climatological research collaborations between nws tallahassee and the florida state university
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Climatological Research Collaborations Between NWS Tallahassee and the Florida State University Tim Barry and Irv Watson National Weather Service Tallahassee, Florida. Florida as well as other Gulf Coast Locations Unique Summertime Sea Breeze Patterns of convection depend on - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Climatological Research Collaborations Between NWS Tallahassee
and the Florida State University
Tim Barry and Irv WatsonNational Weather Service
Tallahassee, Florida
Florida as well as other Gulf Coast Locations Unique Summertime Sea BreezePatterns of convection depend on
moisture and low-level flowUse of Lightning, Radar, and Precipitation
Climatologies in GFE
Lightning distributions over the Florida peninsulaLightning distributions over the Florida peninsulaTodd P. Lericos (SCEP), Henry E. Fuelberg, and A. I. WatsonTodd P. Lericos (SCEP), Henry E. Fuelberg, and A. I. Watson
Weather & Forecasting, 2002.Weather & Forecasting, 2002.
All Flows Combined
850 mb Mean Height Field
Lightning Flash Density
.02 0.2 0.5 0.8 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.4 >2.4Flashes per km2 per regime day
May through September during 1989-1998
10 years of Lightning Data
24-hr loopAll Flows/All Regimes
Incorporating Mesoscale Lightning Climatologies in the NWS IFPS/GFE Forecast Routine
along the Gulf Coast Jessica R. Stroupe (SCEP), Henry E. Fuelberg, Andrew I. Watson
Michael C. Koziara, and Stephen K. Rinard
14 years of Lightning Data
24-hr loopAll Flows/All Regimes
F igure 1. NW S Ta llahassee County W arning Area (outlined in red) and d ivis ions for the four principa l flow d irections (E , S , S W, NW ). Each direction is d ivided in to moderate and strong flow. A calm flow regim e is a lso included for a total n ine flow reg im es.
G u lf o f M ex ico
A la b am a
Ta llah a sseeF lor id a
0 100 km
G eo rg ia
SS W
N WE a st
020°
135°215°
290°
Patterns of convection depend onmoisture and low-level flow
Calm Wind RegimeHourly Animation
Figure 6. By means of a procedure in the Edit Actions Dialog Box, lightning data are converted into a QPF forecast.
Spatial Editor
Grid Manager
Use of Lightning Climatologies in GFE
Radar ClimatologiesHigh resolution historical database of gage/radar precipitation for the state of Florida and southern GeorgiaParticipants: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP); Prof. Henry Fuelberg (FSU Department of Meteorology); WFO Tallahassee, Southeast River Forecast Center (SERFC), NWS Hydrology Laboratory; and U.S. Geological Survey - FL. Currently 4 years of WSR-88D data for SE U.S.
Greg Quina and Bryan Mroczka
Mobile, AL
Jacksonville
Miami, FL
April-September
Winter Composites are also completed!
Precipitation Climatologies
COMET Partners ProjectTo develop 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-hr Precipitation FrequenciesUsing Hourly Precipitation Data (HPD)For all NWS Southern RegionFor approximately 30 years
Matthew Sitkowski (NHC SCEP) Undergraduate AssistantDr. Henry E. Fuelberg Florida State University
January 0700-0900 UTC
24-hr
January 0700-0900 UTC
12-hr – 0100-1200 UTC
January 0700-0900 UTC
12-hr – 1300-2400 UTC
July 1900-2100 UTC
6-hr – 1900-2400 UTC
July 1900-2100 UTC
3-hr - July
Coastal Waters Temperatures
• Air temperatures over water – new weather element
• Forecasters were not familiar with this
• Training had to be done to introduce forecasters
• Start with climatologiesData readily available from NDBC Data goes back many years at some buoys
Coastal Waters Temperatures
Buoy 42039
Ongoing Studies• The Tallahassee Area Minimum Temperature Study
Understand temperature variability across TallahasseeWill collect data through this SpringWill include a Winter Frontal Passage Study
• Fog Study
Fog Climatology for KTLH completed by Mark Jarvis (WFO Louisville)Current work includes assessment of UPS Fog StudyRoad weather study includes instrumented communicationtowers along I-10. One tower (Quincy) has a visibility sensor
Other Collaborations• NWS Class taught each Spring Semester
21 students in class
• Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)Work-Study Program3 SCEPs currently working in WFO
• Internship Class – One student per semester
• Volunteer Program – Two volunteers
New Studies with Florida State University• COAPS – Relationship between CG lightning across the U.S.
during El Nino, La Nina, and Neutral Phases using15 years of NLDN data
• The development of forecast confidence measures using NCEP ensembles and their real-time implementation within NWS graphical forecasts – COMET Cooperative Proposal by Dr. Robert Hart