Table of Contents:

• Basic Concepts
  • MD file Schemas
  • Real-time Point Data
• Listing MD File Directories and Data Records
• Searching MD files
• Copying and Deleting MD files
• Plotting and Contouring Point Data
  • Surface Data
  • Upper-air Data
  • Calculated Parameters
• Meteorological Diagrams

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:

• list MD file directories and data records
• search MD files for specific observations
• copy and delete MD files
• display point data

Command	Function
DMAP	lists information about files
DSINFO	lists ADDE datasets on local and remote servers
DSSERVE	manages dataset names on the local server
HODO	plots a hodograph of upper-air data
LSCHE	lists an MD file schema
MDU	MD file utility
PTCON	contours point data
PTCOPY	copies point data
PTDISP	displays point data
PTLIST	lists 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
SFCLIST	lists 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