During the summer of 1998, a thunderstorm forecast product is being provided to Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) as part of the Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) program. With the input from various sources within the aviation community, Northwest Airlines is issuing a 2, 4, 6 hour thunderstorm forecast product. This product is verified based on six (6) forecast parameters: geographical area, percent of coverage within the area, development/decay of thunderstorm area, direction and speed of area movement, maximum echo tops, and probability that convection will occur. These parameters are verified individually using archived radar and echo top composite images, and lightning data. The conclusions of this verification study will help evaluate the forecast product and improve methods of route planning around thunderstorms
The 8th Conference on Aviation, Range, and Aerospace Meteorology