2015 Satellite Proving Ground at the National Hurricane Center Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch

The next generation of geostationary Earth-observing systems, GOES-R, is scheduled for launch in the Fall of 2016. Through the Satellite Proving Ground, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center's Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch (TAFB) have been able to familiarize and evaluate a suite of new satellite data and products to be incorporated into NOAA operations post GOES-R launch. During most of the 2015 Hurricane Season (Jun 1st to 30 Nov) three convective products were evaluated: the GLD-360 Lightning Density (OPC/NESDIS/CICS), Convective Initiation (CI) (UAH/NASA SPoRT) and the CIRA Layered Precipitable Water (LPW). The GLD-360 Lightning Density product has been in operations (experimental mode) for nearly three years while the CI and the LPW were introduced early in the summer. These products have assisted forecasters in diagnosing the threat for heavy rain in the offshore and high seas waters where radar is not available. In addition, RGB products such as Dust, Pseudo-Natural Color, and Saharan Air Layer (SAL) Split-Window are heavily utilized in TAFB for the diagnosis of tropical waves. Particular events illustrating the products under evaluation will be presented, including an extensive SAL dry air and dust event that contributed to the overall weak tropical waves pattern this hurricane season.