GOES-R Proving Ground Activities at the
NWS Storm Prediction Center
Dr. Russell S. Schneider
Chief, Science Support Branch
NWS Storm Prediction Center
Chris Siewert
GOES-R Proving Ground (Norman)
NESDIS Supported OU-CIMMS Research Associate
NWS Storm Prediction Center
GOES-R Proving Ground Meeting – May 2009
“Where America’s Weather and Climate Services Begin”

“The Storm Prediction Center exists solely to protect the life and property of the American people through the issuance of timely, accurate watch and forecast products dealing with tornadoes and other hazardous mesoscale weather phenomena.”

F4: 90 Killed, 1288 Injured,
10,000 Homeless, 46 Mile Path
115 killed in Flint: 8 June 1953
114 killed in Waco: 11 May 1953

Belvidere F4: 90 Killed, 1288 injured,
10,000 Homeless, 46 Mile Path
Oak lawn F4: 33 killed 500+ injured

Storm Prediction Center
Hazardous Phenomena
• Tornadoes, Hail & Wind
•
Fire weather (Day 1- 8)
• Winter weather
•
Excessive rainfall

• Co-location !!!
•
SPC
•
WFO Norman
•
NSSL
•
WDTB
• CIMMS
• OU School of
Meteorology
• CAPS, OCS
• Private Sector
(nearby)

Two Main Program Areas…
E xperimental
F orecast
P rogram
EFP
Prediction of hazardous weather events from a few hours to a week in advance
EWP
E xperimental
W arning
P rogram
Detection and prediction of hazardous weather events up to several hours in advance

Establishing the “Culture of Collaboration”
A glance at pioneering Collaborative Projects between NSSL and the local NWS forecast office (WFO-OUN)
Late ’70s
1985 1989 1994-95 1996
JDOP
Early algorithms
DOPLIGHT
Pre-STORM
NEXRAD
IOT&E II
MAPS,
COPS,
QED,
Pre-AWIPS
VORTEX
WDSS
1997
AWIPS
2001 +
WDSS II,
JPOL,
COMET,
IHOP,
Dual Pol,
TIMEX,
STEPS,
PAR,
SHAVE,
ProbWarn
3

Kansas
City
Norman
SPC Arrives…Spring Experiments begin…
1997 2000 - 2001
SE
2002
Spring Experiments
…
SE
2003
SE
2004 - 2005
Winter
Weather
Experiment IHOP
Convective parameterization forecasting support
Mesoscale
Ensembles
Convection-
Allowing
WRF model forecasts
SE
2006
SE
2007 - 2008
Convection-
Allowing ensembles
4

NOAA Hazardous Weather Test Bed
• HWT – Experimental Forecast Program Objectives
• Advance the science of weather forecasting and prediction of severe convective weather consistent with NOAA strategic goals
• Enhance collaboration between researchers and forecasters on topics of mutual interest through real-time forecasting and evaluation activities during active severe weather
• Provide for thorough examination and efficient delivery of scientific advances for SPC and NWS operations
Disciplined collaboration to advance forecast operations

HWT-EFP Spring Experiments http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/hwt/index.html
When:
• 8 am to 4 pm M-F from 3 rd week of April into 1 st week of June
Where:
•
In National Weather Center HWT between OUN and SPC
Participation:
•
~ 60 researchers and forecasters from U.S. and international government agencies, academia, and the private sector
•
6-10 active participants at any time

• First year of a multi-year effort
• Year 1: focus on core product developers
• Year 2: add WFO, SPC and NESDIS forecasters
• Year 3: add diverse satellite specialists
• Goals
• Day 1 product testing & risk reduction
• Ingest, display, training, integration, evaluation
• Day 2 product ideas through focused collaboration
• Aid successful AWIPS-2 integration
• Bring a satellite perspective to the heart of radar country

• 3 GOES-R PG products currently available at the
SPC-HWT
• Cloud-top Cooling Rate (UW-CIMSS)
• Convective Initiation (CI) Nowcast (UW-CIMSS)
• 10-km Total Lighting (SPoRT)
• Goal:
• Provide product developers with useful feedback on product usefulness/performance through detailed interactions with forecasters
• Daily & Weekly Schedule (2009)

Opportunities to Grow
2010 Plans:
• Invitations &Announcements in January & February
• Experiment likely begins in late April
• Expanded product suite & participation
• including WFO invitations through SSD Chiefs
Visits
• Mix core one week participants & multiday “drop ins”
• Build multi faceted collaborative environment
• Integration with other HWT components including V2