Trying to convert NetCDF file to shapefile in QGIS

Question

I have a NetCDF file containing surface sea temperatures that I want to convert into a ESRI shapefile.

I have tried following this link: https://freegistutorial.com/how-to-export-layer-to-shapefile-on-qgis/ but I cannot see the ESRI Shapefile format in the drop down list.

I loaded the CDF file -> right click -> Export -> save as, and I come to this screen where I can choose the format type.

There is no shapefile option and I am unsure what I'm doing wrong here.

Answer 1

When you "drag and drop" your nc file onto the QGIS desktop, QGIS will read it as a raster layer as you see it.

(1) Read the NetCDF file as a mesh file.

Go to the menu: Layer > Add Layer > Add Mesh Layer... and select the nc file.

(2) Use Crayfish plugin to export the data

Install the Crayfish plugin and you will find various tools in the Processing Toolobox. Start Export gridded value on mesh tool (see the image above).

In the Export gridded value on mesh tool window:

1. Click on a small ellipsis [...] button of the Dataset groups.
2. Select the data you wish to export (e.g. sea surface temperature as this example)
3. Set the Grid Spacing according to the required level of details.
4. Click on [Run] button.

(3) The data will include many nan values (such as continental area). You may want to use Extract by attribute tool (or any other tools) to remove nan.