Visual Weather Training Grad.Dip.Met. Practical 2 Further Forecaster Techniques

Learning Outcomes I Utilise the following tools in Forecaster: Feature Tracking Multi-View Spot Charts Roaming Profile Trajectories Animator

Learning Outcomes II Locate places on a Map Select locations from the database Set up Shortcuts

Start Visual Weather Start Visual Weather Start Forecaster from the Mainpanel Open the following Map: Forecaster Menu: Maps BMTC (opg) Isobaric

Feature Tracking I The Feature Tracking tool is here LC

Feature Tracking II LC on the feature you want to track Step forward in time then LC then Repeat Speed and direction of movement Blue is the current time step

Feature Tracking III Exit Feature Tracking using: LC Turn Feature Tracking back on and your selected points will still be there In the Feature Tracking tab: Individual points may be deleted by selecting them and then: LC All points may be deleted using: LC LC

Multi-View I The Multi-View tool is here: This tool allows simultaneous display of different data LC

Multi-View II You should get: LC Single time from multiple models Number of models 3 LC USGFS

Multi-View III Repeat for the EC Atmosphere Deterministic and ACCESS R models LC on an image to select it Border turns bright green

Multi-View IV Toggle the b key on your keyboard to enlarge selected image and then return to multi-view Screen space is limited with Multi-views - so it is useful to move side windows, such as the Maps/Areas Explorer, to your second screen

Exercise 1 Play around with toggling layers on and off, changing levels and validity time At T0+72 compare the following fields in the three models: MSLP 700hPa EPT 200hPa PV Comment on the similarities and differences Exit Multi-view using: LC

Exercise 2 I Create a Multi-view of Multiple Maps Use 2 rows and 2 columns and add the following BMTC (opg) Maps: Isobaric Section DT Isentropic

Exercise 2 II 1. Compare and comment on the relative locations over time of: Blobs of higher P (pressure) on the DT Map Blobs of negative (cyclonic in SH) PV at 325K on the Isentropic Map MSLP troughs and lows

Exercise 2 III 2. Utilise the Isobaric Map to find a time and location over the Southern Ocean with a blob of PV at 300hPa LC the Section Map to select it Horizontal Cross-Section Window Maps BMTC (opg) Isobaric This makes it easier to relate the Cross-section location to the Isobaric Map Move the Cross-section line so that it intersects the location of the 300hPa PV blob

Exercise 2 IV Toggle off the EPT layer Toggle on the PV_PT layer What happens to surfaces of constant PT near the 300hPa PV blob? Draw the shape of the PV boundary (double red line) along your Cross-section (it may help to enlarge the Section Map by toggling b) Exit Multi-view using: LC

Locate Places I To find a location on any Map type the letter c on the keyboard – this brings up the Select Place Window Enter the location’s name, e.g. YMML in the AVID/ICAO box, then select it

Locate Places II LC A series of concentric circles of decreasing radius homes in on the location

Spot Charts I Open the following Map: Maps BMTC (opg) METARAWS The Spot Chart tool is here:

Spot Charts II Zoom in on YMML LC LC on Map in vicinity of YMML Select Melbourne AP from the pull down list

Exercise 3 In groups: Examine the various tabs in the Spot Chart window Work out what each of the data types in the different tabs is telling you about the observations for YMML What do the blue arrows do? Change aerodromes to YSSY using Exit Spot Charts using: LC Reload Maps BMTC (opg) Isobaric

Roaming Profile I The Roaming Profile tool is here: This tool allows dynamic display of the model aerological diagram at the chosen time and position LC Then LC on Map to select a point

Roaming Profile II You should get something like this: Zoom to low area is often useful Drag the profile to a larger size and/or place it on your second screen

Roaming Profile III You may also look at real F160 data 2. LC near the aerodrome that you wish to view 1. Select the “From Observations” Type

Exercise 4 I Return to the “From Model” Type Play around by moving your profile point and changing the validity time 1. In groups discuss: At a given point how does the temperature profile change when comparing daytime with night-time?

Exercise 4 II 2. Choose an afternoon time step and find four locations with one of each of the following: Thunderstorms Rain Cloud but no precipitation No cloud and no precipitation How did you distinguish thunderstorms and rain? Compare the four temperature and dewpoint profiles and write down a summary of your conclusions

Exercise 4 III Select the Indices tab Write down the Lifted and CAPE values for each of the four locations Compare these indices and write down a summary of your conclusions Exit Roaming Profile using: LC

Trajectories I The Trajectories tool is here: This tool allows dynamic display of the model (constant pressure) trajectories* LC

Trajectories II You should get something like: LC

Trajectories III Choose the following settings: Use 12Z model run LC

Trajectories IV LC an interesting initial trajectory position Set the step period to be the same as the model time step: Play around with the other settings for visualising the trajectory

Trajectories V Selecting areas, zooming etc… can be performed in the same way as before – but with the ctrl key held down on the keyboard e.g.: To zoom: ctrl + roll middle mouse wheel

Selecting Locations I In any tool, locations can be selected by looking them up in the database - this is always accessed by something that looks like a house or houses: or To start your trajectory at YBBN: LC This gives you the Select Place Window as before:

Selecting Locations II Type YBBN into the AVID/ICAO box Select Brisbane AP from the list LC

Selecting Locations III The trajectory now starts from YBBN:

Exercise 5 In groups: Set up backward trajectories with: Step period: 3.00h Number of steps: 16 Start Simulation at Model Run Time +48h At 850hPa consider two (final T +48h) points close together but either side of a sharp gradient in EPT: How do the backward trajectories compare? Exit Trajectories using: LC

Animator I The Animator is used to play image loops – this often helps in understanding how systems develop and evolve LC

Animator II Choose which frames to loop here: Cache Use ≤ 200MB LC

Animator III You can adjust the frame rate and lag (at the end of a cycle) here: The other controls are similar to other media players

Shortcuts I At the start of a shift it is convenient to be able to efficiently open groups of related Maps – we do this in Shortcuts On Mainpanel RC inside the My Shortcuts Area LC New Open Map Editor Map In this context this means the same as opening a Forecaster Map

Shortcuts II Rename Its very important to change the perspective to Forecaster LC

Shortcuts III Select the METARAWS Map LC

Shortcuts IV In the Slot Window tab add the BMTC (opg) files: Satellite Td_Analysis LC Mainpanel should now look like:

Exercise 6 Exit all Visual Weather applications except for Mainpanel DLC Note that the other two maps are also open and in the Slot Window ready for use