Development of an operational integrated observing system for precipitation and boundary layer measurements

An operational observing system utilizing ground-based remote sensing platforms has been developed for the Huntsville region, and is expected to undergo further expansion in the near future. Currently, the operational observational facilities include the following instruments: • Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS, consisting of a 915 MHz boundary layer wind profiler, microwave profiling radiometer, 2 kHz Doppler sodar, and lidar ceilometer); • Advanced Radar for Meteorological and Operational Research (ARMOR, a sensitive C-band Doppler radar with dual polarization capability; upgraded in 2004); • The NASA Lightning Mapping Array; • A second Doppler sodar on Redstone Arsenal. The following additional instruments are planned or will be upgraded: • A mobile X-band dual-polarization Doppler radar (planned); • A 2 micron Doppler lidar (upgrade of existing lidar, fixed location) • An S-band Doppler radar (upgrade of existing radar) • Additional surface instrumentation in the region. This instrumentation resides in the Huntsville region, where surface properties include urban, agriculture, wetlands, and forested regions with modest topographic relief.

Currently, the existing instrumentation is being used for two contrasting applications: 1) Measurements of boundary layer properties over a mesoscale domain of O(100 km). 2) Measurements of precipitation and convective storm properties. Under the first topic, we are investigating discontinuities in the boundary layer (convergent boundary zones) and mesoscale circulations associated with the small urban heat island of Huntsville, a large reservoir on the Tennessee River, and the modest topographic relief. Under the second topic, investigations include relationships between lightning and storm properties, lighting forecasting (a future thrust), and quantitative precipitation estimation (urban and larger watershed).

This paper will provide examples of detailed measurements of these phenomena, and plans for future enhancements, including integration of these and other diverse measurements.