Monday, 12 January 2004
A statistical examination and case study of integrated precipitable water (IPW) in northern New England
Hall AB
Plymouth State University has participated in the SoumiNet GPS consortium for the past two years. An initial short-term statistical study in 2001 comparing integrated precipitable water (IPW) values from Plymouth, NH to those taken at the NOAA Forecast Systems Laboratory (FSL) site in Bartlett, NH showed a high degree of agreement. A more thorough statistical comparison of IPW and meteorological data between Plymouth and Bartlett, covering a two-year period, has now been completed. Datasets from each site included IPW, relative humidity, temperature, and pressure. Correlation coefficients were calculated for monthly and annual periods as well as for the entire time of observation from August 2001 through July 2003. In particular, seasonal trends in IPW, relative humidity, and temperature that occurred during the two winters on record are investigated. In addition, a case study is presented that focuses on the passage of a strong cold front in the Northeast on April 16, 2003. The case study examines regional surface dew point temperatures and IPW values at Plymouth and Bartlett and relates these to the passage of the surface front and movements of upper-level features.
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