Multiple Radar/Multiple Sensor (MRMS) System: Current and Future Role in the Community Analysis and Nowcast Framework

The Multiple Radar/Multiple Sensor (MRMS) system is a state-of-the-sceince hydrometeorological data ingest and analysis framework that combines data streams from multiple radars, satellites, surface and upper air observations, lightning data, and numerical weather prediction models to produce a suite of real-time decision-support products every two minutes. Developed at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), the vision for MRMS is to be the world’s most advanced system for severe weather and stormscale hydrometeorology, leveraging the best science and observation systems to produce the most accurate and reliable hydrometeorological analyses, quantitative precipitation estimates, severe weather analyses, and flash flood detection and nowcasting.

In recent years, MRMS has been successfully transferred to operations at the National Weather Service’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), with MRMS products available in real time to NWS forecasters as well as numerous customers and partners in the public and private sectors. Along with extensive use of MRMS products in warning and forecast operations, MRMS has also become a critical facet in a number of analysis and forecast systems, including NCEP’s High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) and National Water Model (NWM) prediction systems. This presentation will provide an overview of MRMS and its key aspect in today’s analysis and nowcast framework, as well as discussing future roles in systems such as the Rapid Update Analysis (RUA) and Warn-on-Forecast (WoF).