Multi-platform real-time sea surface temperature analysis for the initialization of short-term operational forecasts

Three sea surface temperature (SST) data streams are combined to produce analyses for a real-time high resolution operational forecast/assimilation cycle at the National Weather Service in Melbourne Florida. The SST product is a blend of the relatively coarse (~50 km horizontal resolution) National Centers for Environmental Prediction Real-Time Global Sea Surface Temperature analysis RTG-SST while taking advantage of the temporal continuity of the GOES-12 platform (SST data available hourly) and the high spatial resolution of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) SSTs. A primary goal of this work is to demonstrate the potential positive impact of next generation polar orbiting satellites (i.e., VIIRS) on field operations (i.e. NWS).

GOES composites are blended with the RTG SSTs to produce a first-guess field for the high spatial resolution MODIS SSTs. Concurrent efforts are underway to assess the quality of MODIS and GOES composites compared to that of the high resolution SST analyses, and to examine the impact of the different SST data streams on short-term forecasts (on the order of 24 h). Results will be presented that attempt to gage the impact of combining the RTG-SST analysis and GOES composites to create a background field. We also attempt to quantify background and observation errors, and the relevant length scales in the analysis domain.