Regional USWRP: The Pacific Northwest Environmental Prediction System

USWRP Pacific Northwest: Major Components Real-time, operational mesoscale environmental prediction –MM5 atmospheric model –DHSVM distributed hydrological model –Calgrid Air Quality Model –Oregon State Surface Model Collection and quality control of regional observations. Regional field programs and research efforts to study mesoscale structures (e.g., COAST, IMPROVE) Regional research to improve model parameterizations (PBL effort, microphysics)

Funding and Management by the Northwest Modeling Consortium National Weather Service University of Washington USDA Forest Service Port of Seattle United States Navy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington State Department of Ecology Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Washington State Department of Natural Resources Washington State Department of Transportation Seattle City Light

A Vision of an Integrated Regional Prediction System Output from the MM5 is now being fed into a number of modeling and diagnostic systems: Distributed Hydrological Model for Western Washington Calgrid Air Quality Model Land Surface Model for Surface Temperature Prediction Smoke, Ventilation, and Fire Guidance Transportation Information System

DHSVM Distributed Hydrological Prediction System

Calgrid Air Quality Prediction System

Washington State DOT Traveler Information System

Ventilation Index

Regional Research Efforts IMPROVE: To improve moist physics in mesoscale models using data from the Pacific Northwest. Multi-investigator project. Data from a major field experiment PBL Parameterization Project: Evaluation and improvement of MM5 PBL schemes. Sponsored by the Forest Service COAST: Two field programs using P3 to study regional mesoscale features

Olympic Mts. British Columbia Washington Cascade Mts. Oregon California Orographic Study Area Washington Oregon Coastal Mts. S-Pol Radar Range Santiam Pass OSA ridge crest Cascade Mts. < 100 m m m m m m > 3000 m Terrain Heights Portland Salem Newport Medford UW Convair-580 Airborne Doppler Radar S-Pol Radar BINET Antenna NEXRAD Radar Wind Profiler Rawinsonde Legend Ground Observer km WSRP Dropsondes Columbia R. Rain Gauge Sites in OSA Vicinity Santiam Pass SNOTEL sites CO-OP rain gauge sites 50 km Orographic Study Area S-Pol Radar Range Olympic Mts. S-Pol Radar Range Westport 90 nm (168 km) Offshore Frontal Study Area Paine Field Univ. of Washington Area of Multi- Doppler Coverage Special Raingauges PNNL Remote Sensing Site Two IMPROVE observational campaigns: I. Offshore Frontal Study (Wash. Coast, Jan-Feb 2001) II. Orographic Study (Oregon Cascades, Nov-Dec 2001)

Modeling Winds in the Columbia Gorge Strongest winds are at the exit Portland Troutdale Cascade Locks

Summary The NW forecasting and research effort has tested a regional approach to weather research. Has resulted in close interactions of researchers and the user community. Benefits also include acquisition of non- traditional funding as well as testing of new approaches to NWP that will be useful in other venues. A model for future U.S. weather research should include both national and regional efforts.