National
Air Quality Forecast System (AQFS) (O3) Graphic
Forecast Displays Product Description Document (PDD)
Part
I - Mission Connection
a.
Description of Product - The National Weather Service's National Air Quality
Forecast System (AQFS) Ozone (O3) Graphic Forecast
displays (http://www.weather.gov/aq
) are
web-based presentations of gridded forecast guidance
originating from the Environmental Modeling Center (EMC) of the National
Environmental Prediction (NCEP).The
ozone data is displayed for a domain covering the northeast
The O3 grib files are
produced from Eta-12 CMAQ (Community Multiscale Air
Quality) modeling system that is run twice daily from the 0600 and 1200 UTC
cycles and posted as graphic images to NCEP and EPA web sites per interagency agreement . Forecast time projections will extend out to a minimum of 30
hours (0600 run) to a maximum of 48 hours (1200 run). Initially the domain will cover the northeast
US for just O3. Additional coverage and pollutants
will be added in future years.
b. Purpose AQFS has been developed in support of a
Congressional mandate to implement an operational air quality forecast system
to benefit public health. DOC/NOAA and EPA formed a partnership to transfer
scientific advances in air quality monitoring and forecasting into NCEP's world class modeling realm. AQFS guidance will be used by state and
local agency forecasters, as well as the media and private sector
meteorologists as input to their AQ forecasts providing higher resolution and
greater coverage (12 km general coverage) than the approximately 300 specific
locations nationwide . The general public health will benefit from
improved forecasts and mitigation of harmful impacts.. Expanded coverage and additional forecast
pollutants such as particulate matter will be produced as the science and NOAA
capabilities permit and in accordance with growing user needs.
c. Intended Audience -
The NWS graphical AQ guidance products are intended for use by state and local agency forecasters, as well as the media and
private sector meteorologists. The general
public who may be adversely impacted by pollutants will also have access to the
data via graphical output on multi-agency web sites.
d. Presentation Method -
The data are presented as web-based graphic images. The AQFS provides ground
level ozone (O3) for
a domain covering the northeast
e. Feedback Mechanism - We are
always seeking to improve our products based on user feedback. Please submit
your comments by completing our brief experimental
product survey. Comments may also be submitted
by clicking on the Survey/Comments links on the experimental product web
pages. Comments are being accepted.
For
general questions regarding the National Air Quality Forecast System, please
email:
Part II - Technical Description
a. Format & Science Basis - The AQFS is described at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/ost/air_quality/
b. Product Availability - The AQFS O3 graphics are produced twice daily based on the 0600 and 1200 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). model cycles and are available at 0900 and 1330 EDT, respectively. Use the following URL to access real-time O3 graphics: http://wwwt.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/aq
c. Other Details A future AQ directive will be developed.