Short-term Prediction Research
and Transition Center

Meetings

Welcome to the Total Lightning Applications, Transition, Evaluation, Science and Technology (LATEST) workshop jointly convened by NASA’s Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center (SPoRT), the National Weather Service, and Vaisala, Inc. The motivation for this workshop is driven by new opportunities in the U.S. to observe total lightning activity using ground-based and satellite research systems, and at the same time deliver real-time data products to NWS forecaster workstations within portions of the southern tier of states stretching from Florida to New Mexico. The goal of this workshop is to bring the data and product producers together with the product and decision-making consumers, to form a collaboration to advance the scientific understanding of thunderstorm processes, as well as to develop and evaluate nowcasting and warning decision-making applications using total lightning in an operational environment. Science and algorithm risk reduction performed now and in the coming years will help to accelerate the transition to operations for new satellite observations such as the planned lightning imaging sensors on GOES-R, and to better understand the operational value of total lightning information in general.

During the 2-day workshop we will have 5 sessions covering the following topics: 1) science and technology briefings on ground-based VHF and satellite optical techniques to map total lightning, and a common data format to facilitate the exchange of VHF lightning data among the project participants; 2) owner-operator reports on existing systems operated by NASA, NSSL, and Vaisala, and a Web-based forecaster assessment tool at the SPoRT Center that could be used by all the participating NWS forecast offices; 3) decision support tools that can be useful in real-time data and product evaluation, as well as facilitate the playback of case studies. This session will also include presentations on the convective storm initiation, evolution, and severity short-term forecast challenges and gaps at operational centers, along with related impacts on the safety and efficiency of the national air space and public safety; 4) results from prior short-duration scientific field programs and operational demonstrations of the value-added from total lightning data in an operational forecast office; and 5) a planning session to begin the development of a project plan to conduct the LATEST Project, building upon the government and university collaborations already underway.

Steve Goodman, Tom Bradshaw, Ken Cummins

March 26, 2004