NWS Operational QPE Needs Best Met By National-Scale 3-D Multisensor Mosaics

1
NWS Operational QPE Needs Best Met
ByNational-Scale 3-D Multisensor Mosaics

• Radar precipitation estimates outside current
  WSR-88D 230-km processing range
• Canada
• Northern Mexico, far southwest Texas
• Ability for multiple end users to obtain
  estimates from different Z-R relationships
• Analysis of Record (AOR) precipitation estimates
• CONUS-scale 5-km grid
• NCEP prototype currently uses Digital
  Precipitation Array mosaic, rain gauge
  observations, local Multisensor Precipitation
  Estimator (MPE) implementation

2
NWS Operational QPE Needs That Could Be Met
ByNational- or Regional-Scale 3-D Multisensor
Mosaics

• Flash Flood Detection
• NWS operations now depend mainly on analysis of
  single-radar precipitation in AWIPS
• Detection of heavy precipitation is compromised
  by range degradation and partial beam blockages
• External mosaicking would reduce computational
  load on AWIPS

3
QPE Infusion/Improvement Organizations

• Technical needs described by
• Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs)
• River Forecast Centers (RFCs)
• NCEP
• Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services
  (OCCWS)
• Other NOAA entities
• General user community
• Technical/science solutions from
• Requesting organizations
• NOAA Laboratories
• Academic Community
• Implementation and maintenance of solutions by
  NWS organizations
• Office of Operational Services Radar Operations
  Center
• National Centers for Environmental Prediction
• Office of Science and Technology
• Office of Hydrologic Development
• Routine communication and coordination among
  organizations is vital
• All organizations listed above will play a part
  in QPE improvement