RAC Procedures Download

Procedure Instructions (Last Updated: November 2026; valid for all FY26 RACs)

Procedures
RACSevereProcedures-FY23.xml
RAC-FF-Warning-Ops.xml (scroll down to "Flash Flood Procedure Instructions" for install steps)

 

Colormaps - Severe
1024 Z.cmap
1024 Velocity.cmap
HailMeteorTrail.cmap

 

Python3 Programs - for automating the conversion of the bundles to local radars
Main.py
loadLocalizationInfo.py
displayLayout.py
bundleModify.py
RadarProducts.csv
ReadMe.txt

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Colorblind Procedures & Files
RACSevereProcedures-FY23-ColorBlind.xml
alternate 8 bit.cmap

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Download Files

  1. Make a new folder to download files and not have them conflict with previously downloaded files (e.g. mkdir proc-3-1-2023), and cd into that folder (e.g. cd proc-3-1-2023). Run pwd in the terminal and hit enter to identify the full path to the folder.
  2. Right click on each of the files above (2 procedures, 7 colormaps, 2 StyleRules, and 4 Python programs, a .csv file , and a ReadMe.txt file) and select Save Link As to save to the folder created in step 1.
    1. Note: you will have problems if there are existing files of the same name. The indexed files won't run, and things won't work.
  3. Have your ITO or AWIPS Focal Point install the Local File Installer and Near Storm Environment Awareness Tool from the SCP following the documentation in the downloaded ReadMe.txt. If the ITO is going to run all of the procedure commands to build the bundles, then the ITO should coordinate with the forecaster on the order of the radars provided to the python program for the four-panel radar bundles. 
  4. Recreate the RAC bundles using one of the methods below:
    1. Severe
      1. Mostly Automated (recommended) - using a Python3 program with command-line arguments to create all bundles
      2. Manual - copy the bundle into the localization perspective and alter and re-center
    2. Flash Flood
      1. Mostly Automated (recommended) - using a Python3 program with command-line arguments to create all bundles
      2. Manual - copy the bundle into the localization perspective and alter and re-center 

 

Severe Option 1 (Mostly Automated)

Create All New Bundles With a Python3 Program

  1. Open a terminal window (e.g. right click on Linux desktop background and select Open Terminal).
  2. Change directory to the download location you downloaded the files to (e.g. cd Downloads/RAC).
  3. Run "python Main.py --wfo $your_3letter_CWA_id --radars $radar1 $radar2 $radar3 $radar4 --autoGuess", where radar1 is the upper-left panel, radar2 is the upper-right panel (***NOTE: the python program uses the second radar in the list as your primary radar, choose the radar with the best coverage in your CWA as the second radar), radar3 is the lower-right panel, and radar4 is the lower-left panel (must be 4 radars and should be arranged based off of relative position to each other).
    • e.g. python Main.py --wfo OUN --radars kvnx ktlx kinx kfdr --autoGuess
    • Follow any instructions when prompted by the program. You will need to choose the RACSevereProcedures-FY23.xml file you downloaded above and specify a region for your CWA, but most prompts you can just accept what the program recommends.
    • The program needs to be run for each procedure file. Re-run and select the second hydro procedure after finishing with the first severe procedure.
  4. Launch CAVE.
  5. Open the Localization perspective (e.g. Left click on the Open Perspective icon in the CAVE toolbar and select Localization).
  6. Double click on the CAVE folder to identify the Color Maps subfolder to be used in the next step.
  7. In the Downloads folder on your Linux desktop from step 2, select the 1024 Z.cmap and 1024 Velocity.cmap files by holding down the Ctrl button and left clicking on the icons. Then perform a “drag and drop” into the CAVE -> Color Maps folder from step 6. When dragging and dropping items into the File Brower, make sure to drop the files where the top folder or subfolder name is. Dropping files in the expanded section below the parent folder (in this case "Color Maps") will not work.
  8. Double click on the CAVE -> Color Maps folder and drag the slider bar down to identify the mrms subfolder to be used in the next step (if mrms does not exist you will need to get with your local AWIPS focal point to create it, otherwise some bundles will not display some data).
  9. In the Downloads folder on your Linux desktop from step 2, select the HailMeteorTrail.cmap file by holding down the Ctrl button and left clicking on the icon. Then perform a “drag and drop” into the CAVE -> Color Maps -> mrms folder from step 8.
  10. Collapse the Color Maps folder by clicking on the triangle next to the name and identify the Perspective Displays folder.
  11. Collapse the CAVE folder in the localization perspective by clicking on the triangle to the left of the name.
  12. Double click on the D2D folder in the Localization perspective.
  13. Select the new procedure files you created in step 3 from the Downloads folder using Ctrl + left click and perform a “drag and drop” into the D2D -> Procedures folder. 
    • MODIFIED_RACSevereProcedures-FY23.xml is the default name if you didn't change it
  14. Click on the D2D perspective icon in the upper-right part of CAVE and then restart CAVE to be able to see the new colormaps and procedures.
  15. In D2D, open up the procedure you just added in step 13 and load the bundles. If you don't have deep convection ongoing, some of the bundles may have missing data. You may find it helps to change scale to Regional if you have nearby convection to be able to test the products. It also helps to step back multiple frames to see if you have any available data.
    • In the kxxx 4 Pnl All-Tilts bundle, the lower-right panel may not have any ZDR/SW data for your dial radars if you do not have SW data. You can right click on the lower-right panel and select Load To This Panel and manually load ZDR(All) from your kxxx/kxxx ZDR radar menu (or Radar->Dial Radars menu). You might also want to right click on the ZDR legend text to change it to white like the others. Once you fix any bundles you will have to copy the bundle back in to your procedure and delete the previous version. Note once you have a new bundle created you can use the Alter button in the procedures window to apply this format to other dial radars that don't have SW data rather than manually doing this step for each radar.
      • TDWRs will not work well with these all-tilts procedures, as they will not load data on any panel with dual pol, SW, or other 88D-specific products.
    • In the kxxx 9pnl All-Tilts bundle, if you do not have raw CC on your RPS list, then the middle panel will show up without any data loaded. If you don't have raw CC on your RPS list, then you will need to right click in the middle panel and select Load To This Panel and manually load CC(All) from your radar's CC menu (e.g. kxxx/kxxx CC). You might also want to right click on the CC legend text to change it to white like the others. Once you fix any bundles you will have to copy the bundle back in to your procedure.

 

Severe Option 2 (Manual)

Download Files and Copy into Localization Perspective

  1. On your Linux desktop locate the Downloads folder using the File Browser (e.g. double click on your Home icon), and identify all of the files you downloaded.
  2. Launch CAVE.
  3. Open the Localization perspective (e.g. Left click on the Open Perspective icon in the CAVE toolbar and select Localization).
  4. Double click on the CAVE folder to identify the Color Maps subfolder to be used in step 5.
  5. In the Downloads folder on your Linux desktop from step 1, select the 1024 Z.cmap and 1024 Velocity.cmap files by holding down the Ctrl button and left clicking on the icons. Then perform a “drag and drop” into the CAVE -> Color Maps folder from step 4. Be sure to drop files over the parent folder name ("Color Maps") in the File Browser. Dropping files in the expanded list below the parent folder or subfolder will not work.
  6. Double click on the CAVE -> Color Maps folder and drag the slider bar down to identify the mrms subfolder to be used in the next step (if mrms does not exist you will need to get with your local AWIPS focal point to create it, otherwise some bundles will not display some data).
  7. In the Downloads folder on your Linux desktop from step 1, select the HailMeteorTrail.cmap file by holding down the Ctrl button and left clicking on the icon. Then perform a “drag and drop” into the CAVE -> Color Maps -> mrms folder from step 6.
  8. Collapse the Color Maps folder in the localization perspective by clicking on the triangle to the left of the name.
  9. Collapse the CAVE folder in the localization perspective by clicking on the triangle to the left of the name.
  10. Double click on the D2D folder in the Localization perspective.
  11. Select the RACSevereProcedures-FY23.xml files from the Downloads folder using Ctrl + left click and perform a “drag and drop” into the D2D -> Procedures folder.

 

Modify Severe Weather Bundle

  1. In the Localization perspective D2D -> Procedures folder select RACSevereProcedures-FY23.xml and double click on USER to modify the user override.
  2. Click on the "Source" tab at the bottom of the editor window to view the full document source xml.
  3. With your cursor inside the window, use Ctrl F to launch the find/replace window and enter SGF in the Find: box and your CWA in all upper case (e.g. PAH) in the Replace with: box. Click the Replace All button.
  4. Save the procedure by using Ctrl-S or use File-Save. You should see the * disappear from the procedure tab name in the top left of the display.
  5. Switch back to the D2D perspective by clicking on the D2D label in the CAVE toolbar.
  6. From the File menu in the D2D Perspective, select Procedures, then select Open.
  7. From the USER pulldown menu, double click on RACSevereProcedures-FY23.xml.
  8. Select SRAD MRMS and then left click on the Load button at the bottom of the Procedure window (or double click on bundle name). The data will likely not display completely yet.
  9. From the CAVE Scales menu, select WFO. This should re-center the display over your CWA.
  10. Now you are ready to copy this into a local procedure to save. Open a new procedure (File -> Procedures -> New), and in the Procedures window, left click on Copy In.
  11. Left click on Save As and give the new procedure a name (e.g. FY23RAC-severe-local.xml) and click OK.
  12. Change to the Localization perspective and in D2D -> Procedures select RACSevereProcedures-FY23.xml and double click on USER to modify the user override.
  13. Select the Source tab at the bottom, and open the Find/Replace tool (Ctrl F). Enter keax in the Find: box and the radar you want in the upper left panel in the Replace with: box (ideally the most northwest radar). Then click the Replace All button.
  14. Select the Source tab at the bottom, and open the Find/Replace tool (Ctrl F). Enter klsx in the Find: box and the radar you want in the upper right panel in the Replace with: box (ideally the most northeast radar). Then click the Replace All button.
  15. Select the Source tab at the bottom, and open the Find/Replace tool (Ctrl F). Enter kinx in the Find: box and the radar you want in the lower right panel in the Replace with: box (ideally the most southwest radar). Then click the Replace All button.
  16. Select the Source tab at the bottom, and open the Find/Replace tool (Ctrl F). Enter ksgf in the Find: box and the radar you want in the lower left panel in the Replace with: box (ideally the most southeast radar). Then click the Replace All button.
  17. Save the procedure by using Ctrl-S or use File-Save. You should see the * disappear from the procedure tab name in the top left of the display.
  18. Switch back to the D2D perspective and load the SRAD Single bundle in the Procedure window (you may need to close and re-open the RAC-FY19-GIDSevere.xml window for your changes to appear).
  19. From the CAVE Scales menu, select WFO. This should re-center the display over your CWA. If your local CWA boundary doesn't appear, reload it.
  20. Now you are ready to copy this into your local procedure (e.g. FY23RAC-severe-local.xml) to save. Open your local Procedure window, left click on Copy In. Click Save.
  21. Select one of the four kxxx 4 Pnl All-Tilts type bundles (should be your local radars) from the RACSevereProcedures-FY23.xml procedure.
  22. From the CAVE Scales menu, select WFO. This should re-center the display over your CWA. If your local CWA boundary doesn't appear, reload it.
  23. In the new procedure window (e.g. FY23RAC-severe-local.xml) click Copy In then click Save.
  24. Once you have a radar bundle created for one of your four local radars centered on your WFO, you can use the Alter button to load it with another local radar and rename the bundle and save the procedure. Or you can load and re-center the other existing bundles.
    • In the Alter Bundle on Loading window, select the Radar check box, and then click on the button to the right to select the local radar you want to use. Click Load. Then Copy In the bundle to your procedure and use the Rename button to rename the bundle with the new radar name and click Save.
    • In the kxxx 4 Pnl All-Tilts bundles, the lower-right panel may not have any SW/ZDR data for your dial radars if you do not have SW data. You can right click on the lower-right panel and select Load To This Panel and manually load ZDR(All) from your kxxx/kxxx ZDR radar menu (or Radar->Dial Radars menu). You might also want to right click on the Velocity legend text to change it to white like the others. Once you fix any bundles you will have to copy the bundle back in to your procedure and delete the previous version.  Note once you have a new bundle created you can use the Alter button in the procedures window to apply this format to other dial radars that don't have SW data rather than manually doing this step for each radar.
    • TDWRs will not work well with any of the all-tilts procedures, as they will not load data on any panel with dual pol, SW, or other 88D-specific products.
  25. Perform the load, re-center, copy in, and save steps for all the remaining bundles 
    • In the kxxx 9pnl All-Tilts bundle, if you do not have raw CC on your RPS list, then the middle panel will show up without any data loaded. If you don't have raw CC on your RPS list, then you will need to right click in the middle panel and select Load To This Panel and manually load CC(All) from your radar's CC menu (e.g. kxxx/kxxx CC). You might also want to right click on the CC legend text to change it to white like the others. Once you fix any bundles you will have to copy the bundle back in to your procedure.
  26. For the MESO-CAPE/SRH CIN Obs RALA bundle, after loading you will need to re-select the State scale, Copy In, and click Save in your new procedure.
  27. Once you have all bundles saved into your new procedure, you can load them into other procedures and new tabs in your Perspective Displays.
  28. Close the RACSevereProcedures-FY23.xml Procedure window.

 

Flash Flood Procedure Instructions

Part 1: Download & Import Procedure

  1. Submit IT Ticket: Submit a request via your region’s IT Service Ticket System to have the “RAC-FF-Warning-Ops.xml” procedure moved to AWIPS.

  2. Launch CAVE: Open CAVE on your AWIPS machine.

  3. Open Localization Perspective: Left-click the Open Perspective icon in the CAVE toolbar and select Localization.

  4. Import the Procedure:

    • Navigate to: D2D -> Procedures

    • Right-click the Procedures folder and select "Import File..."

    • Select and import the “RAC-FF-Warning-Ops.xml file.”

    • Note: Do not move this file to SITE yet. You must first make adjustments for your CWA.

Part 2: Adjust Procedure Bundles for Your CWA

In the D2D perspective, go to: File -> Procedures -> Open “RAC-FF-Warning-Ops.xml” from the USER pulldown menu.

Ops 1: Meteorological and Hydrological Mesoanalysis

  1. Double-click the bundle name to load it.

  2. Go to Scales -> Select WFO to re-center over your CWA.

  3. Adjust the topography to be customized for your CWA by doing the following:

    • In the far bottom-left panel with topography overlaid: Right-click and hold -> Load to This Panel.

    • Right-click and hold on the legend of the outdated HiRes Topo Image -> Unload.

    • Go to Maps -> Load HiRes Topo Image to the far bottom-left panel.

    • Right-click and hold on the HiRes Topo Image legend -> Select "Change Colormap..."

    • Set the min and max kilofeet range to be representative of your CWA.

      • Tip: Use the sample cursor readout across your CWA to gauge your min/max values.

  4. Save the modified bundle:

    • Open the Procedure tab → Click Copy In

    • Delete the original "Ops 1" bundle

    • Move the newly modified bundle Up to the very top

    • Click Save

Ops 2: Compare QPEs to Observations

  1. In the procedure pop-up, click "Ops 2: Compare QPEs to Observations" and select Alter.

  2. Click the Radar selection box (eeri) to open the radar list, select your primary local radar, and click Load.

  3. Go to Scales -> Select WFO to re-center over your CWA.

  4. Save the modified bundle:

    • Click Copy In

    • Delete the original "Ops 2" bundle

    • Move the newly modified bundle Up to its proper slot

    • Click Save

Ops 3: Evaluate Heavy Rainfall Signatures

  1. In the procedure pop-up, click "Ops 3: Evaluate Heavy Rainfall Signatures" and select Alter.

  2. Click the Radar selection box (eeri), select your primary local radar, and click Load.

  3. Go to Scales -> Select WFO to re-center over your CWA.

  4. Save the modified bundle:

    • Click Copy In

    • Delete the original "Ops 3" bundle

    • Move the newly modified bundle Up

    • Click Save

Ops 4: Monitor for QPE Holes

  1. Go to Scales -> Select WFO to re-center over your CWA.

  2. Regional Note: The default bundle uses GOES-East satellite products. If your CWA uses GOES-West, swap those products out in this bundle before saving.

    • Reach out to the listed contact below if you encounter issues doing this!

  3. Save the modified bundle:

    • Click Copy In

    • Delete the original "Ops 4" bundle

    • Move the newly modified bundle Up

    • Click Save

Ops 5: Rural + Urban FF (Both Bundles)

  1. Go to Scales -> Select WFO to re-center the bundle over your CWA.

  2. Click Copy In, Delete the original, and click Save (repeat for both bundles).

Part 3: Promote to Site Level

  1. Open the Localization Perspective and move RAC-FF-Warning-Ops.xml to the SITE level.

    • Note: Due to system permissions, you will likely need your SOO, ITO, or management team to perform this step.

 

Miscellaneous Note: many offices implemented the original FLASH capability using NSSL's instructions that provided FLASH streamflow in metric units and not the cfs values in the latest AWIPS baseline. If you have metric units for streamflow and unit streamflow then remove the /awips2/edex/data/utility/common_static/site/$CWA/grib/tables/161/0/4.2.209.12.table and restart EDEX (where $CWA is your CWA identifier like BOX).

 

Contact: 

Severe Procedures: Michael.Lowe@noaa.gov

Flash Flood Procedures: katy.christian@noaa.gov