Hendrik Tolman (NOAA), Frederick Toepfer (NOAA)
Abstract
Operational environmental modeling, with a focus on weather modeling, represents a foundational effort for NOAA to fulfill its mission. The operational part of this modeling suite is operated by the National Weather Service (NWS), and is generally known as the “production suite”. Traditionally, the production suite has focused on solutions for isolated parts of the NOAA mission, which has resulted in a disparate quilt of models and products, with often overlapping applications. More recently, the NWS is moveing to a Unified Forecast System (UFS) to be applied at all spatial and temporal scales for which the NWS requires numerical guidance.
During the last few years, the NWS has started moving to unified modeling for global applications in the Next Generation Global Prediction System (NGGPS) project, by choosing the FV3 dynamic core of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamic Laboratory (GFDL) as the core of ist global weather models. The next step in unifying the production suite is to address convection allowing modeling (CAM), nowcasts and analysis. The NWS has committed to also using the FV3 dynamic core for these higher-resolution, generally regional applications. The FV3 dycore thus becomes a core element of an UFS. The UFS furthermore is designed to have a modular atmospheric physics approach, and inherently is a coupled system across many environmental processes. Last but not least, Data Assimilation is a key element of a UFS.
This presentation will give some background information on the design of the UFS, and will then focus on the implications and intended applications of the UFS for nowcasts and short term forecasts.
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