Point-Stat Tool: Reconfigure
Now we'll reconfigure and rerun Point-Stat. Start by making a copy of the configuration file we just used:
This time, we'll use two dictionary entries to specify the forecast field in order to set different thresholds for each vertical level. Point-Stat may be configured to verify as many or as few model variables and vertical levels as you desire. Edit the PointStatConfig_tutorial_run2 file as follows:
- Set:
fcst = {
wind_thresh = [ NA ];
message_type = [ "ADPUPA", "ADPSFC" ];field = [
{
name = "TMP";
level = [ "Z2" ];
cat_thresh = [ >273, >278, >283, >288 ];
},
{name = "TMP";
level = [ "P750-850" ];
cat_thresh = [ >278 ];
}
];
}
obs = fcst;To verify 2-meter temperature and temperature fields between 750hPa and 850hPa, using the thresholds specified, and by comparing against the two message types.
- Set:
mask = {
grid = [ "G212" ];
poly = [ "MET_BASE/poly/EAST.poly",
"MET_BASE/poly/WEST.poly" ];
sid = [];
llpnt = [];
}To compute statistics over the NCEP Grid 212 region and over the Eastern and Western United States, as defined by the polylines specified.
- Set:
interp = {
vld_thresh = 1.0;type = [
{
method = NEAREST;
width = 1;
},
{
method = DW_MEAN;
width = 5;
}
];
}To indicate that the forecast values should be interpolated to the observation locations using the nearest neighbor method and by computing a distance-weighted average of the forecast values over the 5 by 5 box surrounding the observation location.
- Set:
output_flag = {
fho = BOTH;
ctc = BOTH;
cts = BOTH;
mctc = NONE;
mcts = NONE;
cnt = BOTH;
sl1l2 = BOTH;
sal1l2 = NONE;
vl1l2 = NONE;
val1l2 = NONE;
pct = NONE;
pstd = NONE;
pjc = NONE;
prc = NONE;
ecnt = NONE;
eclv = BOTH;
mpr = BOTH;
}To switch the SL1L2 and CTS output to BOTH and generate the optional ASCII output files for them.
- Set:
output_prefix = "run2";To customize the output file names for this run.
Let's look at our configuration selections and figure out the number of verification tasks Point-Stat will perform:
- 2 fields: TMP/Z2 and TMP/P750-850
- 2 observing message types: ADPUPA and ADPSFC
- 3 masking regions: G212, EAST.poly, and WEST.poly
- 2 interpolations: UW_MEAN width 1 (nearest-neighbor) and DW_MEAN width 5
Multiplying 2 * 2 * 3 * 2 = 24. So in this example, Point-Stat will accumulate matched forecast/observation pairs into 24 groups. However, some of these groups will result in 0 matched pairs being found. To each non-zero group, the specified threshold(s) will be applied to compute contingency tables.
Can you diagnose why some of these verification tasks resulted in zero matched pairs? (Hint: Reread the tip two pages back!)