# Presentation: 691386

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

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

- Matthew J. Bunkers
*NOAA/NWS, Rapid City, SD*

## Motivation

**Do you like this graph?**

**Or this one?**

## Motivation

**Do you want to make charts like this?**

- http://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

## Hodograph

- Get data – http://raob.fsl.noaa.gov; or radiosonde database on CD-ROMs
- Run C program – hodo.c
- Need UNIX/Linux
- Plot in spreadsheet – Excel graph
- Customize, analyze, print, save image

## Hodograph – Get data

- _6/6/04_:
- 70-110 nm
- NW of BIS

- Ord: 240 @ 30 kts
- RM: 269 @ 26 kts
- LM: 217 @ 47 kts

## Hodograph – Get data

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

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

## Hodograph – Get data

## Hodograph – Get data

## Hodograph – C program

## Hodograph – C program

## Hodograph – Excel spreadsheet

- Ord: 240 @ 30 kts
- RM: 269 @ 26 kts
- LM: 217 @ 47 kts

## Precipitable water

- Get data – http://raob.fsl.noaa.gov; or radiosonde database on CD-ROMs
- Run C program – pw.c
- Plot in spreadsheet – Excel graph
- Customize, analyze, print, save image

## Precipitable water – Get data

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

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

## Precipitable water – Get data

## Precipitable water – Get data

- 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

## Precipitable water – Excel spreadsheet

## Where do I get this?

- _http://www.crh.noaa.gov/unr/?n=scm_
- convectM.c
- Computes multiple sounding variables

| Bulk1 | Bulk2 | Bulk3 | Bulk4 | Bulk5 | Bulk6 | Bulk7 | Bulk8 | SRH1 | SRH2 | SRH3 | Year | Mo | Dy | Hr |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5 | 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 | 12 |
| 1.3 | 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 | 12 |
| 6.4 | 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 | 0 |
| 9.9 | 17.1 | 17.8 | 18.9 | 20.9 | 26.5 | 37.9 | 41.8 | 123 | 186 | 197 | 1998 | 3 | 27 | 0 |
| 7.9 | 11.8 | 15.4 | 24.2 | 13 | 19.3 | 25 | 19.6 | -104 | -89 | -305 | 1998 | 4 | 14 | 12 |
| 7.3 | 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

## Thanks for your attention!