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The Evolution of Gridded NUCAPS: Transition of Research to Operations Emily Berndt1, Nadia Smith2, Jason Burks3, Kris White3,6, and Roger Allen5,6 1,6NASA MSFC, 2Science and Technology Corporation, 3NWS/CIRA/MDL, 4NWS Huntsville, 5Jacobs ESSCA 6NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center Introduction Background • The next-generation S-NPP and NOAA-20 Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) • A NUCAPS Sounding is retrieved from an integrated top-of (TOA) IR+MW spectrum as a set of NUCAPS Strengths and moisture profiles can provide valuable observations NUCAPS discrete parameters that are thermodynamically consistent • There are thousands of satellite soundings day and night to measure many types of evolving weather • Where conventional radiosonde observations are sparse Sounding locations in Steps to create a • NUCAPS soundings observe mid-level moisture, thermodynamic structure, tropopause height, spatial • Between radiosonde launches AWIPS MW spectrum IR spectrum NUCAPS Sounding gradients, derived stability indices, height of freezing layers, fire weather indices, all to improve meso- and • CrIS Infrared (IR) observations are combined with the Advanced Technology synoptic scale situational awareness and forecasting Microwave Sounder (ATMS) Microwave (MW) observations to produce high Initial profile statistically derived from MW (ATMS) and • A NUCAPS sounding has information not only on temperature and moisture but also on trace gas amounts quality vertical soundings in clear and partly cloudy conditions full IR measurement (all (CO, O3, CH4), top , and various diagnostic indices all in one. channels of CrIS) • NUCAPS (NOAA Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System) is the Temp Brightness • NUCAPS soundings are available in clear and partly-cloud scenes (up to 90% cloudiness). operational algorithm for processing combined hyperspectral IR sounder and MW NUCAPS Limitations sounder measurements NUCAPS Sounding • As a top-down measurement from space, NUCAPS has its highest uncertainty in the boundary layer • NUCAPS Soundings are operationally available in AWIPS as Skew-T plots Which CrIS channels are used? 399 of them in AWIPS 24 for surface temperature • NUCAPS observes the atmosphere as thick vertical layers to form a broad columnar measurement in Physical retrieval using both MW 87 for atmospheric temperature Perform cloud clearing to • The capability to visualize the data in plan view or cross section would be valuable to and a subset of cloud-cleared IR 62 for remove cloud signal from IR Adjacent Channels are not used contrast to point-based radiosonde measurements channels. This involves Channels chosen are predominantly sensitive to one gas only maximize the benefits of NUCAPS data in AWIPS radiance • NUCAPS footprint size varies from ~50 km at nadir to ~150 km at edge of scan • A multi-organizational collaboration through the JPSS Sounding Applications Initiative - Sequential retrieval of T, q, CO, O3, CH4, O3, CO2, HNO3, SO2. Produce final IR+MW NUCAPS soundings • NUCAPS soundings fail when the measurement footprint is covered by a uniform cloud field developed an experimental capability for plan view and cross section displays of NUCAPS - Error checking, diagnostic at 100 layers tests, iteration to retrieve most MW-only NUCAPS soundings available Soundings observations in AWIPS (i.e., Gridded NUCAPS) stable atmospheric state operationally but not in AWIPS yet • To an IR sounder a cloud is an • Gridded NUCAPS is newly available in AWIPS 19.2.1-29 • NUCAPS retrieves temperature and moisture information as thick layers stacked together to form a vertical obstacle. Soundings measure the atmospheric column from surface to TOA thermodynamic state around the Gridded NUCAPS: Radiosonde clouds. NUCAPS Soundings: Ingested into AWIPS on a uniform • Need to click on each How are the layers vertically distributed? • A NUCAPS sounding in partly Transformation (i.e. gridding) of point grid 0.5 degree lat/lon grid ‘point’ to review the soundings to plan view & cross section displays • Minimal horizontal … it varies slightly from scene to scene and is cloudy scene removes cloudy vertical information interpolation, vertical dependent on Earth surface temperature as well • Pros: Can choose interpolation to standard levels NUCAPS Sounding signal (cloud clearing) before specific locations • Temperature, moisture, and as local weather conditions retrieving atmospheric state. • Cons: A lot of derived fields such as • So what does this mean in operations? • Cloud clearing allows retrievals in individual precipitable water, Haines … compared to radiosondes, NUCAPS has a interrogation Index, and ozone fields partly-cloudy scenes so that Gridded NUCAPS smoother appearance 700-500 mb • Can display single level or layer there can be more sounding products … compared to GOES soundings, NUCAPS has high More Information: https://vlab.ncep.noaa.gov/web/nasa-sport/gridded-nucaps observations of evolving weather vertical definition systems. Cold Air Aloft Pre-Convective Environment Fire Weather

Alaska CWSU domain (green line) and warning guide for 11 January • Gridded NUCAPS was initially developed to address Cold Air Aloft (CAA) 2017. Purple hatched area is an advisory for Cold Air Aloft • Gridded NUCAPS was first demonstrated at the Hazardous Gridded NUCAPS HRRR • Analyzing thermodynamic conditions are important for assessing the • Cold Air Aloft (≤ -65°C) events can freeze jet fuel and regularly occur at flight Weather Testbed in 2016, while point Soundings were first pre-fire environment and fire potential levels in the Arctic demonstrated in 2015 • Low-level thermal ridges (LLTR’s) have been documented as an • The Anchorage Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU) provides Meteorological • The goal was to test the utility of Gridded NUCAPS for analyzing important influence on development in the southern Great the pre-convective environment Impact Statements (MIS) to Air Traffic Controllers to direct flights around the GFS NAM Plains (Lindley et al. 2017) 3D air features • The advantages of the Soundings are: • Lindley et al. 2017 studied 11 Great Plains fire events from 2006 – • In data sparse Alaska, forecasters have relied on analysis of model fields and • Observations between radiosonde launches 2014, resulting in representative soundings / thermodynamic fields limited radiosonde observations to guess the 3D extent of the Cold Air Aloft • A dense network of observations over a 2,200 km swath 850-500 mb Lapse Rates & KCCX Radar 18 UTC 23 May 2019 indicating fire potential • Testing at HWT solidified the value of Gridded NUCAPS: • • Use of satellite observations provides an opportunity for forecasters to Example text product disseminated by Alaska CWSU for Cold Air Aloft; …it’s clear why this area [SW to NE from central W VA to New In contrast, Alaska Region forecasters assess fire potential by observe the 3D extent of the Cold Air Aloft in real-time valid 14 November 2015 • To assess thermodynamic spatial gradients/patterns England] had significantly lower lapse rate values in the NUCAPS analyzing thermodynamic fields for warm, dry conditions and • data than the models; a line of showers and were • Taixtsalda Hill near Northway, AK: July 23, 2018 • Forecasters at the Anchorage CWSU evaluated the Gridded NUCAPS during As another observation tool to increase situational awareness present along this path of lower values…NUCAPS retrievals certainly descending motion • The fire started on 23 July 2018 near the town of Northway, AK the 2016-2017 & 2017-2018 Winter • Forecaster feedback led to product improvements and best would have been affected by this area of denser clouds and • The Haines Index is frequently used to determine the potential for • The fire continued through 4 August 2018 . …lapse rates would be affected (lowered) by the • Warm, dry conditions persisted as south/southwesterly flow • Goal was to provide data to improve Cold Air Aloft analysis and increase practices in those locations, …depicted in the NUCAPS data large fire growth (Werth and Ochoa 1993) prevailed only. So, the lack of this feature in the models would then affect • View the data on standard pressure levels 850 mb confidence when issuing operational MIS statements used by the FAA and 850 mb • Gridded NUCAPS 850 mb and 700- Total Gridded their forecast in this region going forward. …imagine a scenario Temperature/Height Temperature/Height 700-500 mb 500 mb compared to Temperature Precipitable NUCAPS • Leverage AWIPS derived parameters where this convection had dissipated and left behind a boundary or Water airlines. GFS, indicate a region of higher 10 Jan 2017 gradient in temperature/moisture. The detection of these types of • The value of spatial gradients in mid-level fields temperatures in southern AK • After two evaluations forecasters have integrated NUCAPS into their forecast 1000 UTC boundaries, that often occur in pulse type convective events • The Haines Index indicates a • AWIPS procedures and recommended fields to analyze especially, can be important for predicting where convection will process for Cold Air Aloft moderate potential for fire growth, “Gridded NUCAPs take place subsequently. ~HWT Forecaster 2019 data and soundings • Best practices to address data quality and gaps Haines Index Haines Index matching GFS 700-500 mb GFS 700-500 mb • Lower precipitable water values Relative Relative Rank the impact of the Gridded NUCAPS When compared to additional remote sensing were in excellent Humidity/ on decision to issue or not issue a forecast or in-site observations, the Gridded NUCAPS agreement this were present over southern Alaska product data were similar to the morning with CAA As an operational forecaster, I like to compare • Compared to the GFS analysis, observations and model output, real-time obs, and any increased my confidence over much of the Gridded NUCAPS captured the in the event additional derived data. This image from the state.” [sic] -CW 1025 UTC 23 July S-NPP Gridded NUCAPS spatial gradients in 700-500 mb 1205 UTC 22 July S-NPP Gridded NUCAPS 10% different than NUCAPES H85-H5 Lapse Rate can potentially and 0.5 degree GFS Analysis 1200 UTC 23 July relative humidity. and 0.5 degree GFS Analysis 1200 UTC 23 July Very Large 22% observations, but I had more confidence in the help boost one’s confidence in particular Large 20% observations synoptic situations. For example, suppose Some “NUCAPS trends different than the you were expecting a dryline to emerge east Small observations, but I had matched NWP trends 70% more confidence in the across W Texas, but guidance indicated Very Small 78% Gridded NUCAPS of the CAA area Gridded NUCAPS Gridded NUCAPS 400-200 mb Relative Humidity otherwise and sfc were unavailable, no observations were cross section 18 UTC 05 June 2019 Future Applications moving to the available southeast over the 10 Jan 2017 using the NUCAPS Lapse Rate products can Gridded NUCAPS 850-500 mb Lapse Rates IR and RGB imagery showing outflow coming out of the storms in the Panhandle and out of 1000 UTC help determine the location of the dryline 19 UTC 07 May 2019 eastern LSX area not firing up additional storms. NUCAPS 400-200 mb • Planned assessments with NWS forecasters to test the utility of NUCAPS for Fire Weather and Turbulence our airspace by (for this particular setup). In this RH product shows quite a bit of drier air that the line is pushing Weaver, G. M., and coauthors, 2019: Addressing the cold air aloft aviation challenge 23/06Z.” [sic] -GW image, values reflect the drier air advancing • Investigation of Microwave-only soundings for applications in cloudy regions such as Icing and Winter Weather with satellite sounding observations. J. Operational Meteor., 7 (10), 138-152, doi: east leading to steeper lapse rates. ~ HWT into. More moisture is west of the MO/IL line, so that part of the line See the HWT blog for more examples: https://doi.org/10.15191/nwajom.2019.0710 Forecaster 2019 may have a better chance to maintain themselves/develop new cores • Determine the value of NUCAPS cloud information for applications that rely on diagnosing cloud properties https://blog.nssl.noaa.gov/ewp/tag/nucaps/ ahead of the line along that outflow. ~ HWT Forecaster 2019 Aerospace America Feature Article “Danger In the Air” https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/features/danger-in-the-air/ http://goesrhwt.blogspot.com/search/label/NUCAPS • Contact Emily Berndt ([email protected]) if interested in evaluating Gridded NUCAPS for new applications