Radio Occultation Data Evaluation, Exploitation and Optimization at NOAA under the Commercial Weather Data Program (CWDP)

Radio occultation (RO) observations have provided a positive impact on NOAA’s global operational data assimilation and forecast system (GFS) since 2007, when the NOAA’s GFS model began assimilating COSMIC data. The launch of COSMIC-2 in June 2019 brought the next-generation of RO observations, with dense equatorial coverage and higher SNR. Furthermore, NOAA is now purchasing RO data from the commercial sector under the Commercial Weather Data Program (CWDP). Therefore, the current RO observing system requires a holistic approach to improve RO impact in numerical weather forecasting at NOAA. One of the projects under the NOAA Quantitative Observing System Assessment Program (QOSAP) focuses on the exploitation of RO data assimilation in NOAA’s weather models. These efforts include improvements in data assimilation algorithms, with enhanced forward operators, quality control procedures and error structures. During this talk, ongoing efforts to improve the impact of RO observations in both the GFS and the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS) under the CWDP will be discussed. In addition, work towards quantifying the benefits of increasing the number of RO profiles beyond current numbers within an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) framework will be presented.