AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 Requirements for Mid and High Latitude Applications Joe Sienkiewicz NOAA / NWS Ocean Prediction Center, Camp Springs, Maryland

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 High Seas Warning Categories GALE – knots Force 8/9 STORM – knots Force 10/11 HURRICANE FORCE - >64 knots Force 12

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 NOAA Ocean Prediction Center – impact on operations QuikSCAT Forecasters use every pass to: make warning and short-term forecast decisions and to estimate - cyclone location, intensity, extent of wind field - strength and extent of orographically enhanced jets - wind field near strong SST gradients Resulted in improved warning and forecast services over otherwise data sparse oceans

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 QuikSCAT Increased awareness of the high frequency of hurricane force (HF) winds in extratropical cyclones kts Intense, non-tropical cyclone with hurricane force winds Feb 23, 2008, North Pacific

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 QuikSCAT Launch Jun 99 Hurricane Force Wind Warning Initiated Dec km QuikSCAT available May km QuikSCAT Available in N-AWIPS Oct 01 Improved wind algorithm and rain flag Oct 06 Cyclones Observed HF Cyclone Climatology Number of cyclones WARNING CATEGORIES Pre- QSCAT 1. GALE kt 2. STORM >48 QSCAT ERA 1. GALE kt 2. STORM kt 3. HURCN FORCE > 64 kt

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April HF Cyclone Climatology

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 Geographic distribution of cyclones with winds of HF intensity Sep-May Annual average number of cyclones with hurricane force winds for the years Major Shipping Routes North Atlantic 4,000/yr container transits 1,000/yr bulkers HF Cyclone Climatology Average geographic distribution of cyclones with hurricane force winds for the years

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 Geographic distribution of cyclones with winds of HF intensity Sep-May Major Shipping Routes North Pacific 6,000/yr container 1,500/yr bulker HF Cyclone Climatology Average geographic distribution of cyclones with hurricane force winds for the years

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 Application of University of Washington Planetary Boundary Layer Model - QuikSCAT wind field used to define pressure gradient - Seed gradient field with observations to anchor SLP field Forecasters use QuikSCAT based SLP to estimate: - cyclone intensity - depiction of SLP gradient Results in improved Surface Analyses Sea-Level Pressure Retrievals

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 Wind gradients near SST gradients -Winds speeds reflect SST gradients -Calculate NWP and QSCAT difference -Apply 30 day bias based on PBL stratification GOES / OISST SST

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 Wind gradients near SST gradients -Winds speeds reflect SST gradients -Calculate NWP and QSCAT difference -Apply 30 day bias based on PBL stratification GOES SST gradients

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 Wind gradients near SST gradients -Winds speeds reflect SST gradients -Calculate NWP and QSCAT difference -Apply 30 day bias based on PBL stratification QuikSCAT 12.5 km winds

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 Wind gradients near SST gradients -Winds speeds reflect SST gradients -Calculate NWP and QSCAT difference -Apply 30 day bias based on PBL stratification Difference between QuikSCAT and NCEP GFS 10 m winds -GOES SST gradient -Green GFS underforecast -Orange GFS overforecast

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 Arctic Services Support for USCG Hamilton on Arctic Mission Sep 2008 Ocean Surface Vector Winds (QuikSCAT / ASCAT) –Only source to yield complete picture –complement with ice detection capabilities – coverage optimized for high latitudes

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 Summary – Mid-High Latitudes QuikSCAT revolutionized warning and short-term forecast process –Resulting in improved services Forecasters possess superior situational awareness over data sparse oceans –Hurricane Force cyclones –SLP retrievals –SST gradients –Ice free Arctic waters –Orographically induced jets

AMSR3/DFS Joint Research and Operational Users Working Group Meeting Tokyo, Japan - 20 April 2009 What we hope to gain from DFS Accurate estimates of: maximum winds of Hurricane Force intensity radii of 34, 48, and 64 knots with extratropical cyclones winds in areas of rain such as: squall lines, convective complexes, warm fronts low pressure center locations and intensity using SLP retrievals wave generation areas using great circle rays With AMSR - coincident measurements of multiple parameters Rain, cloud liquid water, water vapor, Sea surface temperature, and full wind vector