Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center

SPoRT periodically hosts visitors to learn more about our program and team as well as to discuss opportunities for future collaboration. Typically, during these visits, the guest will present a seminar outlining his or her current work to help provide background on common interests. Please check back soon for information on the next seminar.

Increasing Use of WindSat Data for AK Operations

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:49:21

Given the very cold and snowy winter in Alaska this year, it is no doubt that surface observation systems are taking a beating, especially those out in the open ocean. The loss of some ofthese important data makes operational forecasting a little more difficult. Because of this, the use andimportance of remotely sensed data has [...]

Though we're not 24/7, SPoRT strives to provide the most timely and reliable data products to its partners and end users. A system has been developed to monitor the availability of LDM and FTP products and categorize each product based on its age. Summaries are posted every 10 minutes to the link below.

ARTCC - Air Route Traffic Control Center

               

(click to enlarge)

This image is an example of the lightning forecast algorithm, under development by researchers here in Huntsville, Alabama and using data from the North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array (NALMA) for training and verification. Here is a 36 hour forecast, valid at 12Z on 27 April 2011, of the greatest hourly flash densities.

A modeling and verification study of summer precipitation systems using NASA surface initialization datasets

One of the most challenging weather forecast problems in the southeastern U.S. is daily summertime pulse-type convection. During the summer, atmospheric flow and forcing are generally weak in this region; thus, convection typically initiates in response to local forcing along sea/lake breezes, and other discontinuities often related to horizontal gradients in surface heating rates. Numerical simulations of pulse convection usually have low skill, even in local predictions at high resolution, due to the inherent chaotic nature of these precipitation systems.