diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a1961ad..4dd25e5 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ dependencies = [
     "cfgrib",
     "cfunits",
     "chaospy>=4.2.7",
-    "coupledmodeldriver>=1.6.6",
+    "coupledmodeldriver>=1.7.1.post1",
     "colored-traceback",
     "cmocean",
     "dask",
     "dask-jobqueue",
-    "ensembleperturbation==1.2.10",
+    "ensembleperturbation>=1.3.0",  # rmax option
     "fiona",
     "geoalchemy2",
     "geopandas",
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "pytz",
     "pyyaml",
     "shapely>=2",
-    "stormevents==2.2.5",
+    "stormevents>=2.3.2",  # rmax forecast
     "rasterio",
     "requests",
     "rtree",
diff --git a/stormworkflow/prep/setup_ensemble.py b/stormworkflow/prep/setup_ensemble.py
index e5cef8e..29cc81e 100644
--- a/stormworkflow/prep/setup_ensemble.py
+++ b/stormworkflow/prep/setup_ensemble.py
@@ -189,12 +189,7 @@ def main(args):
         perturbations=args.num_perturbations,
         directory=workdir / 'track_files',
         storm=workdir / 'track_to_perturb.dat',
-        variables=[
-            'cross_track',
-            'along_track',
-            'radius_of_maximum_winds', # TODO: add option for persistent
-            'max_sustained_wind_speed',
-        ],
+        variables=args.variables,
         sample_from_distribution=args.sample_from_distribution,
         sample_rule=args.sample_rule,
         quadrature=args.quadrature,
@@ -339,6 +334,7 @@ def parse_arguments():
     argument_parser.add_argument('--use-wwm', action='store_true')
     argument_parser.add_argument('--with-hydrology', action='store_true')
     argument_parser.add_argument('--pahm-model', choices=['gahm', 'symmetric'], default='gahm')
+    argument_parser.add_argument('--variables', nargs='+', type=str)
 
     argument_parser.add_argument('name', help='name of the storm', type=str)
 
diff --git a/stormworkflow/refs/input.yaml b/stormworkflow/refs/input.yaml
index 1e8141e..f438167 100644
--- a/stormworkflow/refs/input.yaml
+++ b/stormworkflow/refs/input.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-input_version: 0.0.1
+input_version: 0.0.2
 
 storm: "florence"
 year: 2018
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ num_perturb: 2
 sample_rule: "korobov"
 spinup_exec: "pschism_PAHM_TVD-VL"
 hotstart_exec: "pschism_PAHM_TVD-VL"
+perturb_vars:
+  - 'cross_track'
+  - 'along_track'
+#  - 'radius_of_maximum_winds'
+  - 'radius_of_maximum_winds_persistent'
+  - 'max_sustained_wind_speed'
 
 hpc_solver_nnodes: 3
 hpc_solver_ntasks: 108
diff --git a/stormworkflow/scripts/workflow.sh b/stormworkflow/scripts/workflow.sh
index 6c88c3e..3b14816 100755
--- a/stormworkflow/scripts/workflow.sh
+++ b/stormworkflow/scripts/workflow.sh
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ PREP_KWDS+=" --sample-rule $sample_rule"
 PREP_KWDS+=" --date-range-file $run_dir/setup/dates.csv"
 PREP_KWDS+=" --nwm-file $L_NWM_DATASET"
 PREP_KWDS+=" --tpxo-dir $L_TPXO_DATASET"
+PREP_KWDS+=" --variables $perturb_vars"
 if [ $use_wwm == 1 ]; then PREP_KWDS+=" --use-wwm"; fi
 if [ $hydrology == 1 ]; then PREP_KWDS+=" --with-hydrology"; fi
 PREP_KWDS+=" --pahm-model $pahm_model"