CAE Warning Related Challenges

1
CAE Warning Related Challenges

• Mike Cammarata
• SOO NWS Columbia, SC

2
Severe Weather Challenges

• TS Tornadoes
• Pulse Storms
• Squall Lines (downbursts, tornadoes)

3
TS Tornadoes

• Biggest Tornado outbreaks associated with TSs
• Mini-supercells
• Low LFC
• Vr of 25-30 kts produce tornadoes
• Lower scans important
• Rapid scans important
• High resolution velocity data important
• Algorithms important

4
Pulse Storms

• Can be daily occurrence in June/July
• Analysis of Storm cores (cross-sections, all
  tilts etc.)
• Severe Thresholds can change on a daily basis as
  the sounding changes
• Adjacent radars very important

5
Squall Lines

• Downbursts (MARC, RIJ)
• Tornadoes along gust front and comma head
• Tornadoes can form and dissipate between scans
  (rapid scans, low elevations, high resolution
  velocity data important)

6
Current Needs

• GIS
• Ground Truth Software System
• Enhanced networking of radar system
• No edit Warning Software
• Enhanced Visualization Capability
• Continue improving Algorithms
• Training (retention) is becoming a challenge
• Easy/Transparent/Auto Archiving

7
GIS

• Comprehensive integration of GIS capabilities
  into data display (street and building level)
• Heavy Rainfall over steep urban topography
• Tornado heading for School
• Excessive precipitation over basin where small
  dam is located
• Frequent lightning over State Park
• Current practice includes looking at separate
  maps and calling up mapping software on a PC

8
GIS

• Comprehensive Integration of GIS into Ground
  Truth Software System
• Retrospectively in near real time look at where
  severe weather signatures passed and display
  ground truth sources and phone numbers (e.g.,
  spotters, businesses)
• Combined with communications, logging and product
  formatting capabilities will greatly expedite the
  collection of ground truth for Warning Decision
  making, verification, and storm reports (LSRs,
  PNS, etc.)

9
GIS

• Integration of GIS into Warning Software
• Used in storm location section
• Used in locations in the warned area section
• Current warning software system does not do an
  acceptable job with these sections of the warning
  .. often requires considerable editing

10
Ground Truth Software System

• Stand alone software system like D2D, GFE
• Integrates radar data, GIS, communications,
  logging, and product formatting
• E.g., Display GIS data over which a high
  reflectivity core has passed that facilitates
  calls to sources of ground truth, automatically
  logs many of the details of the call, provides
  and efficient interface for manually logging the
  report and provides for quick generation of an
  LSR.
• Current practice for obtaining and logging ground
  truth is too fragmented, labor intensive, and
  time consuming

11
Enhanced Networking of Radar System

• Data display from multiple radars
• Capability for synchronized scans
• Compositing capabilities
• Include TDWRs and other radars

12
No Edit Warning Software

• Warning software should be click and go with
  virtually never a need to edit
• GIS feeds locations in the warned area include
  and current location of the storm
• Currently too much editing is required and
  consequently lead time lost

13
The Training Challenge

• The sheer volume of things to keep current on and
  the pace at which things are changing make
  training and retention a major challenge
  (software, hardware, security, safety, science,
  policy etc.)
• This is an organizational issue
• Manage change as a resource. Holistic approach.

14
Enhanced Visualization Capability
15
Enhanced Visualization Capability

• Easier to get at multi-dimensional data displays
  with ability to integrate non-radar data sources
  (e.g., thermal profile/Wet Bulb profile)
• Enhanced Cross-section capability ( 4-D Storm
  Cell Investigator)