Integration of Real Time Mesoscale NWP with NWS Operational Forecasting

The use of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Mesoscale Model Version 5 (MM5) has become widespread within both research and operational communities. Using MM5 in a true operational mode presents a variety of challenges. For example, without stable input data sources, on-time production of daily forecasts may not be dependable. Further, to make the model output useful, it must be fully integrated with the visualization systems used by forecasters.

TASC has worked with the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Sacramento, California to provide tools and utilities which allow for the integration of operational MM5 forecasts with NWS visualization and analysis tools. A set of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) allows forecasters to interactively configure the model. Using the GUIs, MM5 configuration can be as simple as defining an input data source and the length of the forecast, or much more complex, including the placement and resolution of nested grids, and the selection of various physics packages. The GUI system is meant to simplify the setup process for novice users, while allowing more sophisticated users the ability to modify the full spectrum of MM5 parameters.

A primary goal of the cooperative work between TASC and the NWS has been to assess the ability of integrating an external forecast model with the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS). The Sacramento NWS office has been working to prepare MM5 output for ingestion into AWIPS. This will allow forecasters to compare weather forecasts from MM5 with other models such as AVN and ETA. Access to MM5 data within AWIPS also allows users to take advantage of AWIPS built-in analysis and visualization techniques.