Prediction of Thunderstorm Initiation Through 4-Dimensional Data Assimilation of Doppler Radar Data

Abstract

Results from the first year of a three-year contract to prototype a local thunderstorm forecast model are presented. This model seeks to use single Doppler radar data to continuously update a mesoscale forecast model which will predict crucial thunderstorm forecast parameters. Previous research has shown that assimilating Doppler wind information alone will not produce accurate model forecasts; a compatible temperature analysis must also be generated and assimilated alongside. We present results from an Observing System Simulation Experiment confirming these results and outlining a new assimilation and forecast system. This system will generate a quality 3-dimensional wind analysis from the single Doppler radar data, and will generate a compatible temperature analysis consistent with the wind analysis. It will then use the wind and temperature analyses to continuously nudge a mesoscale model toward the evolving boundary layer wind and temperature field.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 02, 1992
Accession Number
ADA251243

Entities

People

  • Thomas M. Hamill

Organizations

  • Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Engineered Resilient Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Assimilation
  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Convection
  • Data Analysis
  • Doppler Radar
  • Grids
  • Layers
  • Meteorology
  • Radial Velocity
  • Simulations
  • Sites
  • Standards
  • Temperature Gradients
  • Three Dimensional
  • Two Dimensional
  • Weather Forecasting

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation