diff --git a/scripts/assim_synth_obs.py b/scripts/assim_synth_obs.py
index 585b41c98722555f0ad517036b827758feeffd21..cddbbacb3f8eb2c78d44c1619e075f53a18a3167 100755
--- a/scripts/assim_synth_obs.py
+++ b/scripts/assim_synth_obs.py
@@ -184,13 +184,14 @@ def run_perfect_model_obs():
     if not os.path.exists(cluster.dartrundir+'/obs_seq.in'):
         raise RuntimeError('obs_seq.in does not exist in '+cluster.dartrundir)
     os.system('mpirun -np 12 ./perfect_model_obs > log.perfect_model_obs')
+    if not os.path.exists(cluster.dartrundir+'/obs_seq.out'):
+        raise RuntimeError('obs_seq.out does not exist in '+cluster.dartrundir, 
+                           '\n look for '+cluster.dartrundir+'log.perfect_model_obs')
 
 def assimilate(nproc=96):
     print('running filter')
     os.chdir(cluster.dartrundir)
     try_remove(cluster.dartrundir+'/obs_seq.final')
-    if not os.path.exists(cluster.dartrundir+'/obs_seq.out'):
-        raise RuntimeError('obs_seq.out does not exist in '+cluster.dartrundir)
     os.system('mpirun -genv I_MPI_PIN_PROCESSOR_LIST=0-'+str(int(nproc)-1)+' -np '+str(int(nproc))+' ./filter > log.filter')
 
 def archive_diagnostics(archive_dir, time):
@@ -281,7 +282,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
             
             obscfg['err_std'] = calc_obserr_WV73(Hx_nat, Hx_prior)
         else:
-            obscfg['err_std'] = np.ones(n_obs) * obscfg['err_std']
+            obscfg['err_std'] = np.ones(n_obs) * obscfg['err_std']  # fixed stderr
 
         osq.create_obsseq_in(time, obscfg)  # now with correct errors
         prepare_nature_dart(time)
diff --git a/scripts/prepare_namelist.py b/scripts/prepare_namelist.py
index d69b5dee1c51085b9a9c76df0b2f34ef8193ac13..e28e909b817e14631102bcd7e947ddb0beb75e6f 100755
--- a/scripts/prepare_namelist.py
+++ b/scripts/prepare_namelist.py
@@ -56,7 +56,13 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     end = dt.datetime.strptime(sys.argv[2], '%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M')
     intv = int(sys.argv[3])
     radt = int(sys.argv[4])
+    archive = True
+    try:
+        if sys.argv[5] == '1':
+            archive = False
+    except:
+        pass
 
     print('prepare namelists for all ens members')
     for iens in range(1, exp.n_ens+1):
-        run(iens, begin, end, hist_interval=intv, radt=radt)
+        run(iens, begin, end, hist_interval=intv, radt=radt, archive=archive)
diff --git a/scripts/run_ens.vsc.sh b/scripts/run_ens.vsc.sh
index a63b4ec42442c5f8389ef921dd80c6d8b4c17fb3..d7936e729833457e3261845243a83c695630767d 100755
--- a/scripts/run_ens.vsc.sh
+++ b/scripts/run_ens.vsc.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ do
    RUNDIR=$USERDIR/run_WRF/$EXPNAME/$IENS
    echo "ENSEMBLE NR: "$IENS" in "$RUNDIR
    cd $RUNDIR
-   rm -rf wrfout_d01_* rsl.out.0* 
+   rm -rf wrfrst_d01_* wrfout_d01_* rsl.out.0* 
    echo "mpirun -genv I_MPI_PIN_PROCESSOR_LIST="${pinning[$n-1]}" -np 12 ./wrf.exe"
    mpirun -genv I_MPI_PIN_PROCESSOR_LIST=${pinning[$n-1]} -np 12 ./wrf.exe &
    cd ../
diff --git a/templates/namelist.input b/templates/namelist.input
index 01e2a2689caaaeff5bbc1108107aac3e96d316f2..b057622ff5ac3d9ffe61211fb96a02e398a26613 100644
--- a/templates/namelist.input
+++ b/templates/namelist.input
@@ -43,9 +43,7 @@
  j_parent_start                      = 0,     15,    15,
  parent_grid_ratio                   = 1,     3,     3,
  parent_time_step_ratio              = 1,     3,     3,
- feedback                            = 1,
- smooth_option                       = 0
- eta_levels = 1.0000, 0.9980, 0.9940, 0.9870, 0.9750, 0.9590, 0.9390, 0.9160, 0.8920, 0.8650, 0.8350, 0.8020, 0.7660, 0.7270, 0.6850, 0.6400, 0.5920, 0.5420, 0.4970, 0.4565, 0.4205, 0.3877, 0.3582, 0.3317, 0.3078, 0.2863, 0.2670, 0.2496, 0.2329, 0.2188, 0.2047, 0.1906, 0.1765, 0.1624, 0.1483, 0.1342, 0.1201, 0.1060, 0.0919, 0.0778, 0.0657, 0.0568, 0.0486, 0.0409, 0.0337, 0.0271, 0.0209, 0.0151, 0.0097, 0.0047, 0.0000
+ eta_levels = 1.0000, 0.9969, 0.9932, 0.9889, 0.9837, 0.9776, 0.9704, 0.9620, 0.9522, 0.9408, 0.9277, 0.9126, 0.8954, 0.8760, 0.8543, 0.8303, 0.8040, 0.7755, 0.7450, 0.7128, 0.6793, 0.6448, 0.6097, 0.5744, 0.5393, 0.5048, 0.4711, 0.4381, 0.4061, 0.3749, 0.3448, 0.3157, 0.2877, 0.2609, 0.2352, 0.2107, 0.1874, 0.1654, 0.1447, 0.1252, 0.1069, 0.0902, 0.0752, 0.0618, 0.0498, 0.0390, 0.0294, 0.0208, 0.0131, 0.0062, 0.0000
  /
 
  &physics
@@ -59,7 +57,8 @@
  bldt                                = 0,     0,     0,
  cu_physics                          = 0,     0,     0,
  cudt                                = 5,     5,     5,
- do_radar_ref		             = 1
+ do_radar_ref		             = 1,
+ icloud_bl                           = 1,
  /
 
  &fdda