The Forecast System Laboratory (FSL), in cooperation with the National Weather Service (NWS), has developed Display 3-Dimensional workstation (D3D). D3D allows users to view real-time meteorological model data in a three-dimensional interactive display. D3D has evolved from the WFO-Advanced D2D system, which is currently the operational interactive display software on Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) installed in all NWS forecast offices.

The NWS Forecast Office in Tallahassee has been given the opportunity to evaluate D3D. Since Tallahassee is located along the northeast Gulf of Mexico coast and has coastal waters forecast responsibilities, it is only fitting that we examine D3D in a tropical framework.

This paper will show how D3D can be used in a tropical environment. Normally, the computer models available to the WFO, cannot resolve the mesoscale features of the tropical cyclone. Little can be ascertained about the intensity of this type of disturbance. However, synoptic features, which may affect the storm's environment can be evaluated. Through the use of D3D, the 3-dimensional structure of a tropical cyclone can be viewed by examining the moisture and vorticity fields. A tilted system would be indicative of an environment, which is unfavorable for development. Kinematic fields (such as divergence) may also be useful. Viewing divergence in 3 dimensions may show instances where upper level troughs lead to development (or demise) of tropical systems. We are hopeful that several tropical systems will occur during the summer of 2001, which will provide the data for this study.