Plotting maps with a loop: Best Practices

Best practices for plotting data on a map with a loop...

If you want to plot many data sets with different times on a base map, only plot the base map once!

Some psudo code:

fig = plt.figure(1)
ax  = fig.add_subplot(111)

## Draw Background basemap
m = Basemap(resolution='i',projection='cyl',\
    llcrnrlon=bot_left_lon,llcrnrlat=bot_left_lat,\
    urcrnrlon=top_right_lon,urcrnrlat=top_right_lat,)
m.drawcoastlines()
m.drawcountries()
m.drawcounties()
m.drawstates()

# Brackground image from GIS
m.arcgisimage(service='NatGeo_World_Map', xpixels = 1000, dpi=100)

# Add a shape file for Fire perimiter
p4 = m.readshapefile('/uufs/chpc.utah.edu/common/home/u0553130/fire_shape/perim_'+perimiter,'perim',drawbounds=False)

# Plot station locations
m.scatter(lons,lats)
plt.text(lons[0],lats[0],stnid[0])
plt.text(lons[1],lats[1],stnid[1])

for analysis_h in range(1,5):

    # code to get lat/lon and data

    # plot pcolormesh, and colorbar
    PC = m.pcolormesh(lon,lat,data)
    cbar = plt.colorbar(orientation='horizontal',pad=0.05,shrink=.8,ticks=range(0,80,5))

    # plot contour
    CC = m.contour(lon,lat,data)

    # plot HRRR 10-m winds
    WB = m.barbs(lon,lat,u,v,)
    

    ### Before you plot the next loop, remove the data plots
    cbar.remove()                  # remove colorbar
    PC.remove()                    # remove pcolomesh
    WB[0].remove()              #remove wind barbs
    WB[1].remove()              #   (takes two steps)
    for cc in CC.collections:  #remove each line in the contour collection
        cc.remove()