Model-Observational Comparison for the Third Wind Forecast Improvement Project

The third edition of the Wind Forecasting Improvement Project (WFIP3) is one application of numerical weather prediction (NWP) that compares model data to observational data, focusing on improving NWP applications to wind energy applications offshore of the Northeast. The project deals with exploring offshore wind resources and seeing what oceanic and atmospheric processes affect the availability of it. Funded by the Department of Energy (DOE), several state-of-the-art in-situ and remote sensing instrumentation to measure low-level winds (i.e., closer to the hub height of a wind turbine) and boundary layer characteristics. The goal is to better understand the oceanic and atmospheric processes which impact wind energy applications, as well as have a comparison to numerical model data. This improved understanding will help to improve inaccuracies in wind fields in numerical weather prediction, enabling improved models for wind energy and power output applications.