Specifying the different levels to plot in a python plot.

contour_levels.py

"""Specifying the different levels to plot in a python contour plot."""

import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

fig, axs = plt.subplots(1,2)

x = np.linspace(0, 1, 100)
X, Y = np.meshgrid(x, x)
Z = np.sin(X)*np.sin(Y)

levels = np.linspace(-1, 1, 40)

zdata = np.sin(8*X)*np.sin(8*Y)

cs = axs[0].contourf(X, Y, zdata, levels=levels)
fig.colorbar(cs, ax=axs[0], format="%.2f")

cs = axs[1].contourf(X, Y, zdata, levels=[-1,0,1])
fig.colorbar(cs, ax=axs[1])
fig.tight_layout()
plt.show()