Precipitation Type Variable Not Downloading

Software and Tools API
1

Before the transition to the CDS-Beta API, I was able to download both the total precipitation and precipitation type parameters using the cdsapi client in Python. However, now when I attempt to download these parameters, only the total precipitation data is included in the output.

What’s puzzling is that when I check my request online, the precipitation type variable is clearly selected for download, yet it’s missing from the final file.

Does anyone know why this might be happening?

See below a picture of my request and a picture of the output.

Screenshot 2024-08-21 003301
Screenshot 2024-08-21 003301583×667 20 KB

Screenshot 2024-08-21 003055
Screenshot 2024-08-21 0030551728×418 20.9 KB

1 Like
2

Did you end up finding a solution to this? We’re having the same issue. Whether I use the python API or the website form submission, the Precipitation Type variable is not in the downloaded file.

3

Hi,
can you share the exact request you are submitting please (e.g. the cds api script)
Thanks

4

Sure, here’s an example python script

#!/usr/bin/env python
import cdsapi
c = cdsapi.Client()
c.retrieve(
"reanalysis-era5-single-levels",
{
    "product_type": ["reanalysis"],
    "format": "netcdf",
    "download_format": "unarchived",
    "variable": [
        "100m_u_component_of_wind",
        "100m_v_component_of_wind",
        "2m_dewpoint_temperature",
        "2m_temperature",
        "boundary_layer_height",
        "convective_available_potential_energy",
        "mean_sea_level_pressure",
        "precipitation_type",
        "surface_net_thermal_radiation",
        "surface_pressure",
        "total_cloud_cover",
        "total_precipitation"
    ],
    "year": ["2024"],
    "month": ["9"],
"day":["01","02","03","04","05","06","07","08","09","10","11","12","13","14","15","16","17","18","19","20","21","22","23","24","25","26","27","28","29","30"],
"time":["00:00","01:00","02:00","03:00","04:00","05:00","06:00","07:00","08:00","09:00","10:00","11:00","12:00","13:00","14:00","15:00","16:00","17:00","18:00","19:00","20:00","21:00","22:00","23:00"],
    "grid": "0.25/0.25",
    "area": ["-10","112","-44","160"]
 },    "ERA5_AUS_202409.nc")
5

I’ve ran into this issue and solved it by checking the variables that are actually downloaded and then downloading the missing ones by submitting new requests with single variables.

Not ideal but works.

6

Ah, we’ve only experienced this with the Precipitation Type variable. It sounds like you have seen different variables being skipped and they can change each time?

Our current process runs in Matlab and relies on having all the variables in a single NetCDF file. I know xarray in python would let us more easily work with files in various configurations, which is something we may explore in the future.

7

Hi,
Your netcdf request is a contains a mix of ‘forecast’ and ‘analysis’ variables and the current grib to netcdf converter will only output one of these types (depending on the input grib file). In this case you would need to submit a second request for just the missing variables.

8

Is this something that’s new? I’ve experienced this issue with the Precipitation Type variable since the changes in September. How do we know which variables are ‘forecast’ and which are ‘analysis’?