diff --git a/modules/icing/pireps.py b/modules/icing/pireps.py
index d82c4a9ed2830e95b14848cfae112e1801f5b68c..9a0d8bfd781c7e73858b26dfb3b8747d34fe3769 100644
--- a/modules/icing/pireps.py
+++ b/modules/icing/pireps.py
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ def pirep_icing_from_boeing(dirname='/ships19/cloud/scratch/ICING/BOEING/icing/2
             hours = h5f['hour'][:]
             mins = h5f['minute'][:]
             secs = h5f['second'][:]
-            flt_levs = h5f['altitude_ft'][:]
+            flt_levs = (h5f['altitude_ft'][:]).astype('float32')
             flt_levs *= (100 * 0.3048)
         except Exception as e:
             print(e)