METplus Practical Session Guide (Version 5.0) | METviewer > Time Series of Categorical Statistics Plot

METviewer: Time Series of Categorical Statistics Plot

The following list shows the setting name and the setting value for each of the controls on the web application. Please go through them in order, starting at the top, setting and checking the controls as suggested. The settings that you need to change are marked in blue. The settings are grouped according to the areas on the web app. If you need more information about the controls, please click the little i in a circle to the right of METviewer X.Y at the very top of the page. This will take you to the METviewer documentation.

  • Database: Click on the box named Select databases and from the Verification group, select mv_met_tutorial to make a plot with sample tutorial data.
  • Tab: Series - Create a time-series (as we will do here) or threshold-series line plot. The different tabs correspond to the types of plots that METviewer can generate, such as box plots, bar plots, histograms, and ensemble plots.
  • Plot Data: Stat - Plot traditional statistics as opposed to MODE object attributes.
  • Y1 Axis variables - These controls specify the statistics and curves for the Y1 axis of the plot.
    • Y1 Dependent (Forecast) Variables - pairs of forecast variables and statistics to be plotted
      • Click the dropdown list and select: APCP_03 to select 3-hourly Accumulated Precipitation
      • Click Select attribute stat dropdown list and select: ACC and CSI to plot Accuracy and Critical Success Index
    • Y1 Series Variables - specifies the lines on the plot for each dependent variable
      • Click the dropdown list and select: MODEL
      • Click the Select value dropdown list and select: QPF to output the one model present
      • Next, click the + Series Variable button, click the dropdown list, and select: FCST_THRESH
      • Click the Select value dropdown list and select: >0.0, >2.54, and >6.35 to plot statistics for 3 categorical thresholds
  • Y2 Axis Tab - these controls specify the statistics and curves for the Y2 axis of the plot; it is not used in this demonstration
  • Fixed Values - field/value pairs that are held constant for all data on the plot
    • Click the + Fixed Value button - to add a fixed value selection option
    • Click the dropdown list and select VX_MASK
    • Click the Select value dropdown list and select: FULL to plot data for FULL model domain (the only one present in this dataset)
  • Independent Variable - the x-axis field and values over which the data are displayed on the plot
    • Click the dropdown list and select FCST_LEAD
    • Click the Select value dropdown list and click the Check all option to select all items
  • Statistics
    • The Summary radio button tells MET to plot the mean or median of the statistics pulled directly from the database.
    • The Aggregation statistics radio button tells METviewer to aggregate contingency table counts or partial sums and compute aggregate summary statistics and confidence intervals.
    • Use the default Summary radio button selection
  • Series Formatting - settings to control colors, line types, plotting symbols, and confidence intervals
    • There should be settings for 6 lines: 3 lines for ACC followed by 3 lines for CSI
    • In the Line Color column:
      • Set the 1st and 4th lines to the same RED color
      • Set the 2nd and 5th lines to the same GREEN color
      • Set the 3rd and 6th lines to the same BLUE color
    • In the Line Type column:
      • Set the 4th, 5th, and 6th lines to dashed
  • Plot Formatting - settings that control the appearance of the plot, along with several miscellaneous features
    • On the Titles & Labels tab
      • set Plot Title to ACC / CSI vs. Lead Time
      • set X label to Forecast Lead
      • set Y1 label to ACC / CSI
    • On the Common tab, select Display Number of Stats
  • Click the Generate Plot button at the top of the page to submit your plot request to the METviewer plotting engine.