VizForecastPDF: Plot one or multiple ensemble forecast pdfs for the same...

In esviz: Plotting Functions for Climate Science and Services

Plot one or multiple ensemble forecast pdfs for the same event

Description

This function plots the probability distribution function of several ensemble forecasts. Separate panels are used to plot forecasts valid or initialized at different times or by different models or even at different locations. Probabilities for tercile categories are computed, plotted in colors and annotated. An asterisk marks the tercile with higher probabilities. Probabilities for extreme categories (above P90 and below P10) can also be included as hatched areas. Individual ensemble members can be plotted as jittered points. The observed value is optionally shown as a diamond.

Usage

VizForecastPDF(
  fcst,
  tercile.limits,
  extreme.limits = NULL,
  obs = NULL,
  toptitle = "Set a title",
  title = NULL,
  var.name = "Varname (units)",
  title.legend = "Probability of terciles",
  strings.legend = c("Below normal", "Near normal", "Above normal"),
  ensemble.legend = "Ensemble members",
  obs.title = "Observations",
  strings.obs = NULL,
  title.extremes = "Probability of extremes",
  strings.extremes = c("Below p10", "Above p90"),
  xlab.title = "Probability density",
  fcst.names = NULL,
  title.cex = 1,
  labs.cex = 1,
  fcst.names.cex = 1,
  obs.lines = TRUE,
  obs.size = 3,
  add.ensmemb = c("above", "below", "no"),
  color.set = c("ggplot", "s2s4e", "hydro", "vitigeoss"),
  memb_dim = "member",
  width = 6,
  height = 5,
  fileout = NULL,
  plotfile = NULL,
  res = 300
)

Arguments

fcst	A dataframe or array containing all the ensember members for each forecast. If 'fcst' is an array, it should have two labelled dimensions, and one of them should be 'members'. If 'fcsts' is a data.frame, each column shoul be a separate forecast, with the rows beeing the different ensemble members.
tercile.limits	An array or vector with P33 and P66 values that define the tercile categories for each panel. Use an array of dimensions (nforecasts,2) to define different terciles for each forecast panel, or a vector with two elements to reuse the same tercile limits for all forecast panels.
extreme.limits	(optional) An array or vector with P10 and P90 values that define the extreme categories for each panel. Use an array of (nforecasts,2) to define different extreme limits for each forecast panel, or a vector with two elements to reuse the same tercile limits for all forecast panels. (Default: extreme categories are not shown).
obs	(optional) A vector providing the observed values for each forecast panel or a single value that will be reused for all forecast panels. (Default: observation is not shown).
toptitle	A string with the plot main title.
title	Deprecated. Use 'toptitle' instead.
var.name	A string with the variable name and units.
title.legend	A string with the title of the legend showing the probabilistic categories. By default, it is set to "Probability of terciles".
strings.legend	A vector of strings with the name of the probabilistic categories. By default, it is set to c("Below normal", "Near normal", "Above normal").
ensemble.legend	A string with the title of the legend showing the ensemble members. By default, it is set to "Ensemble members".
obs.title	A string with the title of the legend showing the observations ('obs'). By default, it is set to "Observations".
strings.obs	A vector of strings with the name of the observations, which correspond to the values of 'obs'. By default, it is set to NULL.
title.extremes	A string with the title of the legend showing the extreme categories. By default, it is set to "Probability of extremes".
strings.extremes	A vector of strings with the name of the extreme categories. By default, it is set to c("Below p10", "Above p90").
xlab.title	A string with the title of the x-axis. By default, it is set to "Probability density".
fcst.names	(optional) A string or vector of strings with the titles of each individual forecast panel.
title.cex	A number with the size of 'toptitle'. By default, it is set to 1.
labs.cex	A number with the size of the labels in the axes. By default, it is set to 1.
fcst.names.cex	A number with the size of the 'fcst.names'. By default, it is set to 1.
obs.lines	A logical value indicating whether to draw horizontal lines at the height of the observations. The default value is TRUE.
obs.size	A number with the size of the observation dots. By default, it is set to 3.
add.ensmemb	Either to add the ensemble members 'above' (default) or 'below' the pdf, or not ('no').
color.set	A selection of predefined color sets: use 'ggplot' (default) for blue/green/red, 's2s4e' for blue/grey/orange, 'hydro' for yellow/gray/blue (suitable for precipitation and inflows) or the "vitigeoss" color set.
memb_dim	A character string indicating the name of the member dimension.
width	File width, in the units specified in the parameter size_units (inches by default). Takes 8 by default.
height	File height, in the units specified in the parameter size_units (inches by default). Takes 5 by default.
fileout	(optional) A filename (pdf, png...) where the plot will be saved. (Default: the plot is not saved).
plotfile	Deprecated. Use 'fileout' instead.
res	Resolution of the device (file or window) to plot in. See ?Devices and the creator function of the corresponding device.

Value

A ggplot object containing the plot.

Author(s)

Llorenç Lledó [e-mail]

Examples

fcsts <- data.frame(fcst1 = rnorm(10), fcst2 = rnorm(10, 0.5, 1.2))
VizForecastPDF(fcsts,c(-1,1))

esviz documentation built on Feb. 4, 2026, 5:13 p.m.