NetCDF as File System

Vast quantities of ECMWF data are stored in Network Common Data Format (NetCDF) and often there is a need to quickly create or adapt existing NetCDF datasets, for instance when prototyping a new data processing application. Tasks such as modifying the name or value of a NetCDF attribute or deleting unnecessary variables or attributes, typically require specialised NetCDF tools and libraries. 

This challenge aimed to develop a tool to represent the hierarchical structure of a NetCDF dataset as a virtual file system. The new software is written in Python and allows users to easily mount, view, and edit the contents of a NetCDF dataset using file-system operations and general purpose Unix tools. The software is potentially useful for anyone working with weather and climate data in NetCDF format wishing to quickly explore and edit a dataset. 

Follow the developments on GitHub