Spring 2008 real-time phased array radar experiment

Although WSR-88D data are indispensable for assessing storm severity, a recent comparative analysis of the evolution of several severe convective storms using data collected by the KLTX (Oklahoma City, OK) WSR-88D and the National Weather Radar Testbed (NWRT) Phased Array Radar (PAR) in Norman, Oklahoma demonstrated the ability of PAR to sample the temporal evolution of significant storm development, hail signatures, gust fronts, and wind shear in more detail. These high-temporal resolution data have the potential to benefit short-term forecasting and warning decision-making, though users may be challenged by the rapid influx of data.

This spring, National Weather Service forecasters participating in the Real-time Phased Array Radar Experiment at the NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed in Norman, Oklahoma were introduced to PAR data and asked to evaluate its utility for severe weather warning operations in both real-time operations and simulated real-time playback of two archived weather events. During the six-week experiment (28 April through 6 June 2008) 27 participants evaluated the following four aspects of weather surveillance with the PAR: 1) strengths and limitations of PAR data, compared to the WSR-88D, in the analysis of severe storms, 2) how characteristics of PAR scan strategies affect the interpretation of severe storms, 3) how PAR data affects warning decision making, and 4) how PAR data may be of benefit to operational responsibilities. The results of this study will be reported in the extended abstract.