NORTH AMERICAN MONSOON EXPERIMENT (NAME)

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NORTH AMERICAN MONSOON EXPERIMENT (NAME)
An internationally coordinated, joint US-Mexico
process study aimed at improving warm season
precipitation prediction over North America.
Dr. Wayne Higgins Lead Scientist for NAME and
Principal Climate Scientist National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administrations Climate Prediction
Center Camp Spring, Maryland
NAME Homepage http//www.joss.ucar.edu/name
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WHO IS INVOLVED IN NAME 2004?

• The NAME 04 Field Campaign involves researchers
  from more than 30
• universities, government laboratories and
  federal agencies in several countries
• (United States, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica).
• The NAME Forecast Operations Centers (Tucson,
  AZ Mexico City, MX),
• involve more than 40 forecasters (NWS, USAF,
  SMN, private, and retired).
• There are at least 15 WFOs and 4 NCEP Centers
  (CPC, HPC, SPC, TPC) that are providing
  forecasters, forecast assistance and / or special
  launches.
• The NAME Science Working Group (responsible for
  implementing NAME
• science) involves 19 senior scientists from the
  US, Mexico and Central America
• The NAME Project Office (UCAR/JOSS, Boulder,
  CO)
• provides scientific, technical and
  administrative support
• services to NAME04.

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PARTICIPATING AGENCIES AND INSTITUTES
   

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IMPLICATIONS FOR DROUGHT MONITORING AND PREDICTION

• NAME will improve warm season precipitation
  forecasts
• (short range, monthly, seasonal) over North
  America
• Improved warm season precipitation forecasts are
  of tremendous value
• (e.g. in areas where water is relatively scarce,
  such as the Desert Southwest)
• This year much of the western
• United States is facing drought
• conditions. NAME will deliver
• models that are more capable
• of anticipating droughts months
• to seasons in advance.

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WHAT IS THE NAME 2004 FIELD CAMPAIGN?

• The NAME 2004 Field Campaign is an unprecedented
  opportunity to gather extensive atmospheric,
  oceanic, and land-surface observations in the
  core region of the North American Monsoon over
  NW Mexico, SW United States, and adjacent oceanic
  areas.

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NAME 2004 INSTRUMENT PLATFORMS

• The NAME 2004 Field Campaign will gather data
  from
• more than 20 different types of instrument
  platforms, including
• Surface Met Stations (84 in Mexico)
• Radars (SMN, NCAR S-POL)
• Wind Profilers (NCAR ISSs and NOAA/ETL AL)
• Radiosondes / PIBALS
• Rain gauge Networks (event logging cooperative)
• Aircraft (NOAA P-3)
• Research Vessels (R/V Altair and R/V Francisco de
  Ulloa)
• Satellite Data (JCSDA)
• Soil Moisture Sensors Remote Sensing
• GPS Precipitable Water

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NAME TEACHERS IN THE FIELD

• NAME will have two Teachers in the Field
• Rhonda Feher is an elementary school teacher
  from
• Kayenta, Arizona. Her school is located on the
• Navajo Nation reservation .
• Selection of a teacher from Mexico is in
  progress
• NAME Teachers in the Field will participate in
  NAME aircraft, ship and FOC activities, will do
  live broadcasts into the classroom, and will help
  develop NAME teaching materials.

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NAME EDUCATION MODULE (K-12)
NAME is compiling an Education Module for K-12.
The Module will be completed by 31 August in time
for FY05 school year.

• The North American Monsoon
• Table of Contents
• Why Predict the Monsoon?
• What is a Monsoon?
• A Case Study
• Monsoons and Climate
• Learning from the Past
• Winds, Precipitation, and Food
• When the Winds Reverse
• How the Land and Sea Affect the Monsoon
• Global Consequences of Monsoons
• Monsoon Prediction
• How Predictions are Used An Example
• Looking Ahead

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U.S. Forecast Operations Center

• Erik Pytlak, U.S. Forecast Operations Center
• Science and Operations Officer
• NOAA National Weather Service, Tucson
• Dr. Robert Maddox
• Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences
• University of Arizona

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SCHEDULE

• The NAME 2004 Field Campaign will occur during
  June-September 2004,
• with Intensive Observing Periods (as conditions
  warrant) during
• July 1 August 15, 2004
• Enhanced Observation Period (EOP) June 21-
  August 31
• Tucson, AZ FOC Forecast Support Begins June 6
• Full Platform Deployment July 1-August 15
• Full FOC Forecast Support July 1-August 19
• Science Director Rotation June 21 August 31
• Monitoring Director Rotation June 6 August 31
• Intense Observing Periods (IOPs) 20 days during
  EOP
• Most likely to be concentrated in July

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SUMMARY

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• NAME 2004 is a major field campaign scheduled
  during June-September 2004, with intensive
  observing periods during July 1 August 15, 2004
• NAME 2004 involves more than 30 universities,
  government labs and federal agencies in the
  United States, Mexico, Belize and Costa Rica.
• NAME will deliver
• Observing system design for monitoring and
  predicting the North American monsoon (includes
  sustained observations)
• More comprehensive understanding of North
  American summer climate variability and
  predictability
• Strengthened scientific collaboration across
  Pan-America
• Measurably improved climate models that predict
  North American summer precipitation months to
  seasons in advance.
•