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NOAA / NESDIS Research and Operations: I-5: Operational Impact of SVW at Coastal WFO. “ Expanding the Impact of Satellite Surface Vector Wind Measurements on Coastal Operational Forecasts Produced by National Weather Service Forecast Offices ”. Peter A. Stamus and Ralph F. Milliff.
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NOAA / NESDIS Research and Operations: I-5: Operational Impact of SVW at Coastal WFO “Expanding the Impact of Satellite Surface Vector Wind Measurements on Coastal Operational Forecasts Produced by National Weather Service Forecast Offices” Peter A. Stamus and Ralph F. Milliff NWRA / Colorado Research Associates (CoRA) Division Presentation to NOAA/NESDIS Operational Satellite SVW Requirements Workshop, 5 - 8 June 2006, TPC, Miami
WFO Surveys 20 multiple choice questions, regarding SVW familiarity and utility in Marine Forecasts and Warnings, Short (days 1,2) and Long (days 3+) term forecasts. Distinguish QuikSCAT and WindSat impacts. Rank possible improvements in SVW data. Sent to 33 WFO. WFO Response (SOO Surveys) ............................. 22 + 2 (73%) Total Forecaster Survey Responses ....................... 108 + 17 Average No. Surveys per WFO ............................... ~ 5 WFO Site Visits 2-day visits to 16 selected WFO. Observe Marine Desk forecast preparation (several shifts). Brief WFO staff on SVW retrievals, accuracies, rain-flags, etc. Seattle Portland Medford Eureka Taunton Upton Mt. Holly Wakefield Honolulu Corpus Christi Miami Anchorage Brownsville Yakutat Juneau San Juan
Cumulative responses to 5 questions • Suggests that satellite SVW data are secondary tools in marine forecast prep • QuikSCAT is used, WindSat is not
Supports suggestion that SVW data (QuikSCAT) is a useful, secondary tool • for the short range
SVW data (QuikSCAT) is less useful for long range than it was for short range
SVW data (QuikSCAT) is a useful secondary tool for Marine Warnings
Tandem, wide-swath scatterometer missions would provide a 40% to 60% • timeliness improvement
SVW data close to shore more important than abundant SVW data
Summary • Survey and Site Visits of US Coastal WFO completed as of April 2006 • 73% survey response rate • WFO staff professional, cooperative, receptive; person-to-person contact is valuable • Survey and site visit write-ups to be synthesized and published • SVW data are used as a “supplementary” data source in operations (forecasts,warnings, etc.) at coastal WFO • Utility comparable to other ancillary satellite datasets (e.g. cloud vector wind, soundings, etc.) • WindSat is unknown to forecasters; rarely used (as of Winter 2005-2006) • Most Desired Improvements (Critical Limitations) include SVW retrievals near shore and the data update cycle (time between overflights) • Largest concentrations of marine users are near shore • Every site visit revealed a desire for more frequent data
Impact of QuikSCAT in LAPS and MM5: a pilot study (Snook et al. 2002) Low Pressure System in NE Pacific QSCAT R1 Three Forecast Experiments (0.25° MM5) • AVN Initialization • AVN into LAPS • QSCAT into LAPS
12hr Forecast 24hr Forecast AVN AVN in LAPS AVN AVN in LAPS QSCAT in LAPS QSCAT in LAPS White contours: SLP Black contours: 3hr accumulated rainfall
36hr Forecast 48hr Forecast AVN AVN in LAPS AVN AVN in LAPS QSCAT in LAPS QSCAT in LAPS White contours: SLP Black contours: 3hr accumulated rainfall