diff --git a/mslib/mswms/generics.py b/mslib/mswms/generics.py
index b5bb20697..23ea01e90 100644
--- a/mslib/mswms/generics.py
+++ b/mslib/mswms/generics.py
@@ -315,6 +315,30 @@ def get_log_levels(cmin, cmax, levels=None):
     return clev
 
 
+CBAR_LABEL_FORMATS = {
+    "log": "%.3g",
+    "log_ice_cloud": "%.0E",
+}
+
+
+def get_cbar_label_format(style, maxvalue):
+    if style in CBAR_LABEL_FORMATS:
+        return CBAR_LABEL_FORMATS[style]
+    if 100 <= maxvalue < 10000.:
+        label_format = "%4i"
+    elif 10 <= maxvalue < 100.:
+        label_format = "%.1f"
+    elif 1 <= maxvalue < 10.:
+        label_format = "%.2f"
+    elif 0.1 <= maxvalue < 1.:
+        label_format = "%.3f"
+    elif 0.01 <= maxvalue < 0.1:
+        label_format = "%.4f"
+    else:
+        label_format = "%.3g"
+    return label_format
+
+
 def _style_default(_dataname, _style, cmin, cmax, cmap, _data):
     clev = np.linspace(cmin, cmax, 16)
     norm = matplotlib.colors.BoundaryNorm(clev, cmap.N)
diff --git a/mslib/mswms/mpl_hsec_styles.py b/mslib/mswms/mpl_hsec_styles.py
index 2e43e9b4e..bbec22d65 100644
--- a/mslib/mswms/mpl_hsec_styles.py
+++ b/mslib/mswms/mpl_hsec_styles.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
 from matplotlib import patheffects
 
 from mslib.mswms.mpl_hsec import MPLBasemapHorizontalSectionStyle
-from mslib.mswms.utils import get_cbar_label_format, make_cbar_labels_readable
+from mslib.mswms.utils import make_cbar_labels_readable
 import mslib.mswms.generics as generics
 from mslib.utils import thermolib
 from mslib.utils.units import convert_to
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ class HS_GenericStyle(MPLBasemapHorizontalSectionStyle):
     styles = [
         ("auto", "auto colour scale"),
         ("autolog", "auto logcolour scale"), ]
+    cbar_format = None
 
     def _plot_style(self):
         bm = self.bm
@@ -123,13 +124,14 @@ def _plot_style(self):
 
         # Format for colorbar labels
         cbar_label = self.title
-        cbar_format = get_cbar_label_format(self.style, np.median(np.abs(clevs)))
+        if self.cbar_format is None:
+            cbar_format = generics.get_cbar_label_format(self.style, np.median(np.abs(clevs)))
+        else:
+            cbar_format = self.cbar_format
 
         if not self.noframe:
-            cbar = self.fig.colorbar(tc, fraction=0.05, pad=0.08, shrink=0.7,
-                                     label=cbar_label, format=cbar_format, ticks=ticks, extend="both")
-            cbar.set_ticks(clevs)
-            cbar.set_ticklabels(clevs)
+            self.fig.colorbar(tc, fraction=0.05, pad=0.08, shrink=0.7,
+                              label=cbar_label, format=cbar_format, ticks=ticks, extend="both")
         else:
             axins1 = mpl_toolkits.axes_grid1.inset_locator.inset_axes(
                 ax, width="3%", height="40%", loc=cbar_location)
diff --git a/mslib/mswms/mpl_vsec_styles.py b/mslib/mswms/mpl_vsec_styles.py
index 1b20417b3..a1cf21148 100644
--- a/mslib/mswms/mpl_vsec_styles.py
+++ b/mslib/mswms/mpl_vsec_styles.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 
 from mslib.mswms.mpl_vsec import AbstractVerticalSectionStyle
-from mslib.mswms.utils import get_cbar_label_format, make_cbar_labels_readable
+from mslib.mswms.utils import make_cbar_labels_readable
 import mslib.mswms.generics as generics
 from mslib.utils import thermolib
 from mslib.utils.units import convert_to
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ class VS_GenericStyle(AbstractVerticalSectionStyle):
     styles = [
         ("auto", "auto colour scale"),
         ("autolog", "auto log colour scale"), ]
+    cbar_format = None
 
     def _plot_style(self):
         ax = self.ax
@@ -97,7 +98,11 @@ def _plot_style(self):
         self._latlon_logp_setup()
 
         # Format for colorbar labels
-        cbar_format = get_cbar_label_format(self.style, np.abs(clevs).max())
+        if self.cbar_format is None:
+            cbar_format = generics.get_cbar_label_format(self.style, np.median(np.abs(clevs)))
+        else:
+            cbar_format = self.cbar_format
+
         cbar_label = self.title
 
         # Add colorbar.
diff --git a/mslib/mswms/utils.py b/mslib/mswms/utils.py
index 4811dab5c..03196527d 100644
--- a/mslib/mswms/utils.py
+++ b/mslib/mswms/utils.py
@@ -28,24 +28,6 @@
 import matplotlib
 
 
-def get_cbar_label_format(style, maxvalue):
-    format = "%.3g"
-    if style != "log":
-        if 100 <= maxvalue < 10000.:
-            format = "%4i"
-        elif 10 <= maxvalue < 100.:
-            format = "%.1f"
-        elif 1 <= maxvalue < 10.:
-            format = "%.2f"
-        elif 0.1 <= maxvalue < 1.:
-            format = "%.3f"
-        elif 0.01 <= maxvalue < 0.1:
-            format = "%.4f"
-    if style == 'log_ice_cloud':
-        format = "%.0E"
-    return format
-
-
 def make_cbar_labels_readable(fig, axs):
     """
     Adjust font size of the colorbar labels and put a white background behind them