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  • 1
    Publication Date: 2020-07-08
    Description: In this study, bias-corrected temperature and moisture retrievals from the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) were assimilated using the Data Assimilation Research Testbed ensemble adjustment Kalman filter to assess their impact on Weather Research and Forecasting model analyses and forecasts of a severe convective weather (SCW) event that occurred on 18–19 May 2017. Relative to a control experiment that assimilated conventional observations only, the AERI assimilation experiment produced analyses that were better fit to surface temperature and moisture observations and which displayed sharper depiction of surface boundaries (cold front, dry line) known to be important in the initiation and development of SCW. Forecasts initiated from the AERI analyses also exhibited improved performance compared to the control forecasts using several metrics, including neighborhood maximum ensemble probabilities (NMEP) and fractions skill scores (FSS) computed using simulated and observed radar reflectivity factor. Though model analyses were impacted in a broader area around the AERI network, forecast improvements were generally confined to the relatively small area of the computational domain located downwind of the small cluster of AERI observing sites. A larger network would increase the spatial coverage of “downwind areas” and provide increased sampling of the lower atmosphere during both active and quiescent periods. This would in turn offer the potential for larger and more consistent improvements in model analyses and, in turn, improved short-range ensemble forecasts. Forecast improvements found during this and other recent studies provide motivation to develop a nationwide network of boundary layer profiling sensors.
    Electronic ISSN: 2073-4433
    Topics: Geosciences
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  • 2
    Publication Date: 2016-12-19
    Description: In this study, the utility of dimensioned, neighborhood-based, and object-based forecast verification metrics for cloud verification is assessed using output from the experimental High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRRx) model over a 1-day period containing different modes of convection. This is accomplished by comparing observed and simulated Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 10.7-μm brightness temperatures (BTs). Traditional dimensioned metrics such as mean absolute error (MAE) and mean bias error (MBE) were used to assess the overall model accuracy. The MBE showed that the HRRRx BTs for forecast hours 0 and 1 are too warm compared with the observations, indicating a lack of cloud cover, but rapidly become too cold in subsequent hours because of the generation of excessive upper-level cloudiness. Neighborhood and object-based statistics were used to investigate the source of the HRRRx cloud cover errors. The neighborhood statistic fractions skill score (FSS) showed that displacement errors between cloud objects identified in the HRRRx and GOES BTs increased with time. Combined with the MBE, the FSS distinguished when changes in MAE were due to differences in the HRRRx BT bias or displacement in cloud features. The Method for Object-Based Diagnostic Evaluation (MODE) analyzed the similarity between HRRRx and GOES cloud features in shape and location. The similarity was summarized using the newly defined MODE composite score (MCS), an area-weighted calculation using the cloud feature match value from MODE. Combined with the FSS, the MCS indicated if HRRRx forecast error is the result of cloud shape, since the MCS is moderately large when forecast and observation objects are similar in size.
    Print ISSN: 0882-8156
    Electronic ISSN: 1520-0434
    Topics: Geography , Physics
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  • 3
    Publication Date: 2016-09-01
    Description: This study uses an observing system simulation experiment to explore the impact of assimilating GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) 6.95-μm brightness temperatures and Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) reflectivity and radial velocity observations in an ensemble data assimilation system. A high-resolution truth simulation was used to create synthetic radar and satellite observations of a severe weather event that occurred across the U.S. central plains on 4–5 June 2005. The experiment employs the Weather Research and Forecasting Model at 4-km horizontal grid spacing and the ensemble adjustment Kalman filter algorithm in the Data Assimilation Research Testbed system. The ability of GOES-R ABI brightness temperatures to improve the analysis and forecast accuracy when assimilated separately or simultaneously with Doppler radar reflectivity and radial velocity observations was assessed, along with the use of bias correction and different covariance localization radii for the brightness temperatures. Results show that the radar observations accurately capture the structure of a portion of the storm complex by the end of the assimilation period, but that more of the storms and atmospheric features are reproduced and the accuracy of the ensuing forecast improved when the brightness temperatures are also assimilated.
    Print ISSN: 0027-0644
    Electronic ISSN: 1520-0493
    Topics: Geography , Geosciences , Physics
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  • 4
    Publication Date: 2018-05-01
    Description: Given the increasing use of the term “flash drought” by the media and scientific community, it is prudent to develop a consistent definition that can be used to identify these events and to understand their salient characteristics. It is generally accepted that flash droughts occur more often during the summer owing to increased evaporative demand; however, two distinct approaches have been used to identify them. The first approach focuses on their rate of intensification, whereas the second approach implicitly focuses on their duration. These conflicting notions for what constitutes a flash drought (i.e., unusually fast intensification vs short duration) introduce ambiguity that affects our ability to detect their onset, monitor their development, and understand the mechanisms that control their evolution. Here, we propose that the definition for “flash drought” should explicitly focus on its rate of intensification rather than its duration, with droughts that develop much more rapidly than normal identified as flash droughts. There are two primary reasons for favoring the intensification approach over the duration approach. First, longevity and impact are fundamental characteristics of drought. Thus, short-term events lasting only a few days and having minimal impacts are inconsistent with the general understanding of drought and therefore should not be considered flash droughts. Second, by focusing on their rapid rate of intensification, the proposed “flash drought” definition highlights the unique challenges faced by vulnerable stakeholders who have less time to prepare for its adverse effects.
    Print ISSN: 0003-0007
    Electronic ISSN: 1520-0477
    Topics: Geography , Physics
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  • 5
    Publication Date: 2018-01-01
    Description: Output from a high-resolution ensemble data assimilation system is used to assess the ability of an innovative nonlinear bias correction (BC) method that uses a Taylor series polynomial expansion of the observation-minus-background departures to remove linear and nonlinear conditional biases from all-sky satellite infrared brightness temperatures. Univariate and multivariate experiments were performed in which the satellite zenith angle and variables sensitive to clouds and water vapor were used as the BC predictors. The results showed that even though the bias of the entire observation departure distribution is equal to zero regardless of the order of the Taylor series expansion, there are often large conditional biases that vary as a nonlinear function of the BC predictor. The linear first-order term had the largest impact on the entire distribution as measured by reductions in variance; however, large conditional biases often remained in the distribution when plotted as a function of the predictor. These conditional biases were typically reduced to near zero when the nonlinear second- and third-order terms were used. The univariate results showed that variables sensitive to the cloud-top height are effective BC predictors especially when higher-order Taylor series terms are used. Comparison of the statistics for clear-sky and cloudy-sky observations revealed that nonlinear departures are more important for cloudy-sky observations as signified by the much larger impact of the second- and third-order terms on the conditional biases. Together, these results indicate that the nonlinear BC method is able to effectively remove the bias from all-sky infrared observation departures.
    Print ISSN: 0027-0644
    Electronic ISSN: 1520-0493
    Topics: Geography , Geosciences , Physics
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  • 6
    Publication Date: 2017-08-01
    Description: In this study, object-based verification using the method for object-based diagnostic evaluation (MODE) is used to assess the accuracy of cloud-cover forecasts from the experimental High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRRx) model during the warm and cool seasons. This is accomplished by comparing cloud objects identified by MODE in observed and simulated Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 10.7-μm brightness temperatures for August 2015 and January 2016. The analysis revealed that more cloud objects and a more pronounced diurnal cycle occurred during August, with larger object sizes observed in January because of the prevalence of synoptic-scale cloud features. With the exception of the 0-h analyses, the forecasts contained fewer cloud objects than were observed. HRRRx forecast accuracy is assessed using two methods: traditional verification, which compares the locations of grid points identified as observation and forecast objects, and the MODE composite score, an area-weighted calculation using the object-pair interest values computed by MODE. The 1-h forecasts for both August and January were the most accurate for their respective months. Inspection of the individual MODE attribute interest scores showed that, even though displacement errors between the forecast and observation objects increased between the 0-h analyses and 1-h forecasts, the forecasts were more accurate than the analyses because the sizes of the largest cloud objects more closely matched the observations. The 1-h forecasts from August were found to be more accurate than those during January because the spatial displacement between the cloud objects was smaller and the forecast objects better represented the size of the observation objects.
    Print ISSN: 1558-8424
    Electronic ISSN: 1558-8432
    Topics: Geography , Physics
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  • 7
    Publication Date: 2017-07-01
    Description: Probabilistic forecasts of U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) intensification over 2-, 4-, and 8-week time periods are developed based on recent anomalies in precipitation, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture. These statistical forecasts are computed using logistic regression with cross validation. While recent precipitation, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture do provide skillful forecasts, it is found that additional information on the current state of the USDM adds significant skill to the forecasts. The USDM state information takes the form of a metric that quantifies the “distance” from the next-higher drought category using a nondiscrete estimate of the current USDM state. This adds skill because USDM states that are close to the next-higher drought category are more likely to intensify than states that are farther from this threshold. The method shows skill over most of the United States but is most skillful over the north-central United States, where the cross-validated Brier skill score averages 0.20 for both 2- and 4-week forecasts. The 8-week forecasts are less skillful in most locations. The 2- and 4-week probabilities have very good reliability. The 8-week probabilities, on the other hand, are noticeably overconfident. For individual drought events, the method shows the most skill when forecasting high-amplitude flash droughts and when large regions of the United States are experiencing intensifying drought.
    Print ISSN: 1525-755X
    Electronic ISSN: 1525-7541
    Topics: Geography , Geosciences , Physics
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  • 8
    Publication Date: 2017-07-01
    Description: The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) classifies drought into five discrete dryness/drought categories based on expert synthesis of numerous data sources. In this study, an empirical methodology is presented for creating a nondiscrete USDM index that simultaneously 1) represents the dryness/wetness value on a continuum and 2) is most consistent with the time scales and processes of the actual USDM. A continuous USDM representation will facilitate USDM forecasting methods, which will benefit from knowledge of where, within a discrete drought class, the current drought state most probably lies. The continuous USDM is developed such that the actual discrete USDM can be reconstructed by discretizing the continuous USDM based on the 30th, 20th, 10th, 5th, and 2nd percentiles—corresponding with USDM definitions for the D4–D0 drought classes. Anomalies in precipitation, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration over a range of different time scales are used as predictors to estimate the continuous USDM. The methodology is fundamentally probabilistic, meaning that the probability density function (PDF) of the continuous USDM is estimated and therefore the degree of uncertainty in the fit is properly characterized. Goodness-of-fit metrics and direct comparisons between the actual and predicted USDM analyses during different seasons and years indicate that this objective drought classification method is well correlated with the current USDM analyses. In Part II, this continuous USDM index will be used to improve intraseasonal USDM intensification forecasts because it is capable of distinguishing between USDM states that are either far from or near to the next-higher drought category.
    Print ISSN: 1525-755X
    Electronic ISSN: 1525-7541
    Topics: Geography , Geosciences , Physics
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  • 9
    Publication Date: 2017-05-01
    Description: In this study, cycled forecast experiments were performed to assess the ability of different cloud microphysics and cumulus parameterization schemes in the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) Model to accurately simulate the evolution of the cloud and moisture fields during the entire life cycle of Hurricane Edouard (2014). The forecast accuracy for each model configuration was evaluated through comparison of observed and simulated Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-13 (GOES-13) infrared brightness temperatures and satellite-derived tropical cyclone intensity estimates computed using the advanced Dvorak technique (ADT). Overall, the analysis revealed a large moist bias in the mid- and upper troposphere during the entire forecast period that was at least partially due to a moist bias in the initialization datasets but was also affected by the microphysics and cumulus parameterization schemes. Large differences occurred in the azimuthal brightness temperature distributions, with two of the microphysics schemes producing hurricane eyes that were much larger and clearer than observed, especially for later forecast hours. Comparisons to the forecast 10-m wind speeds showed reasonable agreement (correlations between 0.58 and 0.74) between the surface-based intensities and the ADT intensity estimates inferred via cloud patterns in the upper troposphere. It was also found that model configurations that had the smallest differences between the ADT and surface-based intensities had the most accurate track and intensity forecasts. Last, the cloud microphysics schemes had the largest impact on the forecast accuracy.
    Print ISSN: 0027-0644
    Electronic ISSN: 1520-0493
    Topics: Geography , Geosciences , Physics
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  • 10
    Publication Date: 2018-10-01
    Description: The evolution of a flash drought event, characterized by a period of rapid drought intensification, is assessed using standard drought monitoring datasets and on-the-ground reports obtained via a written survey of agricultural stakeholders after the flash drought occurred. The flash drought impacted agricultural production across a five-state region centered on the Black Hills of South Dakota during the summer of 2016. The survey asked producers to estimate when certain drought impacts, ranging from decreased soil moisture to plant stress and diminished water resources, first occurred on their land. The geographic distribution and timing of the survey responses were compared to the U.S. Drought Monitor and to datasets depicting anomalies in evapotranspiration, precipitation, and soil moisture. Overall, the survey responses showed that this event was a multifaceted drought that caused a variety of impacts across the region. Comparisons of the survey reports to the drought monitoring datasets revealed that the topsoil moisture dataset provided the earliest warning of drought development, but at the expense of a high false alarm rate. Anomalies in evapotranspiration were closely aligned to the survey reports of plant stress and also provided a more focused depiction of where the worst drought conditions were located. This study provides evidence that qualitative reports of drought impacts obtained via written surveys provide valuable information that can be used to assess the accuracy of high-resolution drought monitoring datasets.
    Print ISSN: 1948-8327
    Electronic ISSN: 1948-8335
    Topics: Geosciences , Physics
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