Multi-line temperature profile plot

[source code]

"""
Multi-line temperature profile plot
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"""
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

import iris
import iris.quickplot as qplt

def main():
    fname = iris.sample_data_path('air_temp.pp')

    # Load exactly one cube from the given file
    temperature = iris.load_strict(fname)

    # We only want a small number of latitudes, so filter some out using "extract".
    temperature = temperature.extract(iris.Constraint(latitude=lambda cell: 68 <= cell < 78))

    for cube in temperature.slices('longitude'):

        # Create a string label to identify this cube (i.e. latitude: value)
        cube_label = 'latitude: %s' % cube.coord('latitude').points[0]

        # Plot the cube, and associate it with a label
        qplt.plot(cube, label=cube_label)

    # Add the legend with 2 columns
    plt.legend(ncol=2)

    # Put a grid on the plot
    plt.grid(True)

    # tell matplotlib not to extend the plot axes range to nicely rounded numbers.
    plt.axis('tight')

    # Finally, show it.
    plt.show()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()