# Viewing horizontal temperature distribution

>  NOTE: This guide can also be applied to the visualization of any scalar field on horizontal planes.

![](img/4-1-horizontal-scalar-field.png)

##### 1. Open data file.

Open your data file(s), using buttons on the _Home_ menu category of _Menu Bar_.

##### 2. Load the temperature variable and show it on a layer.

In order to visualize the distribution of the variable on a layer, you can either

* click the _Add Layer_ menu buttons on _Layer_ menu category, and select variable/area/level etc., or 
* select the temperature variable on the _Variables Pane_, and click 'OK' to add layer. 

_Rendering Pane_ will immediately display the distribution, and a new layer will be added to the _Layers Pane_.

##### 3. Explore temperature distributions at different altitudes (if any).

On _Horizontal Plane_ menu category of _Menu Bar_, you will find _Vertical Level_ drop-down control, where you can select height level among all the levels available in your dataset. You can also click _Move Up / Move Down_ button in order to increase / decrease the selected level.

##### 4. Change the settings for color mapping (if necessary).

Double click the vertical _Color Bar_ on the right-hand side of _Rendering Pane_. A popup dialog named _'Setup Colormap and Limit Range'_ will show up, where you can change various options regarding the color mapping.

##### 5. Change the visualization style - contour vs. raster (if necessary).

On _Horizontal Plane_ menu category of _Menu Bar_, you can select one of the following visualization styles:

* Contour : show distribution with discrete iso-level contour lines (optionally with filled colors)
* Raster : show distribution with smoothly filled colors
* Dot : show distribution with colored dots for grid points

Each menu button has drop-down submenu, where you can set various options for each visualization style. For example, you can display character labels ("H" or "C" for temperature, and "H" or "L" for geopotential height) for the peaks of the distribution.

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