WFO Huntsville, AL

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WFO Huntsville, AL

• Two years of LMA in operations

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Who are we?

• WFO Huntsville
• Office started in January 14th, 2003
• Co-located with NASA, UAH
• North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array

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North Alabama LMA
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History of LMA data _at_HUN

• First started ingesting LMA data into AWIPS in
  May 2003
• First case where used to warn May 6th,2003
• First case used not to warn August 27,2003
• Building cases for training on WES 27 cases
  archived so far
• Helped install LMA data at BMX and OHX
• Also helped in the ingest of Vaisala LDAR II data
  at FWD

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How do we display in AWIPS?

• 1-17km Sources within a grid box
• 2km x 2km
• 2 minute interval
• Most people look at total of sources in a grid
  box, from 1-17km. (Source density)
• Looking for trends in the total.
• Usually displayed as a grid image.

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Ingest into AWIPS
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Alternate LISDAD II display

• Along with AWIPS forecasters can interrogate data
  using LISDAD II software
• Provides location and number of LMA/NLDN samples
• Alternate to the AWIPS display if needed

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Case 1

• May 6, 2003
• First time LMA used in warning-decision
• Line with revealing embedded supercell
• History of producing tornadoes(F0-F1)
• Broad mid-level rotational couplet
• LMA indicated updraft rapidly intensifying

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May 6, 2003 Case
1236 UTC
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May 6, 2003 Case
1246 UTC
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May 6, 2003 Case
1256 UTC
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May 6, 2003 Case
1306 UTC
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Radar Coverage
KHTX
KGWX
o
0.5 Elevation Heights FROM KHTX 10889 ft MSL FROM
KGWX 7559 ft MSL
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Case 2

• October 18, 2004
• Rotating storm near edges of radar coverage
• LMA provided forecaster extra confidence in
  tornado warning

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October 18, 2004 Case
0.5 º SRM
1.5 º SRM
Developing Mesocyclone/Hook
0.5 º Refl
LMA Source Density
Minimal Electrical Activity
2234 UTC
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October 18, 2004 Case
0.5 º SRM
1.5 º SRM
Persistent Couplet
0.5 º Refl
LMA Source Density
Lightning Jump
2240 UTC
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October 18, 2004 Case
0.5 º SRM
1.5 º SRM
Stengthening Couplet
0.5 º Refl
LMA Source Density
Slight decrease in source count
2244 UTC
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October 18, 2004 Case
0.5 º SRM
1.5 º SRM
Minutes before tornado touchdown
0.5 º Refl
LMA Source Density
Continued decrease in sources
2250 UTC
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Case 3

• July 2, 2005
• A null case event
• Significant lightning jump with eastern most
  storm and elevated coreprompt severe
  thunderstorm warning
• No severe weather reported with this cell

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July 2, 2005 Background Info

• Moist and unstable airmass in place across the
  region
• 12z BMX sounding showed potential for wet
  microbursts (next slide)
• Earlier storms during the day produced
  microbursts and wind damage
• Morning HWO product mentioned isolated storms
  with wind gusts to 50 mphfrequent lightning and
  very heavy rain

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July 2, 2005 Background Info
Thermodynamic profile somewhat favorable for
microbursts MDPI calculation of 0.94 and high
CAPE also indicative of the potential for
microbursts
Steep low level lapse rates
Moist low levels dry mid layers conducive to
microburst development
12z BMX Sounding
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2 July 2005
0.5Refl, NLDN
0.5 SRM
Source Density, NLDN
VIL
0100 UTC
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2 July 2005
0.5Refl, NLDN
0.5 SRM
Source Density, NLDN
VIL
Slight increase
0110 UTC
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2 July 2005
0.5Refl, NLDN
0.5 SRM
VIL increase
Source Density, NLDN
VIL
Lightning Jump
0120 UTC
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2 July 2005
25-30 kts outflow at 4 kft AGL
0.5Refl, NLDN
0.5 SRM
Decrease in sources
Source Density, NLDN
VIL
0127 UTC
No Severe Weather ReportedJust Heavy Rain.
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Summary of when LMA makes largest impact in
operations

• Low to moderate severe events
• At greater distances from the radar
• Sub radar interval cell information
• Detecting initial cloud to ground strikes
• Local case studies have shown lead times on the
  order of several (3-5) minutes
• Increased lead times for TAF updates and Airport
  Weather Warnings

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How we have infused LMA into operations

• WES scenarios
• Forecaster awareness
• AWIPS procedures
• Overlays Radar/NLDN/LMA
• 4 Panels Refl,SRM,NLDN,LMA
• Data Advocate

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Building confidence

• Ensuring data reliability
• Providing adequate training
• Encouraging use of available datasets during
  events
• Identifying a point of contact (program leader)
  at each office Advocate
• The SOO cant do everything
• Completing event reviews and case studies

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WES Training Archive

• Number of LMA cases for training
• Approximately 27 cases archived so far
• Manual retrieval of LMA archive
• LMA data archived on NSSTC server at the end of
  each day
• Data retrieved for selected dates
• Currently have to manually add LMA data to
  existing WES cases

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Operational Evaluations

• On-line LMA survey developed for the WFO
• Completed after an event in which the LMA data
  was used
• Survey also available at Nashville and Birmingham
• Case studies also completed on LMA dataset (as
  shown previously)

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Future trends of LMA in WFO HUN

• Integrate total lightning information with other
  projects
• Convective Initiation studies
• Lightning Threat Index product for EMAs
• UAH Dual-Polarimetric Doppler Radar
• Detection efficiency mapping
• Local training/refresher
• Inclusion in forecaster development plan
• Blind studies to determine effectiveness of LMA
  data during WDM situations?
• Formal publication of case studies

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Lightning Threat Index

• Provide to Emergency Managers
• Simplified illustration of lightning data
• Collaborative effort with NASA
• Still in developmental stages

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Real-time Mapping of Detection Efficiency

• Useful for storms near the edges of grid
• More important for offices like BMX and OHX with
  the North Alabama LMA
• Awareness of drop off rate

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Team up with Convective Initiation

• Dr. Mecikalski at UAH
• Use together to highlight threat areas
• Illustrates possible thunderstorm development
  next 0-2 hours

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Satellite-Lightning Relationships

• Current Work Develop relationships between IR
  TB/TB and lightning source counts/flash densities
  toward nowcasting (0-2 hr) future lightning
  occurrence
• Supported by the NASA New Investigator Program
  Award NAG5-12536

North Alabama LMA Lightning Source Counts
2040-2050 UTC
2047 UTC
2147 UTC
2140-2150 UTC
kkoooooooookkkkkkkkkkk
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Cross Sections

• Provide indication of updraft strength
• Better serve aviation needs
• Interpretation still uncertain
• Future research

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Questions?

• Contacts
• Jason.Burks_at_noaa.gov (IT/AWIPS)
• Chris.Darden_at_noaa.gov (Training/Operational)
• Patrick.Gatlin_at_noaa.gov (Program Lead)

Background Photo Lake
Guntersville, AL (B. Blakenship)