Introduction toThe Hazardous Weather Testbed

Norman, Oklahoma

What is the Hazardous Weather What is the Hazardous Weather Testbed?Testbed?

Mission…

NOAA’s Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT) accelerates the transition of promising new meteorological insights and technologies into advances in forecasting and warning for hazardous mesoscale weather events in the United States.

What is the Hazardous Weather What is the Hazardous Weather Testbed?Testbed?

NSSL and NWS collaborationNSSL and NWS collaboration

Combines operations, research.Combines operations, research.

Includes visiting forecaster/scientist Includes visiting forecaster/scientist program.program.

VORTEX, IHOP, JPOL, etc.VORTEX, IHOP, JPOL, etc.

Collocates:Collocates:

NSSL, SPC, WFO OUN, NSSL, SPC, WFO OUN, WDTB, ROC, and Univ. WDTB, ROC, and Univ. of Oklahoma of Oklahoma Meteorology UnitsMeteorology Units

Occupancy Occupancy Summer 2006Summer 2006

Norman, Oklahoma

Experimental

Warning

Program

Experimental

Forecast

Program

Two Main Program Areas…

The NOAA The NOAA Hazardous Weather TestbedHazardous Weather Testbed

EFP: Emphasizes diagnosis and modeling to forecast mesoscale hazards.

EWP: Emphasizes diagnosis and modeling to warn for storm scale hazards.

NWC 2NWC 2ndnd Floor Floor

NWC 2NWC 2ndnd Floor Hazardous Floor Hazardous Weather Testbed AreaWeather Testbed Area

Media room

Movable wall (electronic)

16 work areas

2 plasma monitors

2 projectors / screens

HWT

SPC

WFO

NWC 2NWC 2ndnd Floor: Floor: research-to-operationsresearch-to-operations

Stage I:Research at

NSSL, elsewhere

Stage II: “Alpha” Testing, proof-of-concept, warning ops simulations

Stage III: “Beta” Testing

Forecasters from throughout the NWS

NSSL scientists and software developers

WDTB trainers

Researchers from other institutions

International scientists and forecasters

Others…

Who will be involved?Who will be involved?

Why Norman?Why Norman?

Can conduct forecast and warning experiments in real-time for any part of the contiguous 48 states: AWIPS / NAWIPS

Satellite, Level II radar, numerical models, obs “Warn-on-forecast” storm-scale models Warning Decision Support System –

Integrated Information (WDSS-II)

Why Norman?Why Norman?Can also expose more people to developmental platforms in real-time:

- Phased array radar - Polarimetric radar - CASA radar - 3D lightning mapping array

We have a lot of experience with experiments in Norman: - DOPLIGHT (1984-1987) - Norman Experimental Forecast Facility (1987-1993) - Warning Decision Support System (WDSS) (1993-1999) - WDSS-II (2002-present) - NSSL – SPC Spring Programs - Joint Polarization Experiment (JPOLE) (2002-2003)

Component of the NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed

WFO-scale collaboration among forecasters, researchers and trainers

0-2 hour hazardous weather forecast & warning projects for nation

Emphasis on convective weather

Joint initiative of the NWS and the NSSL

What is the Experimental Warning What is the Experimental Warning Program?Program?

Analogous to SPC/NSSL spring program

Forecasters can provide early feedback on latest research tools and ideas

For ideas not yet mature enough for operational beta testing

What is the Experimental Warning What is the Experimental Warning Program?Program?

GoalsGoals

Develop new warning guidance tools from multiple sensors and numerical Cloud-scale models (“warn-on-forecast”) Develop new warning techniques (probabilistic warnings) Develop improved verification techniques / climate record Develop GIS-based applications Develop new visualization techniques

Early EWP ExperimentsEarly EWP Experiments

Probabilistic warnings

AWIPS four-dimensional stormcell investigator (FSI)

WxGIS

High-resolution gridded hail product verification

New platforms: 3D lightning, dual-pol radar

Warn-On-ForecastWarn-On-ForecastCurrently issue warnings based on reports of severe events or detections of features strongly associated with severe weather

Want to issue warnings with longer lead times based on forecast storm morphology

Example: Current non-severe thunderstorm is strengthening and will encounter a pre-existing diffuse boundary, ingesting sufficient horizontal vorticity into the updraft to increase the tornado probability in 50-90 minutes, after which time it will move deep enough into the cold air to end the tornado threat.

Will eventually be driven by storm-scale models

Will test these concepts in EWP without having to interrupt real-time operations at WFOs.

Questions?Questions?