Spring 2023 Data Collection with the NSSL Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD) Phased Array Radar

Ongoing work at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) in Norman, OK is exploring the dependability, cost, and potential operational benefits of phased array radars. In the late winter and spring of 2023, the research proof-of-concept, dual-polarization phased array radar known as the Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD) was used to collect numerous data sets on a variety of weather hazards. Specialized scanning strategies were developed for each hazard type with the goal of evaluating potential benefits of phased array radar, including 1–2 min volume update times, dense vertical resolution, and improvements in data quality. These data sets, collected over approximately a 4 month period, represent the first full season of dedicated weather data collection by the ATD. In this presentation, we highlight ATD cases that include, but are not limited to, winter weather, severe hail-producing multicell, tornadic supercell, and quasi-linear convective system (QLCS) event. Evolution and depiction of operationally-relevant radar signatures are discussed and we also make comparisons with data collected by the current operational Weather Surveillance Radar-1998 Doppler radar network. The analysis focuses on the improved radar volume update times and improved dual-pol data quality, particularly those that depict radar signatures such as KDP cores, ZDR columns, and ZDR arcs. Future plans for collaborations with operational forecasters to evaluate potential benefits provided by ATD data in a Hazardous Weather Testbed experiment will also be discussed.