diff --git a/scripts/plot_proftrace.py b/scripts/plot_proftrace.py
index 212d40c..89a63e8 100644
--- a/scripts/plot_proftrace.py
+++ b/scripts/plot_proftrace.py
@@ -297,13 +297,13 @@ def collect_statistics(setdict):
             # entries in a list
             # if they are not a list, assert them as a list
             it = sd['it']
-            it = [it] if type(it) is not list else it
+            it = [it] if not isinstance(it, list) else it
             use = sd['use']
-            use = [use] if type(use) is not list else use
+            use = [use] if not isinstance(use, list) else use
             typ = sd['typ']
-            typ = [typ] if type(typ) is not list else typ
+            typ = [typ] if not isinstance(typ, list) else typ
             styp = sd['styp']
-            styp = [styp] if type(styp) is not list else styp
+            styp = [styp] if not isinstance(styp, list) else styp
             # extract variable from gdas
             stat = gdas.extract(var)  # t, uv, q, etc.
             #             date         it           obs          use
@@ -1074,12 +1074,14 @@ def plot_cpen_traces(penList, countList, nameList, dateList,
                 plt.ioff()
                 fig_prof.savefig(errProName, bbox_inches='tight',
                                  facecolor='w')
+                plt.close()
             if penProName is not None:
                 fig_prof = plot_cpen_profiles(cpen_profs, nobs_profs,
                                               name_list, levl_profs)
                 plt.ioff()
                 fig_prof.savefig(penProName, bbox_inches='tight',
                                  facecolor='w')
+                plt.close()
             #
             # Generate trace plots
             #
@@ -1090,6 +1092,7 @@ def plot_cpen_traces(penList, countList, nameList, dateList,
                 plt.ioff()
                 fig_trace.savefig(errTraName, bbox_inches='tight',
                                   facecolor='w')
+                plt.close()
             if penTraName is not None:
                 fig_trace = plot_cpen_traces(cpen_trace, nobs_trace,
                                              name_list, date_trace,
@@ -1097,6 +1100,7 @@ def plot_cpen_traces(penList, countList, nameList, dateList,
                 plt.ioff()
                 fig_trace.savefig(penTraName, bbox_inches='tight',
                                   facecolor='w')
+                plt.close()
             ##############################################################
     else:
         print('No Figure Cards Found, Exiting...')