diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 57dfc536e..98f114c08 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -5,18 +5,10 @@ checkout:
     - ./ci-support/checkout_merge_commit.sh
         
 aliases:
-
-  - &setup_miniconda
-    name: setup_miniconda
-    command: |
-      mkdir -p workspace
-      git clone -b validateNightly git@github.com:CDAT/cdat workspace/cdat --depth=1
-      python workspace/cdat/scripts/install_miniconda.py -w $WORKDIR -p 'py3.6'
-      
   - &create_conda_env
     name: create_conda_env
     environment:
-       PKGS: "'cdms2<3.1.2.2019' vcs vcsaddons mesalib matplotlib scipy cia testsrunner 'proj4<5' 'vtk-cdat>8.1' libnetcdf=4.6.2"
+       PKGS: "vcs vcsaddons mesalib matplotlib scipy cia testsrunner 'proj4<5' 'vtk-cdat>8.1' libnetcdf=4.6.2"
        CHANNELS: "-c cdat/label/nightly -c conda-forge -c pcmdi"
     command: |
       if [ -d ${HOME}/miniconda ]; then
@@ -44,6 +36,8 @@ aliases:
        export PATH=${HOME}/miniconda/bin:$PATH
        source activate cdat
        python setup.py install
+       conda list
+       conda list --verbose cdms2
 
   - &run_pmp_tests
     name: run_pmp_tests
@@ -54,7 +48,8 @@ aliases:
        source activate cdat
        python run_tests.py -H -v2 $COVERAGE
        RESULT=$?
-       echo "*** $PY_VER test result: ${RESULT}"
+       echo "** $PY_VER test result: ${RESULT}"
+    no_output_timeout: 30m
 
   - &run_coveralls
     name: run_coveralls
@@ -94,7 +89,7 @@ aliases:
 jobs:
   macos_pmp_py2:
     macos:
-      xcode: "9.2.0"
+      xcode: "10.2.0"
     environment:
       WORKDIR: "test_macos_pmp_py2"
       OS: "osx-64"
@@ -120,7 +115,7 @@ jobs:
 
   macos_pmp_py3:
     macos:
-      xcode: "9.2.0"
+      xcode: "10.2.0"
     environment:
       WORKDIR: "test_macos_pmp_py3"
       OS: "osx-64"
@@ -205,8 +200,10 @@ workflows:
   version: 2
   pcmdi_metrics:
     jobs:
-      - macos_pmp_py3
       - macos_pmp_py2
+      - macos_pmp_py3:
+           requires:
+              - macos_pmp_py2
       - linux_pmp_py2
       - linux_pmp_py3:
            requires:
diff --git a/recipes/pcmdi_metrics/meta.yaml.in b/recipes/pcmdi_metrics/meta.yaml.in
index 0c93cf241..c26815509 100644
--- a/recipes/pcmdi_metrics/meta.yaml.in
+++ b/recipes/pcmdi_metrics/meta.yaml.in
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ requirements:
     - jupyterlab
     - nb_conda
     - nb_conda_kernels
-    - cdms2 <3.1.2.2019