Extended Abstract (164K)5C.1
NSSL's prototype enhanced severe thunderstorm database
Kevin Scharfenberg, CIMMS/Univ. of Oklahoma and NOAA/NSSL, Norman, OK, Norman, OK; and T. M. Smith, C. Legett, K. L. Manross, K. L. Ortega, and A. G. Kolodziej
With the transition to "storm-based" warnings in the United States, severe local storm forecasts are being issued at increasing temporal and spatial resolutions. The imminent introduction of new model guidance, new observation platforms, and enhanced applications will allow forecasters to further increase their precision and introduce uncertainty information (i.e., probabilities) to their severe weather warnings. Verification techniques and the associated severe thunderstorm database, however, remain relatively low-resolution. The database also remains largely analog and text-based, despite the increased availability of multimedia and digital resources. To address this emerging gap between the validation data set and modern warning techniques and applications, the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) conducted the Severe Hazards Analysis and Verification Experiment (SHAVE) in 2006-2007. A review of techniques found to be effective in increasing data resolution during SHAVE is provided. Using internet tools these dense data sets may be added to multimedia resources (e.g., photographs of damage or video of the severe weather) to form a comprehensive digital database of a severe weather event at much higher resolution than currently available. Currently NSSL is developing a prototype internet-based collaborative portal (Wiki) to manage and host this information. The ongoing work to develop and evaluate this database is described.
Session 5C, Internet Applications & Cyberinfrastucture
Tuesday, 22 January 2008, 3:45 PM-5:15 PM, 208
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