Wind Development and Use in the NCEP GFS Data Assimilation System

The Global Observing System's upper-air observations component has improved with the launch of a number of next generation weather satellites. Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) - class imagers with surpassing spatial and spectral capabilities are now on board of HIMAWARI and GOES satellites. In addition, the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) on board the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Meteosat-8/11 has many of the spatial and spectral features as ABI. These technological advancements have lead to new algorithm development and improved Atmospheric Motion Vector's (AMVs) data products from EUMETSAT, JMA and NOAA/NESDIS.

New wind products are thoroughly studied, evaluated and tested before inclusion in the NCEP's GFS Data Assimilation system as they become available. We will present results from recent model implementations allowing the use of Meteosat-8 and 11, Himawari-8 and Goes-16 winds. We will illustrate that improved handling of the AMVs leads to the development of a more robust forecasting system.