Urban Meteorology

Urban Meteorology

James R. Mahoney, Ph.D.Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and

AtmospheresDeputy Administrator, NOAA

September 22, 2004

James R. Mahoney, Ph.D.Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and

AtmospheresDeputy Administrator, NOAA

September 22, 2004

Delivering Improved Weather and Climate Services for the Urban Zone

Searching For a System Solution Searching For a

System Solution

1.1.What are the problems we are trying to solve? 2.2.

What is the whole system?

3.3.How do we optimize the solution?

1. What are the problems

we are trying to solve?

1. What are the problems

we are trying to solve?

Emergency response – protection of public health and safety

Air quality analysis and planning

HVAC and indoor air quality

Forecasting weather extremes

Transportation/weather/air quality relationships

2. What is the whole system?

(Emergency Response)

2. What is the whole system?

(Emergency Response) GIS-Based Inventory

Meteorological and Dispersion Information

Characterization of Hazardous Material Releases

Response Strategy Development

GIS-Based InventoryGIS-Based Inventory

Population including special risks

Terrain and building topography

Exit routes and capacities

Diurnal and weekly traffic patterns

Ports, rail lines, and major freight highways

Hospitals and capacities

Functional GIS model

Meteorological and Dispersion

Information

Meteorological and Dispersion

Information Synoptic analysis and forecasts

Local observation networks (data quality)

Small scale dispersion conditions

High resolution satellite observations

Suite of dispersion model algorithms

Functional meteorological and dispersion model(s)

Characterization of Hazardous Material

Releases

Characterization of Hazardous Material

ReleasesMode (spills, explosives, leaks, etc.)

Physical/chemical properties

Toxicity profiles

Biological propagation and quarantine protocols

Radiation protection guidelines

Integrated models including default parameters

Response Strategy Development

Response Strategy Development

Pre-designed ingest protocols

Master integrated model including defaults

Communications protocols

Information systems for first responders

Unified information for response managers with frequent updates

3. How do we optimize

the solution?

3. How do we optimize

the solution?

Objective function: Minimize adverse effects of accidents and terrorism events

Constraints: Irreducible uncertainties

- Meteorological dispersion parameters

- Hazardous materials releases

Issues

- Model development

- Measurement data quality

- Urban test beds

Searching For a System Solution Searching For a

System Solution

1.1.What are the problems we are trying to solve? 2.2.

What is the whole system?

3.3.How do we optimize the solution?