diff --git a/.github/workflows/Linux_options.yml b/.github/workflows/Linux_options.yml
index 62ccf346..8f132418 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Linux_options.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Linux_options.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
             options: "-DUSE_AEC=ON"
           }
         - { 
-            options: "-DUSE_NETCDF4=ON"
+            options: "-DUSE_NETCDF=ON"
           }
         - { 
             options: "-DBUILD_WGRIB=ON"
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 92c3cac1..4ed952d0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,9 +11,7 @@ project(wgrib2 VERSION ${pVersion} LANGUAGES Fortran C)
 
 # Handle user build options.
 option(ENABLE_DOCS "Enable generation of doxygen-based documentation." OFF)
-option(USE_NETCDF3 "Use NetCDF-3?" off)
-option(USE_NETCDF4 "Use NetCDF-4?" off)
-option(USE_HDF5 "Use HDF5?" off)
+option(USE_NETCDF "Use NetCDF" on)
 option(USE_REGEX "Use Regex?" on)
 option(USE_TIGGE "Use tigge?" on)
 option(USE_MYSQL "Use MySQL?" off)
@@ -86,10 +84,6 @@ if(USE_G2CLIB)
   endif()
 endif()
 
-if(USE_NETCDF3 AND USE_NETCDF4)
-  message(FATAL_ERROR "USE_NETCDF3 OR USE_NetCDF4, not both")
-endif()
-
 # If user wants to use NCEPLIBS-ip, find it and the sp library.
 message(STATUS "Checking if the user want to use NCEPLIBS-ip...")
 if(USE_IPOLATES)
@@ -99,9 +93,8 @@ if(USE_IPOLATES)
 endif()
 
 message(STATUS "Checking if the user want to use NetCDF...")
-if(USE_NETCDF4)
+if(USE_NETCDF)
   find_package(NetCDF MODULE REQUIRED COMPONENTS C)
-  list(APPEND definitions_list -DUSE_NETCDF4 -DUSE_HDF5 -DHDF5="hdf5")
 endif()
 
 if(USE_OPENJPEG AND USE_JASPER)
diff --git a/spack/package.py b/spack/package.py
index b1662479..149d727b 100644
--- a/spack/package.py
+++ b/spack/package.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 variant_map = {
     "netcdf3": "USE_NETCDF3",
     "netcdf4": "USE_NETCDF4",
+    "netcdf": "USE_NETCDF",
     "spectral": "USE_SPECTRAL",
     "mysql": "USE_MYSQL",
     "udf": "USE_UDF",
@@ -84,6 +85,9 @@ def url_for_version(self, version):
     variant(
         "netcdf4", default=False, description="Link in netcdf4 library to write netcdf3/4 files"
     )
+    variant(
+        "netcdf", default=False, description="Link in netcdf4 library to write netcdf3/4 files"
+    )
     variant(
         "ipolates",
         default=False,
@@ -148,12 +152,15 @@ def url_for_version(self, version):
     variant("enable_docs", default=False, description="Build doxygen documentation", when="@3.4.0:")
 
     conflicts("+netcdf3", when="+netcdf4")
+    conflicts("+netcdf3", when="+netcdf")
     conflicts("+openmp", when="%apple-clang")
 
     depends_on("wget", type=("build"), when="@:3.1 +netcdf4")
+    depends_on("wget", type=("build"), when="@:3.1 +netcdf")
     depends_on("ip@5.1:", when="@develop +ipolates")
     depends_on("libaec@1.0.6:", when="@3.2: +aec")
     depends_on("netcdf-c", when="@3.2: +netcdf4")
+    depends_on("netcdf-c", when="@3.2: +netcdf")
     depends_on("jasper@:2", when="@3.2: +jasper")
     depends_on("zlib-api", when="+png")
     depends_on("libpng", when="+png")
@@ -232,6 +239,14 @@ def build(self, pkg, spec, prefix):
                 os.system(
                     "wget https://support.hdfgroup.org/ftp/HDF5/releases/hdf5-1.12/hdf5-1.12.1/src/hdf5-1.12.1.tar.gz"
                 )
+        if self.spec.satisfies("+netcdf"):
+            with working_dir(self.build_directory):
+                os.system(
+                    "wget https://downloads.unidata.ucar.edu/netcdf-c/4.8.1/netcdf-c-4.8.1.tar.gz"
+                )
+                os.system(
+                    "wget https://support.hdfgroup.org/ftp/HDF5/releases/hdf5-1.12/hdf5-1.12.1/src/hdf5-1.12.1.tar.gz"
+                )
 
         make()
 
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index f1371f80..f2d730ec 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -112,15 +112,13 @@ copy_test_data(ref_new_grid_gdt_32769.grib2)
 shell_test(run_wgrib2_tests)
 shell_test(run_wgrib2_rpn_tests)
 
-if (USE_NETCDF4)
+if (USE_NETCDF)
   shell_test(run_wgrib2_netcdf4_tests)
+  shell_test(run_wgrib2_netcdf3_tests)
   copy_test_data(ref_ncdump4.gdas.t12z.pgrb2.1p00.anl.75r.grib2.txt)
   copy_test_data(ref_tablenc.gdas.t12z.pgrb2.1p00.anl.75r.grib2.txt)
   copy_test_data(nctab.table)
 endif()
-if (USE_NETCDF3)
-  shell_test(run_wgrib2_netcdf3_tests)
-endif()
 if (USE_IPOLATES)
   shell_test(run_ipolates_tests)
   copy_test_data(ref_new_grid_gdas.t12z.pgrb2.1p00.anl.75r.grib2.txt)
diff --git a/wgrib2/CMakeLists.txt b/wgrib2/CMakeLists.txt
index a669db23..4a8033d3 100644
--- a/wgrib2/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/wgrib2/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ endif()
 add_executable(wgrib2_exe ${callable_src})
 set_target_properties(wgrib2_exe PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME wgrib2)
 
-if(USE_NETCDF4)
+if(USE_NETCDF)
   target_link_libraries(obj_lib PUBLIC NetCDF::NetCDF_C)
 endif()
 
diff --git a/wgrib2/Config.c b/wgrib2/Config.c
index 823b050b..76f84fd1 100644
--- a/wgrib2/Config.c
+++ b/wgrib2/Config.c
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #include "grb2.h"
 #include "fnlist.h"
 
-#if defined USE_NETCDF3 || defined USE_NETCDF4
+#if defined USE_NETCDF
 #include <netcdf.h>
 #endif
 
@@ -39,17 +39,13 @@ int f_config(ARG0) {
     inv_out += strlen(inv_out);
     sprintf(inv_out,"Compiled on %s %s\n\n",__TIME__,__DATE__);
 
-#if defined USE_NETCDF3 || defined USE_NETCDF4
+#if defined USE_NETCDF
     strcat(inv_out, "Netcdf package: ");
     strcat(inv_out,  nc_inq_libvers());
     strcat(inv_out, " is installed\n");
 #else
     strcat(inv_out, "Netcdf package is not installed\n");
 #endif
-//#if defined USE_NETCDF4
-//    strcat(inv_out, "netcdf4: " USE_NETCDF4 "\n");
-//    strcat(inv_out, "hdf5: " USE_HDF5 "\n");
-//#endif
 #ifdef USE_AEC
     strcat(inv_out, USE_AEC " is installed\n" );
 #endif
diff --git a/wgrib2/Import_netcdf.c b/wgrib2/Import_netcdf.c
index 8961ce02..2648f350 100644
--- a/wgrib2/Import_netcdf.c
+++ b/wgrib2/Import_netcdf.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #include "wgrib2.h"
 #include "fnlist.h"
 
-#if defined USE_NETCDF3 || defined USE_NETCDF4
+#if defined USE_NETCDF
 
 #include <netcdf.h>
 
diff --git a/wgrib2/Netcdf.c b/wgrib2/Netcdf.c
index c590d005..3e710405 100644
--- a/wgrib2/Netcdf.c
+++ b/wgrib2/Netcdf.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/******************************************************************************************
+/******************************************************************************************FF
 
  This file is part of wgrib2 and is distributed under terms of the GNU General Public License
  For details see, Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor,
@@ -23,13 +23,10 @@
 
 //#define DEBUG_NC
 
-#if defined USE_NETCDF3 || defined USE_NETCDF4
+#if defined USE_NETCDF
 #include <netcdf.h>
 
 // change by Sander Hulst 5/2011, for netcdf-4 library compiled without netcdf-4/hdf format 
-#if defined USE_NETCDF3
-#undef NC_NETCDF4
-#endif
 
 /* defined in Netcdf_sup.c */
 extern g2nc_4Dlt nc_4Dlt[G2NC_NUM_4DLT];
@@ -255,34 +252,8 @@ int f_netcdf(ARG1)
     save->dim_latlon=0;
     save->lev_ind=-1;
     save->time_ind=-1;
-    {
-      const char * vlib;
-      float nclib_ver;
-      vlib = nc_inq_libvers();
-      sscanf(vlib,"%f",&nclib_ver);
+    save->nc4 = nc4 ? 1 : 0;
 
-#ifdef DEBUG_NC
-fprintf(stderr,"netcdf: library version defined as = %f\n",nclib_ver);
-fprintf(stderr,"netcdf: long version = %s\n",vlib);
-#endif
-      save->nc4 = 0;
-      if(nc4)
-      {
-#ifdef NC_NETCDF4
-        if(nclib_ver >= 4.0) save->nc4 = 1;
-        else
-        {
-          fatal_error(
-"netcdf: -nc4 option require wgrib2 to be compiled with NetCDF-4/HDF5/zlib libraries,\n was compiled with libnetcdf version %s",
-          vlib);
-        }
-#else
-        fatal_error(
-"netcdf: -nc4 option require wgrib2 to be compiled with NetCDF-4/HDF5/zlib libraries,\n was compiled with libnetcdf version %s",
-          vlib);
-#endif
-      }
-    }
     if ( nc_table )
     {
       if ( nc_table->grads >= 0)  save->grads_compatible = nc_table->grads;
@@ -758,14 +729,11 @@ fprintf(stderr,"netcdf: skip this field as not at one of user-defined levels: le
       save->verf_utime = verf_utime;
       // define NEW nc file, assume nx and ny of the 1st message hold for all messages...
     // get some info for grid_mapping
-#ifdef NC_NETCDF4
       if (save->nc4)
-        netcdf_command( nc_create(save->ncfile, NC_NETCDF4, &(save->ncid)) );
+        netcdf_command_plus( nc_create(save->ncfile, NC_NETCDF4, &(save->ncid)),"error creating compressed netcdf4 file" );
       else
-        netcdf_command( nc_create(save->ncfile, NC_CLASSIC_MODEL, &(save->ncid)) );
-#else
-      netcdf_command( nc_create(save->ncfile, 0, &(save->ncid)) );
-#endif
+        netcdf_command_plus( nc_create(save->ncfile, NC_CLASSIC_MODEL, &(save->ncid)),"error creating classic netcdf file"  );
+
       create_nc_dims(save->ncid, lt_4D,
           &(save->time_dim), &(save->time_var), save->time_ind,
           save->time_step, save->time_step_type,
@@ -1047,7 +1015,6 @@ min, max, add_offset, scale_factor, varname_buf);
         netcdf_command( nc_put_att_float(save->ncid, varid, "valid_min", NC_FLOAT, 1, &valid_min) );
         netcdf_command( nc_put_att_float(save->ncid, varid, "valid_max", NC_FLOAT, 1, &valid_max) );
       }
-#ifdef NC_NETCDF4
       if (save->nc4)
       {
         netcdf_command( nc_def_var_chunking(save->ncid, varid, NC_CHUNKED, chunks) );
@@ -1056,7 +1023,6 @@ min, max, add_offset, scale_factor, varname_buf);
 //        netcdf_command( nc_def_var_endian(save->ncid, varid, endian) );
 //        NC_ENDIAN_NATIVE,NC_ENDIAN_LITTLE,NC_ENDIAN_BIG
       }
-#endif
       netcdf_command( nc_enddef(save->ncid) );
     }
 
diff --git a/wgrib2/Netcdf_sup.c b/wgrib2/Netcdf_sup.c
index b3d31c02..3b70c82d 100644
--- a/wgrib2/Netcdf_sup.c
+++ b/wgrib2/Netcdf_sup.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ vsm: test compilation with undefined USE_NETCDF...
 
 //#define DEBUG_NC
 
-#if defined USE_NETCDF3 || defined USE_NETCDF4
+#if defined USE_NETCDF
 
 /*
  * Create time string (UTC) from time
diff --git a/wgrib2/config.h.in b/wgrib2/config.h.in
index d7a711a2..ba868be6 100644
--- a/wgrib2/config.h.in
+++ b/wgrib2/config.h.in
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@
 #ifndef _CONFIG_H
 #define _CONFIG_H
 
-#cmakedefine USE_NETCDF3 
-#cmakedefine USE_NETCDF4
-#cmakedefine USE_HDF5
+#cmakedefine USE_NETCDF
 #cmakedefine USE_REGEX
 #cmakedefine USE_TIGGE
 #cmakedefine USE_MYSQL
diff --git a/wgrib2/init.c b/wgrib2/init.c
index 667bd5e6..dbaa94f2 100644
--- a/wgrib2/init.c
+++ b/wgrib2/init.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ extern int warn_check_pdt;
 
 extern char ext_name_field, ext_name_space;
 
-#if defined USE_NETCDF3 || defined USE_NETCDF4
+#if defined USE_NETCDF
 extern int nc4;
 #endif
 
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ void init_globals(void) {
     ext_name_field = '.';
     ext_name_space = '_';
 
-#if defined USE_NETCDF3 || defined USE_NETCDF4
+#if defined USE_NETCDF
     nc4 = 0;
 #endif
 
diff --git a/wgrib2/wgrib2.h b/wgrib2/wgrib2.h
index dd96bd7a..98a61d50 100644
--- a/wgrib2/wgrib2.h
+++ b/wgrib2/wgrib2.h
@@ -16,13 +16,6 @@
 
 #include "wgrib2_api.h"
 
-#ifdef USE_NETCDF4
-#define USE_NETCDF
-#endif
-#ifdef USE_NETCDF3
-#define USE_NETCDF
-#endif
-
 #ifndef BUILD_COMMENTS
 #define BUILD_COMMENTS "unknown build"
 #endif
diff --git a/wgrib2/wgrib2_meta.h.in b/wgrib2/wgrib2_meta.h.in
index fda745e6..9627b707 100644
--- a/wgrib2/wgrib2_meta.h.in
+++ b/wgrib2/wgrib2_meta.h.in
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@
 #ifndef _WGRIB2_META_H
 #define _WGRIB2_META_H
 
-#cmakedefine USE_NETCDF3
-#cmakedefine USE_NETCDF4
-#cmakedefine USE_HDF5
+#cmakedefine USE_NETCDF
 #cmakedefine USE_REGEX
 #cmakedefine USE_TIGGE
 #cmakedefine USE_MYSQL