1. NOAA / NESDIS Research and Operations: I-5: Operational Impact of SVW at Coastal WFO Peter A. Stamus and Ralph F. Milliff NWRA / Colorado Research Associates (CoRA) Division Presentation to NOAA/NESDIS Operational Satellite SVW Requirements Workshop, 5 - 8 June 2006, TPC, Miami “Expanding the Impact of Satellite Surface Vector Wind Measurements on Coastal Operational Forecasts Produced by National Weather Service Forecast Offices”

2. Miami San Juan Seattle Portland Medford Eureka Honolulu Anchorage Juneau Yakutat Mt. Holly Upton Taunton Brownsville Corpus Christi Wakefield WFO Response (SOO Surveys)............................. 22 + 2 (73%) Total Forecaster Survey Responses....................... 108 + 17 Average No. Surveys per WFO............................... ~ 5 WFO Site Visits WFO Surveys 20 multiple choice questions, regarding SVW familiarity and utility in Marine Forecasts and Warnings, Short (days 1,2) and Long (days 3+) term forecasts. Distinguish QuikSCAT and WindSat impacts. Rank possible improvements in SVW data. Sent to 33 WFO. 2-day visits to 16 selected WFO. Observe Marine Desk forecast preparation (several shifts). Brief WFO staff on SVW retrievals, accuracies, rain-flags, etc.

3. ● Cumulative responses to 5 questions ● Suggests that satellite SVW data are secondary tools in marine forecast prep ● QuikSCAT is used, WindSat is not

5. Supports suggestion that SVW data (QuikSCAT) is a useful, secondary tool for the short range

6. SVW data (QuikSCAT) is less useful for long range than it was for short range

7. SVW data (QuikSCAT) is a useful secondary tool for Marine Warnings

8. Tandem, wide-swath scatterometer missions would provide a 40% to 60% timeliness improvement

9. SVW data close to shore more important than abundant SVW data

10. Summary ● SVW data are used as a “supplementary” data source in operations (forecasts,warnings, etc.) at coastal WFO ➢ Utility comparable to other ancillary satellite datasets (e.g. cloud vector wind, soundings, etc.) ➢ WindSat is unknown to forecasters; rarely used (as of Winter 2005-2006) ● Most Desired Improvements (Critical Limitations) include SVW retrievals near shore and the data update cycle (time between overflights) ➢ Largest concentrations of marine users are near shore ➢ Every site visit revealed a desire for more frequent data ● Survey and Site Visits of US Coastal WFO completed as of April 2006 ➢ 73% survey response rate ➢ WFO staff professional, cooperative, receptive; person-to-person contact is valuable ➢ Survey and site visit write-ups to be synthesized and published

11. Impact of QuikSCAT in LAPS and MM5: a pilot study (Snook et al. 2002) QSCAT R1 Low Pressure System in NE Pacific ● AVN Initialization ● AVN into LAPS ● QSCAT into LAPS Three Forecast Experiments (0.25° MM5)

12. 12hr Forecast24hr Forecast AVNAVN in LAPS QSCAT in LAPS AVN in LAPSAVN White contours: SLP Black contours: 3hr accumulated rainfall

13. 36hr Forecast48hr Forecast AVNAVN in LAPS QSCAT in LAPS AVN in LAPSAVN White contours: SLP Black contours: 3hr accumulated rainfall