NEXRAD Radar Product Improvement: Considerations for Dual-Pol Application R2O Transitions

The NEXRAD network is managed and overseen by the National Weather Service (NWS) Radar Operations Center (ROC), with National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) and OU/CIWRO scientists and engineers working in partnership with the ROC to manage and execute the Radar Product Improvement (RPI) research-to-operations (R2O) project. This RPI project satisfies the need for the continued infusion of new capabilities supporting new and emerging requirements, including improving data quality (via signal processing techniques) and enhancing dual-pol capabilities, the latter of which is the focus of this presentation. Research for these new techniques and algorithms spans from preliminary basic research to intermediate NOAA Readiness Levels (RLs) before being transferred to the ROC for testing and implementation on the open Radar Product Generator (ORPG) for eventual integration into NWS operations.

This talk will highlight a number of ongoing projects at a variety of different RLs, including, but not limited to: 1) an area-based multi-cell tracking algorithm; 2) an update to the existing hydrometeor classification algorithm that is valid at the surface; and 3) the calculation of range-defined quasi-vertical profiles for monitoring the evolution of microphysical processes around the radar site. Particular attention will be paid to projects whose research or transition plans have evolved due to scientific findings during the RPI research process, for which other knowledge transfer or R2O implementation pathways are being explored. This includes a heavy snow nowcasting algorithm that is now being considered for possible implementation on the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system as well as a proposed downburst nowcasting algorithm that will make use of rapid-update polarimetric phased array radar (PAR) data.