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Simultaneous Radar and Satellite Data Storm-Scale Assimilation Using an Ensemble Kalman Filter Approach for 24 May 2011Assimilating high-resolution radar reflectivity and radial velocity into convection-permitting numerical weather prediction models has proven to be an important tool for improving forecast skill of convection. The use of satellite data for the application is much less well understood, only recently receiving significant attention. Since both radar and satellite data provide independent information, combing these two sources of data in a robust manner potentially represents the future of high-resolution data assimilation. This research combines Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 13 (GOES-13) cloud water path (CWP) retrievals with Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) reflectivity and radial velocity to examine the impacts of assimilating each for a severe weather event occurring in Oklahoma on 24 May 2011. Data are assimilated into a 3-km model using an ensemble adjustment Kalman filter approach with 36 members over a 2-h assimilation window between 1800 and 2000 UTC. Forecasts are then generated for 90 min at 5-min intervals starting at 1930 and 2000 UTC. Results show that both satellite and radar data are able to initiate convection, but that assimilating both spins up a storm much faster. Assimilating CWP also performs well at suppressing spurious precipitation and cloud cover in the model as well as capturing the anvil characteristics of developed storms. Radar data are most effective at resolving the 3D characteristics of the core convection. Assimilating both satellite and radar data generally resulted in the best model analysis and most skillful forecast for this event.
Document ID
20150002810
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Jones, Thomas A.
(Oklahoma Univ. Norman, OK, United States)
Stensrud, David
(National Severe Storms Lab. Norman, OK, United States)
Wicker, Louis
(National Severe Storms Lab. Norman, OK, United States)
Minnis, Patrick
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Palikonda, Rabindra
(Science Systems and Applications, Inc. Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
March 11, 2015
Publication Date
January 1, 2015
Publication Information
Publication: Monthly Weather Review
Volume: 143
Issue: 1
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Report/Patent Number
NF1676L-18993
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 281945.02.04.02.45
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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