Synoptic obs extraction doesn't account for model coordinate cutouts
- Dominant language
- Python
- Stars
- 33
- Forks
- 19
- Avg merge
- 1d 22h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 30
Description
### Describe the bug
Originally reported by Kirsty:
> Basically, I'm using a cutout subarea which I originally defined in model relative coordinates but as I had USE_WMO_STATION_NUMBERS=False the fetch_obs task was trying to retrieve all the MetDB obs within my cutout subarea but failing as it was looking for obs near the equator! Once I changed SUBAREA_EXTENT to be in real world coords, the fetch_obs task worked. So it would be useful if the Help panel could be updated to say that SUBAREA_EXTENT needs to be in real world coords if comparing with synoptic obs.
### How to reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behaviour:
1. Run CSET with synoptic observations enabled, USE_WMO_STATION_NUMBERS=False, and a cutout of a rotated pole model done using SUBAREA_TYPE=model.
2. Observe the model crashes due to not finding any observations, as it looks for them in the wrong place.
### Expected behaviour
Even when using model coordinates to cut out a domain, the correct observations should be fetched.
Contributor guide
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Research direction
Start with the fetch_obs task and the SUBAREA_EXTENT/SUBAREA_TYPE=model handling described in the reproduction steps. Reproduce the rotated-pole cutout with USE_WMO_STATION_NUMBERS=False and compare model-coordinate and real-world-coordinate behavior. Done means synoptic observations are fetched from the correct geographic area for model-coordinate cutouts, and the Help panel states the coordinate requirement if that remains part of the fix.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- data
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 45/100