An Extension of the Python SHARPpy GUI to Display Combined Satellite Soundings and ASOS Surface Data in Near-Real Time

SHARPpy is a program created by Greg Bloomberg and Kelton Halbert that displays data in a sounding format created by NWS storm prediction center (SPC). Currently SHARPpy supports operational radiosonde upper air soundings of temperature and water vapor as well as selected NWP model fields. The soundings show temperature and moisture vertical profiles as well as give a calculated value of CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy). The NASA AIRS (Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder) sensor operates on a polar orbiting satellite with sun-synchronous overpass at 1:30a.m. and 1:30p.m.. Retrievals of temperature and moisture from the AIRS data are produced in near-real time. The Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) is used to measure surface temperature and dewpoint at airports across the U.S.. The SHARPpy GUI (Graphical User Interface) plots points on a map using the latitudes and longitudes present in the locations file. Clicking on an ASOS surface station location will bring up the sounding for the closest AIRS sounding profile with the surface temperature and dewpoint from the ASOS observation data. The extension includes a satellite decoder module which allows for remote access to the sounding locations as well as the profile data. This would allow for users to have access to data in near-real time from satellite overpasses. The use of near-real time satellite and surface observations may help assist meteorologists in the nowcasting of severe weather. This will allow for faster, more accurate predictions that could help with issued watches and warnings.