diff --git a/modules/util/gfs_reader.py b/modules/util/gfs_reader.py
index ca3aa9d3d23827de5d44765703673d468ede9d81..2143b4da310e9da1c74f6749b97b0a94e1f01eb8 100644
--- a/modules/util/gfs_reader.py
+++ b/modules/util/gfs_reader.py
@@ -187,7 +187,6 @@ def get_vert_profile(xr_dataset, fld_name, lons, lats):
     if lon360:  # convert -180/+180 to 0,360
         lons = np.where(lons < 0, lons + 360, lons)
 
-    plevs = xr_dataset['pressure levels']
 
     fld = xr_dataset[fld_name]
     fld = fld.assign_coords(fakeDim2=lon_coords, fakeDim1=lat_coords, fakeDim0=plevs)