Warning Improvements
- Improved radar scanning strategies and enhanced
radar performance are increasing the ability of forecasters to detect and
warn the public about developing hazardous weather conditions.
In collaboration with the National Weather Service Radar Operations Center and the FAA, NSSL is working on WSR-88D/TDWR operational product development and improvement that will enhance the performance and data quality of the nation's operational weather radar systems.
NSSL researchers, in collaboration with staff of the National Weather Service’s Radar Operations Center, have developed and continue to develop radar scanning strategies that provide faster and higher-resolution reflectivity and Doppler velocity data for NWS forecasters. These strategies include plans to lower elevation angles—especially for those radars located on mountain tops—so that the radars can scan closer to the ground where adverse conditions directly affect the public. Overall, the new scanning strategies lead to earlier detections and warnings of threatening weather conditions. - Providing a way to develop and evaluate prototype and experimental applications
leads to a faster implementation of new warning tools.
The NSSL-developed Warning Decision Support System–Integrated Information (WDSS-II), a suite of algorithms and displays for severe weather analysis, warnings and forecasting, is used for testing in operational environments at NWS forecast offices, and successful algorithms are implemented into NWS systems.
Experimental algorithms and displays developed at NSSL were used in the analysis of a number of classic, as well as unique, severe storm case studies from a radar and warning perspective. - Accurate quantitative precipitation estimates
(QPE) will lead to improved flash flood and debris flow warnings.
NSSL's National Mosaic and Next Generation QPE (Q2) provides a real-time, around-the-clock, applications development and testing environment that includes automatic algorithm comparison and verification scoring.
The CI-FLOW (Coastal and Inland Flooding Observing and Warning) demonstration program between NCSU and NSSL will facilitate the evaluation and testing of new technologies and techniques to produce accurate and timely identification of coastal, estuary and inland floods, flash floods and their impacts on the coastal ecosystem.
NSSL researchers are serving on an interagency debris flow project team to create a mudslide warning system for southern California. - Providing forecasters with more information on
the characteristics of low-level winds that affect severe storm initiation
and intensification will lead to improved short-term severe weather warnings.
Researchers at NSSL and OU/CIMMS are developing a storm-targeted radar wind retrieval (STWR) system to provide forecasters with a desired comprehensive analysis tool to accurately analyze and monitor critical low-level wind conditions at very high resolutions. Forecasters will be able to access full horizontal vector wind information. - Through the use of simulated Doppler radar signatures,
forecasters develop understandings of how to properly interpret Doppler
velocity and reflectivity signatures of severe weather features.
Since the early 1980s, NSSL researchers have been producing simulated Doppler velocity and reflectivity signatures of various severe weather features.
