Forecast Methodology using the GFE Suite

The Graphical Forecast Editor Suite (GFESuite) as the grid editing component to the Interactive Forecast Preparation System (IFPS), introduces a new approach to weather forecasting. This paper investigates how this grid-based paradigm applies to National Weather Service (NWS) forecast operations while examining the forecast methodology when using the GFESuite software. Recognizing that there is no ONE forecast process, the steps to build a gridded forecast will vary with each site, forecaster, and situation. Thus, FSL has studied specific representative scenarios and, from them, gleaned a general end-to-end process to act as a guideline.

The use of GFESuite software involves three primary phases: Set Up, Edit, and Product Generation. In the Set Up Phase, the forecaster uses weather models to initialize the surface weather element grids. In the Edit Phase, the forecaster injects knowledge and expertise by editing the grids and checking for consistency. In the Product Generation Phase, the forecaster creates products such as GIF images, text products in tabular or phrase form, or intermediate data to be processed by other components of the IFPS system. At each phase, "smart" tools are available for the forecaster to customize the software.