10th Anniversary Edition:

This Fall 2005 issue represents the 10th year of the publication of NSSL Briefings. Desktop publishing has changed a lot, thankfully, since we first came up with the idea to share NSSL's work with the rest of the world. 27 newsletters later I want to thank the NSSL staff for their continued support in helping make NSSL Briefings a success. - Susan Cobb, Editor

Cutting edge research streamlined into NWS

4-panel display of Stormcell Investigator

Four-dimensional Stormcell Investigator (FSI) 4-panel display mock-up using radar data from June 13, 2004, Mulvane, OK.

Over the next ten years, NSSL-developed multi-sensor technology to improve severe weather warning decision-making will be available to meteorologists in the National Weather Service (NWS). As part of an effort to streamline the movement of research into operations, NSSL and the NWS developed a collaborative partnership through the addition of Meteorological Development Laboratory (MDL) scientist, Greg Stumpf, located at NSSL. Greg’s role will be to infuse NSSL's cutting-edge severe weather warning applications and decision support system development into NWS warning operations. The result will be improved NWS warning services for the public, increased detection accuracy, longer lead times, and fewer false alarms for tornadoes, flash floods, and other forms of severe convective weather. Some of the new tasks to be carried out include:

Collaboration with NSSL scientists to establish a development testbed in order to prototype new multi-sensor applicationsto be used in short-fuse (0-1 hour) severe weather warning operations and short-range prediction for NWS Weather Forecast Offices (WFO).
New research and software development for Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) decision assistance tools, including multiple-sensor severe weather warning decision-making applications (detection, diagnosis, and prediction algorithms).
Development of a new multiple-sensor hail diagnosis application and a multiple-sensor cloud-to-ground lightning prediction algorithm.
Development of the Four-dimensional Stormcell Investigator (FSI), a novel 4D base radar data analysis tool based on the successful NSSL Warning Decision Support System - Integrated Information (WDSS-II) display. The FSI plots native-resolution (spherical coordinate, or “8-bit”) WSR-88D base data in 3D space, on a 3D representation of the Earth. Users can interact with the data using a variety of tools (e.g., dynamic vertical and horizontal cross sections, 3D pan-zoom-pitch-yaw controls).

Researching and prototyping new applications that exploit and integrate multiple-sensor observations for the benefit of NWS operations is crucial for NOAA. The strategic placement of Greg as an MDL scientist will enhance NSSL’s long-time relationship with the NWS in the development of new science and technology to support the NWS operational severe weather and flash flood warning capabilities.