diff --git a/met/src/tools/other/ascii2nc/file_handler.cc b/met/src/tools/other/ascii2nc/file_handler.cc
index 28ef53e8cc..6c89e5d429 100644
--- a/met/src/tools/other/ascii2nc/file_handler.cc
+++ b/met/src/tools/other/ascii2nc/file_handler.cc
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ FileHandler::~FileHandler()
 
 bool FileHandler::readAsciiFiles(const vector< ConcatString > &ascii_filename_list)
 {
-  nc_obs_initialize();
+  obs_vars.init_data_buffer();
 
   // Loop through the ASCII files, reading in the observations.  At the end of
   // this loop, all of the observations will be in the _observations vector.
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ bool FileHandler::writeNetcdfFile(const string &nc_filename)
     return false;
 
   // Add variable names
-  if (use_var_id) write_obs_var_names(obs_vars, obs_names);
+  if (use_var_id) obs_vars.write_obs_var_names(obs_names);
 
   // Close the netCDF file.
 
@@ -249,8 +249,9 @@ bool FileHandler::_openNetcdf(const string &nc_filename)
    //
    // Define the NetCDF dimensions and variables
    //
-   init_nc_dims_vars_config(obs_vars, use_var_id);
+   obs_vars.reset(use_var_id);
    obs_vars.attr_agl   = true;
+   obs_vars.deflate_level = deflate_level;
 
    nc_out_data.processed_hdr_cnt = 0;
    nc_out_data.deflate_level = deflate_level;
@@ -388,8 +389,8 @@ bool FileHandler::_writeObservations()
   int var_count = (use_var_id ? obs_names.n_elements() : 0);
   if (var_count > 0) {
     int unit_count = 0;
-    create_nc_obs_name_vars (obs_vars, _ncFile, var_count, unit_count, deflate_level);
-    write_obs_var_names(obs_vars, obs_names);
+    obs_vars.create_obs_name_vars (_ncFile, var_count, unit_count);
+    obs_vars.write_obs_var_names(obs_names);
   }
 
   return true;
diff --git a/met/src/tools/other/ioda2nc/ioda2nc.cc b/met/src/tools/other/ioda2nc/ioda2nc.cc
index 9069459123..a41d875c74 100644
--- a/met/src/tools/other/ioda2nc/ioda2nc.cc
+++ b/met/src/tools/other/ioda2nc/ioda2nc.cc
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ void initialize() {
 
    n_total_obs = 0;
 
-   nc_obs_initialize();
+   obs_vars.init_data_buffer();
 
    core_dims.clear();
    core_dims.add("nvars");
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ void open_netcdf() {
    }
 
    // Define netCDF variables
-   init_nc_dims_vars_config(obs_vars);
+   obs_vars.reset();
 
    // Add global attributes
    write_netcdf_global(f_out, ncfile.text(), program_name);
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ void process_ioda_file(int i_pb) {
       }
 
       // Store the index to the header data
-      obs_arr[0] = (float) get_nc_hdr_cur_index();
+      obs_arr[0] = (float) obs_vars.get_hdr_index();
 
       n_hdr_obs = 0;
       for(idx=0; idx<v_obs_data.size(); idx++ ) {
@@ -792,8 +792,8 @@ void process_ioda_file(int i_pb) {
       // store the header data and increment the IODA record
       // counter
       if(n_hdr_obs > 0) {
-         add_nc_header_to_array(modified_hdr_typ, hdr_sid.c_str(), hdr_vld_ut,
-                                hdr_lat, hdr_lon, hdr_elv);
+         obs_vars.add_header(modified_hdr_typ, hdr_sid.c_str(), hdr_vld_ut,
+                             hdr_lat, hdr_lon, hdr_elv);
          i_msg++;
       }
       else {
@@ -810,8 +810,8 @@ void process_ioda_file(int i_pb) {
       cout << log_message << "\n";
    }
 
-   int obs_buf_index = get_nc_obs_buf_index();
-   if(obs_buf_index > 0) write_nc_obs_buffer(obs_buf_index);
+   int obs_buf_index = obs_vars.get_obs_index();
+   if(obs_buf_index > 0) obs_vars.write_obs_buffer(obs_buf_index);
 
    if(mlog.verbosity_level() > 0) cout << "\n" << flush;
 
@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ void process_ioda_file(int i_pb) {
 void write_netcdf_hdr_data() {
    static const string method_name = "\nwrite_netcdf_hdr_data()";
 
-   const long hdr_count = (long) get_nc_hdr_cur_index();
+   const long hdr_count = (long) obs_vars.get_hdr_index();
    int deflate_level = compress_level;
    if(deflate_level < 0) deflate_level = conf_info.conf.nc_compression();
 
@@ -940,10 +940,11 @@ void write_netcdf_hdr_data() {
       nc_var_desc_arr.add(obs_var_descs[i]);
    }
 
-   create_nc_obs_name_vars(obs_vars, f_out, var_count, units_count, deflate_level);
-   write_obs_var_names(obs_vars,  nc_var_name_arr);
-   write_obs_var_units(obs_vars, nc_var_unit_arr);
-   write_obs_var_descriptions(obs_vars, nc_var_desc_arr);
+   obs_vars.deflate_level = deflate_level;
+   obs_vars.create_obs_name_vars(f_out, var_count, units_count);
+   obs_vars.write_obs_var_names(nc_var_name_arr);
+   obs_vars.write_obs_var_units(nc_var_unit_arr);
+   obs_vars.write_obs_var_descriptions(nc_var_desc_arr);
 
    return;
 }
diff --git a/met/src/tools/other/lidar2nc/lidar2nc.cc b/met/src/tools/other/lidar2nc/lidar2nc.cc
index b8bca05f9c..832bc5ee95 100644
--- a/met/src/tools/other/lidar2nc/lidar2nc.cc
+++ b/met/src/tools/other/lidar2nc/lidar2nc.cc
@@ -63,8 +63,6 @@ using namespace std;
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-struct NcHeaderData *header_data = get_hdr_data_buffer();
-
 static ConcatString program_name;
 
 static CommandLine cline;
@@ -332,10 +330,11 @@ mlog << Debug(1) << "Writing MET File:\t" << output_filename << "\n";
    //
 
    bool use_var_id = false;
-   init_nc_dims_vars_config(obs_vars, use_var_id);
+   obs_vars.reset(use_var_id);
    obs_vars.attr_agl = true;
-   create_nc_hdr_vars(obs_vars, out, n_data, deflate_level);
-   create_nc_obs_vars(obs_vars, out, deflate_level, use_var_id);
+   obs_vars.deflate_level = deflate_level;
+   obs_vars.create_hdr_vars(out, n_data);
+   obs_vars.create_obs_vars(out);
 
    if (!IS_INVALID_NC(obs_vars.strl2_dim)) {
       NcDim str_dim;
@@ -385,7 +384,6 @@ mlog << Debug(2) << "Processing Lidar points\t= " << n_data << "\n";
 
 memset(ibuf, 0, n_data*sizeof(int));
 
-header_data->typ_array.add(hdr_typ_string);
 obs_vars.hdr_typ_var.putVar(ibuf);
 
    //
@@ -394,8 +392,8 @@ obs_vars.hdr_typ_var.putVar(ibuf);
 
 memset(ibuf, 0, n_data*sizeof(int));
 
-header_data->sid_array.add(na_str);
 obs_vars.hdr_sid_var.putVar(ibuf);
+obs_vars.add_header_strings(hdr_typ_string, na_str);
 
    //
    //  populate the obs_qty variable
@@ -473,7 +471,8 @@ for (j=0; j<n_data; ++j)  {
 
       v_idx = valid_times.n_elements();
       valid_times.add(t);
-      header_data->vld_array.add(junk);
+      //header_data.vld_array.add(junk);
+      obs_vars.add_header_vld(junk);
    }
    ibuf[j] = v_idx;
 
@@ -553,11 +552,11 @@ for (j=0; j<n_data; ++j)  {
 
 }   //  for j
 
-   write_nc_observation(obs_vars);
+   obs_vars.write_observation();
 
-   create_nc_table_vars(obs_vars, out);
+   obs_vars.create_table_vars(out);
 
-   write_nc_table_vars(obs_vars);
+   obs_vars.write_table_vars();
 
    //
    //  close hdf file
@@ -597,11 +596,11 @@ void write_nc_record(NetcdfObsVars a_obs_vars, const float * f, int qc_value)
    //
 
 if ( qc_value < 0 )  {
-   write_nc_observation(obs_vars, f, na_str);
+   obs_vars.write_observation(f, na_str);
 } else {
    char junk[HEADER_STR_LEN];
    snprintf(junk, sizeof(junk), "%d", qc_value);
-   write_nc_observation(obs_vars, f, junk);
+   obs_vars.write_observation(f, junk);
 }
 
 return;
diff --git a/met/src/tools/other/madis2nc/madis2nc.cc b/met/src/tools/other/madis2nc/madis2nc.cc
index 621c841215..f13ea310f2 100644
--- a/met/src/tools/other/madis2nc/madis2nc.cc
+++ b/met/src/tools/other/madis2nc/madis2nc.cc
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
    //
    process_command_line(argc, argv);
 
-   nc_obs_initialize();
+   obs_vars.init_data_buffer();
 
    //
    // Process the MADIS file
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
    bool use_var_id = true;
    bool do_header = false;
-   int nhdr = get_nc_hdr_cur_index();
+   int nhdr = obs_vars.get_obs_index();
 
    if (conf_info.getSummaryInfo().flag) {
       int summmary_hdr_cnt = 0;
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ void setup_netcdf_out(int nhdr) {
    }
 
    bool use_var_id = false;
-   init_nc_dims_vars_config(obs_vars, use_var_id);
+   obs_vars.reset(use_var_id);
    obs_vars.obs_cnt = obs_vector.size();
    mlog << Debug(5) << "setup_netcdf_out() nhdr:\t" << nhdr
         << "\tobs_cnt:\t" << obs_vars.obs_cnt << "\n";
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ void process_madis_metar(NcFile *&f_in) {
    double tmp_dbl;
    time_t hdr_vld;
    ConcatString hdr_typ, hdr_sid;
-   float hdr_arr[hdr_arr_len], obs_arr[obs_arr_len], conversion;
+   float hdr_arr[HDR_ARRAY_LEN], obs_arr[OBS_ARRAY_LEN], conversion;
    float wdir, wind, ugrd, vgrd;
    int count;
    StringArray missing_vars, missing_qty_vars;
@@ -1172,7 +1172,7 @@ void process_madis_raob(NcFile *&f_in) {
    char qty;
    time_t hdr_vld;
    ConcatString hdr_typ, hdr_sid;
-   float hdr_arr[hdr_arr_len], obs_arr[obs_arr_len], conversion;
+   float hdr_arr[HDR_ARRAY_LEN], obs_arr[OBS_ARRAY_LEN], conversion;
    float wdir, wind, ugrd, vgrd;
    int count;
    StringArray missing_vars, missing_qty_vars;
@@ -1594,7 +1594,7 @@ void process_madis_raob(NcFile *&f_in) {
 
          hdr_vld = (time_t)tmp_dbl;
 
-         hdr_idx = get_nc_hdr_cur_index();
+         hdr_idx = obs_vars.get_obs_index();
 
          //
          // Process the station name.
@@ -1985,7 +1985,7 @@ void process_madis_profiler(NcFile *&f_in) {
    double tmp_dbl;
    time_t hdr_vld;
    ConcatString hdr_typ, hdr_sid;
-   float hdr_arr[hdr_arr_len], obs_arr[obs_arr_len], conversion;
+   float hdr_arr[HDR_ARRAY_LEN], obs_arr[OBS_ARRAY_LEN], conversion;
    float pressure;
    int count;
    StringArray missing_vars, missing_qty_vars;
@@ -2170,7 +2170,7 @@ void process_madis_profiler(NcFile *&f_in) {
 
          hdr_vld = (time_t)tmp_dbl;
 
-         hdr_idx = get_nc_hdr_cur_index();
+         hdr_idx = obs_vars.get_obs_index();
 
          //
          // Initialize the observation array: hdr_id
@@ -2243,7 +2243,7 @@ void process_madis_maritime(NcFile *&f_in) {
    double tmp_dbl;
    time_t hdr_vld;
    ConcatString hdr_typ, hdr_sid;
-   float hdr_arr[hdr_arr_len], obs_arr[obs_arr_len], conversion;
+   float hdr_arr[HDR_ARRAY_LEN], obs_arr[OBS_ARRAY_LEN], conversion;
    float pressure;
    int count;
    StringArray missing_vars, missing_qty_vars;
@@ -2504,7 +2504,7 @@ void process_madis_maritime(NcFile *&f_in) {
 
          hdr_vld = (time_t)tmp_dbl;
 
-         hdr_idx = get_nc_hdr_cur_index();
+         hdr_idx = obs_vars.get_obs_index();
 
 
          //
@@ -2625,7 +2625,7 @@ void process_madis_mesonet(NcFile *&f_in) {
    double tmp_dbl;
    time_t hdr_vld;
    ConcatString hdr_typ, hdr_sid;
-   float hdr_arr[hdr_arr_len], obs_arr[obs_arr_len], conversion;
+   float hdr_arr[HDR_ARRAY_LEN], obs_arr[OBS_ARRAY_LEN], conversion;
    float wdir, wind, ugrd, vgrd;
    int count;
    StringArray missing_vars, missing_qty_vars;
@@ -2981,7 +2981,7 @@ void process_madis_mesonet(NcFile *&f_in) {
          if(is_bad_data(tmp_dbl)) continue;
          hdr_vld = (time_t)tmp_dbl;
 
-         hdr_idx = get_nc_hdr_cur_index();
+         hdr_idx = obs_vars.get_obs_index();
 
          //
          // Initialize the observation array: hdr_id, gc, lvl, hgt, ob
@@ -3204,7 +3204,7 @@ void process_madis_acarsProfiles(NcFile *&f_in) {
    char qty;
    time_t hdr_vld;
    ConcatString hdr_typ, hdr_sid;
-   float hdr_arr[hdr_arr_len], obs_arr[obs_arr_len], conversion;
+   float hdr_arr[HDR_ARRAY_LEN], obs_arr[OBS_ARRAY_LEN], conversion;
    float pressure, wdir, wind, ugrd, vgrd;
    int count;
    StringArray missing_vars, missing_qty_vars;
@@ -3428,7 +3428,7 @@ void process_madis_acarsProfiles(NcFile *&f_in) {
             i_cnt++;
             mlog << Debug(3) << "  Mandatory Level: " << i_lvl << "\n";
 
-            hdr_idx = get_nc_hdr_cur_index();
+            hdr_idx = obs_vars.get_obs_index();
 
             //
             // Use cur to index into the NetCDF variables.
diff --git a/met/src/tools/other/pb2nc/pb2nc.cc b/met/src/tools/other/pb2nc/pb2nc.cc
index b36095ccf5..526b765a62 100644
--- a/met/src/tools/other/pb2nc/pb2nc.cc
+++ b/met/src/tools/other/pb2nc/pb2nc.cc
@@ -130,11 +130,6 @@ static const int mxr8nm         = 8;
 // Maximum number of BUFR variable types
 
 // Length of the "YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS" string
-static const int strl_len       = 16;
-// Observation header length
-static const int hdr_arr_len    = 3;
-// Observation values length
-static const int obs_arr_len    = 5;
 static const int COUNT_THRESHOLD = 5;
 
 // File unit number for opening the PrepBufr file
@@ -471,7 +466,7 @@ void initialize() {
 
    n_total_obs = 0;
 
-   nc_obs_initialize();
+   obs_vars.init_data_buffer();
 
    prepbufr_vars.clear();
    prepbufr_hdrs.clear();
@@ -784,14 +779,13 @@ void open_netcdf() {
    }
 
    // Define netCDF variables
-   init_nc_dims_vars_config(obs_vars);
+   obs_vars.reset();
    obs_vars.attr_pb2nc = true;
 
    if (!obs_to_vector) {
-
-      create_nc_obs_vars(obs_vars, f_out,
-                         (compress_level >= 0 ? compress_level :
-                          conf_info.conf.nc_compression()));
+      obs_vars.deflate_level = (compress_level >= 0 ? compress_level
+                                : conf_info.conf.nc_compression());
+      obs_vars.create_obs_vars(f_out);
 
       // Add global attributes
       write_netcdf_global(f_out, ncfile.text(), program_name);
@@ -835,7 +829,7 @@ void process_pbfile(int i_pb) {
    unixtime hdr_vld_ut = (unixtime) 0;
 
    float    quality_mark, dl_category;
-   float    obs_arr[obs_arr_len];
+   float    obs_arr[OBS_ARRAY_LEN];
    float    pqtzuv[mxr8vt], pqtzuv_qty[mxr8vt];
 
    const int debug_level_for_performance = 3;
@@ -1024,7 +1018,7 @@ void process_pbfile(int i_pb) {
    diff_file_time_count = 0;
    cycle_minute = missing_cycle_minute;     // initialize
 
-   for (int idx=0; idx<obs_arr_len; idx++) obs_arr[idx] = 0;
+   for (int idx=0; idx<OBS_ARRAY_LEN; idx++) obs_arr[idx] = 0;
 
    // Loop through the PrepBufr messages from the input file
    for(i_read=0; i_read<npbmsg && i_ret == 0; i_read++) {
@@ -1301,7 +1295,7 @@ void process_pbfile(int i_pb) {
       //    HDR_ID GC LVL HGT OB
 
       // Store the index to the header data
-      obs_arr[0] = (float) get_nc_hdr_cur_index();
+      obs_arr[0] = (float) obs_vars.get_hdr_index();
 
       buf_nlev = nlev;
       if (nlev > mxr8lv) {
@@ -1757,7 +1751,7 @@ void process_pbfile(int i_pb) {
             }
             mlog << Debug(10) << "var: " << var_name << " nlev2: " << nlev2
                  << ", vIdx: " << vIdx << ", obs_data_idx: "
-                 << get_nc_obs_buf_index() << ", nlev: " << nlev << "\n";
+                 << obs_vars.get_obs_index() << ", nlev: " << nlev << "\n";
             // Search through the vertical levels
             for(lv=0; lv<buf_nlev; lv++) {
 
@@ -1860,10 +1854,10 @@ void process_pbfile(int i_pb) {
       // store the header data and increment the PrepBufr record
       // counter
       if(n_hdr_obs > 0) {
-         add_nc_header_to_array(modified_hdr_typ, hdr_sid.c_str(), hdr_vld_ut,
-                                hdr_lat, hdr_lon, hdr_elv);
+         obs_vars.add_header(modified_hdr_typ, hdr_sid.c_str(), hdr_vld_ut,
+                             hdr_lat, hdr_lon, hdr_elv);
          if (is_prepbufr) {
-            add_nc_header_prepbufr(pb_report_type, in_report_type, instrument_type);
+            obs_vars.add_header_prepbufr(pb_report_type, in_report_type, instrument_type);
          }
 
          i_msg++;
@@ -1911,8 +1905,8 @@ void process_pbfile(int i_pb) {
       }
       mlog << Warning << "\n";
    }
-   int obs_buf_index = get_nc_obs_buf_index();
-   if (obs_buf_index > 0) write_nc_obs_buffer(obs_buf_index);
+   int obs_buf_index = obs_vars.get_obs_index();
+   if (obs_buf_index > 0) obs_vars.write_obs_buffer(obs_buf_index);
 
    if(mlog.verbosity_level() > 0) cout << "\n" << flush;
 
@@ -2401,7 +2395,7 @@ void write_netcdf_hdr_data() {
    bool is_prepbufr = is_prepbufr_file(&event_names);
    static const string method_name = "\nwrite_netcdf_hdr_data()";
 
-   pb_hdr_count = (long) get_nc_hdr_cur_index();
+   pb_hdr_count = (long) obs_vars.get_hdr_index();
    if (obs_to_vector) {
       int deflate_level = compress_level;
       if (deflate_level < 0) deflate_level = conf_info.conf.nc_compression();
@@ -2435,11 +2429,9 @@ void write_netcdf_hdr_data() {
       exit(1);
    }
 
-   int deflate_level = compress_level;
-   if (deflate_level < 0) deflate_level = conf_info.conf.nc_compression();
    if (is_prepbufr) {
       if (!nc_out_data.summary_info.flag || nc_out_data.summary_info.raw_data)
-         create_nc_pb_hdrs(obs_vars, f_out, pb_hdr_count, deflate_level);
+         obs_vars.create_pb_hdrs(f_out, pb_hdr_count);
    }
 
    // Make sure all obs data is processed before handling header
@@ -2449,8 +2441,8 @@ void write_netcdf_hdr_data() {
    else {
       if (do_summary) {
          // Write out the summary data
-         if (save_summary_only) reset_header_buffer(pb_hdr_count, true);
-         write_nc_observations(obs_vars, summary_obs->getSummaries());
+         if (save_summary_only) obs_vars.reset_header_buffer(pb_hdr_count, true);
+         obs_vars.write_observations(summary_obs->getSummaries());
          mlog << Debug(4) << "write_netcdf_hdr_data obs count: "
               << (int)summary_obs->getObservations().size()
               << "  summary count: " << (int)summary_obs->getSummaries().size()
@@ -2463,14 +2455,14 @@ void write_netcdf_hdr_data() {
          }
       }
 
-      create_nc_hdr_vars(obs_vars, f_out, dim_count, deflate_level);
-      create_nc_table_vars(obs_vars, f_out, deflate_level);
+      obs_vars.create_hdr_vars(f_out, dim_count);
+      obs_vars.create_table_vars(f_out);
 
       // Write out the header data
-      write_nc_arr_headers(obs_vars);
-      if (get_nc_hdr_cur_index() > 0) {
+      obs_vars.write_arr_headers();
+      if (obs_vars.get_hdr_index() > 0) {
          // Write out the remaining header data
-         write_nc_buf_headers(obs_vars);
+         obs_vars.write_buf_headers();
       }
    }
 
@@ -2513,10 +2505,10 @@ void write_netcdf_hdr_data() {
    } // end for i
 
    dim_count = bufr_obs_name_arr.n_elements();
-   create_nc_obs_name_vars (obs_vars, f_out, dim_count, dim_count, deflate_level);
-   write_obs_var_names (obs_vars,  nc_var_name_arr);
-   write_obs_var_units (obs_vars, nc_var_unit_arr);
-   write_obs_var_descriptions (obs_vars, nc_var_desc_arr);
+   obs_vars.create_obs_name_vars (f_out, dim_count, dim_count);
+   obs_vars.write_obs_var_names (nc_var_name_arr);
+   obs_vars.write_obs_var_units (nc_var_unit_arr);
+   obs_vars.write_obs_var_descriptions (nc_var_desc_arr);
 
    return;
 }
@@ -2556,7 +2548,7 @@ void addObservation(const float *obs_arr, const ConcatString &hdr_typ,
    }
    else {
       if (!save_summary_only)
-          write_nc_observation(obs_vars, obs_arr, obs_qty.text());
+          obs_vars.write_observation(obs_arr, obs_qty.text());
       if (do_summary) {
          string var_name = bufr_obs_name_arr[(obs_arr[1])];
          conf_info.getSummaryInfo();