Operational forecast support by National Weather Service Forecast Office in Las Vegas, Nevada during the Terrain-Induced Rotor Experiment

The NWS office in Las Vegas provided operational support to the Terrain-Induced Rotors Experiment (T-REX) during March and April of 2006. The opportunity to interact with world renowned research scientists and gain insights into the dynamics of mountain waves, rotors and downslope wind storms in the lee of the Sierra Nevada proved to be an invaluable experience for the Las Vegas forecast staff. This paper will provide an overview of NWS involvement in the experiment, and highlight some of the important lessons learned and applied in transferring cutting edge research into the operational forecast process. We are confident these practical lessons will result in enhancing our capability to fulfill our NWS mission and add value to our public service customers and to our partners in the aviation community.