Background
SPoRT is working collaboratively with the Huntsville WFO on the evaluation and use of AIRS Level-2 (L2)
temperature and moisture profiles for operational applications. Real-time AIRS profiles have the potential to
provide forecasters with asynoptic profile information to monitor weather conditions (e.g. changes in stability or
moisture advection) in the early morning (typically 06-09Z ) and mid-afternoon (16-19Z) hours, and to fill in
spatial coverage between synoptic radiosonde and special observation stations.
AIRS profiles are not like radiosondes! Forecasters must be informed on the strengths and limitations of the
AIRS profiles to ensure proper use. This website is an interactive, real-time training tool that enables users to
see the quality and to assess the utility of AIRS profiles when compared to spatially collocated radiosonde and
forecast model profiles.
Near-real-time soundings from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) are publically available from two
sources:
AIRS profiles are made available to WFOs in AWIPS in a similar format to GOES Sounder profiles. The near
real-time AIRS data is obtained from the University of Wisconsin Direct Broadcast system. The retrievals are made
with the AIRS Science Team retrieval algorithm adapted for real-time processing as part of the AMAP system. The
temperature and moisture information is obtained at 100 pressure levels from the AIRS supplemental file format.
Temperature is acquired directly from the products, and the dew point temperature is derived from the water vapor
column density.
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