NOAA's Joint Polar Satellite System's Proving Ground and Risk Reduction Program – Responding to Real-World Severe Weather

This presentation will focus on instances where NOAA Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Program's Proving Ground and Risk Reduction (PGRR) projects responded to support real-world severe weather events. The satellite liaison supporting National Weather Service's (NWS) National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) effectively utilized Suomi National Polar Partnership (SNPP) data to assist NCEP forecasters in evaluating Super Storm Sandy's development, and changes in its intensity and track. Lessons learned have been used to support additional tropical cyclone forecasting. During recent Spring flooding in Alaska, two PGRR projects refocused their efforts to provide SNPP product applications that were invaluable to the NWS forecasters' ability to track ice movement on the Yukon River and flooding resulting from ice jams. As a result the Alaskan River Forecast Center has requested that work be done to help establish these capabilities as routine support to their mission. A PGRR project team member was asked to deploy to several wild fires in CO. The objective was to work directly with NWS Incident Meteorologists to evaluate SNPP Active Fire capabilities in an effort to improve weather support to decisions made on-site by emergency managers. Lessons can then be applied to other fires in the United States and possibly in other countries.