[McIDAS #WDP-653349]: Modifying how wind barbs are plotted

Hi Kwan,

I apologize for taking so long to respond to your email!

re:
> I would like to check with you to see if there is a way I can modify how
> wind barbs are plotted in McIDAS-X.

Which wind barbs?  Are you referring to those plotted from POINT data
(surface and upper air)?  If yes, then the size of the parameter plotted
is controlled through entries in the relevant '*PLOT.CORE' file:

~mcidas/data/SFCPLOT.CORE
~mcidas/data/RAOBPLOT.CORE

A user overrides the setting(s) in these files by creating a new
file, but named with a '.USER' suffix in his/her $MCDATA directory.
For instance, the entry in SFCPLOT.CORE that specifies how to plot
a WINDB is:

WINDB  UNIT=KTS FORMAT=FLAG LOC=+ LSIZE=10 \
       ISFC=WIND SVCA=WIND SYN=WIND ISHP=WIND         

If you want to change the size of the barb, create the file
$MCDATA/SFCPLOT.USER and put in it the new setting for WINDB.
For example:

WINDB  UNIT=KTS FORMAT=FLAG LOC=+ LSIZE=12 \
       ISFC=WIND SVCA=WIND SYN=WIND ISHP=WIND         

The same comment is true for for a station model plot which is
labeled as PLOT in SFCPLOT.CORE.

etc.

re:
> In particular, McIDAS-X appears to use
> a fixed length when plotting the stem of the wind barbs.  It is fine at
> lower wind speeds but at higher wind speeds (e.g. 95 knots), the flags
> become packed too close to the bottom of the stem.  What I would like it to
> do is to extend the length of the stem when there are many flags to plot.
> I suppose this will involve code modifications.  Do you happen to know
> where in the codes I can check to do this modification?

Again, if you are referring to POINT data plots, then creating the
appropriate '*PLOT.USER' file in your $MCDATA directory is what you
want to investigate.

re:
> On another note, I remember last time you mentioned a site where Himawari
> images are available for login access.  Do you have additional information
> about this?

The SSEC Data Center has Himawari data.  If you are interested in getting
access to their ADDE server for Himawari data, you need to contact them
directly:

address@hidden

I think that NOAA is planning on standing up a restricted server for the
Himawari imagery (but not all of it), but I don't think that they have
done this yet (but I could be wrong).

Cheers,

Tom
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Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: WDP-653349
Department: Support McIDAS
Priority: Normal
Status: Closed
===================
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