how significant levels 
are chosen and how bufrua obs are to be decoded

http://www.ua.nws.noaa.gov/Documents/RRS-Coded-Messages.pdf
http://www.meteor.iastate.edu/classes/mt311/extras/Codul-TEMP.pdf

from the second link:

1. TTAA or Mandatory Level Data
This section contains data from the so-called "mandatory" levels: surface, 1000 
mb,
925, 850, 700, 500, 400, 300, 250, 200, 150, and 100 mb. Temperature, dew-point
depression, height of the pressure level, wind direction and wind speed are
reported.
2. TTBB or Significant Level Data
This section contains data from the so-called "significant" levels. These are 
levels
selected from portions of the sounding where the vertical profile of 
temperature or
relative humidity direction vary appreciably from a straight line. Enough
significant points are included such that the sounding can be reconstructed
reasonably accurately by drawing lines between significant levels. In other 
words,
temperature and relative humidity can be estimated to vary linearly with height
between significant level data points. The TTBB data contains temperatures and
dew point depressions as significant level pressures.
3. PPBB or Significant Level Wind Data
This section contains wind direction and speed data as a function of height for
"significant" levels. Enough significant levels are chosen in non-linear 
portions of
the sounding so that the sounding can be reproduced reasonably accurately by
drawing straight lines between significant level data points. In other words, 
wind
variations can be approximated as linear between significant levels.
4. TTCC data
This section is similar to the TTAA section, except that it contains mandatory 
level
data for pressures less than 100 mb. The levels are 70, 50, 30 and 10 mb, if the
weather balloon makes it that high.
 







> Thank you for the reply.  I'm excitedly waiting for this.  Would make our
> lives much easier over here for this validation effort.
> 
> Bryan
> 
> address@hidden> wrote:
> 
> > > I had found that getAvailableParameters method and was already trying to
> > > capture some of the different SigW, MaxW, SigT, and Man levels.  I did
> > put
> > > together some of the data into a single array, but cannot find a way to
> > get
> > > seemingly all of the data still.  All of the SigW levels don't have
> > temps,
> > > dewpoints, or pressures, so they are only plottable by height not by
> > > pressure.  And the heights for the pressure levels are not available
> > > either.  I really want to like python-awips for the AWIPS 2 validation
> > > effort we are working on, but this is starting to look less promising.
> > >
> > > Any thoughts on when you could fix this in the EDEX portion?  I am
> > looking
> > > for solutions to the validation issues we are coming upon and using
> > > python-awips could be really nice, but I am lacking confidence right now
> > > that I could get to all of the data like I was hoping.
> >
> > I'm actually working on this right now to support a project for one of our
> > interns.  It could be ready as soon as today or it could be next week,
> > depending on any snags that come up.  I'm first trying to add returned
> > heights and winds from all SigT levels, and then will attempt to add
> > returned parms for all levels.
> >
> > -mj
> >
> > Ticket Details
> > ===================
> > Ticket ID: SWZ-435980
> > Department: Support AWIPS
> > Priority: Normal
> > Status: Open
> > ===================
> > NOTE: All email exchanges with Unidata User Support are recorded in the
> > Unidata inquiry tracking system and then made publicly available through
> > the web.  If you do not want to have your interactions made available in
> > this way, you must let us know in each email you send to us.
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
> --
> Bryan Guarente
> Instructional Designer/Meteorologist
> The COMET Program
> Boulder, CO
> 
> 

Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: SWZ-435980
Department: Support AWIPS
Priority: Normal
Status: Open
===================
NOTE: All email exchanges with Unidata User Support are recorded in the Unidata 
inquiry tracking system and then made publicly available through the web.  If 
you do not want to have your interactions made available in this way, you must 
let us know in each email you send to us.