diff --git a/ndsl/dsl/gt4py_utils.py b/ndsl/dsl/gt4py_utils.py
index d263c5d2..227eb57d 100644
--- a/ndsl/dsl/gt4py_utils.py
+++ b/ndsl/dsl/gt4py_utils.py
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ def make_storage_data(
             data, shape, start, dummy, axis, read_only, backend=backend
         )
     elif n_dims == 4:
-        
+
         data = _make_storage_data_4d(data, shape, start, backend=backend)
     else:
         data = _make_storage_data_3d(data, shape, start, backend=backend)
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ def _make_storage_data_3d(
     ] = asarray(data, type(buffer))
     return buffer
 
+
 def _make_storage_data_4d(
     data: Field,
     shape: Tuple[int, ...],
@@ -280,6 +281,7 @@ def _make_storage_data_4d(
     ] = asarray(data, type(buffer))
     return buffer
 
+
 def make_storage_from_shape(
     shape: Tuple[int, ...],
     origin: Tuple[int, ...] = origin,
@@ -333,6 +335,7 @@ def make_storage_dict(
     axis: int = 2,
     *,
     backend: str,
+    dtype: DTypes = Float,
 ) -> Dict[str, "Field"]:
     assert names is not None, "for 4d variable storages, specify a list of names"
     if shape is None:
@@ -347,6 +350,7 @@ def make_storage_dict(
             dummy=dummy,
             axis=axis,
             backend=backend,
+            dtype=dtype,
         )
     return data_dict
 
diff --git a/ndsl/stencils/testing/translate.py b/ndsl/stencils/testing/translate.py
index 09143083..779d1339 100644
--- a/ndsl/stencils/testing/translate.py
+++ b/ndsl/stencils/testing/translate.py
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ def make_storage_data(
         elif not full_shape and len(array.shape) < 3 and axis == len(array.shape) - 1:
             use_shape[1] = 1
         start = (int(istart), int(jstart), int(kstart))
-        if 'float' in str(array.dtype):
+        if "float" in str(array.dtype):
             dtype = Float
-        elif 'int' in str(array.dtype):
+        elif "int" in str(array.dtype):
             dtype = Int
         else:
             dtype = array.dtype
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def make_storage_data(
             )
         else:
             if len(array.shape) == 4:
-                start = (int(istart), int(jstart), int(kstart), 0)
+                start = (int(istart), int(jstart), int(kstart), 0)  # type: ignore
                 use_shape.append(array.shape[-1])
             return utils.make_storage_data(
                 array,