Gridded Localized Aviation MOS Program (LAMP) guidance for aviation forecasting

The National Weather Service's (NWS) Meteorological Development Laboratory (MDL) completed the implementation of the Localized Aviation MOS Program (LAMP) into NWS operations in 2008. LAMP currently provides timely statistical guidance for elements needed by aviation forecasters and produces updated guidance every hour of the day, with each run providing hourly forecasts out to 25 hours. The guidance products are valid at stations, while guidance for thunderstorms is provided on a grid. LAMP is intended to be used in preparing Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs) and other aviation forecasts.

In 2010, MDL began producing experimental Gridded LAMP guidance for the sensible weather elements of temperature, dewpoint, ceiling height, and visibility on the 2.5km NDFD (National Digital Forecast Database) contiguous United States grid. Gridded analyses of observations as well as gridded LAMP forecasts are available. These products are planned to become operational in 2011, and a prototype to provide Gridded LAMP convection guidance will soon be available experimentally. Gridded LAMP guidance will be a source for NWS forecasters to use in the creation of digital aviation forecasts, and will be available in the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen).

In this talk, an overview of the Gridded LAMP products will be presented, and examples will be provided. Verification results for the experimental guidance will be shown, and the results of ongoing efforts to improve the gridded products will be detailed. The schedule for the implementation of future elements and additional geographical coverage areas into the Gridded LAMP suite will be presented.