Impact of Satellite OSWV data on NWS Operations
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Transcript of Impact of Satellite OSWV data on NWS Operations
Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) Review 09 – 11 March 2010
ZCZC MIATCDEP4 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM TROPICAL DEPRESSION FOUR-E DISCUSSION NUMBER 1 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP042008 800 PM PDT TUE JUL 01 2008
ASCAT DATA AT AROUND 16Z SHOWED THAT THE LOW PRESSURE AREA SOUTHWEST OF MANZANILLO MEXICO HAD A BROAD CENTER ELONGATED NORTH-NORTHWEST TO SOUTH-SOUTHEAST. SINCE THAT TIME...SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES THAT THE CIRCULATION AND ASSOCIATED SHOWER ACTIVITY HAS SOMEWHAT CONSOLIDATED AT THE SOUTHERN END OF THE ELONGATION. BASED ON THIS...ADVISORIES ARE INITIATED ON TROPICAL DEPRESSION FOUR-E. THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS 30 KT IN AGREEMENT WITH SATELLITE INTENSITY ESTIMATES FROM TAFB AND SAB...AS WELL AS THE OBSERVED WINDS IN THE EARLIER ASCAT DATA.
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THE ASCAT DATA SHOWED 25-30 KT WINDS IN A BAND THAT IS CURRENTLY ABOUT 200 N MI FROM THE CENTER IN THE NORTHEASTERN QUADRANT. WHILE THE CENTER OF THE CYCLONE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WELL OFFSHORE...
Impact of Satellite OSWV data on NWS Operations
Khalil A. Ahmad1 , Zorana Jelenak2 , Paul Chang3 (GOVERNMENT PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR) , and Joseph Sienkiewicz4
1Dell-Perot Systems at NESDIS/StAR, 2UCAR at NESDIS/StAR, 3NESDIS/StAR, 4NWS/NCEP/OPC
High Seas Warning CategoriesGALE – 34-47 knots Force 8/9STORM – 48-63 knots Force 10/11HURRICANE FORCE - >64 knots Force 12
Major Shipping RoutesNorth Pacific6,000/yr container1,500/yr bulker
7 yr average number of extratropical cyclones observed (contoured) with hurricane force winds for the years 2001 - 2008
7 yr average number of extratropical cyclones observed (contoured) with hurricane force winds for the years 2001 - 2008
Major Shipping RoutesNorth Atlantic4,000/yr container transits1,000/yr bulkers
•Hurricane Force Warning Initiated Dec 2000 •Detection increased with:
-Forecaster familiarity-Data availability-Improved resolution -Improved algorithm
QuikSCAT Launch Jun 99
Hurricane Force Wind WarningInitiated Dec 00
25 km QuikSCATAvailable in N-AWIPS
Oct 01
12.5 km QuikSCATavailable May 04
Improved wind algorithm and rain flag Oct 06
TotalsA-289P-269558
WARNINGCATEGORIES
Pre- QSCAT1. GALE 34-47 kt1. GALE 34-47 kt2. STORM >48
QSCAT ERA1. GALE 34-47 kt1. GALE 34-47 kt
2. STORM 48 -63 kt3. HURCN FORCE
> 64 kt
Requirement:• Weather & Water:
– Increase lead-time and accuracy for weather and water warnings and forecasts– Improve predictability of the onset, duration, and impact of hazardous and severe weather and water events– Increase development, application, and transition of advanced science and technology to operations and services– Integrate local, regional, and global observation systems into NOAA’s weather and water services to increase the collaboration between NOAA and external environmental partners– Reduce uncertainty associated with weather and water forecasts and assessments– Enhance environmental literacy and improve understanding, value, and use of weather and water information and services
• Marine Transportation:– Support decisions in aviation, marine, and surface navigation– Research, develop, and deploy more accurate and timely information products
Science:• How can near real time (NRT) high quality Satellite Ocean Surface Vector Wind (OSVW) data support and improve NWS wind warning and forecasting products?
Benefit:• National Weather Service forecasters and their customers:
– Emergency planners– General public (recipients of weather warnings)
• International users• Marine commerce
Science Challenges: • Full utilization of OSWV data in NWS operations. • Novel techniques for improving resolution of ASCAT C-band scatterometer measurements.
Next Steps:• Continue evaluation of OSWV impacts on NWS operations and work on transitioning OSVW measurements from foreign scatterometer missions into operations
Transition Path: • Experimental version of new STAR ASCAT product will be evaluated by users and disseminated to AWIPS and NAWIPS if approved
Use of Satellite OSWV in NWS OperationsUse of Satellite OSWV in NWS Operations
• Initiate, continue and terminate marine warnings
• Marine wind and wave forecasts
• Properly identify features such as lows, highs, fronts and areas of convergence
• Real-time verification of numerical weather model guidance which improves wind and wave forecasts
A Critical Data Source Supporting Marine Weather Forecasting and Warning
NOAA / NWS Areas of ResponsibilityNOAA / NWS Areas of Responsibility
Used as justification to initiate advisories on TD Four-E (later TS Douglas) and set initial intensity
Tropical Cylone Warning CategoriesTROPICAL STORM – 34-63 knots Force 8-11HURRICANE - >64 knots Force 12
Satellite OSWV Data Availability in NAWIPSSatellite OSWV Data Availability in NAWIPS
kts
TimelinesTimelines
ASCAT OSWV Data ImprovementsASCAT OSWV Data Improvements
OSWV Data in Extra-tropicsOSWV Data in Extra-tropics
UW PBL Model – SLP2005 10 Jan 0752UTC
NCEP GFS Model – SLP, Winds2005 10 Jan 0900UTC – 3 hr FCST
988 hPa
988 hPa
OPC Surface Analysis2005 10 Jan1200 UTC
Utility of Satellite OSWV in Detection of Extratropical (ETC) HF cyclonesUtility of Satellite OSWV in Detection of Extratropical (ETC) HF cyclones
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20
40
60
80
100
120
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QSCAT-Hi QSCAT-p ASCAT GFS ECMWF Surf. Obs.
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168
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38
4
15
Satellite OSWV Data Satellite OSWV Data as Diagnostic toolas Diagnostic tool
Maritime extratropical cyclones exist year round. Sep through May these storms can generate hurricane force winds, waves up to 100ft, and are a significant threat to ocean and coastal commerce.
When they impact land they produce:•strong winds•high surf•significant coastal flooding•snow, rain, and blizzard conditions•power outages
Dec 2006 Pacific NW Storm
HURCN FORCESTORMGALELOW
11 different cyclones were occurring in the Pacific ocean at the
same time QuikSCAT identified HF (>64kts) winds on Dec 13 th,
this storm struck Seattle on Dec 15th
Number of detected HF ETCNumber of detected HF ETC
.WARNINGS. ...HURRICANE FORCE WIND WARNING... .LOW 43N161W 962 MB MOVING NE 25 KT. WITHIN 240 NM S AND SW AND 150 NM E AND NE QUADRANTS WINDS 50 TO 70 KT. SEAS 23 TO 35 FT...HIGHEST S OF LOW. ELSEWHERE WITHIN 180 NM OF LOW EXCEPT 300 NM S QUADRANT AND ALSO WITHIN 120 NM NE OF A FRONT FROM 44N160W TO 42N155W TO 40N153W WINDS 45 TO 60 KT. SEAS 15 TO 27 FT
QuikSCAT
QuikSCAT (2001 – 2009)
This is an example of HURRICANE FORCE extratropical cyclone observed by ASCAT in the North Atlantic ocean. The OPC forecaster placed a HURRICANE warning label on the 1200 UTC surface analysis based on the ASCAT pass.
OSWV Data in TropicsOSWV Data in Tropics
Operational ASCAT (2007 – present)
Geographic Distribution of ETC HF cyclonesGeographic Distribution of ETC HF cyclones
Number of HF ObservationsNumber of HF ObservationsOct’07 ~ May’08Oct’07 ~ May’08
Last QuikSCAT HF pass Last QuikSCAT HF pass from 11/23/09 at 0547 UTCfrom 11/23/09 at 0547 UTC
80-90% reduction in detection of hurricane force winds due to loss of QuikSCAT data at Ocean Prediction Center
(ASCAT-QuikSCAT)Mean error: 0.02 m/sRMS error: 1.25 m/s
(ASCAT-QuikSCAT)Mean error: -0.01 m/sRMS error: 1.35 m/s
QuikSCAT
NewASCAT
OperationalASCAT