2010 Phased-array radar innovative sensing experiment

The National Weather Radar Testbed phased-array radar (NWRT PAR) has unique electronic scanning capabilities for weather surveillance. A key objective of the 2010 Phased-Array Radar Innovative Sensing Experiment (PARISE) is the demonstration and testing of the radar's capability to produce efficient and effective rapid sampling of severe storms. Rapid sampling is achieved through the implementation of electronic adaptive scanning, range oversampling, and other techniques, over a 90-degree sector. At the same time, an enhanced depiction of storm structure is attained through dense vertical sampling (22 tilts) and 50% azimuthal oversampling. The high-quality, rapid update data collected in spring 2010 provides the opportunity to improve understanding of storm processes in bowing line segments, hail storms, and fast moving tornadic storms.

The social science-component of the 2010 PARISE engaged 12 forecasters from three regions of the National Weather Service in the analysis of NWRT PAR data and took place during the last three weeks of April 2010. The primary objective of this user-focused experiment is to build an understanding of potential operational impacts of higher-temporal resolution data on the warning decision process and warning lead time. To accomplish this objective, on Tuesday and Wednesday of each week the four participants received training on the NWRT PAR instrumentation and gained experience analyzing the data and issuing warnings using three playback events. The three events included a microburst, quasi-linear convective system, and isolated supercell. On Thursdays forecasters participated in day-long experiment for which NWRT PAR data for two cases were used with two different update times for each case: one with the full-temporal resolution data, and the other with WSR-88D-like temporal resolution data. The two events included a low-topped supercell that formed in a tropical environment and a supercell that formed in more of a traditional Southern Plains environment. Following each event, each team discussed their warning decision making process with their facilitators, and then met with the other team to compare and contrast their warning decision experiences. These debriefings produced a very rich dataset that illustrates possible impacts of higher-temporal resolution data on the warning decision making process and how NWRT PAR data may be eventually be introduced to the field.