5.2.7.4. Point-Stat: Standard Verification for CONUS Surface

model_applications/medium_range/PointStat_fcstGFS_obsNAM_Sfc _MultiField_PrepBufr.conf

Scientific Objective

To provide useful statistical information on the relationship between observation data in point format to a gridded forecast. These values can be used to assess the skill of the prediction. Statistics are store as partial sums to save space and Stat-Analysis must be used to compute Continuous statistics.

Datasets

Forecast: GFS temperature, u-wind component, v-wind component, and height
Observation: NAM prepBURF data
Location: Click here for the METplus releases page and download sample data for the appropriate release: https://github.com/dtcenter/METplus/releases
This tarball should be unpacked into the directory that you will set the value of INPUT_BASE. See Running METplus section for more information.
Data Source: Unknown

METplus Components

This use case utilizes the METplus PB2NC wrapper to convert PrepBUFR point observations to NetCDF format and then compare them to gridded forecast data using PointStat.

METplus Workflow

PB2NC and PointStat are the tools called in this example. It processes the following run times:

Valid: 2017-06-01 0Z
Valid: 2017-06-02 0Z
Valid: 2017-06-03 0Z

METplus Configuration

METplus first loads all of the configuration files found in parm/metplus_config, then it loads any configuration files passed to METplus via the command line with the -c option, i.e. -c parm/use_cases/model_applications/medium_range/PointStat_fcstGFS_obsNAM_Sfc_MultiField_PrepBufr.conf

[config]
## Configuration-related settings such as the process list, begin and end times, etc.
PROCESS_LIST = PB2NC, PointStat

## LOOP_ORDER
## Options are: processes, times
## Looping by time- runs all items in the PROCESS_LIST for each
## initialization time and repeats until all times have been evaluated.
## Looping by processes- run each item in the PROCESS_LIST for all
## specified initialization times then repeat for the next item in the
## PROCESS_LIST.
LOOP_ORDER = processes

# Logging levels: DEBUG, INFO, WARN, ERROR (most verbose is DEBUG)
LOG_LEVEL = DEBUG

## MET Configuration files for pb2nc and point_stat
PB2NC_CONFIG_FILE = {PARM_BASE}/met_config/PB2NCConfig_wrapped
POINT_STAT_CONFIG_FILE ={PARM_BASE}/met_config/PointStatConfig_wrapped

PB2NC_SKIP_IF_OUTPUT_EXISTS = True

LOOP_BY = VALID
VALID_TIME_FMT = %Y%m%d
VALID_BEG = 20170601
VALID_END = 20170603
VALID_INCREMENT = 86400

LEAD_SEQ = 0


# For both pb2nc and point_stat, the obs_window dictionary:
OBS_WINDOW_BEGIN = -2700
OBS_WINDOW_END = 2700

PB2NC_QUALITY_MARK_THRESH = 3

PB2NC_PB_REPORT_TYPE = 120, 220, 221, 122, 222, 223, 224, 131, 133, 233, 153, 156, 157, 180, 280, 181, 182, 281, 282, 183, 284, 187, 287

PB2NC_LEVEL_CATEGORY = 0, 1, 4, 5, 6

POINT_STAT_CLIMO_MEAN_TIME_INTERP_METHOD = NEAREST
POINT_STAT_INTERP_TYPE_METHOD = BILIN
POINT_STAT_INTERP_TYPE_WIDTH = 2

POINT_STAT_OUTPUT_FLAG_SL1L2 = STAT
POINT_STAT_OUTPUT_FLAG_VL1L2 = STAT


# Either conus_sfc or upper_air
PB2NC_VERTICAL_LOCATION = conus_sfc

#
# PB2NC
#
# These are appended with PB2NC to differentiate the GRID, POLY, and MESSAGE_TYPE for point_stat.
PB2NC_GRID =
PB2NC_POLY =
PB2NC_STATION_ID =
PB2NC_MESSAGE_TYPE =

# Leave empty to process all
PB2NC_OBS_BUFR_VAR_LIST = PMO, TOB, TDO, UOB, VOB, PWO, TOCC, D_RH

#***********
# ***NOTE***
#***********
# SET TIME_SUMMARY_FLAG to False. There is a bug in met-6.1.
## For defining the time periods for summarization
# False for no time summary, True otherwise
PB2NC_TIME_SUMMARY_FLAG = False
PB2NC_TIME_SUMMARY_BEG = 000000  ;; start time of time summary in HHMMSS format
PB2NC_TIME_SUMMARY_END = 235959  ;; end time of time summary in HHMMSS format
PB2NC_TIME_SUMMARY_VAR_NAMES = PMO,TOB,TDO,UOB,VOB,PWO,TOCC
PB2NC_TIME_SUMMARY_TYPES = min, max, range, mean, stdev, median, p80  ;; a list of the statistics to summarize

# Model/fcst and obs name, e.g. GFS, NAM, GDAS, etc.
MODEL = gfs
OBTYPE = nam

# Regrid to specified grid.  Indicate NONE if no regridding, or the grid id
# (e.g. G212)
POINT_STAT_REGRID_TO_GRID = G104
POINT_STAT_REGRID_METHOD = BILIN
POINT_STAT_REGRID_WIDTH = 2

# Verification Masking regions
# Indicate which grid and polygon masking region, if applicable
POINT_STAT_GRID = FULL
# List of full path to poly masking files.  NOTE: Only short lists of poly
# files work (those that fit on one line), a long list will result in an
# environment variable that is too long, resulting in an error.  For long
# lists of poly masking files (i.e. all the mask files in the NCEP_mask
# directory), define these in the MET point_stat configuration file.
POINT_STAT_POLY =
POINT_STAT_STATION_ID =

# Message types, if all message types are to be returned, leave this empty,
# otherwise indicate the message types of interest.
POINT_STAT_MESSAGE_TYPE = ONLYSF
# Variables and levels as specified in the field dictionary of the MET
# point_stat configuration file. Specify as FCST_VARn_NAME, FCST_VARn_LEVELS,
# (optional) FCST_VARn_OPTION

BOTH_VAR1_NAME = TMP
BOTH_VAR1_LEVELS = Z2

BOTH_VAR2_NAME = RH
BOTH_VAR2_LEVELS = Z2

BOTH_VAR3_NAME = DPT
BOTH_VAR3_LEVELS = Z2

BOTH_VAR4_NAME = UGRD
BOTH_VAR4_LEVELS = Z10

BOTH_VAR5_NAME = VGRD
BOTH_VAR5_LEVELS = Z10

BOTH_VAR6_NAME = TCDC
BOTH_VAR6_LEVELS = L0
FCST_VAR6_OPTIONS = GRIB_lvl_typ = 200;

BOTH_VAR7_NAME = PRMSL
BOTH_VAR7_LEVELS = Z0

[dir]
PB2NC_INPUT_DIR = {INPUT_BASE}/model_applications/medium_range/grid_to_obs/prepbufr/nam
PB2NC_OUTPUT_DIR = {OUTPUT_BASE}/nam/conus_sfc

FCST_POINT_STAT_INPUT_DIR = {INPUT_BASE}/model_applications/medium_range/grid_to_obs/gfs
OBS_POINT_STAT_INPUT_DIR = {PB2NC_OUTPUT_DIR}

POINT_STAT_OUTPUT_DIR = {OUTPUT_BASE}/{OBTYPE}

[filename_templates]
PB2NC_INPUT_TEMPLATE = nam.{da_init?fmt=%Y%m%d}/nam.t{da_init?fmt=%2H}z.prepbufr.tm{offset?fmt=%2H}

PB2NC_OUTPUT_TEMPLATE = {valid?fmt=%Y%m%d}/nam.{valid?fmt=%Y%m%d%H}.nc

FCST_POINT_STAT_INPUT_TEMPLATE = pgbf{lead?fmt=%HH}.gfs.{init?fmt=%Y%m%d%H}
OBS_POINT_STAT_INPUT_TEMPLATE = {PB2NC_OUTPUT_TEMPLATE}

MET Configuration

METplus sets environment variables based on user settings in the METplus configuration file. See How METplus controls MET config file settings for more details.

YOU SHOULD NOT SET ANY OF THESE ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES YOURSELF! THEY WILL BE OVERWRITTEN BY METPLUS WHEN IT CALLS THE MET TOOLS!

If there is a setting in the MET configuration file that is currently not supported by METplus you’d like to control, please refer to: Overriding Unsupported MET config file settings

PB2NCConfig_wrapped

Note

See the PB2NC MET Configuration section of the User’s Guide for more information on the environment variables used in the file below:

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// PB2NC configuration file.
//
// For additional information, see the MET_BASE/config/README file.
//
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// PrepBufr message type
//
${METPLUS_MESSAGE_TYPE}

//
// Mapping of message type group name to comma-separated list of values
// Derive PRMSL only for SURFACE message types
//
message_type_group_map = [
   { key = "SURFACE"; val = "ADPSFC,SFCSHP,MSONET";               },
   { key = "ANYAIR";  val = "AIRCAR,AIRCFT";                      },
   { key = "ANYSFC";  val = "ADPSFC,SFCSHP,ADPUPA,PROFLR,MSONET"; },
   { key = "ONLYSF";  val = "ADPSFC,SFCSHP";                      }
];

//
// Mapping of input PrepBufr message types to output message types
//
message_type_map = [];

//
// PrepBufr station ID
//
${METPLUS_STATION_ID}


////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Observation time window
//
${METPLUS_OBS_WINDOW_DICT}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Observation retention regions
//
${METPLUS_MASK_DICT}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Observing location elevation
//
elevation_range = {
   beg =  -1000;
   end = 100000;
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Observation types
//
//pb_report_type =
${METPLUS_PB_REPORT_TYPE}

in_report_type  = [];

instrument_type = [];

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Vertical levels to retain
//
//level_range = {
${METPLUS_LEVEL_RANGE_DICT}

//level_category =
${METPLUS_LEVEL_CATEGORY}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// BUFR variable names to retain or derive.
// If emtpy, process all available variables.
//
${METPLUS_OBS_BUFR_VAR}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Mapping of BUFR variable name to GRIB name. The default map is defined at
// obs_prepbufr_map. This replaces/expends the default map.
//
obs_bufr_map = [];

// This map is for PREPBUFR. It will be added into obs_bufr_map.
// Please do not override this map.
obs_prefbufr_map = [
   { key = "POB";     val = "PRES";  },
   { key = "QOB";     val = "SPFH";  },
   { key = "TOB";     val = "TMP";   },
   { key = "ZOB";     val = "HGT";   },
   { key = "UOB";     val = "UGRD";  },
   { key = "VOB";     val = "VGRD";  },
   { key = "D_DPT";   val = "DPT";   },
   { key = "D_WDIR";  val = "WDIR";  },
   { key = "D_WIND";  val = "WIND";  },
   { key = "D_RH";    val = "RH";    },
   { key = "D_MIXR";  val = "MIXR";  },
   { key = "D_PRMSL"; val = "PRMSL"; },
   { key = "D_PBL";   val = "PBL";   },
   { key = "D_CAPE";  val = "CAPE";  }
];


////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//quality_mark_thresh =
${METPLUS_QUALITY_MARK_THRESH}

event_stack_flag    = TOP;

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Time periods for the summarization
//
${METPLUS_TIME_SUMMARY_DICT}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

tmp_dir = "/tmp";
//version = "V9.0";

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

${METPLUS_MET_CONFIG_OVERRIDES}

PointStatConfig_wrapped

Note

See the PointStat MET Configuration section of the User’s Guide for more information on the environment variables used in the file below:

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// Point-Stat configuration file.
//
// For additional information, see the MET_BASE/config/README file.
//
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Output model name to be written
//
// model =
${METPLUS_MODEL}

//
// Output description to be written
// May be set separately in each "obs.field" entry
//
// desc =
${METPLUS_DESC}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Verification grid
//
// regrid = {
${METPLUS_REGRID_DICT}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// May be set separately in each "field" entry
//
censor_thresh = [];
censor_val    = [];
cat_thresh    = [ NA ];
cnt_thresh    = [ NA ];
cnt_logic     = UNION;
wind_thresh   = [ NA ];
wind_logic    = UNION;
eclv_points   = 0.05;
rank_corr_flag = FALSE;

//
// Forecast and observation fields to be verified
//
fcst = {
  ${METPLUS_FCST_FIELD}
}

obs = {
  ${METPLUS_OBS_FIELD}
}
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Point observation filtering options
// May be set separately in each "obs.field" entry
//
// message_type =
${METPLUS_MESSAGE_TYPE}
sid_exc        = [];
//obs_quality =
${METPLUS_OBS_QUALITY}
duplicate_flag = NONE;
obs_summary    = NONE;
obs_perc_value = 50;

//
// Mapping of message type group name to comma-separated list of values.
//
message_type_group_map = [
   { key = "SURFACE"; val = "ADPSFC,SFCSHP,MSONET";               },
   { key = "ANYAIR";  val = "AIRCAR,AIRCFT";                      },
   { key = "ANYSFC";  val = "ADPSFC,SFCSHP,ADPUPA,PROFLR,MSONET"; },
   { key = "ONLYSF";  val = "ADPSFC,SFCSHP";                      },
   { key = "LANDSF";  val = "ADPSFC,MSONET";                      },
   { key = "WATERSF"; val = "SFCSHP";                             }
];

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Climatology data
//
//climo_mean = {
${METPLUS_CLIMO_MEAN_DICT}


//climo_stdev = {
${METPLUS_CLIMO_STDEV_DICT}

//
// May be set separately in each "obs.field" entry
//
//climo_cdf = {
${METPLUS_CLIMO_CDF_DICT}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Point observation time window
//
// obs_window = {
${METPLUS_OBS_WINDOW_DICT}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Verification masking regions
//
mask = {
   ${METPLUS_MASK_GRID}
   ${METPLUS_MASK_POLY}
   ${METPLUS_MASK_SID}
   llpnt = [];
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Confidence interval settings
//
ci_alpha  = [ 0.05 ];

boot = {
   interval = PCTILE;
   rep_prop = 1.0;
   n_rep    = 0;
   rng      = "mt19937";
   seed     = "";
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Interpolation methods
//
//interp = {
${METPLUS_INTERP_DICT}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// HiRA verification method
//
hira = {
   flag       = FALSE;
   width      = [ 2, 3, 4, 5 ];
   vld_thresh = 1.0;
   cov_thresh = [ ==0.25 ];
   shape      = SQUARE;
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

//
// Statistical output types
//
//output_flag = {
${METPLUS_OUTPUT_FLAG_DICT}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

tmp_dir        = "/tmp";
// output_prefix =
${METPLUS_OUTPUT_PREFIX}
//version        = "V10.0.0";

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

${METPLUS_MET_CONFIG_OVERRIDES}

Running METplus

This use case can be run two ways:

  1. Passing in PointStat_fcstGFS_obsNAM_Sfc_MultiField_PrepBufr.conf then a user-specific system configuration file:

    run_metplus.py -c /path/to/METplus/parm/use_cases/model_applications/medium_range/PointStat_fcstGFS_obsNAM_Sfc_MultiField_PrepBufr.conf -c /path/to/user_system.conf
    
  2. Modifying the configurations in parm/metplus_config, then passing in PointStat_fcstGFS_obsNAM_Sfc_MultiField_PrepBufr.conf:

    run_metplus.py -c /path/to/METplus/parm/use_cases/model_applications/medium_range/PointStat_fcstGFS_obsNAM_Sfc_MultiField_PrepBufr.conf
    

The former method is recommended. Whether you add them to a user-specific configuration file or modify the metplus_config files, the following variables must be set correctly:

  • INPUT_BASE - Path to directory where sample data tarballs are unpacked (See Datasets section to obtain tarballs). This is not required to run METplus, but it is required to run the examples in parm/use_cases

  • OUTPUT_BASE - Path where METplus output will be written. This must be in a location where you have write permissions

  • MET_INSTALL_DIR - Path to location where MET is installed locally

Example User Configuration File:

[dir]
INPUT_BASE = /path/to/sample/input/data
OUTPUT_BASE = /path/to/output/dir
MET_INSTALL_DIR = /path/to/met-X.Y

NOTE: All of these items must be found under the [dir] section.

Expected Output

A successful run will output the following both to the screen and to the logfile:

INFO: METplus has successfully finished running.

Refer to the value set for OUTPUT_BASE to find where the output data was generated. Output for this use case will be found in nam (relative to OUTPUT_BASE) and will contain the following files:

  • point_stat_000000L_20170601_000000V.stat

  • point_stat_000000L_20170602_000000V.stat

  • point_stat_000000L_20170603_000000V.stat

Keywords

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