Transitioning a High-Resolution Weather Radar Proxy Capability Using the GOES-16 Satellite

The Offshore Precipitation Capability (OPC) is a near real-time capability that produces proxy radar data used to supplement NEXRAD radar coverage in data-sparse regions. The OPC radar proxy fields of precipitation intensity and storm top height are produced every 5 minutes on a 1 km grid. OPC is currently used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to safely and efficiently route air traffic over the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico; however other uses for this capability exist, such as enhancing the radar coverage in the mountainous Western US. OPC is based on a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model trained with GOES satellite data, global lightning data from the land-based Earth Networks Total Lightning network, and output from NOAA’s Rapid Refresh (RAP) 13 km numerical weather prediction model. Satellite input is very important to OPC, and prior to the launch of GOES-16, the CNN model was trained and validated using the one visible and four infrared GOES-13 satellite channels. With the launch of GOES-16, OPC was adapted to utilize the GOES-16 satellite channels. This work will discuss the steps taken during the satellite transition to ensure continuity of this important offshore radar-like information for FAA air traffic controllers, as well as the added benefits associated with using the GOES-16 higher resolution satellite channels, faster update, and Global Lightning Mapper in OPC.

* DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. This material is based upon work supported by the Federal Aviation Administration under Air Force Contract No. FA8702-15-D-0001. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Aviation Administration.