Story from TopekaStory from Topeka

George PhillipsGeorge Phillips

Science and Operations OfficerScience and Operations Officer

NWS – Topeka KSNWS – Topeka KS

TopicsTopics

• 3D Radar Displays

• Help for Drawing Initial Polygon

• Integrating Environmental Information Into Warngen Display

• Automatic 8 Bit Data from surrounding RDAs

• Best Practices

3D Reflectivity3D Reflectivity

• 4-panels and All-Tilts great, have strengths, but also obvious limitations

• Upcoming FSI and multi-radar products will enhance our ability to visualize storms in three dimensions and decrease limitations

• 3D type displays like GR2AE:– tremendous at helping evaluate reflectivity in 3D and

its evolution through time– able to help us quickly evaluate the vertical extent of

various reflectivity “surfaces” vs. height (AGL or temperature level)

GR2AE at TopekaGR2AE at Topeka

• Utilized since June 2006 as supplementary data/display

• Mets use 3D reflectivity almost exclusively while using in real-time

• Primarily for determining:– Vertical extent of reflectivity surfaces– Structures associated with supercells– Time evolution of previous two items

• Incredibly fast to be able to quickly investigate several storms

GR2AE at Topeka (cont)GR2AE at Topeka (cont)

• Also used for:– Post storm analysis– Viewing 8bit data from cases prior to 2003– Investigating storms in other CWAs– Obtaining 8bit data in real time from adjacent

radar

AWIPS 3D Display NeedsAWIPS 3D Display Needs

• Speed, speed, speed

• Transparencies

• Customizable color curves

• Easily manipulated views

• Customizable display of environmental data heights (0C, -20C, etc.)

Initial Polygon IssuesInitial Polygon Issues

• Early use of Warngen resulted in polygons that were almost purely the result of extrapolation (or, in some places, whole counties)

• As experience was gained, emphasis was placed on better forecasting of future storm movement and development– Pure polygon warnings make this critically important– This is always going to be challenging

• Displays that enable warngen panel synch with higher elevation angles or CAPPI would be good

Better Integration of Environmental Better Integration of Environmental Info Into WDMInfo Into WDM

• Still an area where WDM improvements can help performance• Olden days (AFOS and PUP)

– Briefing/Self-Briefing on environment– During event, hopefully mesoscale analyst– Challenging for WDMaker to effectively utilize changing environment

significantly in decision• AWIPS

– Huge improvement with overlay capabilities– Further help with advanced Volume Browser fields

• Anything further to tie environment to radar displays/evolutions will help

• Constant learning process• Always with a caution about representativeness of environmental

data• Additional, reliable and timely mesonet data would be huge• Easy LAPS/RUC sounding generation from main Warngen panel

would be helpful

Easy Sounding Generation from Easy Sounding Generation from Warngen PanelWarngen Panel

• Possible functionality– Right-click on display– Choose Generate Sounding– Choose LAPS/RUC/etc.– Essentially sampling as cursor moves across screen– Parameters may have be to simple for speed

• Anything that makes it easier to integrate environment into WDM makes learning easier

• Adds confidence level to evaluation of semi-black-box plan view environmental fields

Automatic 8 bit Data from Automatic 8 bit Data from Surrounding RDAsSurrounding RDAs

• RMRs slow, limited and timing of request critical• Script to change to dedicated user? One radar.

Anyone use this?• Took forever to get 4-panels of 4-bit from other

radars• Significant handicap if own RDA goes down or

investigating storms closer to nearby RDA• We didn’t know how bad 4-bit was until we had

8-bit ;-)

Best Practices?Best Practices?

• Not really, but perhaps helpful since others coming into our office hadn’t seen it

• Keeping track of what is in small panes is a pain• CWA map backgrounds in procedures from

surrounding RDAs different colors• CWA map backgrounds in procedures for multi-

radar 4-panels different color• Varying elevation 4-panel procedures from same

RDA have different line style

WrapupWrapup

• 3D Radar Displays• Help for Drawing Initial Polygon• Integrating Environmental Information Into

Warngen Display• Automatic 8 Bit Data from surrounding

RDAs• Best Practices?

– CWA map background colors/styles– Multi-radar 4-panels