Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Branch

(Weaver, Dostalek, Grasso, Bikos, Coleman)

A manuscript entitled “Noteworthy Aspects of a Severe Left Moving Thunderstorm of 25 May 1999″ was submitted to the journal Weather and Forecasting last quarter.  It has been reviewed and revisions are currently being made in preparation for publication.  J. Dostalek and J. Weaver of CIRA/RAMM along with Loren Phillips, formerly the Science and Operations Officer at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lubbock, TX, are the authors.

The beta-draft of a new VISIT session entitled, “Use of GOES/RSO Imagery with Other Remote Sensor Data for Diagnosing Severe Weather across the CONUS” is complete.  The new session features several illustrative severe thunderstorm cases studies from various regions around the country, and focuses on the use of RSO imagery to diagnose the near-storm environment.  Satellite data for the study come from the archived RSO data set at CIRA.

A new SID page entitled: “Satellite/Radar comparison of a low-precipitation (LP) supercell in eastern Colorado” was added this quarter.  It features some interesting aspects of a Low-Precipitation supercell storms as viewed by two different remote sensors.  This page can be found at:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/RAMM/picoday/030506/030506.html

(DeMaria, Zehr, Knaff, Dostalek)

The case study work on Hurricane Bertha has been completed, and a journal article by R. Zehr, was published in the April 2003 issue of Weather and Forecasting.  The paper is titled, “Environmental Vertical Wind Shear with Hurricane Bertha (1996).” 

Research continues using IR asymmetries and numerical model initial analysis fields to evaluate environmental vertical wind shear.  A larger sample study is planned as “follow on” research to the case studies with Hurricane Bertha and other 2001-2002 hurricanes.

An inventory of the images included in the RAMM Tropical IR Archive was updated.  For 2002, 12,966 images with 41 tropical cyclones were added.  Eighteen of those were “intense” tropical cyclones (Saffir-Simpson Category 3 or higher). Additional GMS archive processing will add 6 more western Pacific typhoons to the 2002 archive.  The entire archive now contains over 67,000 images on 36 CD’s with 251 tropical cyclones.  All “named storms” are archived for the Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, and Central Pacific basins, while “intense” tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific, the North Indian Ocean, and the Southern Hemisphere, are included.

A study is underway to investigate the effect of satellite spatial resolution on hurricane IR temperature measurements within the eye.  Preliminary measurements have been made with a 38-channel, 1 km MODIS image of Hurricane Isidore’s eye.  The MODIS data were obtained from NASA’s on-line archive, and successfully ingested into MCIDAS.  Archived MODIS and AVHRR 1 km IR images are being used to complement the work done with GOES images.

Additional IR image data sets (48 images per day) are now being archived for selected cases to facilitate Objective Dvorak Technique (ODT) development and evaluation, and also for creation of IR average images. The images are centered on the tropical cyclone surface center.  An averaging period of 6 hours at 3-hour interval is used to derive an IR Average Image archive with 8 images /day. Animation of those images captures important structural changes while removing short time scale variability. They are also well suited for cloud asymmetry measurements for environmental vertical shear studies. The center relative images have been archived for Hurricanes Michelle, Lili, Keith, Opal, Floyd, Felix, and Typhoon Pongsona.

A paper entitled “Annular Hurricanes” by Knaff, J.A., J.P. Kossin, and M. DeMaria was published in the April issue of Weather and Forecasting.  The paper discusses tropical cyclones that appear in IR satellite data to be nearly symmetric including their structure, characteristic environment, behavior, and detection.

A demonstration project to display and animate satellite images on the NOAA P-3 in support of tropical cyclone research and reconnaissance is continuing.  Software to compress the data using wavelet compression techniques, which allows for the transmission of satellite data through the small bandwidth available to the P-3, has been improved, updated and ported to HP UX and MS Windows 2000/XP/NT operating systems.  Scripts and software have been written and updated that ingest the GOES satellite imagery, compress these data, ftp the compressed files to the plane, and uncompress, sort and display the resulting imagery.  The tropical RAMSDS unit at NOAA’s Hurricane Research Division will be used for compressing and serving the data to the P-3.  Personnel at HRD will determine the location of the imagery as part of their flight preparation.   
 

Figure 1:  Example GOES satellite products that will be displayed and animated on the NOAA P-3.    These are;  a) 2 km Visible, b)  4km IR channel 4, and c)  8km IR channel 3.  Click on images to enlarge.

Algorithms to produce AMSU-based tropical cyclone intensity and structure information have been made pre-operational at the National Hurricane Center as part of the USWRP Joint Hurricane test bed.  The code has been written that access the AMSU data from the NCEP BuFR files, process these data into temperature retrievals, run these through the CIRA AMSU tropical cyclone intensity algorithm and produce a one-page text message that is sent to the Hurricane Specialist on duty. An example of the output is shown in Fig. 2.  Results from this processing do not reproduce the same estimates created here at CIRA, because the BuFR data have had an antenna correction applied, which is not anticipated by the retrieval code.  NCEP hopes to have the raw antenna temperatures available in BuFR format in the next month.  Click on image to enlarge.

Figure 2: Example text provided in real-time to the Hurricane Specialist on duty at the National Hurricane Center.

AMSU-base tropical cyclone intensity and structure estimates originally developed for the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone basins have been generalized for other basins and hemispheres.  These estimates are furthermore produced in real time and supplied to NOAA/NESDIS/SAB and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in real-time, representing the first year’s progress on our PSDI proposal.  Next quarter work will begin on accessing the BuFR data with the goal of making the system pre-operational at SAB.

The NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data from 1980-2001 has been converted to a packed ASCII format for use in the study of western Pacific tropical cyclones.

(Weaver, Connell, Hillger)

A new VISIT session called “Wildland Fire Detection using Geostationary Satellite Imagery” is complete and is currently being offered to forecast offices across the country.  The session illustrates how the fire weather forecaster, or an incident meteorologist, can utilize GOES Channel-2 imagery in RSO mode to quickly identify new wildland fires.  The session is based on the principle discussed at:  

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/RAMM/picoday/030506/030506.html

A manuscript entitled, “Fire Detection using GOES-11 Rapid Scan Imagery” by J. Weaver, D. Bikos, D. Lindsey, 
C. Schmidt, and E. Prins is undergoing internal review and will be submitted to Weather and Forecasting when this process is complete.

It had been discovered that NOAA-15, 16, and 17 AVHRR images on the Polar (PLR) server at NESDIS contain either un-calibrated or mis-calibrated data.  This problem was brought to the attention of Tom Renkevens of SAB who investigated the error.  Data on the backup (PLB) server appear to be well calibrated in the sense that there is little indication of the large temperature differences previously seen among the satellites.  A recent memo from SSD indicates that on April 21 the operational AVHRR decoder will be upgraded with new calibration modifications to reflect those currently being used on the backup server.  Click on images to enlarge.

Figure 1:  NOAA AVHRR band-4 composite images over the North Pole with (a) NOAA-15, (b) NOAA-16, and (c) NOAA-17 passes on top.  Note the similarity in the color of the cloud top over the Pole (in the center of the image), with temperature differences on the order of 1-2 K among the satellites compared to the 10 K noted before the calibration change.  The dark lines in the images are edges of the passes/orbits of AVHRR data.

Work continues on the hydro-estimator. In collaboration with Bob Kuligowski–NOAA/NESDIS–several programs have been developed and or modified. As a result, field variables have been produced that serve as input to the hydro-estimator. These include: Precipitable water, layered mean relative humidity, and the convective equilibrium level. Each field variable varies in each spatial direction and in time. As a consequence, improved statistics can be developed to investigate the relationship between rain rates and each field variable.

(Connell, Combs)

The changeover from GOES 8 to GOES 12 in April of 2003 has required several updates and changes in the collection, code and processing of the U.S. climatologies.  Most of this work has now been completed for the data collection and processing of the large sectors.

Processing of the large sector U.S. climatologies continues on schedule.  Products completed include monthly large sector composites for March, April and May 2003.  These include composites produced from GOES 12 starting in May.  No GOES 12 products were produced in April because the satellite was still moving into its new position.

Processing of wind regime products have been on hold since December 2002 due to a switch of the information source and a new wind format.  The new code and procedure has been tested and is now in place. Wind regime composites for January 2003 have been completed. 

The Summer Sea Breeze Climatology project for northern Florida started its eighth season this June.  The study aims to create a regime-based sea breeze cloud frequency climatology designed to aid forecasters in predicting the timing and extent of convection under various background wind regimes. Ken Gould with the NWS in Tallahassee, Florida is the focal point for regime designation at the WFO.  Imagery are archived at CIRA for future processing.  The data collection and regime designation will run through August.

(Weaver, Dostalek)

A manuscript entitled “Noteworthy Aspects of a Severe Left Moving Thunderstorm of 25 May 1999″ was submitted to the journal Weather and Forecasting last quarter.  It has been reviewed and revisions are currently being made in preparation for publication.  J. Dostalek and J. Weaver of CIRA/RAMM along with Loren Phillips, formerly the Science and Operations Officer at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lubbock, TX, are the authors.

(Hillger, Knaff, Weaver)

A simple skin temperature product equivalent to that previously generated from GOES-8 imager bands 4 (10.7 µm) and 5 (12.0 µm) is now being generated from GOES-12 bands 4 and 6 (13.3 µm).  The new skin temperature product was generated in the same manner as the old split-window product, except that only 15% of the band 4 minus 6 temperature difference (compared to 2 times the band 4 minus 5 difference) is added back into band-4 to simulate the skin temperature.  The assumptions necessary for this technique are less valid with the new band combination than with the split-window bands, but the product appears to compare favorably to the GOES-12 sounder split-window skin temperature that is being generated on CIRA’s Sounder RAMSDIS and available on RAMSDIS on-line.
 

Figure 1a)  GOES-12 imager skin temperature product (generated from bands 4 and 6) compared to,  1b) the GOES-12 sounder skin temperature product (generated from the split window bands previously available on the Imager).  Note the similarity between the two images in the colored land and water surfaces.  Temperatures are indicated above the color bar.  Cloud tops are mostly shaded gray.  (There is a difference in the geographical coverage between the two images, one from the Sounder and the other from the Imager.)  Click on images to enlarge.

A new composite image of the four sectors of the GOES-east sounder is being generated every half hour.  Since the four sounder sectors are collected at different times and at different time intervals, some portions of the half-hourly image product change more rapidly than others.  This composite image was generated specifically to view the longwave split-window temperature difference available on the GOES-12 sounder, but not on the GOES-12 imager.  The image product will be ported and displayed on the Tropical RAMSDIS to identify Sahara dust (and its effect on tropical storm development) over the eastern Atlantic Ocean out to 40 deg E and down to 10 deg N latitude.  A similar composite image of the three GOES-west Sounder sectors of longwave window band-8 is also available. Click on images to enlarge.

Figure 2a:  Diagram of the four GOES-east sounder sectors:  CONUS, Gulf of Mexico, North Atlantic, and Eastern Caribbean.

Figure 2b:  Example of a composite longwave split-window (band-8 minus 7 difference) image of the four GOES-east Sounder sectors.  The color enhancement is intended for detecting dust.  (No dust is visible in this image.)

Figure 3a:  Diagram of the GOES-west Sounder sectors: CONUS, North Pacific, Hawaii, and Mexico (not currently scheduled).

Figure 3b:  Example of a composite longwave window (band-8) image of the three available GOES-west Sounder sectors.

Knaff, Zehr)

The OS/2-based Tropical – Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Team Advanced Meteorological Satellite Demonstration and Interpretation System (RAMSDIS) at the Hurricane Research Division (HRD) in Miami FL was upgraded to a Windows 2000 system with McIDAS-NT version 2002b.  The new system contains the GOES-12 calibration module, enhanced Graphical User Interface, and addition of the GOES-9 images over the Pacific Ocean.  The Tropical RAMSDIS system uses data from 5 different satellites (GOES-8, GOES-9, GOES-12, Meteosat-7, and Meteosat-5), which gives global satellite data coverage to allow scientists to study tropical storms.  The system components were also upgraded with 1 GB RAM, 64 MB NVIDIA GeForce2 high quality graphics adaptor, 10/100 Ethernet network interface card, and three-button mouse.

An updated version, which is running on the Windows 2000 operating system, of the Tropical RAMSDS has been supplied to NOAA/HRD for use in their daily weather discussions and support of their research and reconnaissance missions.  In addition to the port of Tropical RAMSDS to W2K, the workstation also has been modified to be the data server for the NOAA P-3 project to animate and display real-time GOES data on the NOAA P-3 research aircraft.

J. Weaver and D. Bikos continued their collaboration with the National Interagency Fire Center (Boise, ID) and several regional fire coordination centers as part of the development of a new wildland fire detection VISIT session.

Zehr, Grasso, Weaver

D. Watson processed a January 11, 2003 GOES-East dataset in support of SALLJEX (South American Low-Level Jet Experiment).  Jpeg’s were made of the dataset and provided online for the participants.  The dataset consisted of 8 sectors with 4 channels each.

Mahalingam Haritharan, a student from Santa Clara University, was instructed in McIDAS (Man Computer Interactive Data Analysis System) programming and RAMSDIS (Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Team Advanced Meteorological Satellite Demonstration and Interpretation System) use.  He is continuing programming work started by Jeremy Black, another Santa Clara University student who visited CIRA last summer.  The aim is to identify thunderstorms from satellite imagery.  This work is in support of research investigating the detection of lightning from satellite, which is partially supported through a grant from NESDIS/ORA.  In addition, an improved version of a McIDAS program used to identify thunderstorms from satellite imagery was sent to and successfully run at Santa Clara University.  The updated code eliminates false thunderstorm signals, which were occurring at the edges of some satellite images.  

J. Knaff is a Co-principle investigator on a proposal to establish a NSF Decision Making Under Uncertainty center at Colorado State University in the College of Business.  The purpose of such centers is to support research, education and outreach that increases understanding of decision-making processes and of the information needed by decision makers, to develop tools to support decision makers and increase their ability to make sound decision, and facilitates interaction among researchers and decision makers.  This topic area is part of the President’s Climate Change Research Initiative.  Other participants include principle investigator is Prof. Cap Smith, Computer Information Systems, College of Business and Prof. Steven Hayne, Computer Information Systems, College of Business.

J. Weaver and D. Bikos gave an invited presentation of the “Mesoanalysis using GOES RSO Imagery” VISIT session to Colorado State University, Atmospheric Science graduate students.

A manuscript entitled, “Microscale Aspects of Rainfall Patterns as Measured by a Local Volunteer Network” by N. Doesken, J. Weaver, and M. Osecky has been submitted to National Weather Digest.   

Brazil Project:

The upgraded Brazil Fires RAMSDIS system was received by the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente edos (IBAMA) in Brasilia, Brazil.  The upgrade includes the new McIDAS software that contains the GOES-12 calibration module, enhanced Graphical User Interface, and enhanced maps to help the field crew to better identify fire locations.  Their system is running and ingesting data.

Japanese Interaction:

Mr. Kotaro Bessho from the Typhoon Research Division of the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) continues his work with RAMM Team on developing and improving AMSU tropical cyclone analysis algorithms for the western North Pacific basin.  He is using QuikSCAT data to help validate the AMSU-derived surface wind fields. 

MITCH Reconstruction Project:

The GOES-12 Transition upgrade packages were sent to all the Central American countries last quarter.  A few troubleshooting sessions were needed to update the systems at several countries, but all have now been upgraded and are ingesting the new GOES-12 data.  The upgrade entailed installation of the new McIDAS-NT version 2002b which contains the updated calibration module for the GOES-12, several modified Graphical User Interface modules for easier access and interaction with the products, addition of two new products, as well as improved programming methodology in various applications programs.

The switch from GOES-8 to GOES-12 went relatively smoothly at the Instituto Meteorological Nacional (IMN) in Costa Rica.  During April, the seven Central American countries (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama) that were part of the Hurricane Mitch Reconstruction Project, received and installed updates for the McIDAS/RAMSDIS system to enable them to receive and display the GOES-12 imagery.  Updates to the fire detection product as well as an enhanced precipitation product were also included with the upgrade.  Global Imaging, Inc. assisted with the updates for the ingestor at IMN and CIRA assisted with the McIDAS upgrades to the data server.  Most countries reported a smooth transition, although assistance was provided through the Help Desk to troubleshoot problems and to also explain new features associated with the GOES-12 update

The report “Validation of GOES Precipitation Estimates over Central America” by Rosario Alfaro has been published as a CIRA Technical Report (ISSN No. 0737-5352-58).  The work was done while Rosario was a visiting scientist for the Hurricane Mitch Reconstruction Project.  Rosario is now back at the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional in San José, Costa Rica, overseeing the implementation of the Precipitation Algorithms in Central America. 

RMTC Project:

GOES-8 imagery for December 2002 through February, 2003 were sent to the Regional Meteorological Training Centers (RMTCs) in Costa Rica and Barbados.  The archives are being used to study cloud frequency during the rainy and dry seasons and detect local variations from year to year.  The monthly cloud frequency composites for March – May 1997-2003 by the 10.7 µm temperature threshold technique for Costa Rica are presented in Fig. 1. 

Figure 1.  Monthly cloud frequency composites for March – May 1997-2003 by 10.7 µm temperature threshold technique for Costa Rica. Click on images to enlarge.

A comparison of cloud frequency derived by temperature threshold of 10.7 µm imagery for March – May 1998 – 2003 for Barbados is shown in Fig. 2.  The archived imagery also provides access to examples for use in satellite focused training efforts.

Figure 2.  Comparison of cloud frequency derived by temperature threshold of 10.7 µm imagery for March – May 1998 – 2003 for Barbados.

The following web pages continue to provide on-line imagery in gif and jpg format over Central and South America and the Caribbean: 

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/RAMM/rmsdsol/RMTC.html 

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/RAMM/rmsdsol/COS.html  for imagery over Costa Rica and Barbados

SICA Project:

The project officially ended on December 31, 2001, but a web page displaying satellite precipitation estimates and fire products continues to operate: 

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/sica/main.html

The site proved useful as a backup for the GOES-8 to GOES-12 transition.  It also was useful to those outside the forecast offices during the fire season.  A young researcher from Spain sent an e-mail expressing that she was delighted to find the web page and fire information.

Molenar, Hillger

Gosden, Zehr, Watson

D. Watson processed a January 11, 2003 GOES-East dataset in support of SALLJEX (South American Low-Level Jet Experiment). Jpeg’s were made of the dataset and provided online for the participants. The dataset consisted of 8 sectors with 4 channels each.

Lindsey, Bikos

The VISITview software now has default loop speeds that are set by the instructor due to a request by Bikos and Weaver.  This has been a tremendous help for tailoring loops to specific needs.

Three new Satellite Interpretation Discussion pages were created this quarter:

“Satellite/Radar comparison of a Low Precipitation (LP) supercell in Eastern Colorado”
It features some interesting aspects of a Low-Precipitation supercell storms as viewed by two different remote           sensors.
May 6 by Dan Bikos and John Weaver 
http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/picoday/030506/030506.html

“A Convectively Coupled Kelvin Wave”
April 8, by Jack Dostalek
http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/picoday/030407/030407.html 

“An Undular Bore off the Massachusetts Coast” 
April 23, by Jonathan Vigh
http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/picoday/030423/030423.html

Molenar, Connell, Dostalek, Gosden, Hillger

The OS/2-based Tropical RAMSDIS at CIRA was upgraded to a Windows 2000 system with McIDAS-NT version 2002b.  The new system contains the GOES-12 calibration module, enhanced Graphical User Interface, and addition of the GOES-9 images over the Pacific Ocean.  The Tropical RAMSDIS system uses data from 5 different satellites (GOES-8, GOES-9, GOES-12, Meteosat-7, and Meteosat-5), which gives global satellite data coverage to allow scientists to study tropical storms.  The system components were also upgraded with 1 GB RAM, 64 MB NVIDIA GeForce2 high quality graphics adaptor, 10/100 Ethernet network interface card, and three-button mouse. 

A Linux RAMSDIS has been configured and setup to ingest.  Work is now being made to simplify the installation and configuration of the system for a general user.  Linux will provide a cost effective way of deploying RAMSDIS.  It will eliminate the need to purchase the operating system, a Unix sub-system, and an X-server for windows. 

All lab OS2 RAMSDIS systems have been converted to Windows RAMSDIS 2002b, with the exception of Hydra, the research system in the west lab.  Hydra will be converted by the end of the month.

The switch from GOES-8 to GOES-12 has prompted the conversion of all RAMSDIS systems to Windows 2000 / McIDAS 2002.  One such switch was the Sounder RAMSDIS which features image products from both GOES-east and GOES-west.  The upgrade was accompanied by updated software for generating several of the available products, including the visible albedo, shortwave albedo, and skin temperature.  In addition, the Sounder water vapor bands are featured (along with the Imager water vapor band) both in native views from each satellite, as well as in remapped images with data from both satellites.  All of these products will be available on the experimental-product version of RAMSDIS Online after it is modified to accommodate them.  Other new Sounder products may be added as they are developed.

Mahalingam Haritharan, a student from Santa Clara University, was instructed in McIDAS (Man Computer Interactive Data Analysis System) programming and RAMSDIS (Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Team Advanced Meteorological Satellite Demonstration and Interpretation System) use.  He is continuing programming work concerning the identification of thunderstorms from satellite imagery started by Jeremy Black, who visited CIRA last summer.  This work is in support of research investigating the detection of lightning from satellite, which is partially supported through a grant from NESDIS/ORA

Molenar, Bikos, Weaver

The latest version of the National Weather Service Warning Event Simulator (OB1) has been installed on a new high-end Linux system for RAMM/CIRA use in development of VISIT teletraining materials.

D. Lindsey attended a meeting in Ft. Worth to continue planning for the NWS’ Learning Management System (LMS).  This system is in its final stage of development before its release later this summer.  VISIT will phase its registration and evaluation functions into the LMS in parts.  For the initial release, VISIT sessions with pre-recorded instructor audio will be handled by the LMS.  The second “phase” should occur later this calendar year.

During this quarter 52 VISIT teletraining sessions have been delivered, 778 students from 215 NWS offices participated.

A manuscript entitled “VISIT — Bringing Training to Weather Service Forecasters using a New Distance Learning Tool” by A. Mostek, J. Weaver, D. Bikos, D. Lindsey, S. Bachmeier, T. Whittaker, B. Grant, J. LaDue, B. Zajac and Brian Motta is undergoing internal review.  When complete the manuscript will be submitted to the Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc.

New VISIT teletraining sessions, which debuted this quarter, include, “Wildland Fire Detection using Satellite Imagery” (taught by John Weaver and Dan Bikos) and “Introducing GOES-12” (taught by Scott Bachmeier of CIMSS).

Bikos, Weaver and Lindsey have been developing a new teletraining session entitled “Use of GOES/RSO imagery with other Remote Sensor Data for Diagnosing Severe Weather across the CONUS.”  Due to the popularity of the previous VISIT teletraining session “Mesoanalysis using GOES RSO Imagery,” this new session was developed to apply principles from the earlier session, as well as Lightning Meteorology I and II.  One of the comments we received on the first session was that all the cases were from the Plains.  In the new session there will be cases from several representative regions across the US.

A VISIT training certificate of completion is sent out to participants who have returned evaluations.  The following graph shows the total number of certificates issued since April 1999.  As of June 20, the total is 11,212 certificates.

The following list shows a breakdown of the metrics for each VISIT teletraining session valid April 1999 – June 20, 2003.  For a complete list and description of each VISIT session see this web page:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/ts.html

IST PDS/VISIT Teletraining Sessions Summary
April 1999 through June 20, 2003

The following map illustrates VISIT participation for each NWS WFO with national centers and CWSUs in the list on the right:

Web versions of most VISIT sessions can be found at the following addresses:

Boundary Detection:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/boundaries1/title.asp

CONUS Cloud to Ground Lightning Climatology:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/lightning/title.asp

Convective Initiation by Low-Level Boundaries:

http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/visit/lessons/bndry2/viewmaster.html

Cyclogenesis:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/cyclo/title.asp

Detecting Boundaries:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/boundaries1/title.asp

Elevated Mesoscale Ascent:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/ascent/title.asp

GOES enhancements/color tables in AWIPS

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/istpds/awips/awips_1.html

Lake-effect snow I (basic):

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/les/title.asp

Lake-effect snow II (intermediate/advanced):

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/les2/title.asp

Lightning Meteorology I:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/ltgmet1/01_title.asp

Lightning Meteorology II:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/ltgmet2/title.asp

Mesoscale Analyses and Techniques:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/mesoana/title.asp

Mesoscale Analysis of Convective Weather using GOES RSO:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/newrso/title.asp

NDIC:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/ndic/title.asp

Rapid Scan Operations:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/rso/title.asp

Tropical Satellite Imagery and Products:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/tropical/title.asp

QuikSCAT:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/qscat/title.asp

Pre-recorded audio versions of a number of VISIT training sessions are now available on the web.  The downloadable files can be found by going to the list of teletraining sessions at:

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/ts.html, 

then selecting from titles that have small, microphone-shaped icons preceding the listing.  Each link leads to a page that provides instructions for various aspects of participation in VISIT training, including instructions for downloading audio versions.

On April 8, M. DeMaria taught a class on “The use of satellite observations in tropical cyclone forecasting” to a  Satellite Meteorology class, Colorado State University Department of Atmospheric Science.

“Mesoanalysis using GOES SO imagery – VISIT session” was presented by J. Weaver and D. Bikos to Colorado State University Atmospheric Science Department graduate students on April 9. 

B. Connell gave a presentation on the GOES and the characteristics of its channels to a Remote Sensing class at the Metropolitan State College of Denver on April 17. 

M. DeMaria spoke on “Estimating tropical cyclone wind probabilities” at the NWS Workshop on the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) in Boulder, CO on April 22.

A GMS IR loop of Super-typhoon Pongsona covering a 4-day period during 5-9 December 2002 was added to the RAMSDIS Online Archives and Case Studies (see http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/rmsdsol/ARCHIVES.html). The loop includes 99 storm-relative frames from 4 km Mercator remapped images zoomed in by a factor of 2. The west eyewall of the typhoon passed over the island of Guam at 03-08 UTC, 8 December 2002.  There was considerable damage on Guam with one-minute maximum wind speeds of 115-120 knots. 

The switch from GOES-8 to GOES-12 has prompted the conversion of all RAMSDIS systems to Windows 2000 / McIDAS 2002.  One such switch was the Sounder RAMSDIS which features image products from both GOES-east and GOES-west.  The upgrade was accompanied by updated software for generating several of the available products, including the visible albedo, shortwave albedo, and skin temperature.  In addition, the Sounder water vapor bands are featured (along with the Imager water vapor band) both in native views from each satellite, as well as in remapped images with data from both satellites.  All of these products will be available on the experimental-product version of RAMSDIS Online after it is modified to accommodate them.  Other new Sounder products may be added as they are developed.

Published:

Alfaro, R., 2003: Validation of GOES precipitation estimates over Central America.  CIRA Technical Report (ISSN No. 0737-5352-58), Colorado State University, 24 pps.

Ellrod, G.P., B.H. Connell, and D.W. Hillger, 2003:  Improved detection of airborne volcanic ash using multi-spectral infrared satellite data.  J. Geophysical Research, 108, D12, 6-1 to 6-13.

Zehr, R.M., 2003: Environmental vertical wind shear with Hurricane Bertha (1996). Wea. Forecasting, 18:2, 345-356.

Accepted:

Chase, T.N., R.A. Pielke Sr., J.A. Knaff, and E. Kalnay, 2003: Changes in global monsoon circulations: evidence for a diminishing hydrological cycle? Natural Hazards.

Nolan, D., and L.D. Grasso, 2003:  Nonhydrostatic, three-dimensional perturbations to balanced, hurricane-like vortices.  Part II.  Symmetric response and nonlinear simulations.  J. of the Atmospheric Sciences.

Submitted:

Demuth, J.L., M. DeMaria, J.A. Knaff, and T.H. Vonder Haar, 2003:  Validation of an Advanced Microwave Sounder Unit (AMSU) tropical cyclone intensity and size estimation algorithm.  J. Appl. Meteor.

Doesken, N.J., J.F. Weaver, and M. Osecky, 2003:  Microscale aspects of rainfall patterns as measured by a local volunteer network. National Weather Digest.

Dostalek, J.F., J.F. Weaver, L. Phillips, 2003:  Noteworthy aspects of a severe left moving thunderstorm of 25 May 1999.  Wea. and Forecasting.

Grasso, L.D., and T.J. Greenwald, 2003:  Analysis of 10.7 um brightness temperatures of a simulated thunderstorm with two-moment microphysics. Mon. Wea. Review.

Hodanish, S., R. Holle, and D. Lindsey, 2003:  A small updraft producing a fatal lightning flash.  Wea. and Forecasting.

Weaver, J.F., D.T. Lindsey, D.E. Bikos, C.C. Schmidt, E. Prins, 2003:  Fire Detection using GOES-11 Rapid Scan Imagery.  Wea. and Forecasting.

M. DeMaria attended the NOAA/MIT Lincoln Lab Hyperspectral Workshop on applications of Hyperspectral Satellite Data. He gave a presentation on applications of this new data to tropical cyclone forecasting. Discussions following this meeting led to a new CIRA proposal to NESDIS/OSD to use currently available hyperspectral data to prepare for GOES-R.

One new Linux system has been configured for use in a joint modeling project with HRD.  The latest Linux version of AWIPS real-time D2D software has been obtained and transition from the AWIPS HP real-time system is in progress.  

An automatic software/security/patch update system has been configured for all new Linux systems.

Several failed snap drives have been repaired or replaced. Efforts are underway to replace the failed DLT tape drive on Helene under the existing support contract.

Two RAMM Branch ESDIM LOI’s were approved for proposal submission.  Proposed tasks include the creation of an online web database of tropical cyclone archive imagery and analysis tools, and the data rescue of 5 years of U.S. satellite climatology data.  

Mid-year review meetings with all NOAA RAMM Team staff were completed the week of April 4.  

A new proposal was submitted to the USWRP Joint Hurricane Testbed to continue development of statistical hurricane intensity forecast methods. In the new proposal, GOES and aircraft reconnaissance data will be used as input to a neural network model, with an emphasis on prediction of rapid intensity change. A method to estimate forecast uncertainties will also be developed. 

M. DeMaria completed the 4-hour NOAA “Stop Taking Avoidable Risks (STAR)” safety training course, which was held at the National Geophysical Data Center in Boulder, CO. The course instructors were from the Mountain Area Services Center (MASC).

Dr. Al Powell, Deputy Director of NESDIS/ORA, visited CIRA on June 10 for an overview of RAMMT/CIRA activities and meetings with team members.  

J. Knaff and M. DeMaria met with Prof. C. Smith and Prof. S. Hayne of the CSU College of Business to discuss a collaborative proposal to establish a NSF Decision Making Under Uncertainty Center at Colorado State University in the College of Business.  The purpose of such centers is to support research, education and outreach that increases understanding of decision-making processes and of the information needed by decision makers, to develop tools to support decision makers and increase their ability to make sound decision, and facilitates interaction among researchers and decision makers.  This topic area is part of the President’s Climate Change Research Initiative.  J. Knaff and S. Hayne will act as a Co-PI on the proposal while C. Smith will be the PI.  

AMS: American Meteorological Society 

AMSU: Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit 

AWIPS: Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System 

CAMEX: Convection and Moisture Experiment 

CG: Cloud to Ground 

CIMSS: Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies 

CIRA: Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere 

COMET: Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training 

CONUS: Continental U.S. 

CoRP:  Cooperative Research Programs

CSU: Colorado State University 

EUMETSAT: European Meteorological Satellite 

FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency 

FTP: File Transfer Protocol 

GIMPAP: Goes I-M Product Assurance Plan 

GOES: Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 

HRD: Hurricane Research Division 

IR: Infrared 

JHT:  Joint Hurricane Transition 

LAPS: Local Analysis and Prediction System 

LES: Lake-Effect Snow 

McIDAS: Man Computer Interactive Data Access System 

MODIS: Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer 

NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

NCAR: National Center for Atmospheric Research 

NDIC: Natural Disaster Information Cards 

NESDIS: National Environmental Satellite Data Information Service 

NHC: National Hurricane Center 

NIDS: NEXRAD Information Dissemination Service 

NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

NWS: National Weather Service 

NWSFO: National Weather Service Forecast Office 

OM: Office of Meteorology 

ORA: Office of Research and Applications 

PACJET: Pacific Landfalling Jets Experiment 

POES: Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite 

POP: Product Oversight Panel 

RAMMT: Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Team 

RAMS: Regional Atmospheric Modeling System 

RAMSDIS: Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Team Advanced Meteorological Satellite
Demonstration and Interpretation System 

RMTC: Regional Meteorological Training Center 

ROL: RAMSDIS Online 

SAB: Satellite Applications Branch 

SOCC: Satellite Operations Control Center 

SOO: Science Operations Officer 

SRSO/RSO: Super Rapid Scan Operation/Rapid Scan Operation 

STAR:  Office of Satellite Research and Development 

STEPS: Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Preciptation Study 

TPC: Tropical Prediction Center 

USWRP: United States Weather Research Program 

UTC: Universal Time Coordinated 

VISIT: Virtual Institute for Satellite Integration Training 

WMO: World Meteorological Organization 

WV: Water Vapor