diff --git a/parm/soca/obs/config/adt_j3.yaml b/parm/soca/obs/config/adt_j3.yaml
index c16bf3c15..d897e6e86 100644
--- a/parm/soca/obs/config/adt_j3.yaml
+++ b/parm/soca/obs/config/adt_j3.yaml
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ obs space:
   obsdatain:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}adt_j3.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}adt_j3.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   obsdataout:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/adt_j3.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/adt_j3.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   simulated variables: [absolute_dynamic_topography]
 obs operator:
   name: ADT
diff --git a/parm/soca/obs/config/icec_emc.yaml b/parm/soca/obs/config/icec_emc.yaml
index a04b37328..e0e8f77b3 100644
--- a/parm/soca/obs/config/icec_emc.yaml
+++ b/parm/soca/obs/config/icec_emc.yaml
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ obs space:
   obsdatain:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}icec_emc.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}icec_emc.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   obsdataout:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/icec_emc.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/icec_emc.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   simulated variables: [sea_ice_area_fraction]
 obs operator:
   name: Identity
diff --git a/parm/soca/obs/config/salt_profile_fnmoc.yaml b/parm/soca/obs/config/salt_profile_fnmoc.yaml
index 8e0cab86d..460bc6d15 100644
--- a/parm/soca/obs/config/salt_profile_fnmoc.yaml
+++ b/parm/soca/obs/config/salt_profile_fnmoc.yaml
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ obs space:
   obsdatain:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}salt_profile_fnmoc.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}salt_profile_fnmoc.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   obsdataout:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/salt_profile_fnmoc.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/salt_profile_fnmoc.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   simulated variables: [sea_water_salinity]
 obs operator:
   name: Identity
diff --git a/parm/soca/obs/config/sss_smap.yaml b/parm/soca/obs/config/sss_smap.yaml
index 37fdcbfa8..f0f9c4612 100644
--- a/parm/soca/obs/config/sss_smap.yaml
+++ b/parm/soca/obs/config/sss_smap.yaml
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ obs space:
   obsdatain:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}sss_smap.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}sss_smap.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   obsdataout:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/sss_smap.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/sss_smap.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   simulated variables: [sea_surface_salinity]
 obs operator:
   name: Identity
diff --git a/parm/soca/obs/config/sst_noaa19_l3u.yaml b/parm/soca/obs/config/sst_noaa19_l3u.yaml
index c0906f02c..898e90b68 100644
--- a/parm/soca/obs/config/sst_noaa19_l3u.yaml
+++ b/parm/soca/obs/config/sst_noaa19_l3u.yaml
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ obs space:
   obsdatain:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}sst_noaa19_l3u.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}sst_noaa19_l3u.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   obsdataout:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/sst_noaa19_l3u.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/sst_noaa19_l3u.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   simulated variables: [sea_surface_temperature]
 obs operator:
   name: Identity
diff --git a/parm/soca/obs/config/sst_noaa19_l3u_so025.yaml b/parm/soca/obs/config/sst_noaa19_l3u_so025.yaml
index 3e76122e6..264acc504 100644
--- a/parm/soca/obs/config/sst_noaa19_l3u_so025.yaml
+++ b/parm/soca/obs/config/sst_noaa19_l3u_so025.yaml
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ obs space:
   obsdatain:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}sst_noaa19_l3u_so025.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}sst_noaa19_l3u_so025.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   obsdataout:
     engine:
       type: H5File
-      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/sst_noaa19_l3u_so025.${CDATE}.nc4
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/sst_noaa19_l3u_so025.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
   simulated variables: [sea_surface_temperature]
   io pool:
     max pool size: 1
diff --git a/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_prep.py b/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_prep.py
index f58f7c593..86894a80e 100755
--- a/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_prep.py
+++ b/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_prep.py
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ def gen_bkg_list(bkg_path, out_path, window_begin=' ', file_type='gdas.t*.ocnf00
 ufsda.mkdir(bkg_dir)
 
 # create output directory for soca DA
-anl_out = os.path.join(comout, 'ocnanal_'+os.getenv('CDATE'), 'Data')
+anl_out = os.path.join(comout, 'ocnanal_' + os.getenv('cyc'), 'Data')
 ufsda.mkdir(anl_out)
 ufsda.symlink(anl_out, os.path.join(anl_dir, 'Data'), remove=False)
 
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def gen_bkg_list(bkg_path, out_path, window_begin=' ', file_type='gdas.t*.ocnf00
                                  '3dvarfgat.yaml')
 
 half_assim_freq = timedelta(hours=int(os.getenv('assim_freq'))/2)
-window_begin = datetime.strptime(os.getenv('CDATE'), '%Y%m%d%H') - half_assim_freq
+window_begin = datetime.strptime(os.getenv('PDY')+os.getenv('cyc'), '%Y%m%d%H') - half_assim_freq
 gen_bkg_list(bkg_path=os.getenv('COMIN_GES'),
              out_path=bkg_dir,
              window_begin=window_begin,
diff --git a/test/soca/CMakeLists.txt b/test/soca/CMakeLists.txt
index fbb979427..2b38332c1 100644
--- a/test/soca/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/soca/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ add_test(NAME test_gdasapp_soca_obsdb
          WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/test/soca/obs/)
 set_tests_properties(test_gdasapp_soca_obsdb
     PROPERTIES
-    ENVIRONMENT "PYTHONPATH=${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/ush:$ENV{PYTHONPATH};OBS_DIR=${OBS_DIR}")
+    ENVIRONMENT "PYTHONPATH=${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/ush:${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/../../ush/python/pygw/src:$ENV{PYTHONPATH};OBS_DIR=${OBS_DIR}")
 
 # Test exgdas_global_marine_analysis_prep.py
 # ------------------------------------------
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ add_test(NAME test_gdasapp_soca_ana_prep
 # -----------------------------------------
 add_test(NAME test_gdasapp_soca_ana_run
          COMMAND ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/soca/test_run.sh ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR} ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}
-         WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_2018041512)
+         WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_12)
 set_tests_properties(test_gdasapp_soca_ana_run
       PROPERTIES
           DEPENDS "test_gdasapp_soca_ana_prep"
diff --git a/test/soca/gw/config.base b/test/soca/gw/config.base
index d055d9f29..6b194dafc 100644
--- a/test/soca/gw/config.base
+++ b/test/soca/gw/config.base
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ export BASE_ENV="$HOMEgfs/env"
 export BASE_JOB="$HOMEgfs/jobs/rocoto"
 
 # EXPERIMENT specific environment parameters
+CDATE = ${PDY}${cyc}
 export SDATE=2021032318
 export FDATE=@FDATE@
 export EDATE=2021032418
diff --git a/test/soca/gw/runtime_vars.sh b/test/soca/gw/runtime_vars.sh
index 5430eeccb..19f0cf375 100644
--- a/test/soca/gw/runtime_vars.sh
+++ b/test/soca/gw/runtime_vars.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ export HOMEgfs
 export PDY=20180415
 export cyc=12
 export gcyc=06
-export CDATE=2018041512
 export ROTDIR="${bindir}/test/soca/gw/testrun/ROTDIRS"
 export DATAROOT="${bindir}/test/soca/gw/testrun/RUNDIRS/gdas_test"
 export COMIN_GES="${bindir}/test/soca/bkg"
diff --git a/test/soca/runtime_vars.sh b/test/soca/runtime_vars.sh
index 843670022..b54bd853b 100644
--- a/test/soca/runtime_vars.sh
+++ b/test/soca/runtime_vars.sh
@@ -5,18 +5,16 @@ project_binary_dir=$1
 project_source_dir=$2
 
 # Prepare runtime environement
-export CDATE=2018041512        # Center of current cycle date
+export PDY=20180415        # Center of current cycle date
+export cyc=12        # Center of current cycle date
 export GDATE=2018041506        # Center of previous cycle date
 export gcyc=$(echo $GDATE | cut -c9-10)
 export CDUMP=gdas
 export GDUMP=gdas
 export OPREFIX=${CDUMP}.t${cyc}z.
-export PDY=20180415
-export cyc=12
-export OPREFIX=${CDUMP}.t${cyc}z.
 export assim_freq=6            # DA window
 export COMOUT=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar
-export DATA=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_${CDATE}
+export DATA=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_${cyc}
 export COMIN_OBS=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/obs/r2d2-shared
 export COMIN_GES=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/bkg  # Backgrounds from previous forecast
 export CASE_ANL="C48"           # TODO: Replace with or add OCNRES
diff --git a/test/soca/test_prep.sh b/test/soca/test_prep.sh
index 763f5503b..64b99065b 100755
--- a/test/soca/test_prep.sh
+++ b/test/soca/test_prep.sh
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ project_source_dir=$2
 source ${project_source_dir}/test/soca/test_utils.sh
 
 # Remove previously fetched obs
-rm -f ${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_2018041512/obs/gdas.t12z.{sst,adt,sss,salt,icec}*.nc4
+rm -f ${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_12/obs/gdas.t12z.{sst,adt,sss,salt,icec}*.nc4
 
 # Export runtime env. variables
 source ${project_source_dir}/test/soca/runtime_vars.sh $project_binary_dir $project_source_dir
@@ -40,15 +40,15 @@ for o in $obslist; do
             continue
             ;;
         "ocn_filename:")
-            base=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_2018041512/bkg/
+            base=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_12/bkg/
             continue
             ;;
         "ice_filename:")
-            base=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_2018041512/bkg/
+            base=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_12/bkg/
             continue
             ;;
         "remap_filename:")
-            base=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_2018041512/
+            base=${project_binary_dir}/test/soca/3dvar/ocnanal_12/
             continue
             ;;
     esac
diff --git a/ush/ufsda/misc_utils.py b/ush/ufsda/misc_utils.py
index 6caa2fe0e..e9100bbd3 100644
--- a/ush/ufsda/misc_utils.py
+++ b/ush/ufsda/misc_utils.py
@@ -116,7 +116,8 @@ def get_env_config(component='atm'):
     # get config dict based on environment variables
     # TODO break this into component specific sections
     # datetime objects
-    valid_time = datetime_from_cdate(os.environ['CDATE'])
+    cdate = os.environ['PDY']+os.environ['cyc']
+    valid_time = datetime_from_cdate(cdate)
     assim_freq = int(os.environ['assim_freq'])
     prev_cycle = valid_time - dt.timedelta(hours=assim_freq)
     window_begin = valid_time - dt.timedelta(hours=assim_freq/2)
@@ -130,7 +131,8 @@ def get_env_config(component='atm'):
         'ATM_WINDOW_LENGTH': f"PT{assim_freq}H",
         'OBS_DIR': os.environ['COMOUT'],
         'OBS_PREFIX': f"{os.environ['CDUMP']}.t{os.environ['cyc']}z.",
-        'OBS_DATE': os.environ['CDATE'],
+        'target_dir': os.environ['COMOUT'],
+        'OBS_DATE': cdate,
         'BIAS_IN_DIR': os.environ['COMOUT'],
         'BIAS_PREFIX': f"{os.environ['GDUMP']}.t{os.environ['gcyc']}z.",
         'BIAS_DATE': f"{os.environ['GDATE']}",