NU-WRF Version 8 Patch 5 (v8p5-wrf371-lis72r) ("Bjerknes Patch 5") was released on 25 September 2017.

WHAT CHANGED:

* Ported under GNU.
  - Ported utils and fixed issues with parallel compilation.
  - There are some tweaks in RIP4, LDT, LVT, WPS and WRFV3.
* Added scripts to facilitate installation of third-party libraries
  and to help with code porting (see scripts/other/baselibs.*).
* Significant refactoring of regression testing scripts that include
 - Fixing commands that trigger nonzero return code.
 - Adding a new file, check_nuwrf_repo.py, to monitor, via cron, the
   new git repo.
 - Adding a new script,diffnc4.py, to compare netcdf4 files produced by WRF.
* Consolidated discover/pleiades cfg scripts into one (nu-wrf.cfg).
* Moved build_ldt and build_lvt into respective directories and simplified
  top level build.sh accordingly.
* Add install option when running build.sh.
 - If environment variable NUWRF_INSTALL_DIR is defined then all
   executables will be installed in that directory.
* Upgraded LVT/LDT/LIS to version 7.2r.
 - Add user.cfg to temporarily disable RUC.
   When RUC option is set to True, various subroutine stubs in RUC
   conflict with duplicate ones in WRF. As a result, the RUC option has been
   temporarily disabled.
 - LVT failed to compile due to an assumption in:
   datastreams/GIMMS_MODIS_NDVI/readGIMMSMODIS_NDVIObs.F90
   where GDAL use was always expected. File was modified for NU-WRF
   and the assumption was removed.
* Added functionality to prep_chem_sources to deal with GFEDv4 sources.
 - The utils code required additional code to process GFEDv4 data, specifically a
 module to read HDF5 files and a tokenizer for string conversion.
* Added scripts that make up the NU-WRF Ensemble Verification System (aka NEVS).
* Updated user guide and tutorial.

NOTE: Development source code, for versions greater than or equal to
Bjerknes patch 4, is now being tracked in a Git repository. The new URL is:
   progressdirect:/git/projects/nu-wrf.

KNOWN BUGS:

Grell-Freitas cumulus scheme (cu_physics=3) is sensitive to CPU count (inherited from WRF 3.7.1).  No fix.
LIS only supports up to 3 grids.
Intel MPI hangs on Discover for large (> 2000 cpu) jobs.  Use SGI MPT instead for big jobs.
Bad TEMF PBL restarts (inherited from WRF 3.7.1).  No fix.
Unphysical results if urban physics only used on some grids (inherited from WRF 3.7.1).  Use urban physics on all grids or on none.

KNOWN ISSUES:  

CASA2WRF is not using netCDF4/HDF5 compression in output.
GFEDv4 option is not throughly tested. A hotfix may be forthcoming.