The Benefit of Improved GOES Products in the NWS Forecast Offices Greg Mandt National Weather Service Director of the Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services May 23, 2001

GOES…the Evolution Continues

GOES Assessment

1st Tornado 5:55 pm 2 Tornadoes 6:34-6:55 pm 3 Tornadoes 9:02-10:01 pm 9 Tornadoes 7:08-8:47 pm

GOES Sounder Assessment MN/IA Tornadoes WFOs credit the GOES Sounder data with helping them focus in on this tornado outbreak. The verification statistics (below) for the event, compared to the national averages and the NWS long-range goals bear this out: Tornadoes MSX/DMX National 2005 Ave (200) Goal** MSX/DMX National 2005 Ave (200) Goal** Number POD FAR LT (min) ** all tornadoes Note: The False Alarm Rate exceeds the 2005 goal while the Probability Of Detection and Lead-Time nearly hit the long-range goal.

Where we are headed in the future

AWIPS

Thunderstorm Auto-Nowcast System Produces 0-2 hr time and place specific forecast Expert system utilizes fuzzy logic Ingest multiple data sets Extrapolates radar echos Forecast storm initiation, growth and dissipation Algorithms derive forecast parameters based on the characteristics of the boundary- layer, storms, and clouds. 4-D Variational Doppler Radar Analysis System (VDRAS)

Boundary-relative steering flow Steering flow likelihood field after weighting Example of Combining Fields to Forecast Thunderstorm Location

Boundary collision Collision likelihood field weighted and overlaid on previous field Example of Combining Fields to Forecast Thunderstorm Location

Radar cumulus Radar cumulus likelihood field weighted and overlaid on previous fields Example of Combining Fields to Forecast Thunderstorm Location

Likelihood fields are summed, threshold and contoured produce final forecast Forecast verification Example of Combining Fields to Forecast Thunderstorm Location

2 June Challenge to NWS Forecasters “…Although our forecasters had discussed the potential for severe thunderstorms to break out, we were anticipating a late start based on extrapolation of the line of storms over Pennsylvania. Our office was behind the curve… The 2 June event underscores the critical nature of detecting boundaries to help in the convective initiation problem.” -Steve Zubrick, NWS SOO Cold Front Pre-frontal squall line develops

2 June 2000 Convergence boundary is yellow line VDRAS vectors are overlaid 15 min intervals

June 2, :33 – 23:02 UTC VisibleInfrared

2 June min Forecasts AN-radar 30 min ForecastAN-radar/satellite 30 min Forecast

2 June min Verification AN-radar 30 min VerificationAN-radar/satellite 30 min Verification

Summary of NWS Requirements for GOES-R Plus Faster Scanning –5 minute CONUS updates –15 minute Full Disk update Improved Resolution of Imagery –0.5 km Visible –2 km IR No Black Outs Due to Eclipse/Keep-out-Zones Improved Sounder Spatial Coverage

Further Future Sensors Possibilities