Advanced Hurricane Research: Insights and Forecast Evaluation
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Explore the ocean as an energy source for hurricanes and the dynamics of convection in tropical storms. Learn about instruments, logistics, and methods for improving forecast evaluations.
Advanced Hurricane Research: Insights and Forecast Evaluation
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Presentation Transcript
Weather Research Chris Davis NCAR Director, Advanced Study Program Senior Scientist, NESL/MMM
Hurricane Research Images of Ike Courtesy CIMSS SSEC
Hurricanes • Ocean is the energy source • Condensation heating drives radial circulation • Strongly rotational: convection and deformation radius similar • Strong differential rotation in outer region, near-solid-body in eye From Houze (2010), who adapted from Wallace and Hobbs (2006)
African Easterly Wave (AEW) Berry et al., 2007: Monthly Weather Review
AEWs: An example Berry et al., 2007: Monthly Weather Review
Surface Circulation from Dropsonde Data and GOES-12 IR, Pre-Fay 2008
850 hPa Flow in the Resting Frame 850 hPa Flow in the Moving Frame
PREDICT (PRE-Depression Investigation of Cloud-systems in the Tropics)Instruments and Logistics • 15 August – 30 Sept. 2010 • Base: St. Croix Virgin Islands • NCAR G-V: 200 research hours • 10+ disturbances sampled, 25 flights • 550 dropsondes • Microwave Temperature Profiler • Differential GPS • Small Ice Detector • Cloud Particle Imager • CVI Crew 1 Crew 2 15 Aug. 1 Sept. 15 Sept. 30 Sept. Double-crewed G-V, 1-15 Sept.
Global Hawk (Dryden) DC-8, (ER-2) NCAR G-V NOAA P-3
Inflow Schematic of the “Pouch” Saharan Air Layer Trough Moist Jet CL
Flight Timing1 G-V Flight (9-10 h) G-V 40,000 ft G-IV DC-8 P-3 10,000 ft 12 UTC 18 UTC 00 UTC 06 UTC 12 UTC
Flight Timing2 G-V flights (7-7.5 h) G-V G-V 40,000 ft G-IV DC-8 P-3 10,000 ft 12 UTC 18 UTC 00 UTC 06 UTC 12 UTC
Inflow Schematic of the “Pouch” Saharan Air Layer Trough Moist Jet CL
G-V “Square-Spiral” with NOAA 1 2 5 7 4 6 3 Shading: GOES-IR imagery Zonally translated 700 hPa streamlines (C~ -6 m/s)
Previous version of Advanced Hurricane WRF (AHW) Latest version of Advanced Hurricane WRF (AHW)
Previous version of Advanced Hurricane WRF (AHW) Latest version of Advanced Hurricane WRF (AHW)
Forecast Evaluation • How does one demonstrate one set of forecasts is better than another?
Some Common Methods • The “eyeball” method: “It just looks better” • Expectations: “This is a much more sophisticated model, therefore…” • Regional focus: “This model is better somewhere…” • Blind statistics: Reward for mediocrity • Case study: problem of generalization
L W Object Attributes • Intensity (percentile value) • Area (# grid points > T) • Centroid • Axis angle (rel. to E-W) • Aspect ratio (W/L) • Fractional Area • Curvature 75th Percentile Median 25th Percentile R=16 km; T = 5 mm h-1 Raw Forecast (28 h, 04 UTC 11 June)
Defining the Quality of a Match • “Interest” (I) is defined for the jth pair of objects (forecast and observed) • Range of 0 to 1 ICP Workshop, August 24-25, 2009
Interest Matrix ICP Workshop, August 24-25, 2009
IHOP, June 15, 2002 ARW Stage IV Time (0-36 h) Colors do not indicate matching AMS 23 WAF, 19 NWP
U. Mass, Amherst, MA Physics MIT, Cambridge, MA Meteorology
Leadership (a personal view) • Evolved rather than planned • Balanced perspective • Result of accumulated rather than singular actions • Mix of reservation, confidence and empathy ?
Advanced Study Program • Postdoctoral Fellowships • Faculty Fellowships • Graduate Student Visitors • The attractions? • Opportunities for mentoring early career scientists • Exposure to wide range of science topics