WRF Tutorial Frequently Asked Questions¶
Live Lectures¶
Asking questions during live lectures¶
During virtual presentations, please use the Zoom “chat” feature to ask questions. After each talk, time permitting, you can use the Zoom “Raise hand” feature to ask questions. Otherwise, use time during the practice sessions to ask questions.
Will the lectures be recorded?¶
No, instructors opted to not have the sessions recorded. You can watch the full versions of the presentations posted to YouTube.
Will .pdfs of the lectures be posted?¶
Lectures are linked to the agenda. Just click on the lecture name to access the file. Presentations are from the July 2024 tutorial, but will be updated if necessary following each presentation.
Using NCAR’s HPC for Computing¶
Problems accessing the HPC, log-in, or the DUO app¶
Important
WRF INSTRUCTORS CANNOT HELP WITH THESE ISSUES!
Please contact CISL Support regarding these problems. Find the email you received from CISL that provided your account information, and find their contact information at the bottom.
I didn’t receive an email from CISL about my account¶
First check your spam (or other) folder to make sure it’s not there. If not, send an email to Kelly (kkeene at ucar dot edu), letting her know. She will contact CISL to help you get it worked out. It’s likely that your home institution has a firewall in place, preventing you from getting the email.
How long will I be able to access the NCAR HPC¶
You will be able to access the HPC and your account through the end of February, 2025.
Can I use the HPC at times other than the scheduled practice sessions?¶
Absolutely! You can use it any time day or night until the account expires (see above).
Using the NCAR HPC to run simulations for school/work projects¶
This tutorial class has been given limited allocation and everyone shares that allocation. The purpose of the HPC use is to allow you to learn and practice WRF. If you want to play around with some of your own simulations, that is okay if:
your simulation is not large (no more than a few hundred grid points in each direction)
your simulation is relatively short (no more than a few days)
you are not running numerous (30+) simulations
Practice Sessions¶
What will we do during practice sessions?¶
During this time, all students and instructors will join Zoom, but everyone will stay muted and students will work through the practice exercises on their own. If you have a question or problem, use the Zoom “hand-raise” feature from the “React” tab. Instructors will keep a look-out for raised hands. When they see one, they will invite you to join their breakout session, and they will join it, as well. In the breakout room, you can ask your questions.
Can I ask questions out loud or by chat in the main session?¶
Please do not ask questions aloud, as it may distract others from working. It is better to not ask the question in the main session chat during practice sessions. Any instructors or students currently in a breakout session will not be able to see the question, nor will they see it when they return to the main session.
How do I get started with practice exercises?¶
Start by opening a terminal (Unix) window, and then log into the Derecho HPC, using your account information provided in the email from CISL. Then open the practice exercises and start by going through the page for setting up your Derecho HPC. From there, you will either start by running through the simple Unix commands exercise, or with the Initial Exercise. For additional information, access the Practice Instructions presentation.
Am I expected to complete all the practice exercises?¶
No, you are not expected to complete any certain number of exercises, nor do you have to be done with any by a particular time. You should start with the Initial Exercise, and then move to the Single Domain exercise. After that, you don’t need to run them in any certain order. Just work on the ones that you think may be beneficial for your work later.
Can I download tutorial data or files?¶
If I want to obtain any of the input data we use during the practices, how can I get them? From the tutorial website, under Quick Links tab on the left side, find Practice Exercise Input/Output Data, which provides instructions for this.