NetCDF and matplotlib basemap with Python 3

Ubuntu 14.04 does not have packages for NetCDF-Python or the Matplotlib Basemap Toolkit for Python 3. However, both can be installed from source without too much difficulty.

1. Install the prerequisite packages with

   sudo apt-get install python3-matplotlib python3-dev libnetcdf-dev libgeos-dev libhdf5-dev

2. Download and extract NetCDF-Python and install it with

   sudo python3 setup.py install

3. Download and extract Matplotlib Basemap Toolkit
4. If you try and install it, you will see the error

   /usr/bin/ld: cannot find -lgeos

   To avoid this, symlink the libgeos shared object

   sudo ln -s /usr/lib/libgeos-3.4.2.so /usr/lib/libgeos.so

   Then install as before using

   sudo python3 setup.py install

To check the installation, try import both libraries at the Python 3 prompt: