Spring 2007 national weather radar testbed demonstration

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 KLTX (Oklahoma City, OK) WSR-88D and the National Weather Radar Testbed (NWRT) phased array radar (PAR) demonstrated the ability of PAR to provide the high-temporal resolution data needed for early detection of significant storm development, hail signatures, gust fronts, and wind shear. 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 NWRT demonstration at the NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed in Norman, Oklahoma will be introduced to PAR data for the first time. The NWRT demonstration will be conducted from 15 April through 30 June 2007 and will primarily be concerned with data collection within a 150 km radius of the PAR prior to and during severe weather warning operations. Two overarching goals of the NWRT demonstration are to test the adaptive, multi-purpose scanning capability of PAR and to collect feedback from NWS forecasters on operational benefits and challenges of integrating PAR data into warning decision-making. The preliminary results of this study will be reported in the extended abstract.