4.3. NetCDF files

For gridded data, NetCDF is the only supported format. Although ASCII files can be used for data at a single location, NetCDF is also the preferred format for such data (due to the reasons discussed in Input files for JULES). Files are not expected to use specific dimension or variable names - these are specified via the JULES namelists. The only expectations placed on NetCDF input are:

• All input files use the same grid.
• All input files use the same dimension names (for grid dimensions, any additional dimensions and the time dimension).
• The dimensions for each variable appear in the correct order - (points, z1, z2, ..., t) for a 1D grid and (x, y, z1, z2, ..., t) for a 2D grid, where the z1, z2, ... (levels) and t (time) dimensions are only present when the variable and context in which the variable is being used require them.
• If using NetCDF for data at a single location, the grid dimensions are still expected to exist with size 1.