Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor Tools for Aviation

Over the coming years, the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system will be expanded to include tools and products to support aviation needs.  This will include new acquisitions, quality and assurance tools, winter/terminal area guidance, and convective algorithms.  The higher profile projects include the creation of new domains over the Caribbean and West Pacific, a time stamp mosaic that indicates the age of each pixel in the domain, a physically-based convective growth/decay algorithm, an automated boundary-detection algorithm, improved ceiling heights and low-level visibilities, and improved classification of surface precipitation type.  This broad expansion relies on input and collaborative relations with various entities including the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the NOAA/Global Systems Division, the National Transportation and Safety Board, the Aviation Weather Center, the NWS/Warning Decision Training Division, and the Federal Aviation Administration. The new product suite will be introduced, methods for assessing the utility of the products as well as the quality and assurance measures that will be taken will be discussed.  Last, the various interagency efforts will be presented.