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- Author or Editor: Yunheng Wang x
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Abstract
The assimilation of water vapor mass mixing ratio derived from total lightning data from the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) within a three-dimensional variational (3DVAR) system is evaluated for the analysis and short-term forecast (≤6 h) of a high-impact convective event over the northern Great Plains in the United States. Building on recent work, the lightning data assimilation (LDA) method adjusts water vapor mass mixing ratio within a fixed layer depth above the lifted condensation level by assuming nearly water-saturated conditions at observed lightning locations. In this algorithm, the total water vapor mass added by the LDA is balanced by an equal removal outside observed lightning locations. Additional refinements were also devised to partially alleviate the seasonal and geographical dependence of the original scheme. To gauge the added value of lightning, radar data (radial velocity and reflectivity) were also assimilated with or without lightning. Although the method was evaluated in quasi–real time for several high-impact weather events throughout 2018, this work will focus on one specific, illustrative severe weather case wherein the control simulation—which did not assimilate any data—was eventually able to initiate and forecast the majority of the observed storms. Given a relatively reasonable forecast in the control experiment, the GLM and radar assimilation experiments were still able to improve the short-term forecast of accumulated rainfall and composite radar reflectivity further, as measured by neighborhood-based metrics. These results held whether the simulations made use of one single 3DVAR analysis or high-frequency (10 min) successive cycling over a 1-h period.
Abstract
The assimilation of water vapor mass mixing ratio derived from total lightning data from the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) within a three-dimensional variational (3DVAR) system is evaluated for the analysis and short-term forecast (≤6 h) of a high-impact convective event over the northern Great Plains in the United States. Building on recent work, the lightning data assimilation (LDA) method adjusts water vapor mass mixing ratio within a fixed layer depth above the lifted condensation level by assuming nearly water-saturated conditions at observed lightning locations. In this algorithm, the total water vapor mass added by the LDA is balanced by an equal removal outside observed lightning locations. Additional refinements were also devised to partially alleviate the seasonal and geographical dependence of the original scheme. To gauge the added value of lightning, radar data (radial velocity and reflectivity) were also assimilated with or without lightning. Although the method was evaluated in quasi–real time for several high-impact weather events throughout 2018, this work will focus on one specific, illustrative severe weather case wherein the control simulation—which did not assimilate any data—was eventually able to initiate and forecast the majority of the observed storms. Given a relatively reasonable forecast in the control experiment, the GLM and radar assimilation experiments were still able to improve the short-term forecast of accumulated rainfall and composite radar reflectivity further, as measured by neighborhood-based metrics. These results held whether the simulations made use of one single 3DVAR analysis or high-frequency (10 min) successive cycling over a 1-h period.
Abstract
A hybrid parallel scheme for the ensemble square root filter (EnSRF) suitable for parallel assimilation of multiscale observations, including those from dense observational networks such as those of radar, is developed based on the domain decomposition strategy. The scheme handles internode communication through a message passing interface (MPI) and the communication within shared-memory nodes via Open Multiprocessing (OpenMP) threads. It also supports pure MPI and pure OpenMP modes. The parallel framework can accommodate high-volume remote-sensed radar (or satellite) observations as well as conventional observations that usually have larger covariance localization radii.
The performance of the parallel algorithm has been tested with simulated and real radar data. The parallel program shows good scalability in pure MPI and hybrid MPI–OpenMP modes, while pure OpenMP runs exhibit limited scalability on a symmetric shared-memory system. It is found that in MPI mode, better parallel performance is achieved with domain decomposition configurations in which the leading dimension of the state variable arrays is larger, because this configuration allows for more efficient memory access. Given a fixed amount of computing resources, the hybrid parallel mode is preferred to pure MPI mode on supercomputers with nodes containing shared-memory cores. The overall performance is also affected by factors such as the cache size, memory bandwidth, and the networking topology. Tests with a real data case with a large number of radars confirm that the parallel data assimilation can be done on a multicore supercomputer with a significant speedup compared to the serial data assimilation algorithm.
Abstract
A hybrid parallel scheme for the ensemble square root filter (EnSRF) suitable for parallel assimilation of multiscale observations, including those from dense observational networks such as those of radar, is developed based on the domain decomposition strategy. The scheme handles internode communication through a message passing interface (MPI) and the communication within shared-memory nodes via Open Multiprocessing (OpenMP) threads. It also supports pure MPI and pure OpenMP modes. The parallel framework can accommodate high-volume remote-sensed radar (or satellite) observations as well as conventional observations that usually have larger covariance localization radii.
The performance of the parallel algorithm has been tested with simulated and real radar data. The parallel program shows good scalability in pure MPI and hybrid MPI–OpenMP modes, while pure OpenMP runs exhibit limited scalability on a symmetric shared-memory system. It is found that in MPI mode, better parallel performance is achieved with domain decomposition configurations in which the leading dimension of the state variable arrays is larger, because this configuration allows for more efficient memory access. Given a fixed amount of computing resources, the hybrid parallel mode is preferred to pure MPI mode on supercomputers with nodes containing shared-memory cores. The overall performance is also affected by factors such as the cache size, memory bandwidth, and the networking topology. Tests with a real data case with a large number of radars confirm that the parallel data assimilation can be done on a multicore supercomputer with a significant speedup compared to the serial data assimilation algorithm.
Abstract
With the launch of GOES-16 in November 2016, effective utilization of its data in convective-scale numerical weather prediction (NWP) has the potential to improve high-impact weather (HIWeather) forecasts. In this study, the impact of satellite-derived layered precipitable water (LPW) and cloud water path (CWP) in addition to NEXRAD observations on short-term convective-scale NWP forecasts are examined using three severe weather cases that occurred in May 2017. In each case, satellite-derived CWP and LPW products and radar observations are assimilated into the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-ARW) Model using the NSSL hybrid Warn-on-Forecast (WoF) analysis and forecast system. The system includes two components: the GSI-EnKF system and a deterministic 3DEnVAR system. This study examines deterministic 0–6-h forecasts launched from the hybrid 3DEnVAR analyses for the three severe weather events. Three types of experiments are conducted and compared: (i) the control experiment (CTRL) without assimilating any data, (ii) the radar experiment (RAD) with the assimilation of radar and surface observations, and (iii) the satellite experiment (RADSAT) with the assimilation of all observations including surface-, radar-, and satellite-derived CWP and LPW. The results show that assimilating additional GOES products improves short-range forecasts by providing more accurate initial conditions, especially for moisture and temperature variables.
Abstract
With the launch of GOES-16 in November 2016, effective utilization of its data in convective-scale numerical weather prediction (NWP) has the potential to improve high-impact weather (HIWeather) forecasts. In this study, the impact of satellite-derived layered precipitable water (LPW) and cloud water path (CWP) in addition to NEXRAD observations on short-term convective-scale NWP forecasts are examined using three severe weather cases that occurred in May 2017. In each case, satellite-derived CWP and LPW products and radar observations are assimilated into the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-ARW) Model using the NSSL hybrid Warn-on-Forecast (WoF) analysis and forecast system. The system includes two components: the GSI-EnKF system and a deterministic 3DEnVAR system. This study examines deterministic 0–6-h forecasts launched from the hybrid 3DEnVAR analyses for the three severe weather events. Three types of experiments are conducted and compared: (i) the control experiment (CTRL) without assimilating any data, (ii) the radar experiment (RAD) with the assimilation of radar and surface observations, and (iii) the satellite experiment (RADSAT) with the assimilation of all observations including surface-, radar-, and satellite-derived CWP and LPW. The results show that assimilating additional GOES products improves short-range forecasts by providing more accurate initial conditions, especially for moisture and temperature variables.
Abstract
Twice-daily 48-h tropical cyclone (TC) forecasts were produced for the fall 2010 Atlantic hurricane season using the Advanced Research core of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-ARW) model on a large 4-km grid covering much of the northern Atlantic. WRF forecasts initialized from operational Global Forecast System (GFS) analyses based on the gridpoint statistical interpolation (GSI) three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) system and from experimental global ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) analyses, and corresponding global GFS forecasts were intercompared. For the track, WRF forecasts show improvement over GFS forecasts using either set of initial conditions (ICs). The EnKF-initialized GFS and WRF are also better than the corresponding GSI-initialized forecasts, but the difference is not always statistically significant. At all lead times, the WRF track errors are comparable to or smaller than the National Hurricane Center (NHC) official track forecast error, with those of the EnKF WRF being smallest. For weaker TCs, more improvement comes from the model (resolution) than from the ICs. For hurricane intensity TCs, EnKF ICs produce better track forecasts than GSI ICs, with the best forecast coming from WRF at most lead times. For intensity, EnKF ICs consistently outperform GSI ICs in both models for weaker TCs. For hurricane-strength TCs, EnKF ICs produce forecasts statistically indistinguishable from GSI ICs in either model. For all TCs combined, WRF produces about half the error of the corresponding GFS simulation beyond 24 h, and at 36 and 48 h, the errors are smaller than those from NHC official forecasts. The improvement is even greater for hurricane-strength TCs. Overall, the WRF forecasts initialized with EnKF ICs have the smallest intensity error, and the difference is statistically significant compared to the GFS forecasts.
Abstract
Twice-daily 48-h tropical cyclone (TC) forecasts were produced for the fall 2010 Atlantic hurricane season using the Advanced Research core of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-ARW) model on a large 4-km grid covering much of the northern Atlantic. WRF forecasts initialized from operational Global Forecast System (GFS) analyses based on the gridpoint statistical interpolation (GSI) three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) system and from experimental global ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) analyses, and corresponding global GFS forecasts were intercompared. For the track, WRF forecasts show improvement over GFS forecasts using either set of initial conditions (ICs). The EnKF-initialized GFS and WRF are also better than the corresponding GSI-initialized forecasts, but the difference is not always statistically significant. At all lead times, the WRF track errors are comparable to or smaller than the National Hurricane Center (NHC) official track forecast error, with those of the EnKF WRF being smallest. For weaker TCs, more improvement comes from the model (resolution) than from the ICs. For hurricane intensity TCs, EnKF ICs produce better track forecasts than GSI ICs, with the best forecast coming from WRF at most lead times. For intensity, EnKF ICs consistently outperform GSI ICs in both models for weaker TCs. For hurricane-strength TCs, EnKF ICs produce forecasts statistically indistinguishable from GSI ICs in either model. For all TCs combined, WRF produces about half the error of the corresponding GFS simulation beyond 24 h, and at 36 and 48 h, the errors are smaller than those from NHC official forecasts. The improvement is even greater for hurricane-strength TCs. Overall, the WRF forecasts initialized with EnKF ICs have the smallest intensity error, and the difference is statistically significant compared to the GFS forecasts.
Abstract
The recent successful deployment of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) on board the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R series (GOES-16/17) provides nearly uniform spatiotemporal measurements of total lightning (intracloud plus cloud to ground) over the Americas and adjacent vast oceanic regions. This study evaluates the potential value of assimilating GLM-derived water vapor mixing ratio on short-term (≤6 h), cloud-scale (dx = 1.5 km) forecasts of five severe weather events over the Great Plains of the United States using a three-dimensional variational (3DVAR) data assimilation (DA) system. Toward a more systematic assimilation of real GLM data, this study conducted sensitivity tests aimed at evaluating the impact of the horizontal decorrelation length scale, DA cycling frequency, and the time window size for accumulating GLM lightning observations prior to the DA. Forecast statistics aggregated over all five cases suggested that an optimal forecast performance is obtained when lightning measurements are accumulated over a 10-min interval and GLM-derived water vapor mixing ratio values are assimilated every 15 min with a horizontal decorrelation length scale of 3 km. This suggested configuration for the GLM DA together with companion experiments (i) not assimilating any data, (ii) assimilating radar data only, and (iii) assimilating both GLM and radar data were evaluated for the same five cases. Overall, GLM data have shown potential to help improve the short-term (<3 h) forecast skill of composite reflectivity fields and individual storm tracks. While this result also held for accumulated rainfall, longer-term (≥3 h) forecasts were generally characterized by noteworthy wet biases.
Abstract
The recent successful deployment of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) on board the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R series (GOES-16/17) provides nearly uniform spatiotemporal measurements of total lightning (intracloud plus cloud to ground) over the Americas and adjacent vast oceanic regions. This study evaluates the potential value of assimilating GLM-derived water vapor mixing ratio on short-term (≤6 h), cloud-scale (dx = 1.5 km) forecasts of five severe weather events over the Great Plains of the United States using a three-dimensional variational (3DVAR) data assimilation (DA) system. Toward a more systematic assimilation of real GLM data, this study conducted sensitivity tests aimed at evaluating the impact of the horizontal decorrelation length scale, DA cycling frequency, and the time window size for accumulating GLM lightning observations prior to the DA. Forecast statistics aggregated over all five cases suggested that an optimal forecast performance is obtained when lightning measurements are accumulated over a 10-min interval and GLM-derived water vapor mixing ratio values are assimilated every 15 min with a horizontal decorrelation length scale of 3 km. This suggested configuration for the GLM DA together with companion experiments (i) not assimilating any data, (ii) assimilating radar data only, and (iii) assimilating both GLM and radar data were evaluated for the same five cases. Overall, GLM data have shown potential to help improve the short-term (<3 h) forecast skill of composite reflectivity fields and individual storm tracks. While this result also held for accumulated rainfall, longer-term (≥3 h) forecasts were generally characterized by noteworthy wet biases.
Abstract
A time–space shift method is developed for relocating model-predicted tornado vortices to radar-observed locations to improve the model initial conditions and subsequent predictions of tornadoes. The method consists of the following three steps. (i) Use the vortex center location estimated from radar observations to sample the best ensemble member from tornado-resolving ensemble predictions. Here, the best member is defined in terms of the predicted vortex center track that has a closest point, say at the time of t = t*, to the estimated vortex center at the initial time t0 (when the tornado vortex signature is first detected in radar observations). (ii) Create a time-shifted field from the best ensemble member in which the field within a circular area of about 10-km radius around the vortex center is taken from t = t*, while the field outside this circular area is transformed smoothly via temporal interpolation to the best ensemble member at t0. (iii) Create a time–space-shifted field in which the above time-shifted circular area is further shifted horizontally to co-center with the estimated vortex center at t0, while the field outside this circular area is transformed smoothly via spatial interpolation to the non-shifted field at t0 from the best ensemble member. The method is applied to the 20 May 2013 Oklahoma Newcastle–Moore tornado case, and is shown to be very effective in improving the tornado track and intensity predictions.
Significance Statement
The time–space shift method developed in this paper can smoothly relocate tornado vortices in model-predicted fields to match radar-observed locations. The method is found to be very effective in improving not only model initial condition but also the subsequent tornado track and intensity predictions. The method is also not sensitive to small errors in radar-estimated vortex center location at the initial time. The method should be useful for future real-time or even operational applications although further tests and improvements are needed (and are planned).
Abstract
A time–space shift method is developed for relocating model-predicted tornado vortices to radar-observed locations to improve the model initial conditions and subsequent predictions of tornadoes. The method consists of the following three steps. (i) Use the vortex center location estimated from radar observations to sample the best ensemble member from tornado-resolving ensemble predictions. Here, the best member is defined in terms of the predicted vortex center track that has a closest point, say at the time of t = t*, to the estimated vortex center at the initial time t0 (when the tornado vortex signature is first detected in radar observations). (ii) Create a time-shifted field from the best ensemble member in which the field within a circular area of about 10-km radius around the vortex center is taken from t = t*, while the field outside this circular area is transformed smoothly via temporal interpolation to the best ensemble member at t0. (iii) Create a time–space-shifted field in which the above time-shifted circular area is further shifted horizontally to co-center with the estimated vortex center at t0, while the field outside this circular area is transformed smoothly via spatial interpolation to the non-shifted field at t0 from the best ensemble member. The method is applied to the 20 May 2013 Oklahoma Newcastle–Moore tornado case, and is shown to be very effective in improving the tornado track and intensity predictions.
Significance Statement
The time–space shift method developed in this paper can smoothly relocate tornado vortices in model-predicted fields to match radar-observed locations. The method is found to be very effective in improving not only model initial condition but also the subsequent tornado track and intensity predictions. The method is also not sensitive to small errors in radar-estimated vortex center location at the initial time. The method should be useful for future real-time or even operational applications although further tests and improvements are needed (and are planned).
Abstract
Multiscale convection-allowing precipitation forecast perturbations are examined for two forecasts and systematically over 34 forecasts out to 30-h lead time using Haar Wavelet decomposition. Two small-scale initial condition (IC) perturbation methods are compared to the larger-scale IC and physics perturbations in an experimental convection-allowing ensemble. For a precipitation forecast driven primarily by a synoptic-scale baroclinic disturbance, small-scale IC perturbations resulted in little precipitation forecast perturbation energy on medium and large scales, compared to larger-scale IC and physics (LGPH) perturbations after the first few forecast hours. However, for a case where forecast convection at the initial time grew upscale into a mesoscale convective system (MCS), small-scale IC and LGPH perturbations resulted in similar forecast perturbation energy on all scales after about 12 h. Small-scale IC perturbations added to LGPH increased total forecast perturbation energy for this case. Averaged over 34 forecasts, the small-scale IC perturbations had little impact on large forecast scales while LGPH accounted for about half of the error energy on such scales. The impact of small-scale IC perturbations was also less than, but comparable to, the impact of LGPH perturbations on medium scales. On small scales, the impact of small-scale IC perturbations was at least as large as the LGPH perturbations. The spatial structure of small-scale IC perturbations affected the evolution of forecast perturbations, especially at medium scales. There was little systematic impact of the small-scale IC perturbations when added to LGPH. These results motivate further studies on properly sampling multiscale IC errors.
Abstract
Multiscale convection-allowing precipitation forecast perturbations are examined for two forecasts and systematically over 34 forecasts out to 30-h lead time using Haar Wavelet decomposition. Two small-scale initial condition (IC) perturbation methods are compared to the larger-scale IC and physics perturbations in an experimental convection-allowing ensemble. For a precipitation forecast driven primarily by a synoptic-scale baroclinic disturbance, small-scale IC perturbations resulted in little precipitation forecast perturbation energy on medium and large scales, compared to larger-scale IC and physics (LGPH) perturbations after the first few forecast hours. However, for a case where forecast convection at the initial time grew upscale into a mesoscale convective system (MCS), small-scale IC and LGPH perturbations resulted in similar forecast perturbation energy on all scales after about 12 h. Small-scale IC perturbations added to LGPH increased total forecast perturbation energy for this case. Averaged over 34 forecasts, the small-scale IC perturbations had little impact on large forecast scales while LGPH accounted for about half of the error energy on such scales. The impact of small-scale IC perturbations was also less than, but comparable to, the impact of LGPH perturbations on medium scales. On small scales, the impact of small-scale IC perturbations was at least as large as the LGPH perturbations. The spatial structure of small-scale IC perturbations affected the evolution of forecast perturbations, especially at medium scales. There was little systematic impact of the small-scale IC perturbations when added to LGPH. These results motivate further studies on properly sampling multiscale IC errors.
Abstract
To improve severe thunderstorm prediction, a novel pseudo-observation and assimilation approach involving water vapor mass mixing ratio is proposed to better initialize NWP forecasts at convection-resolving scales. The first step of the algorithm identifies areas of deep moist convection by utilizing the vertically integrated liquid water (VIL) derived from three-dimensional radar reflectivity fields. Once VIL is obtained, pseudo–water vapor observations are derived based on reflectivity thresholds within columns characterized by deep moist convection. Areas of spurious convection also are identified by the algorithm to help reduce their detrimental impact on the forecast. The third step is to assimilate the derived pseudo–water vapor observations into a convection-resolving-scale NWP model along with radar radial velocity and reflectivity fields in a 3DVAR framework during 4-h data assimilation cycles. Finally, 3-h forecasts are launched every hour during that period. The performance of this method is examined for two selected high-impact severe thunderstorm events: namely, the 24 May 2011 Oklahoma and 16 May 2017 Texas and Oklahoma tornado outbreaks. Relative to a control simulation that only assimilated radar data, the analyses and forecasts of these supercells (reflectivity patterns, tracks, and updraft helicity tracks) are qualitatively and quantitatively improved in both cases when the water vapor information is added into the analysis.
Abstract
To improve severe thunderstorm prediction, a novel pseudo-observation and assimilation approach involving water vapor mass mixing ratio is proposed to better initialize NWP forecasts at convection-resolving scales. The first step of the algorithm identifies areas of deep moist convection by utilizing the vertically integrated liquid water (VIL) derived from three-dimensional radar reflectivity fields. Once VIL is obtained, pseudo–water vapor observations are derived based on reflectivity thresholds within columns characterized by deep moist convection. Areas of spurious convection also are identified by the algorithm to help reduce their detrimental impact on the forecast. The third step is to assimilate the derived pseudo–water vapor observations into a convection-resolving-scale NWP model along with radar radial velocity and reflectivity fields in a 3DVAR framework during 4-h data assimilation cycles. Finally, 3-h forecasts are launched every hour during that period. The performance of this method is examined for two selected high-impact severe thunderstorm events: namely, the 24 May 2011 Oklahoma and 16 May 2017 Texas and Oklahoma tornado outbreaks. Relative to a control simulation that only assimilated radar data, the analyses and forecasts of these supercells (reflectivity patterns, tracks, and updraft helicity tracks) are qualitatively and quantitatively improved in both cases when the water vapor information is added into the analysis.
Abstract
A real-time, weather adaptive, dual-resolution, hybrid Warn-on-Forecast (WoF) analysis and forecast system using the WRF-ARW forecast model has been developed and implemented. The system includes two components, an ensemble analysis and forecast component, and a deterministic hybrid three-dimensional ensemble–variational (3DEnVAR) analysis and forecast component. The goal of the system is to provide on-demand, ensemble-based, and physically consistent gridded analysis and forecast products to forecasters for making warning decisions. Both components, the WRF-DART system with 36 ensemble members and the hybrid 3DEnVAR system, assimilate radar data, satellite-retrieved cloud water path, and surface observations at 15-min intervals with dual-resolution capability. In the current hybrid configuration, one-way coupling of the two analysis systems is performed: ensemble covariances derived from the WRF-DART system are incorporated into the hybrid 3DEnVAR system with each data assimilation (DA) cycle. This study examines deterministic, 3-h forecasts launched from the hybrid 3DEnVAR analyses every 30 min for three severe weather events in 2017. The performance of the deterministic component is evaluated for four configurations: dual-resolution coupling, single-resolution coupling, forecasts initialized using a cloud analysis for reflectivity assimilation, and forecasts initialized from the WRF-DART ensemble mean. Quantitative and subjective evaluation of composite reflectivity and updraft helicity (UH) swath forecasts for the three events indicate that the dual-resolution strategy without the cloud analysis performs best among the four configurations and provides the most realistic prediction of reflectivity patterns and UH tracks.
Abstract
A real-time, weather adaptive, dual-resolution, hybrid Warn-on-Forecast (WoF) analysis and forecast system using the WRF-ARW forecast model has been developed and implemented. The system includes two components, an ensemble analysis and forecast component, and a deterministic hybrid three-dimensional ensemble–variational (3DEnVAR) analysis and forecast component. The goal of the system is to provide on-demand, ensemble-based, and physically consistent gridded analysis and forecast products to forecasters for making warning decisions. Both components, the WRF-DART system with 36 ensemble members and the hybrid 3DEnVAR system, assimilate radar data, satellite-retrieved cloud water path, and surface observations at 15-min intervals with dual-resolution capability. In the current hybrid configuration, one-way coupling of the two analysis systems is performed: ensemble covariances derived from the WRF-DART system are incorporated into the hybrid 3DEnVAR system with each data assimilation (DA) cycle. This study examines deterministic, 3-h forecasts launched from the hybrid 3DEnVAR analyses every 30 min for three severe weather events in 2017. The performance of the deterministic component is evaluated for four configurations: dual-resolution coupling, single-resolution coupling, forecasts initialized using a cloud analysis for reflectivity assimilation, and forecasts initialized from the WRF-DART ensemble mean. Quantitative and subjective evaluation of composite reflectivity and updraft helicity (UH) swath forecasts for the three events indicate that the dual-resolution strategy without the cloud analysis performs best among the four configurations and provides the most realistic prediction of reflectivity patterns and UH tracks.
Abstract
A real-time, weather-adaptive three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) system has been adapted for the NOAA Warn-on-Forecast (WoF) project to incorporate all available radar observations within a moveable analysis domain. The key features of the system include 1) incorporating radar observations from multiple Weather Surveillance Radars-1988 Doppler (WSR-88Ds) with NCEP forecast products as a background state, 2) the ability to automatically detect and analyze severe local hazardous weather events at 1-km horizontal resolution every 5 min in real time based on the current weather situation, and 3) the identification of strong circulation patterns embedded in thunderstorms. Although still in the early development stage, the system performed very well within the NOAA's Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT) Experimental Warning Program during preliminary testing in spring 2010 when many severe weather events were successfully detected and analyzed. This study represents a first step in the assessment of this type of 3DVAR analysis for use in severe weather warnings. The eventual goal of this real-time 3DVAR system is to help meteorologists better track severe weather events and eventually provide better warning information to the public, ultimately saving lives and reducing property damage.
Abstract
A real-time, weather-adaptive three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) system has been adapted for the NOAA Warn-on-Forecast (WoF) project to incorporate all available radar observations within a moveable analysis domain. The key features of the system include 1) incorporating radar observations from multiple Weather Surveillance Radars-1988 Doppler (WSR-88Ds) with NCEP forecast products as a background state, 2) the ability to automatically detect and analyze severe local hazardous weather events at 1-km horizontal resolution every 5 min in real time based on the current weather situation, and 3) the identification of strong circulation patterns embedded in thunderstorms. Although still in the early development stage, the system performed very well within the NOAA's Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT) Experimental Warning Program during preliminary testing in spring 2010 when many severe weather events were successfully detected and analyzed. This study represents a first step in the assessment of this type of 3DVAR analysis for use in severe weather warnings. The eventual goal of this real-time 3DVAR system is to help meteorologists better track severe weather events and eventually provide better warning information to the public, ultimately saving lives and reducing property damage.
