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7 MD files

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Real-time meteorological data can be easily accessed and analyzed using McIDAS-X. Point data (i.e. observations at a particular location) are decoded and stored in McIDAS MD (Meteorological Data) files. The MD files contain information such as surface hourly weather data, radiosonde observations, ship and buoy observations, NCEP forecast guidance (FOUS), and surface synoptic data.

MD files can be used for creating plots, generating isentropic surfaces and stability parameters, and displaying soundings and cross sections. This lesson uses the basic commands to display, copy and list point data.

This lesson describes how to:

The following commands are used in this lesson.

CommandFunction

DMAPlists information about files
DSINFOlists ADDE datasets on local and remote servers
DSSERVEmanages dataset names on the local server
HODO plots a hodograph of upper-air data
LSCHElists an MD file schema
MDUMD file utility
PTCONcontours point data
PTCOPYcopies point data
PTDISPdisplays point data
PTLISTlists point data
RAOBCON contours upper-air data from IRAB-schema point files
RAOBPLOT plots upper-air data from IRAB-schema point files
SCHE adds a schema to the schema file
SFCCON contours surface hourly data from ISFC-schema point files
SFCLISTlists surface hourly data from point files
SFCMG displays a surface meteorogram
SFCPLOT plots surface hourly data from ISFC-schema point files
UACROSS plots a vertical cross section of upper-air data
UALIST lists upper-air data
UAPLOT plots a sounding on a thermodynamic diagram


Table of contents Previous: Graphics and the Cursor - Finding Distances Between Points Next: MD Files - Basic Concepts