1. National Weather Service Houston/Galveston Lance Wood Science and Operations Officer Assessing the Impact of MODIS SST Utilizing a local WRF

2. HGX Local WRF Configuration Workstation Cluster: Two Dell Precision 690 Workstations Intel Quad Xeon Processor with four 2.33 GHz CPUs (8 CPUs) RAM: 4 GB OS: RHEL 5.4 Model: WRF EMS v.3.0.1 beta2 Dimension: 129 X 129 Spacing: 4 KM Levels: 35 Length: 30 HR Timestep: 24 seconds Initialized with: NAM218 2 runs every 6 hours (00, 06, 12, 18 UTC) First run utilizes MODIS SST Second run utilizes RTG SST HR Run time: 175 minutes Microphysics: Lin et al. Planetary Boundary Layer: Yonsei University Scheme

3. WRF at HGX Began utilizing operationally in AWIPS in May 2009 Began utilizing operationally in AWIPS in May 2009 Began two runs (MODIS vs. No MODIS or RTG-SST- HR-Analysis) in late December 2009 for SPoRT assessment Began two runs (MODIS vs. No MODIS or RTG-SST- HR-Analysis) in late December 2009 for SPoRT assessment Began creating images for web on developmental server late January 2010 (Thanks MLB!). Began creating images for web on developmental server late January 2010 (Thanks MLB!).http://wwwdev.crh.noaa.gov/hgx/wrf/hgxmodels.php Plan to make WRF images available on web. Plan to make WRF images available on web. Plan to expand domain for CWSU and WFO LCH Plan to expand domain for CWSU and WFO LCH Plan to output text files for individual stations for verification purposes. Plan to output text files for individual stations for verification purposes.

4. Winter Dec 09 – Feb 10 Examples: Focused on evaluating winds/temps. Focused on evaluating winds/temps. Looked at different flow regimes (onshore - WAA, offshore- CAA, near coast surface low development ). Looked at different flow regimes (onshore - WAA, offshore- CAA, near coast surface low development ). Have archived images that I am still assessing (1/14/2010 to present). Have archived images that I am still assessing (1/14/2010 to present). Work is still preliminary, and is continuing. Work is still preliminary, and is continuing.

5. Some Geography… NW Gulf Continental Shelf Shallow near-shore waters

6. 57 57 50 50 49 49 53 53 48 48 Onshore Flow WAA Case Jan. 22 10 UTC F4 HR

7. 59 59 65 65 61 61 61 61 66 66 16 UTC F10 HR

8. 61 61 73 73 70 70 64 64 71 71 22 UTC F16 HR

9. 62 62 66 66 67 67 63 63 68 68 04 UTC F22 HR

10. 62 62 67 67 66 66 63 63 67 67 10 UTC F28 HR

11. 55 49 55 49 56 5454 56 SFC Low Development Jan. 16 3 UTC F3 HR

12. 53 49 53 49 5555 54 54 6 UTC F6 HR SFC Low Development Jan. 16

13. 53 48 53 48 5656 54 54 9 UTC F9 HR

14. 51 48 51 48 5555 51 51 SFC Low Development Jan. 16 12 UTC F12 HR

15. 48 47 48 47 5151 4848 SFC Low Development Jan. 16 15 UTC F15 HR

16. 49 52 49 52 5050 4747 SFC Low Development Jan. 16 18 UTC F18 HR

17. 50 55 50 55 5050 4949 SFC Low Development Jan. 16 21 UTC F21 HR

18. SFC Low Development Feb 12 0 UTC F6 HR 49 51 49 51 5050 4949 4141

19. SFC Low Development Feb 12 3 UTC F9 HR 47 55 47 55 4848 4949 3939

20. SFC Low Development Feb 12 6 UTC F12 HR 40 40 40 40 42 42 39 39 3838

21. SFC Low Development Feb 12 9 UTC F15 HR 39 55 39 55 4040 4949 3737

22. SFC Low Development Feb 12 12 UTC F18 HR 39 40 39 40 4040 3838 3838

23. SFC Low Development Feb 12 15 UTC F21 HR 39 39 39 39 4040 3838 3737

24. December 30 th Near Coast SFC Low Development December 30 th Near Coast SFC Low Development

26. Behind Strong Cold Front 2/24/10 03 UTC

28. Behind Strong Cold Front 2/24/10 04 UTC

29. Behind Strong Cold Front 2/24/10 05 UTC

30. Behind Strong Cold Front 2/24/10 18 UTC

31. Reflectivity pattern with offshore precipitation - Feb 19 Reflectivity pattern with offshore precipitation - Feb 19 MODIS (image) vs. No MODIS

32. Reflectivity pattern with offshore precipitation - Feb 19 Reflectivity pattern with offshore precipitation - Feb 19 Actual (image) vs. No MODIS

33. Reflectivity pattern with offshore convection – Feb 26 Reflectivity pattern with offshore convection – Feb 26 MODIS (image) vs. No MODIS

34. HGX Reflectivity – Feb 26 HGX Reflectivity – Feb 26Actual

35. Reflectivity pattern with offshore convection – Feb 26 Reflectivity pattern with offshore convection – Feb 26MODIS

36. No MODIS

37. What I have observed this Winter: WAA pattern: WRF inland temps were too cool and generally cooler with MODIS SST runs as compared to the runs without MODIS. Over the nearshore waters, surface temps with the MODIS SST data runs were generally too cool and the NO MODIS runs generally produced better surface temp results. surface temp results. Behind strong cold fronts (CAA): WRF temps appeared as good or better over water with MODIS SST, but were still too warm. Winds were very similar in both MODIS and NO MODIS. Nearshore surface low development: Temps appeared to be as accurate, or more accurate across nearshore waters and coastal stations with MODIS SST data included. Reflectivity: There was a slightly different reflectivity forecast over the water and inland areas when the runs (MODIS vs. NO MODIS) were compared.

38. Going Forward Historical Cases: Would like to run the WRF for a couple of heavy rainfall events (April 18 2009). Warm Season Assessment: Sea/Bay Breeze and Convective Initialization Reflectivity patterns in general Use text output to regularly verify temps/dew points at coastal/ near coastal sites. Thanks for support from Mark Keehn (HGX ITO), Scott Overpeck (HGX WRF focal point), and Bob Rozumalski (NWS Nat’l SOO) Questions ????