The GOES-R Proving Ground: Demonstrating Future Products to Aid Severe Local Storm Forecasting

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R series will provide a significant advancement in observing capabilities with an enhanced imager, the first of its kind lightning mapper, and space weather instruments. These new observations offer a significant challenge: users must be ready to exploit the many improvements in spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions. To ensure user readiness, forecasters and other users must have access to prototype advanced products and training well before launch, and have the opportunity to provide feedback to product developers and program managers. A prelaunch operational assessment is critical to ensure that the end products and NOAA's computing and communications systems truly meet user needs in a rapidly evolving environment.

The GOES-R Proving Ground (PG) engages the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters in pre-operational demonstrations of select products with the planned GOES-R attributes (enhanced spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution). In the PG, developers and forecasters test and apply algorithms for new GOES-R satellite data and products using proxy and simulated data sets, including observations from current and future satellite instruments (MODIS, AIRS, IASI, SEVIRI, NPP/VIIRS/CrIS, LIS), lightning networks, and computer simulated products.

The products tested in 2012 with direct application to severe local storm forecasting and integrated decision support services include: synthetic cloud and moisture imagery, total lightning observations, forecast of lightning threat, convective initiation, cloud top cooling rate, enhanced “V”/overshooting top detection, and a “nearcast” moisture and stability product. This presentation will show examples of the proxy and simulated GOES-R products and provide feedback on their operational value from Proving Ground participants at the Hazardous Weather Testbed in Norman, OK.