;*************************************************
; NCL Graphics: ice_1.ncl
;************************************************
load "$NCARG_ROOT/lib/ncarg/nclscripts/csm/gsn_code.ncl"  
load "$NCARG_ROOT/lib/ncarg/nclscripts/csm/gsn_csm.ncl"    
;************************************************
begin
;************************************************
; read in netCDF file
;************************************************
  a = addfile("ice001608.nc","r")
;************************************************
; read in ice coverage
;************************************************
  tmp = a->hice(0,:,:)                            ; read in data 
  ice = tmp                                       ; trick to retain cv's & atts
  ice = mask(tmp,(tmp.ne.0),True)                 ; mask out land
;************************************************
; create plot
;************************************************
  wks = gsn_open_wks("ps","ice")                ; open a ncgm file
  gsn_define_colormap(wks,"BlAqGrYeOrReVi200")  ; choose colormap

  res                      = True               ; plot mods desired
  res@cnFillOn             = True               ; turn on color
  res@gsnPolarNH           = True               ; specify the hemisphere
  res@mpMinLatF            = 65                 ; specify min lat

  res@gsnSpreadColors     = True                ; use full colormap
  res@gsnSpreadColorStart = 20                  ; color to start           
  res@gsnSpreadColorEnd   = 193                 ; color to end

; note: since ice data is stored on a reduced grid with a data gap in
; latitude from -35 to +35 degrees, it is necessary to provide gsun
; with a sub-set of the data. Otherwise, an error will occur and the
; plot will not be correct. 

  plot = gsn_csm_contour_map_polar(wks,ice({20.:90.},:),res)

  end