== Using meteorological input data from NCEP ==


''This description is kindly provided by Jooil Kim and Bob Dattore (NCAR).''

Now there exists a well-managed source of archived windfields from NCEP for use with FLEXPART. Here are the instructions:

  1. Go to website: http://dss.ucar.edu/datasets/ds093.0/

  2. Log in with your ucar account (create one for free if you don't have one yet)

  3. Go to  "'''Data Access'''" -> "'''Internet Download'''"  -> "'''Request a Subset with Format Conversion'''". This opens  a window for choosing a customized subset of the CFSR data.

  4. Choose your time period, and select "'''FLEXPART Model Input - 6-hour Forecasts'''" under the oarameter '''presets'''. When done, press the "'''Continue'''" button on the bottom of the page.

  5. On the next window, look for the "'''Type of Product'''" menu and select "''all available''", then press the "'''Click Here'''" button to update. Doing this will give you the analysis (H+0) and H+1 to H+6 forecast fields. When done, push the "'''Submit Request'''" button.

  6. You will receive an e-mail from UCAR when the data is ready. Follow instructions on the e-mail regarding ways to download the data.

  7. Note: The  analysis data (labeled "`pgbhnl`") do not include all of the surface variables like 2 m temperature and 10 m winds, and so can't be used in FLEXPART. '''Use the 6 h forecast files (H+6) instead.
'''

Getting the data into FLEXPART