Radar-Based Aviation Weather Services Mark Weber MIT Lincoln Laboratory 8 October 2003
Outline Improved Measurements Improved Nowcast/Forecast Services ASR-9 Weather Systems Processor TDWR Processor Modernization Improved Nowcast/Forecast Services Medium Intensity Airport Weather System Corridor Integrated Weather System
ASR-9 Weather Systems Processor Site Status
TDWR Measurement Enhancements (Exploit New Radar Data Acquisition Processor) Suppression of Range-Overlaid Weather Echoes Range Overlaid Echoes Current Processing Enhanced Algorithms Atmospheric Moisture Fields using “Radar Refractivity” technique
Medium Intensity Airport Weather System (MIAWS) Sites Tower/TRACON Supervisor Display SD Pull-Down Menus Storm Motion Vector Storm Position 10 & 20 Minute Extrapolation Runway Arenas
(looping 15min increments Corridor Integrated Weather System CIWS Benefits – 2003 Summer Storm Season ARTCC TRACON Regional Office Command Center FAA Facilities with CIWS Prototype User-Identified CIWS Benefits: Projected Times/Year Jet routes kept open/reopened earlier > 800 Proactive, efficient reroutes > 300 Identification of storm over flight opportunities > 200 Improved handling of storm impacts on > 100 ARTCC/TRACON interface Better use of Ground Stop/Ground Delay TBD Programs Greater departures during SWAP TBD Reduced MIT restrictions TBD Improved interfacility coordination Reduced user workload (traffic manager/controllers) CIWS Products Include: 0 – 2 hr Storm Forecast (looping 15min increments or contour overlay) NEXRAD/ASR-9 Precip; Storm Motion Information Individual CIWS Delay Reduction Event: 10 July 2003 PHL westbound routes blocked by storms Using CIWS Echo Tops Product – 9 hr storm over flight reroute for PHL/NYC traffic Delay Savings ~ $ 2.1 M Satellite Data; Storm Growth/Decay Trends Echo Tops; Lightning
Summary Ongoing progress in enhancing weather measurement capabilities of U.S. operational radar networks FAA fielding systems that exploit these radar networks to provide high-benefit nowcast and forecast products