92nd American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting (January 22-26, 2012)

Monday, 23 January 2012
Exploring the Concept of a Mesoscale Desk
Hall E (New Orleans Convention Center )
Michael W. Douglas, NOAA/NSSL, Norman, OK

The challenge of providing adequate meteorological education to the international forecasting community is substantial. One relatively small successful activity carried out at NOAA's Hydrometeorological Prediction Center has been known as the International (Tropical, South American and African) Desks. We are evaluating the possibility of establishing a parallel activity that would focus on mesoscale meteorological forecasting. Such a Desk might involve visits by larger groups to the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma, for a month or more. Topics of discussion would include the diversity and physics of mesoscale phenomena, observing systems for mesoscale forecasting, mesoscale forecasting techniques, and what types of applied research are feasible for differing Meteorological Services. This talk will describe the reasons behind the proposal, the likely participants in such an activity, the potential topics of highest value, and indicate what the main problems are likely to be in establishing such an activity.

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