The Operational Transition from Winter Storms Reconnaissance (2014) to Winter Season Reconnaissance

In accordance to the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology (OFCM) Winter Season Reconnaissance (WSR) operations plan, the overall focus of aircraft winter observations has shifted to (1) Atmospheric River (AR) airborne observations and forecasting impacts of the observations, and (2) customized WSR tracks to benefit winter storm forecasting on both the US east and west coast. The AR studies have employed Air Force Reserve WC-130, NOAA G-IV and NASA/NOAA Global Hawk aircraft primarily for targeted dropwindsonde measurements over customized flight tracks near ARs, from the ITCZ to near coastal North America. New data-assimilation and targeting schemes are also being evaluated, both for winter storms and tropical cyclones. Results from these investigations will help modify what were historically pre-determined flight tracks to custom patterns based on focused targeting of model areas of data initialization vulnerability. The transition of WSR since 2014 is depicted from an operational standpoint, including coordination among UCSD Scripps Institution of Oceanography and numerous university groups, the Air Force Reserves 53^rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, NOAA Aircraft Operations Center, and the FAA, along with operation areas, flight track organization, and flight execution.