TUFLOW NetCDF Rainfall Format

Introduction

This page contains information on the NetCDF file format used for gridded rainfall. This file is created if a TUFLOW rainfall Control File (.trfcf) has the NC output type "RF Grid Format == NC". This file can also be directly input to TUFLOW with the .tcf command "Read Grid RF == <file.nc>" in the.tcf.

File Format

This file must contain a regularly spaced grid of rainfall depth. The following variables are required:

• x - contains the x coordinates of the grid.
• y - contains the y coordinates of the grid.
• time - contains the times for the rainfall outputs. This time should be in hours and have the 0 time as the TUFLOW simulation.
• rainfall_depth - this variable has the dimension x, y and time. This contains the time-varying data.
  

The total_rainfall_depth is output by TUFLOW to allow for checking of the dataset. This variable is not used by TUFLOW.
An example output rainfall NetCDF file is below

Source:
           D:\TUFLOW\Models\radar\square\TUFLOW\bc_dbase\RFG\square_008_trfcf_rf.nc
Format:
           classic
Global Attributes:
           title      = 'Gridded Rainfall'
           source     = 'TUFLOW <version number>'
           references = 'TUFLOW NetCDF Rainfall Format (http://wiki.tuflow.com/index.php?title=TUFLOW_NetCDF_Rainfall_Format)'
           comment    = 'Contains time-varying gridded rainfall for TUFLOW simulation'
Dimensions:
           x    = <number of x coordinates (columns of data)>
           y    = <number of y coordinates (rows of data)>
           time = <number of timesteps>     (UNLIMITED)
Variables:
    time                
           Size:       <size time dimension>x1
           Dimensions: time
           Datatype:   double
           Attributes:
                       standard_name = 'time'
                       long_name     = 'time'
                       units         = 'hours'
                       axis          = 'T'
    y                   
           Size:       <size y dimension>x1
           Dimensions: y
           Datatype:   double
           Attributes:
                       standard_name = 'projection_y_coordinate'
                       long_name     = 'y-coordinate in cartesian system'
                       units         = 'm'
                       axis          = 'Y'
    x                   
           Size:       <size x dimension>x1
           Dimensions: x
           Datatype:   double
           Attributes:
                       standard_name = 'projection_x_coordinate'
                       long_name     = 'x-coordinate in cartesian system'
                       units         = 'm'
                       axis          = 'X'
    rainfall_depth      
           Size:       10x10x6
           Dimensions: x,y,time
           Datatype:   single
           Attributes:
                       _FillValue = -999
    total_rainfall_depth
           Size:       10x10
           Dimensions: x,y
           Datatype:   single
           Attributes:
                       _FillValue = -999