Results from the GOES-R Proving Ground Portion of the 2014 HWT Spring Experiment

The Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT) provides the GOES-R Proving Ground with an opportunity to demonstrate, pre-launch, baseline and future capabilities products associated with the next generation GOES-R geostationary satellite system. Many of these products have the potential to improve short-range hazardous weather nowcasting and forecasting. In 2014, various GOES-R proxy products and capabilities were demonstrated within the real-time, simulated warning operations environment of the Experimental Warning Program's (EWP) Spring Experiment. This experiment was conducted Monday-Friday during the weeks of May 5, May 12, May 19, and June 2. Participants included 12 visiting NWS forecasters and 4 broadcast meteorologists, and involved demonstrations of the WFO OUN local WRF model and ESRL/GSD ensemble LAPS, in addition to the GOES-R products. Several of the GOES-R products were also shown informally for the HWT Experimental Forecasting Program (EFP) Spring Forecasting Experiment.

GOES-R products demonstrated in the 2014 Spring Experiment included: WRF-NSSL Synthetic Satellite Imagery, UW/CIMSS NearCast System, UAH GOES-R Convective Initiation, UW/CIMSS Probability of Severe nowcast model, UW/CIMSS Overshooting Top Detection Algorithm, and the PGLM Total Lightning, Lightning Jump Algorithm and Total Lightning Tracking Tools from NASA/SPoRT. Additionally, GOES-14 provided the HWT with 1-minute Super Rapid Scan Operations for GOES-R (SRSOR) imagery from May 8 to May 25, illustrating the very high frequency scanning capability of GOES-R. GOES-14 1-minute imagery was also available to the EFP and in Storm Prediction Center (SPC) operations.

Results from the GOES-R portion of the 2014 HWT Spring Experiment are presented, including examples of product use and feedback from participants. Comments and examples from the EWP, EFP and SPC regarding the operational utility of 1-minute imagery will also be shown.