function [p_hirlam,u_hirlam,v_hirlam] = get_hirlam(start_date)

itel = 0;
for iday = 0:8
   date1 = datenum(start_date,'yyyymmdd') + iday;
   for ihr = 0: 7
       itel = itel + 1;
       date2 = date1 + ihr/8.;
       date3 = datestr(date2,'yyyymmddHHMM');
       disp (date3);
       try;
          [x,y,p]     =get_maps('p'      ,'knmi_hirlam_maps',-12,13,40,80,'WGS84',date3);
          [x,y,wind_u]=get_maps('wind_u' ,'knmi_hirlam_maps',-12,13,40,80,'WGS84',date3);
          [x,y,wind_v]=get_maps('wind_v' ,'knmi_hirlam_maps',-12,13,40,80,'WGS84',date3);
          p_hirlam(itel,:,:) = p(:,:);
          u_hirlam(itel,:,:) = wind_u(:,:);
          v_hirlam(itel,:,:) = wind_v(:,:);
       catch;
          p_hirlam(itel,:,:) =  p_hirlam(itel-1,:,:);
          u_hirlam(itel,:,:) =  u_hirlam(itel-1,:,:);
          v_hirlam(itel,:,:) =  v_hirlam(itel-1,:,:);
       end;
   end;
end;

disp('end');
