An Extension of the Python SHARPpy GUI to Display NASA AIRS Satellite Sounding Profiles and CAPE in Near-Real Time

SHARPpy is a program created by Greg Bloomberg and Kelton Halbert that displays data in a sounding format created by NWS storm prediction center (SPC). Currently SHARPpy supports operational radiosonde upper air soundings of temperature and water vapor as well as selected NWP model fields. The soundings show temperature and moisture vertical profiles as well as give a calculated value of CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy). The NASA AIRS (Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder) sensor operates on a polar orbiting satellite with sun-synchronous overpass at 1:30a.m. and 1:30p.m.. Retrievals of temperature and moisture from the AIRS data are produced in near-real time. The SHARPpy GUI (Graphical User Interface) plots points on a map using the latitudes and longitudes present in the locations file. Clicking on a point will bring up the sounding for that AIRS file. The extension proposed will allow for the points on the map to indicate to the user which soundings have the greatest values of CAPE without needing to open up the soundings. This will increase the ease of use of the SHARPpy GUI. The use of near-real time will help assist meteorologists in the nowcasting of severe weather. This will allow for faster, more accurate predictions that could help with issued watches and warnings. Examples include severe CAPE atmospheric conditions from the 2015 PECAN experiment in the southern Great Plains and from near-real time satellite overpasses.