More opportunities for forecaster interaction for future operational satellite products – CIRA's activities in the GOES-R and JPSS Proving Grounds

The GOES-R and JPSS Proving Grounds represent an excellent opportunity for operational forecasters to have an impact on the products they will see when the next generation of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (known as GOES-R) and future JPSS Satellites are launched, beginning in 2015. These satellites will not only provide higher resolution imagery at more frequent intervals, but will have far more imager bands that will allow for many potential new products. There are many more products that are possible compared to those that will be able to be processed and transmitted to operational forecasters, so it is important to determine the products that will have the greatest value.

The Proving Grounds allow forecasters to have a say in the very products they will see in the future. Future products can be generated using a combination of today's GOES satellite imagery, imagery from Polar orbiting satellites, and synthetic imagery based on forecast models. Through the Proving Grounds new potential products are emulated so that forecasters can provide feedback to developers before the satellite is launched, a critical part of research to operations, allowing for the most operationally useful products to be developed. An additional benefit to the operational community is training on these products so that they can be utilized fully as soon as they become operationally available. The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) is one of three partners that work closely with WFOs within the GOES-R and JPSS Proving Grounds, and this talk will give an update on CIRA's Proving Ground efforts, including a discussion of the latest products being tested and the feedback we have received. Challenges that have been encountered will also be noted, and we will outline CIRA's future Proving Ground plans and how interested forecasters can become involved in the process.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and findings in this report are those of the authors, and should not be construed as an official NOAA and or U.S. Government position, policy, or decision.