1. Corridor Integrated Weather System Aviation Weather Users Workshop
(CIWS)
Bradley Crowe
Aviation Weather Users Workshop
November 18th - 19th
This work was sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration under Air Force Contract No. FA C Opinions, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government.

2. Outline CIWS background CIWS base weather products
Precip
Winter Precip
Echo Tops
CIWS 2 hour deterministic forecasts
Additional CIWS products
RAPT overview
Future work

3. Corridor Integrated Weather System (CIWS)
Automated Weather Products
Decision
Support Tools
Web-based
Tools
Dedicated Displays
Models (e.g., RUC)
Satellites
Lightning
Real-time
Weather
Product
Generator
LLWAS
ASOS
Surface Weather
Canadian
Weather Radar
NEXRAD
ASR-9
TDWR
Researchers
Aircraft
2008
2007
Dedicated CIWS Display Users
Air Traffic Control System Command Center
Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC)
(ZAU, ZOB, ZID, ZDC, ZBW, ZNY, ZMP, ZKC)
Terminal Radar Approach Controls (TRACON) (N90, C90, CVG, D21, PIT, CLE)
Great Lakes Office
Airlines with dedicated displays
User driven research with high degree of operational interaction
Platform for evaluating new forecast technologies in an operational setting
Provides digital weather products to weather- assimilated Decision Support Tools and researchers
User driven research 3

4. Operating the Prototype
24 x 7 operation
User access to operational team via page, phone,
Proactive user support
Observing system behavior and operational use in real- time
Regular operation-based training
“… we NEED this information to do our jobs … without it, the wheels will come off the wagon …”
ZDC STMC
Planned for transition to WJHTC by 2011

5. Estimated CIWS Applications Per Year
Estimated Annual Benefits Occurrences
CIWS has been tested in the field under operational conditions for 7 years. During that time, we have identified how the products are used to improve traffic flow by direct in-situ observations and after-event user interviews.
A very common but powerful use is shared situational awareness. Providing all users with a common view of the weather situation simplifies coordination amongst facilities and reduces workload.
We will continue to conduct observations and phone interviews.
1 Improved situational awareness Directing pathfinders
2 Enhanced inter/intra-facility coordination Close routes proactively
3 Reduced workload FAA facility staffing assistance
4 Proactive reroutes Directing traffic through weather gaps
5 Routes open longer More departures during Severe Weather
6 Improved Arr/Dep transition area Avoidance Programs (SWAP)
(ATA/DTA) management Improved safety
7 Reduced Miles-in-Trail (MIT) restrictions Improved Ground Delay Program (GDP)
8 Improved Ground Stop Program management management

6. Overview of CIWS display features
Precip Products (title Bar)
Forecast Products
Color Bars
System Menus
Echo Tops Products
While all functions and products are now available in a single window, CIWS continues to support multiple windows.
Loop Controls
Secondary CIWS Weather Products
Base CIWS Weather Products
View Menu

7. Java based and very similar
CIWS on the Web
URL:
Click Live Website link
Login with assigned Account and Password
NWS
NWS216
Web and SD
are both
Java based and very similar
Account and Password request available on home page

8. CIWS Weather Products
Precp: Mosaic of Vertical Integrate Liquid Water (VIL)
Mosaic consists of NEXRAD, Canadian and
TDWR data
Winter Precip: Uses VIL with an improved lower
threshold to sense weaker precipitation as well as
surface and model data to display precipitation type
Echo Tops: used high resolution Echo Tops product
in a mosaic to display tops at 18 dBZ

9. Standard and Winter Precipitation Colors
Standard colors for past and current weather
Winter colors for past and current weather
Past Weather Precipitation Colors
Standard
Winter
Liquid
Mixed
Snow
Level 1a
Level 1
Level 1b
Level 1c
Level 1c+
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6

10. Precipitation Product
Loops from -120 min to present in 5-min increments
Spatial resolution is a function of zoom: ~4 nmi to ~0.5 nmi
Update rate: 2.5 min when looping Precip only; 5 min when looping with Precipitation Forecast
Filter options
Click 0: The Precip product is a mosaic of NEXRAD, TDWR, and Canadian weather radars. The data are processed to remove data artifacts and compensate for motion prior to creating the mosaic. Precip resolution is a function of the zoom; from ~4 nmi to ~0.5 nmi. Precip updates every 2.5 min and is presented as a loop of images from -2 hours to present.
Click 1: Display of the Precip product is controlled via the Precip button. The left click on the Precip button is a three-way toggle. If Precip is not the base product, the first click changes Precip to the base product. Subsequent left clicks toggle the displayed levels between None and the last user selection in the dialog box.
Clicks 2 & 3: Right click the Precip button to display the filter options. In this example, the levels toggle between None and 3-6.
First left click selects Precip as the base product
Subsequent clicks toggle display levels
Right click displays dialog box
First left click selects Precip as the base product
Subsequent clicks toggle display levels

11. Precipitation Phase Algorithm
RUC Model Data
CIWS precipitation phase algorithm
CIWS precipitation phase and phase forecast
MADIS DATA
Precipitation phase algorithm uses:
Surface temperature and dew point
Upper level temperature and dew point
surface precipitation phase data
MADIS mesonet stations in the North-American domain on May 26, 2004

12. Winter Precipitation Product
Filter Options
Provides additional detail within Level 1 precipitation, which may contain light (Level 1a), moderate (Level 1b), or heavy (Level lc) snow or mixed precipitation
Precipitation phase is represented in greens (rain), pinks (mixed), and blues (snow)
Coverage equal to extended radar coverage
= No Phase Information

13. Click to display where echo tops exceed radar coverage
Echo Tops Product
Echo tops in 5000 ft increments (MSL)
For 1000-ft increments use Echo Tops Tags
Loops from -120 min to present in 5-min increments
Spatial resolution is a function of zoom: ~4 nmi to ~0.5 nmi
Update rate 2.5 min when looping Echo Tops only; 5 min when looping with Echo Tops Forecast
Filter options
Click 0: The echo tops product is a map of echo tops computed from radar data. It is presented in 5000-foot increments. (Echo tops tags are shown in 1000-foot increments.) The product updates every 2.5 min and the spatial resolution depends upon the zoom; ~4 nmi to ~0.5 nmi.
Click 1 & 2: Echo tops can be filtered by altitude.
Click 3: The echo tops values provided in the map represent our best estimate of the true echo tops. However, it is possible for storms to exceed the maximum altitude of the radar coverage. This may happen for storms located over a radar that is not covered by another radar or for very strong tall storms. To display locations where storms top the radar coverage, select the Topped option in the dialog box. When selected, topped regions are shown in black.
Click to display where echo tops exceed radar coverage

14. CIWS Standard and Winter and Echo Tops Forecast
Standard precip forecast colors
All CIWS base products have
an associated forecast product
Winter precip forecast colors
Precipitation Forecast Colors
Standard
Winter
Liquid
Mixed
Snow
Level 1a
Level 1
Level 1b
Level 1c+
Level 2
Level 3
Level 5+
Echo Tops Forecast

15. Overview of CIWS 0-2 hr Forecast Algorithm
ASR-9
TDWR
Weather Radar
NEXRAD
Canadian
Canadian
Satellites
Canadian
LLWAS
ASOS
Surface Weather
NOAA
Numerical
Weather
Prediction

16. Precipitation Forecast Product
Loops from 5 min to 120 min in 5-min increments
Spatial resolution is a function of zoom: ~4 nmi to ~0.5 nmi
Update rate: 5 min
Product performance may be adversely impacted in the mountains due to beam blockage
Airmass storms can present challenges in a 2-hour forecast
Filter forecast levels
Click 0: the Precipitation Forecast product is a state-of-the-art, completely automated forecast. The forecast increment and update rate are 5 min and is available as a loop. The product spatial resolution is a function of the zoom; ~4 nmi to ~0.5 nmi.
Click 1 & 2: Filtering options are available on the Forecast dialog box.

17. Echo Tops Forecast Product
Loops from 5 min to 120 min in 5-min increments
4-level forecast (<30kft, 30 – 34kft, 35 – 39kft, ≥40kft)
Spatial resolution is a function of zoom: ~4 nmi to ~0.5 nmi
Update rate: 5 min
Product performance may suffer in the mountains due to beam blockage
Echo Tops Forecast
Below FL 300
FL 300 to below FL 350
FL 350 to below FL 400
At and above FL 400
Click 0: The Echo tops Forecast product loops from 5 min to 2 hours in 5-minute increments. The product updates every 5 min and the resolution is a function of the zoom; ~4 nmi to ~0.5 nmi.
Click 1 & 2: Filtering is analogous to Precip Forecast filtering
Filter options

18. Additional CIWS products
Satellite
Lightning
Storm Motion
Echo Tops tags
Growth and Decay Trends
Forecast Contours
Verification Contours
Forecast Accuracy
Satellite: Visible/Infrared satellite mosaic.
Lightning: White + indicates location of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes over the past six minutes.
Storm Motion: Black arrows and blue lines showing movement of Level 3+ weather.
Echo Tops Tags: Echo tops labels in 1000-foot increments.
Growth & Decay Trends: Areas of growth (orange cross-hatched) and decay (dark blue) within the last 15 to 18 minutes.
Click 0: The View menu contains additional functions, including the capability to toggle
(Click 1)
the display of virtual keyboards on all dialog boxes that allow text input,
(Click 2)
mouse highlighting
(Click 3)
color bars
(Click 4)
the display of radars not contributing to the CIWS products
Forecast on Precip
Verification on Precip
Forecast region on Precip

19. Route Availability Planning Tool Architecture
Route Database
Display
Pilot
Wx Avoidance Model
Model for ATC usage of airspace
RAPT Algorithm
ETMS CDR PLAYBOOK
RAPT departure route trajectory database
WEB
Departure route is defined by an airport, a passing fix, and an ending jet route or
as a CDR
Departure trajectories are based upon average aircraft location, speed and climb profile
CIWS Precipitation Forecast
CIWS Echo Tops Forecast

20. Future Work
CoSPA 2-8 hr Forecast (Consolidated Storm Prediction for Aviation)
Lightning proxy for VIL and Echo Tops
NWS fronts

21. 8 hour Forecast
It is proposed that the loop run from -8 hr to +8 hr with 15 min between images. The loop displayed here has a 1-hr increment and ends at +6-hr because it came from the website during testing. Ultimately, we would like to have 8-hr, 15-min increment, 15-min update for CoSPA. However, this loop can be used to show the coverage limits and discuss the product in general terms.

22. Comparison of CIWS and CoSPA Forecasts
CIWS
CoSPA
Coverage (Spring 2009)
CONUS
Northeast*
Forecast period
+5 min to +2 hr
+2:15 min to +8 hr (The first 2 hours of the forecasts come directly from and are identical to CIWS.)
Update rate
5 min
15 min
Loop increment
Loop parameters
-2 hr to +2 hr
-8 hr to +8 hr

23. Example of CIWS Use of Lightning VIL
This is a cool movie. A massive radar outage on the east coast left huge holes in the coverage west of ZNY. Significant storms developed and New York could not see them. Using lightning as a proxy for VIL, CIWS is able to indicate the presence of storms in the blind spots.

24. Comparison of Merged Field with Radar Truth
Improves precipitation intensity and echo tops heights estimates in areas where radar data are degraded (e.g., radar drop-outs and limits of coverage)
Improves precipitation intensity and echo tops heights forecasts
Improves safety

25. Automated front Location
NWS provides CONUS front analysis
MIT LL tracks and advects fronts
Product could update every 5 min
The proposal is to draw NWS-generated surface fronts on the CIWS map as an additional product with its own product status button. The NWS product updates every 3 hours, but CIWS could track/advect the fronts to product a 5-min update rate.