Setting Up and Running the
WRF Standard Initialization
Brent Shaw
NOAA / Forecast Systems Laboratory
Overview
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Required Files
System Requirements
Installing the Software
Configuring Domains
Configuring Interpolation
Running
Initializing the WRF Model
Summary
Required Files
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WRFSI.TAR.gz
Static Geographical Data
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TERRAIN_GLOBAL_30S.tar
LANDUSE_GLOBAL_10DEG_TILES.tar.gz
GREENFRAC_GLOBAL_10DEG_TILES.tar.gz
SOILTEMP_GLOBAL_10DEG_TILES.tar.gz
SOILTYPEBOT_GLOBAL_10DEG_TILES.tar.gz
SOILTYPETOP_GLOBAL_10DEG_TILES.tar.gz
Available for download
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http://www.wrf-model.org (Officially released versions)
ftp://ftp.fsl.noaa.gov/pub/frd-laps (Latest version, not
necessarily officially released)
System Requirements
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Unix or Linux OS
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Routinely built on IBM AIX, Intel-Linux, Alpha-Linux at FSL
NCAR has built on Alpha-True64 and SGI-IRIX
FORTRAN 90 Compiler
C Compiler (gcc is preferred)
netCDF Libaries
Perl
make Utility
System Requirements
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Disk Requirements
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Recommended Minimum Total Space: 10 GB
Approx. 10 MB for source code and executables
Approx. 6 GB for global static fields
1-10 GB for each MOAD_DATAROOT
• Depends on domain size, run length, etc.
• NCAR 30km national domain requires approx. 1 GB to contain
necessary files for a 48-hour forecast period with 3-hourly
boundary conditions
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2-4 GB for "typical" EXT_DATAROOT
• 48 hours of AVN 1 deg and ETA 40 km grids with hourly output
Installing the Software
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Installation Overview
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Set up directories and environment variables
Check compiler options for your system
Run the installation script
Check for successful installation
Installing the Software
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Set up directories and environment variables
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Source root
• Typically set to top directory of extracted WRFSI.TAR file
• Set the SRCROOT environment variable
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Installation root
• Where executables will be installed
• Can be same as SRCROOT if desired
• Set INSTALLROOT environment variable
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Domain data root
• Top level directory where domain specific data will be kept
• Set MOAD_DATAROOT environment variable
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netCDF Path (NETCDF environment variable)
Determine fully qualified Perl executable (e.g., /usr/bin/perl)
Installing the Software
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Check Compiler Settings
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Check $SRCROOT/src/include directory for the existence of a
file named "makefile_{MACH}.inc.in where {MACH} is the type
of machine on which you are building
If one exists, check the various compiler options and flag
settings
If one does not exist, copy one of the existing ones to a new
name using your machine name and edit the compiler settings
Installing the Software
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Run the installation script
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$SRCROOT/install_wrfsi.pl
Example:
• /usr/bin/perl install_wrfsi.pl --installroot=$INSTALLROOT
-- srcroot=$SRCROOT --dataroot=$DATAROOT
-path_to_netcdf=$NETCDF --machine=MACH
-path_to_perl=/usr/bin/perl
• MACH = the machine type corresponding to the
makefile_{MACH}.inc.in file
• NOTE: In the latest version (not yet officially released), the
arguments will be optional provided the environment variables are
set correctly.
Installing the Software
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Create an EXTDATAROOT
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Location for grib_prep output (allow at least 2 GB)
Path will be set in wrfsi.nl as well
Contains various subdirectories that will get created the first
time wrfsi.pl is run:
• extprd
• log
• work
Installing the Software
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Checking for successful installation
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Check $INSTALLROOT/bin for executables:
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grib_prep.exe
gridgen_model.exe
hinterp.exe
vinterp.exe
Check $INSTALLROOT/etc for scripts:
• wrfsi.pl
• grib_prep.pl
• interp.pl
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If any executables are missing, you can go to $SRCROOT/src
and find subdirectories for each executable. From there you
can try to make each one manually and observe the errors
PLEASE REPORT ANY PROBLEMS AND THEIR
CORRECTIVE ACTIONS!
Configuring Domains
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Overview
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Create a MOAD_DATAROOT
Edit the MOAD_DATAROOT/static/wrfsi.nl
• Configure various data paths
• Horizontal domain specfication
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Edit the MOAD_DATAROOT/cdl/wrfsi.cdl file
Run gridgen_model.exe
Checking for a successful localization
New method using templates and localization script
Configuring Domains
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Create a MOAD_DATAROOT
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One required for each domain to be processed
Copy $SRCROOT/data directory to a new location:
• cp -r $SRCROOT/data /my/moad_dataroot
Ensure MOAD_DATAROOT environment variable is set
Check contents of MOAD_DATAROOT:
• $MOAD_DATAROOT/static directory containing wrfsi.nl file
• $MOAD_DATAROOT/cdl directory containing wrfsi.cdl file
• $MOAD_DATAROOT/siprd directory (empty)
• $MOAD_DATAROOT/silog directory (empty)
NOTE: In the latest version, soon to be released, the
MOAD_DATAROOT directory and subdirectories will be created
automatically when running the localization scripts.
Configuring Domains
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Edit $MOAD_DATAROOT/static/wrfsi.nl
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project_id section (simulation_name and user_desc)
hgridspec section (sets up horizontal domain)
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xdim = dimension in E-W direction
ydim = dimension in N-S direction
map_proj_name = 'lambert', 'mercator', or 'polar'
moad_known_lat = center latitude (+ N)
moad_known_lon = center longitude (+ E)
moad_stand_lats = true latitude1 (lambert and polar), true latitude
for lambert (set to +/- 90 for polar)
moad_stand_lon = orientation longitude
moad_delta_x = grid spacing in meters in x-direction
moad_delta_y = grid spacing in meters in y-direction
Recommend leaving all other settings at their default values
sfcpaths section (paths to geographical tile data sets)
Configuring Domains
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Edit $MOAD_DATAROOT/cdl/wrfsi.cdl
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Set nx = x dimension specified in wrfsi.nl
Set ny = y dimension specified in wrfs.nl
NOTE: This will be done automatically in the latest version of
the WRFSI system when running the localization scripts
Configuring Domains
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Run gridgen_model.exe
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Ensure MOAD_DATAROOT environment variable is set
Executable located in $INSTALLROOT/bin
Send results to a log file
Example:
• cd $INSTALLROOT/bin
• gridgen_model.exe > $MOAD_DATAROOT/silog/localization.log
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Note that the execution of gridgen_model can be performed
when running wrfsi.pl as well.
Note that in the latest version, gridgen_model will be executed
automatically as part of the localization process
Configuring Domains
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Checking for success
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Check the standard output from gridgen_model
• Last message should indicate successful completion
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Check for existence of static file:
• $MOAD_DATAROOT/static/static.wrfsi
• netCDF file that can be viewed with ncdump utility
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Typical problems:
• Incorrect paths to static data or missing tiles
• Mismatch between dimensions in wrfsi.cdl vs. wrfsi.nl
Configuring Interpolation
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Overview
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hinterp options
vinterp options
Paths to GRIB data and EXTDATAROOT
Configuring Interpolation
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Grib_prep Options
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Set in $MOAD_DATAROOT/static/wrfsi.nl
si_controls
• Set frequency of AVN and ETA grid receipt and typical delay after
cycle time
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si_paths
• Set EXTDATAROOT
• Set PATH_TO_AVN, PATH_TO_ETA grib file locations
• NOTE: Other sources can be used if you simply call the other
source AVN or ETA. We will be making this more flexible in the
future.
Configuring Interpolation
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Grib_prep Options
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filetimespec
• Set start and stop times
• NOTE: This will be edited automatically if using the wrfsi.pl script
to run the system.
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Variable selection from GRIB files via Vtables
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$MOAD_DATAROOT/static/Vtable.{SOURCE}
{SOURCE} must match PATH_TO_{SOURCE}
Contols selection of variables and levels based on GRIB codes
Allows specification of name to use for each variable in output
Vtable.AVN and Vtable.ETA provided in distribution
Configuring Interpolation
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Hinterp Options
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Set in $MOAD_DATAROOT/static/wrfsi.nl
hinterp_control
• PTOP_IN_PA: Top pressure level to consider from input data
• INTERP_METHOD
• 0 = nearest neighbor (not recommended)
• 1 = 4-point linear
• 2 = 16-point quadratic
• INPUT_ROOT: Prefix of files in EXTDATAROOT/extprd to use for
dynamic data (set automatically when running wrfsi.pl)
• CONSTANTS_FULL_NAME: Full file names of data located in
EXTDATAROOT/extprd that contain values to be held constant
for entire run
• VERBOSE: Set to true for more extensive logging
• Recommend leaving all other options as they come
Configuring Interpolation
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Vinterp Options
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Set in $MOAD_DATAROOT/static/wrfsi.nl
vinterp_control
• Recommended method:
• Set USE_SPECIFIED_LEVEL = .true.
• Specify the vertical zeta levels (full levels) to use
• Begin with 0 and increase in value up to top value
• Leave all other settings as they are
Running
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Set MOAD_DATAROOT and INSTALLROOT
Ensure wrfsi.nl has correct extdataroot
Ensure you have AVN or ETA data for the correct times
available in the correct paths
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GRIB filenaming conventions recognized:
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FSL: yyjjjhhmmffff
NCEP: ???.ThhZ.??????ff.????
NCEP: ???_yymmdd_hh_ff
If your files do not conform to these naming conventions, the
grib_prep script will assume every file is a possible match
Ensure all previous domain configuration steps have
been successfully completed
Running
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Run the main driver script with 4 arguments:
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YYYYMMDDHH: Year, month, day, and hour UTC of model
start time
FF: Length of forecast to be produce in hours
Source: AVN or ETA
Window Name: A name for this run
Example:
• cd $INSTALLROOT/etc
• wrfsi.pl 2001081612 24 ETA myrun
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You can optionally provide the dataroot and installroot using
command line options -d and -i.
• wrfsi.pl -d /my/dataroot -i /my/installroot 2001081612 24 ETA
myrun
Running
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What happens when wrfsi.pl runs?
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You will be prompted as to whether or not gridgen_model should be
run. Typically, you answer "no" unless you changed something about
the grid specification.
The script edits $MOAD_DATAROOT/static/wrfsi.nl for run time and
source of initialization
The script calls grib_prep.pl to run grib_prep.exe
The script calls interp.pl to run hinterp.exe and vinterp.exe
Output ends up in $MOAD_DATAROOT/siprd
A log file ends up in EXTDATAROOT/log for the grib_prep run
A log file ends up in $MOAD_DATAROOT/silog for the hinterp/vinterp
runs.
Running
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Did it run properly?
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Check for output in $MOAD_DATAROOT/siprd
• From previous run example, we should have:
• wrf_input.global.metadata
• wrf_input.d01.2001-08-16_12:00:00
• wrf_input.d01.2001-08-16-15:00:00
• wrf_input.d01.2001-08-16-18:00:00
• ...
• wrf_input.d01.2001-08-17-12:00:00
• Frequency of output files is set in filetimespec portion of wrfsi.nl
If correct files are not present, check the log files to determine what
went wrong.
Running
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Checking the output
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Use the IDL routines in the SRCROOT/util directory to read the
hinterp/vinterp output files.
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Use the INSTALLROOT/bin/siscan program to dump a summary of
file contents (avaialble in latest version, not yet released)
• siscan {file}
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Other Notes of Interest
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Each executable can be run directly without the use of any scripts by
simply setting the MOAD_DATAROOT environment variable and
ensuring the namelist is correct
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The interp.pl and gribprep.pl scripts can also be run directly without
the use of wrfsi.pl
Initializing the WRF Model
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Edit the WRF namelist.input file to make it consistent with the WRFSI
domain configuration
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ztop, dx, dy, io_form, etc.
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Run the WRF real.exe routine using the WRFSI output files (wrf_input.*)
as input
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You can then run the model!
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See Dave Gill's presentation for more details.
Summary
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Setting up and running the WRFSI is most easily done by:
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Building the software
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Configuring your domain
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Running the wrfsi.pl script
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The system is flexible enough to run each component individually
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The WRFSI continues to be a work in progress
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New version will be released soon to support WRF LSM
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Domain configuration will be much easier with the use of templates
and localization scripts in latest version
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More enhancements are planned and will be done as resources
permit
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We welcome feedback, bug reports, etc.!