Meteogram

Abstract: The medium-range ensemble (ENS) from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) is used to create two new products intended to face the challenges of winter precipitation-type forecasting. The products themselves are a map product that represents which precipitation type is most likely whenever the probability of precipitation is >50% (also including information on lower probability outcomes) and a meteogram product, showing the temporal evolution of the instantaneous precipitation-type probabilities for a specific location, classified into three categories of precipitation rate. A minimum precipitation rate is also used to distinguish dry from precipitating conditions, setting this value according to type, in order to try to enforce a zero frequency bias for all precipitation types. The new products differ from other ECMWF products in three important respects: first, the input variable is discretized, rather than continuous; second, the post...

Abstract: A new tool has been developed for the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) II through collaboration between NASA's Short‐term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) and the NWS Meteorological Development Laboratory (MDL). Referred to as the "Tracking Meteogram", the tool aids NWS forecasters in assessing meteorological parameters associated with moving phenomena. The tool aids forecasters in severe weather situations by providing valuable satellite and radar derived trends such as cloud top cooling rates, radial velocity couplets, reflectivity, and information from ground‐based lightning networks. The Tracking Meteogram tool also aids in synoptic and mesoscale analysis by tracking parameters such as the deepening of surface low pressure systems, changes in surface or upper air temperature, and other properties. The tool provides a valuable new functionality and demonstrates the flexibility and extensibility of the NWS AWIPS II architecture. In 2014, the operational impact of the tool was formally evaluated through participation in the NOAA/NWS Operations Proving Ground (OPG), a risk reduction activity to assess performance and operational impact of new forecasting concepts, tools, and applications. Performance of the Tracking Meteogram Tool during the OPG assessment confirmed that it will be a valuable asset to the operational forecasters. This presentation reviews development of the Tracking Meteogram tool, performance and feedback acquired during the OPG activity, and future goals for continued support and extension to other application areas.

Abstract: : LONG-TERM GOAL Develop the capability for the Tactical Atmospheric Modeling System-Real Time (TAMS-RT), an end-to-end on-scene analysis/forecast system for real-time organic data assimilation, to produce atmospheric and tactical impact variables to forward-deployed forces OBJECTIVES Monitor and support TAMS-RT use at deployed locations world-wide and implement analysis/model improvements and bug fixes as identified by operators and R&D testing APPROACH Monitor and support TAMS-RT in Bahrain and software provided for use by the NRL Data Fusion for Weather Assessment (DaFWA) project Implement algorithms for tactically important physical parameters (ceiling, visibility, and heat index) in TAMS-RT and improve the vertical resolution of pressure-level output capability Incorporate an automatic scaling factor for graphics and implement meteogram graphics for tactical weather parameters Develop the capability to locally retrieve and analyze satellite-devised wind observations in TAMSRT Enhance TAMS-RT to use a new multi-level nesting scheme to increase computational efficiency