diff --git a/gcmfaces_IO/read_nctiles.m b/gcmfaces_IO/read_nctiles.m
index 96b4634..7cccad3 100644
--- a/gcmfaces_IO/read_nctiles.m
+++ b/gcmfaces_IO/read_nctiles.m
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 gcmfaces_global;
 nz=length(mygrid.RC);
 nctiles_v4r4format = 0;
+nctiles_v4r3_altformat = 0;
 
 if nargin==1; 
   tmp1=['/' fileName];
@@ -62,9 +63,13 @@
     fileIn=sprintf('%s.%04d.nc',fileName,1);
     if length(dir(fileIn));
       nc=netcdf.open(fileIn,0);
+    elseif length(dir(sprintf('%s_%04d.nc',fileName,1992)));
+      nctiles_v4r3_altformat=1;
+      flist=dir([fileName '_*.nc']);
+      nc=netcdf.open(sprintf('%s_%04d.nc',fileName,1992),0);
     else;
       % For v4r4 format
-      nctiles_v4r4format=1;
+       nctiles_v4r4format=1;
 
       % split the input string "fileName" that may contain both folder and filename
       %  to folder and filename. 
@@ -136,7 +141,7 @@
 end;
 
 %B) the file read operation itself
-if(~nctiles_v4r4format);
+if(~nctiles_v4r4format & ~nctiles_v4r3_altformat);
   for ff=1:length(nctiles.no);
 
   %read one tile
@@ -193,6 +198,114 @@
   fld{nctiles.f{ff}}(nctiles.i{ff},nctiles.j{ff},:,:)=fldTile;
 
   end;%for ff=1:mygrid.nFaces;
+elseif (nctiles_v4r3_altformat);
+% nctiles_v4r3_altformat=1
+% V4r3_alt has yearly files
+  ntall = 0;
+  lff = 0;
+  if (~isempty(flist));
+    lff = length(flist);
+  end;
+  
+  if ~isempty(tt);
+    t0=tt(1);
+    nt=tt(end)-tt(1)+1;
+    t1=t0+nt-1;
+  end;
+
+  for fft=1:lff;
+    %read one file
+    fileIn=fullfile(flist(fft).folder,flist(fft).name);
+    nc=netcdf.open(fileIn,0);
+    vv = netcdf.inqVarID(nc,fldName);
+
+    ntindfl=getfield(ncinfo(fileIn,'time'),'Size');
+    ntoffset=ntall;
+    ntall=ntall+ntindfl;
+    if isempty(tt);
+      t0 = 1;
+      t1 = ntall;
+      nt = ntall;
+    end;
+    if(t0>ntall);
+      continue
+    end;
+    if(t1<=ntoffset);
+      break;
+    end;
+    if(t0>ntoffset & t0<=ntall);
+       nt0=ntoffset
+    end;
+    
+    [varname,xtype,dimids,natts]=netcdf.inqVar(nc,vv);
+    lendim=length(dimids);
+    siz = [];
+    for idim=1:lendim;
+      [dimname,siz(idim)] = netcdf.inqDim(nc,dimids(idim));
+    end;
+
+    if length(dimids)<2 or length(dimids)>5;
+      error([fileIn ' only implemented for 2d thru 5d fields']);
+    elseif length(dimids)==2;
+      start=[0 0];
+      count=[siz(1) siz(2)];
+    elseif length(dimids)==3;
+      start=[0 0 0];
+      count=[siz(1) siz(2) siz(3)];
+    elseif length(dimids)==4;
+      start=[0 0 0 0];
+      count=[siz(1) siz(2) siz(3) ntindfl];
+    elseif isempty(kk);
+       start=[0 0 0 0 0];
+       count=[siz(1) siz(2) siz(3) siz(4) ntindfl];
+    else;
+       start=[0 0 kk(1)-1 0 0];
+       count=[siz(1) siz(2) length(kk) siz(4) ntindfl];
+    end;
+    ndim = length(count); 
+
+    %initialize fldTile_all (temporary array)
+    if ~exist('fldTile_all');
+      fldTile_all=[];
+    end;
+
+    fldTile=netcdf.getVar(nc,vv,start,count);
+    fldTile=squeeze(fldTile);
+    netcdf.close(nc);
+
+    fldTile_all=cat(ndim,fldTile_all,fldTile);
+  end;%for fft=1:lff;
+
+  % for fields having time axis
+  if(ntindfl>0 & length(dimids)>=4);
+      if ndim==4;
+         fldTile_all=fldTile_all(:,:,:,t0-nt0:t1-nt0);
+      elseif isempty(kk);
+         fldTile_all=fldTile_all(:,:,:,:,t0-nt0:t1-nt0);
+      else;
+         fldTile_all=fldTile_all(:,:,:,:,t0-nt0:t1-nt0);
+      end;
+  end;
+
+  %initialize fld (full gcmfaces object)
+  if(ndim==4);
+    siz=[1 1 nt];
+  elseif (ndim==5);
+    siz=[1 1 size(fldTile,3) nt];
+  end;
+  fld=NaN*repmat(mygrid.XC,siz);
+
+  %map array to gcmfaces object
+  for ff=1:length(nctiles.no);
+    %place tile in fld
+    if size(fldTile_all,5)>1;
+      fld{nctiles.f{ff}}(nctiles.i{ff},nctiles.j{ff},:,:)=fldTile_all(:,:,:,ff,:);
+    elseif size(fldTile_all,4)>1;
+      fld{nctiles.f{ff}}(nctiles.i{ff},nctiles.j{ff},:)=fldTile_all(:,:,ff,:);
+    else;
+      fld{nctiles.f{ff}}(nctiles.i{ff},nctiles.j{ff})=fldTile_all(:,:,ff);
+    end;
+  end; %for ff=1:length(nctiles.no);
 
 else;
 % nctiles_v4r4format=1