[Matplotlib-users] matplotlib - fill open path inside U.S. borders + sample map

[Isidora <is...@ju...>]

Hi Filipe,

I have just seen your answers.  I am trying to plot on a background GIF map, lines like the ones you can see in http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1probotlk_2000_wind.gif.  I can plot the lines as  you see them in this link without a problem.  However, because those lines are not closed polygons, the filling extends only to a straight line between first and last point of the curve. 
I want the filling to extend all the way to the border of United States.

Since drawcountries() return a Collection of paths without any metadata identifying the country/countries been separated by it, I cannot use it to mask the area outside ofthe borders out.  

I'd appreciate any link/documentation I could read to help me resolve this issue.

Thank you