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AWIPS II and GEMPAK
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Status Report: AWIPS II and GEMPAK

September 2015 - April 2016

Michael James

AWIPS II Activities Since the Last Status Report

Python Data Access Framework (python-awips)

In March 2016 I published a standalone Python Data Access Framework (DAF) for retrieving data from an AWIPS II EDEX server. This package allows users to create a data request to be sent to a remote EDEX data server (examples use edex-cloud.unidata.ucar.edu).  The interface will return Python data objects which are easily convertible to Numpy arrays, to be rendered with existing Python packages such as Matplotlib/Basemap, Cartopy, and MetPy.

AWIPS II User Guide on Github Pages

This new AWIPS II User Guide on Github Pages expands on the original Unidata AWIPS II workshop documents and provides data visualization examples for a growing set of CAVE plugins.

For the AWIPS II User Guide, I published a new framework for building documentation on Github Pages. Polymer Web Components, Jekyll, Vulcanizer, and Grunt are used to publish rich and dynamic Markdown-based documents.

AWIPS II Release Notes

15.1.1, Jan 21, 2016

15.1.2, released Feb 23, 2016

15.1.3, released March 21, 2016

Ongoing Activities

Cloud Server Updates

16.1.4 release is being prepared

GEMPAK

GEMPAK v7.2.3 was released in early 2016, incorporating NCEP table and map updates as well as expanding support for Python access to remote EDEX data.  Originally the build strictly required the AWIPS II Python packages be installed, but it now builds against system Python and only requires the python-awips (DAF) be installed for GEMPAK programs to accepts prepended aliases for gridded models, such as A2GFS, A2NAM, A2HRRR, etc.

New Activities

Over the next three months, we plan to organize or take part in the following:

Relevant Metrics

Web server statistics?

Data download statistics?

Something else useful?

Strategic Focus Areas

We support the following goals described in Unidata Strategic Plan:

  1. Enable widespread, efficient access to geoscience data
    Both
    AWIPS II and GEMPAK are freely available, and both incorporate LDM/IDD technology for efficiently accessing geoscience data.  The cloud-based data server maintained by Unidata invites a number of users and we are seeing more adoption with time, as the software becomes more stable, more platforms are supported, more data is served conveniently and freely to the community.
  2. Develop and provide open-source tools for effective use of geoscience data
    Both AWIPS II and GEMPAK are open-source, and while GEMPAK is now in maintenance mode, AWIPS II is continuously being developed.  

  1. Provide cyberinfrastructure leadership in data discovery, access, and use
    Unidata is the only known entity to provide a freely-available and non-operational version of the AWIPS II software package.
  2. Build, support, and advocate for the diverse geoscience community
    Using LDM/IDD technology to provide access to real-time meteorological data; providing visualization tools for data analysis.

Prepared  April 2016