Notification of Removal of NGM-LAMP

LAMP Announcement

December 07, 2006

Updated: January 23, 2007

 

Attention LAMP users:

The LAMP system, which provides an update to the MOS guidance, is being redeveloped to update the GFS MOS guidance instead of updating the older NGM MOS guidance. The initial four cycles of the GFS-MOS based LAMP (GFS-LAMP) guidance became operational in July 2006. Beginning in 2007, the GFS-LAMP will provide operational guidance for as many (and eventually more) cycles as the NGM-MOS based LAMP (NGM-LAMP), and the NGM-LAMP will no longer be necessary.

Beginning with the OB8.1 release of AWIPS, we expect that there will be at least as many cycles of the GFS-LAMP guidance as the NGM-LAMP guidance. At that time, the NGM-LAMP system will be removed from AWIPS according to the approved OB8.1 content of the System Recommendation & Evaluation Committee (SREC). With the AWIPS OB8.1 release, the NGM-LAMP guidance will no longer be available, and the NGM-LAMP software will no longer run locally at CONUS WFOs in AWIPS. The product will be discontinued.

In response to the discontinuation of the NGM-LAMP in AWIPS, on or around November 1, 2007 the NGM-LAMP guidance will cease to be available on the NWS LAMP web site http://www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl/lamp/ngmlamp.shtml

Users are encouraged to prepare for the discontinuation of the NGM-LAMP well in advance of this time. The new GFS-LAMP guidance is currently available, and will continue to be available after the removal of the NGM-LAMP, and is intended to be used as a replacement for the NGM-LAMP. Information about the GFS-LAMP, including the real-time GFS-LAMP guidance, is available at the web site http://www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl/lamp/index.shtml.

For your reference, key differences between the NGM-based LAMP system and the GFS-based LAMP system are summarized below. Please note that the GFS LAMP does not currently provide guidance for either Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts (QPF) or Cloud Layer Amounts and Heights for 3 layers of clouds. It is possible that these elements may be developed in the future for GFS LAMP. The new GFS LAMP will provide guidance for categorical Ceiling Height and Total Sky Cover.

	Current (NGM-based) LAMP	New (GFS-based) LAMP
Updates	NGM MOS	GFS MOS
Runs	Locally in AWIPS	Centrally on NCEP computers
Distribution	Within AWIPS, NWS ftp server, experimentally on web	Across NOAAport, SBN, NWS ftp server, experimentally on web, National Digital Guidance Database, received in AWIPS and at NWS National Centers
Cycles	Every 3 hours	Every hour (planned)
Projections	Hourly out 20 hours	Hourly out 25 hours
Coverage	CONUS	CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico (Thunderstorm guidance available over CONUS only)
Stations	~ 1000 stations	> 1500-1600 Stations (depending on the cycle)

Key differences between the NGM-based LAMP forecast elements and the GFS-based LAMP forecast elements are summarized below:

Element	Current (NGM-based) LAMP	New (GFS -based) LAMP
Temperature	Yes	Yes
Dewpoint	Yes	Yes
Wind Direction	Yes	Yes
Wind Speed	Yes	Yes
Wind Gusts	No	Yes
Probability of Precipitation Occurring on the Hour	Yes	Yes
Best Category (yes/no) for Occurrence of precipitation on the Hour	Yes	Yes
Probability of Precipitation Occurring in a 6-h period	Yes	Yes
Probability of Precipitation Occurring in a 12-h period	Yes	Yes
Probability of Thunderstorm Occurring in a 20-km gridbox in a 2-h period	No	Yes
Best Category (yes/no) for Occurrence of thunderstorm in a 20-km gridbox in a 2-h period	No	Yes
Precipitation Type	Yes	Yes
Precipitation Characteristics	No	Yes
Sky Cover	Yes	Yes
Ceiling Height	Yes	Yes
Conditional Ceiling Height	No	Yes
Visibility	Yes	Yes
Conditional Visibility	No	Yes
Obstruction to Vision	Yes	Yes
Quantitative Precipitation Forecast	Yes	Not Planned
Three Cloud Layers	Yes	Not Planned

For more details about the new system, please visit our web site http://www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl/lamp/index.shtml..

Thank you for your interest in LAMP.

Judy Ghirardelli

NWS/OST/MDL/LAMP