Extended Abstract (1.7M)1B.3
Science and Nowcasting Olympic Weather for Vancouver 2010 (SNOW-V10) -- A new World Weather Research Program Project
George A. Isaac, Environment Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada; and S. Bélair, A. Bott, B. Brown, M. Charron, S. G. Cober, C. Doyle, G. L. Frederick, I. Gultepe, P. Joe, T. D. Keenan, J. Koistinen, J. Mailhot, M. Mueller, R. Rasmussen, R. E. Stewart, and B. J. Snyder
A new World Weather Research Project (WWRP) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is being planned for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Short term weather forecasting or Nowcasting, which concentrates on 0-6 hr predictions, has been the focus of several WWRP projects associated with the Sydney 2000 and the Beijing (2008) Summer Olympic Games. SNOW –V10 will be the first similar project to look at winter weather. It will produce better techniques to nowcast cloud, fog, visibility, precipitation type and amount, and wind and turbulence in mountainous terrain. This will be done by using state-of-the-art numerical modelling systems, new on-site surface and remote sensing observing systems, as well as Nowcasting systems which will blend observations and model predictions into improved short term forecasts. The nowcasts will be produced during a 2009 practice session and during the 2010 Olympics. Short term forecasts will be provided to the weather forecasters supporting each venue, and special real-time displays will be produced for each venue manager. An evaluation and impact study will be conducted to determine the effectiveness of the forecast systems. This talk will describe the plans for the project as determined during a March/08 Workshop, and provide illustrations of the types of forecasts likely to be produced.
Session 1B, Special Session on Canadian Olympics Weather Planning for 2010
Monday, 12 January 2009, 10:45 AM-12:00 PM, Room 122BC
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