MET MODE Output Files Failing to Generate

[ebower084]

Good morning,

I am using MET MODE (version 9.0.1) for object-based verification and am having trouble getting MODE to produce the output files. Here is my command line:
${MET_DIR}/mode wpcero_2022010112f024.nc combo_co_2p5km_with_40km_radius_s2022010112_e2022010212.nc mode_config_MRGL_combo -outdir ${OUT_DIR}

Here is the full message when I run MODE:

DEBUG 1: Default Config File: /opt/MET/METPlus4_0/share/met/config/MODEConfig_default
DEBUG 1: Match Config File: /export/hpc-lw-hmtdev3/ebower/Cloud_ERO/work/mode_config_MRGL_combo
DEBUG 1: Merge Config File: /export/hpc-lw-hmtdev3/ebower/Cloud_ERO/work/mode_config_MRGL_combo
DEBUG 1: Forecast File: /export/hpc-lw-hmtdev3/ebower/Cloud_ERO/data/wpcero_2024010112f024.nc
DEBUG 1: Observation File: /export/hpc-lw-hmtdev3/ebower/Cloud_ERO/data/combo_co_2p5km_with_40km_radius_s2024010112_e2024010212.nc
DEBUG 1: Forecast Field: PPFFG at A24
DEBUG 1: Observation Field: COMBO at A24
DEBUG 2: Processing masking regions.
DEBUG 2: Identifying objects in the forecast and observation fields...
DEBUG 2: Computing contingency table statistics...
DEBUG 2: Identified: 0 forecast objects and 0 observation objects.
DEBUG 2: Performing merging (THRESH) in the forecast field.
DEBUG 2: Performing merging (THRESH) in the observation field.
DEBUG 2: Remaining: 0 forecast objects and 0 observation objects.
DEBUG 2: Performing matching (MERGE_BOTH) between the forecast and observation fields.
DEBUG 1: Creating Fcst-Obs Object Statistics file: /backup/ebower/ERO_MODE/v2_UFVS/validday1_MRGL/mode_240000L_20240102_120000V_240000A_obj.txt
DEBUG 1: Creating Contingency Table Statistics file: /backup/ebower/ERO_MODE/v2_UFVS/validday1_MRGL/mode_240000L_20240102_120000V_240000A_cts.txt
DEBUG 1: Creating Object NetCDF file: /backup/ebower/ERO_MODE/v2_UFVS/validday1_MRGL/mode_240000L_20240102_120000V_240000A_obj.nc
terminate called after throwing an instance of 'netCDF::exceptions::NcHdfErr'
what(): NetCDF: HDF error
file: ncCheck.cpp line:92

I have confirmed that the output directory exists, and I have tried adding this line to the config file:
file_type=NETCDF_NCCF;

within both the obs and fct brackets like this:
obs = {
field = {
name = "COMBO";
level = "Surface";
}
file_type=NETCDF_NCCF;
...

which led to this error:
ERROR :
ERROR : NcCfFile::get_grid_from_lat_lon_vars() -> MET can only process Latitude/Longitude files where the latitudes are evenly spaced (dlat=0.0223255, delta[980]=0.0212059)
ERROR :
ERROR :
ERROR : NcCfFile::get_grid_from_lat_lon_vars() -> Please check the input data is the lat/lon projection
ERROR :
HDF5-DIAG: Error detected in HDF5 (1.8.18) thread 0:
#000: H5T.c line 1716 in H5Tclose(): not a datatype
major: Invalid arguments to routine
minor: Inappropriate type
NetCDF: HDF error
file: ncFile.cpp line:33

I have uploaded the sample files and config file via the Google form. I am confused because plot_data_plane has worked on these exact files (postscripts uploaded). Is there something wrong with my config file, the files themselves, or something else?

Many thanks for your help!
Erica

[j-opatz]

Hello Erica,

And thank you for your question. After some consultation with our METplus installation expert, it seems like the error you are encountering may be due to an installation issue. When I tested the input and configuration files you provided (thanks for those!), everything ran fine on our system, further increasing my suspicion that you may have an issue with the MET installation you are using.

Our installation expert pointed to a previous Discussions question, specifically this comment, which mentions one of the causes of their errors was a pre-existing netcdf.h file when attempting to compile MET. This question came up as related as one of the ERROR messages they were seeing was the same one you are, what(): NetCDF: HDF error.

Do you have access to another installation of METplus, perhaps on a NOAA or NCAR machine? You'll find a handy guide here of some potential access points. If you do have access to any of those systems, I'd ask that you try the exact same set up you tried previously (keep your config file the same, same command you called MET with, etc.), and see if you can end with a successful run.

Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this and find a solution for your error.

[ebower084]

Thank you for taking a look at this issue!

Apologies- I should have specified sooner- I have been using the NOAA workstations and their installations of MET. I have tried all 3 installations that we have, and I get either the same error or a similar HDF5 error (this one on the oldest MET version we have). If you still believe the netcdf.h file is the problem, I can reach out to the folks who manage our systems.

Thanks,
Erica

[j-opatz]

Hi Erica,

Thank you for testing this out. Were you able to reach out to your system admin folks to see if they could recompile MET to avoid any netcdf.h files that might already exist?

If you need additional help on this still, I'll have our resident installation expert jump in and do some troubleshooting with you.

[ebower084]

Good morning, Yes, I have reached out to our admin folks. They directed me to another installation of MET on a different system, which has since worked. I don't think they want to fix the existing one, unfortunately. Thank you for checking in and for your help! Have a good weekend, -Erica

…

On Thu, Apr 2, 2026 at 4:42 PM j-opatz ***@***.***> wrote: Hi Erica, Thank you for testing this out. Were you able to reach out to your system admin folks to see if they could recompile MET to avoid any netcdf.h files that might already exist? If you need additional help on this still, I'll have our resident installation expert jump in and do some troubleshooting with you. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#3235?email_source=notifications&email_token=AZ3GMW24PQMDV7XO7D3MSYT4T3GDHA5CNFSNUABIM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2ENFZWG5LTONUW63SDN5WW2ZLOOQXTCNRUGI4TAMZXUZZGKYLTN5XKMYLVORUG64VFMV3GK3TUVRTG633UMVZF6Y3MNFRWW#discussioncomment-16429037>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AZ3GMW6MSPZ6HKHZHLI375L4T3GDHAVCNFSM6AAAAACWARVU5WVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTMNBSHEYDGNY> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

-- Erica Bower, Ph.D. Research Scientist CIRES / NOAA WPC ***@***.*** | ***@***.***