Using Google Earth as a Flight Planning Tool for Atmospheric River Reconnaissance Flights

The preparation of flight tracks for Atmospheric River Reconnaissance (AR Recon) Intensive Observation Periods (IOPs) occurs before weather briefings that are held ahead of potentially impactful ARs. These IOPs include flights by US Air Force Reserve Command C-130s and the NOAA G-IV aircraft and are planned over any combination of the North Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, or the Western Atlantic where observational data in and around ARs over the ocean is scarce. The flight track design component of AR Recon currently uses free Google Earth Pro software which allows for insertion and automatic update of various forecast graphics and ensemble-based forecast sensitivity products. On days when briefings are called by the AR Recon mission director, the lead flight track coordinator confirms that all forecast graphics in Google Earth are up to date and draft flight tracks are developed. Flight tracks typically include transects of the AR, targeting AR related essential atmospheric structures, and regions with the highest ensemble forecast sensitivities, which often overlap. Further refinement of the flight tracks is coordinated with the aircraft targeting lead, generally a more senior scientist on the AR Recon team. During the forecast briefing, the aircraft targeting lead will discuss the flight track design strategy with the AR Recon team and collaborators. This discussion typically includes flight track revisions, or the suggestion of an alternative sampling strategy, which can be completed in real time. Near the end of the forecast briefing, flight track designs are finalized by identifying a portion of the flight track where dropsondes will be released. This dropsonde window is strategically placed along the flight track such that all data gathered from the flight has sufficient time to be assimilated into the global weather models for the next 00 UTC initialization time. Dropsonde data gathered from each flight helps improve model initial conditions, to improve forecasts of landfalling ARs and associated precipitation. After the briefing ends, screenshots and a spreadsheet of the flight path waypoints and dropsonde locations are distributed to the AR Recon mission director and flight planners with NOAA and the US Air Force for review and approval. Usage of Google Earth Pro software for flight track design purposes has evolved over the last few AR Recon seasons into a more streamlined and mostly automated process. This has significantly cut down the time required to prepare flight tracks each day, enabling deeper scientific discussion on sampling targets for each flight. In this presentation, we reflect on lessons learned from previous AR Recon seasons, highlight improvements made to the flight planning tool last season, and introduce new functionality that is(was) planned for the upcoming(current) season.