function sounding = read_sounding_file(file);

fid = fopen(file, 'r');

% read through header. pull out a couple values 
% (station name, id, lat, lon)
line = fgetl(fid);
[dummy, station_name] = strread(line, '%s %s');
line = fgetl(fid);
line = fgetl(fid);
[dummy, dummy2, station_id] = strread(line, '%s %s %d');
line = fgetl(fid);
[dummy, station_lat] = strread(line, '%s %f');
line = fgetl(fid);
[dummy, station_lon] = strread(line, '%s %f');
line = fgetl(fid);
[dummy, station_elev] = strread(line, '%s %f');

% read past the rest of the header.
for n=1:5;
    line = fgetl(fid);
end

% now read the main data.
% since the length of the data table is not known, 
% we will just let MATLAB "grow" the array as needed.
% In general, this may not be a good idea, but if 
% we are just reading one or a few of these files at 
% a time, it might be OK.

scan_fmt = '%s %d %d %f %f %d %f %f %d %d %f %f %f %f %f';
n = 1;
while ~feof(fid);
    line = fgetl(fid);
    try
        [x1, x2, x3, x4, x5, x6, x7, x8, x9, x10, ...
            x11, x12, x13, x14, x15] = strread(line, scan_fmt);
    catch exception
        disp(['trouble reading line '  num2str(n)]);
        % put NaNs the temporary fields to mark the 
        % problem data row.
        x1 = ' ';
        x2=NaN; x3=NaN; x4=NaN; x5=NaN; x6=NaN; x7=NaN; x8=NaN; x9=NaN;
        x10=NaN; x11=NaN; x12=NaN; x13=NaN; x14=NaN; x15=NaN;
    end
    level{n} = x1;
    pres(n) = x2;
    alt(n) = x3;
    temp(n) = x4;
    dtemp(n) = x5;
    RH(n) = x6;
    dpd(n) = x7;
    wetb(n) = x8;
    wdir(n) = x9;
    wspd(n) = x10;
    theta(n) = x11;
    thetav(n) = x12;
    thetaw(n) = x13;
    thetae(n) = x14;
    w(n) = x15;
    n = n + 1;
end

sounding.name = station_name;
sounding.id = station_id;
sounding.lat = station_lat;
sounding.lon = station_lon;
sounding.elev = station_elev;
sounding.profile.level = level;
sounding.profile.pres = pres;
sounding.profile.alt = alt;
sounding.profile.temp = temp;
sounding.profile.dtemp = dtemp;
sounding.profile.RH = RH;
sounding.profile.dpd = dpd;
sounding.profile.wetb = wetb;
sounding.profile.wdir = wdir;
sounding.profile.wspd = wspd;
sounding.profile.theta = theta;
sounding.profile.thetav = thetav;
sounding.profile.thetaw = thetaw;
sounding.profile.thetae = thetae;
sounding.profile.w = w;