The Unidata-NCEP Partnership: Transferring Model Output and Software to the University Community Dr. Louis W. Uccellini Director National Centers for Environmental Prediction Unidata 25 th Anniversary Event Boulder, CO October 16, 2009

Outline Historical time line of NCEP involvement with Unidata CONDUIT Software Support (GEMPAK to NAWIPS) for the University Community Model Implementation process Summary 2

3 Historical Time Line of NCEP Partnership with Unidata Providing model data – CONDUIT started in 1997 –Bringing high resolution model data and software to the university/research community for over a decade. –Supporting the R2O effort through “O2R” Providing workstation application software support – provision of NAWIPS began in 1990s

4 CONDUIT Historical Perspective –USWRP sponsored project (initiated in 1997) –highest priority of the USWRP/Science Steering Committee –Serves the University Community with reliable real-time global and regional model data for running local mesoscale models and supporting educational functions (e.g., synoptic labs) Cooperative Opportunity for NCEP Data Using IDD Technology

5 CONDUIT (cont.) Importance to NCEP recognized –Ensures delivery system is timely and reliable –Research done with operational models helps improve those models Today: data provided to hundreds of Unidata customers in the US and other countries –Includes university and research users, as well as some from the private industry

6 CONDUIT (cont.) More recently expanded to include access to higher resolution gridded operational model data: –GFS –NAEFS –GDAS –NAM –SREF –RUC Reproduced from Holton, 3 rd Edit. Fig Photo by Dave Fultz NAM 48h forecast of 500 mb heights, and absolute vorticity, valid Z

7 CONDUIT Inventory Current Data Sets per Community Requirements – GFS –0.5 deg. – hours –1.0 deg. – hours –2.5 deg. – hours NAM (All grids hours) –12 km CONUS (Surface fields only) –40 km CONUS –90 km North American –45 km Alaska

8 CONDUIT Inventory NAEFS (NCEP GFS Component) –Both NAEFS and TIGGE data sets for 21 members per cycle RUC – hourly time steps to forecast hour 12 –20 and 40 km Surface, Pressure, and Hybrid level files –80 km files removed after survey with customers SREF – Regional Ensembles over North America –40 km bias corrected output plus ensemble means, spreads, and probability products

Data sets available to CONDUIT Model Application CFS Climate GFS Global/Wx GEFS/ NAEFS Global Ensembles NAM Regional/ SevereWx SREF Regional Ensembles Domain Global No. Am. Resolution T62 (~200km) 64 levels MOM3 1 deg 40 lev T382(~35km) to 7.5days T190(~70km) to 16 days 64 levels T126 (~105km) 28 levels 12 km 60 levels km/ lvls Forecast length 9 months 4/day 16 days 4/day 16 days 4/day 84 hrs 4/day 87 hrs 4/day # of Members 120/ month N/A84/dayN/A84/day

Data sets available to CONDUIT Model Application RUC Domestic Aviation & Severe Wx Air Quality Domestic Sfc Ozone [Smoke] HiRes- Window Severe Weather Fire Wx/ IMET Support [Homeland Security] Hurricane track & intensity Domain CONUS [CONUS & Alaska] 2/3 CONUS Alaska Hawaii & PR Selectable 4-8 State [1-3 state] Storm Movable nest Resolution 13 km 50 levels CMAQ 12 km / 22 levels [ HYSPLIT off the 12 km NAM ] WRF-NMM 4.0 km 35 lvls WRF-ARW 5.1 km 35 lvls NMM [+ H YSPLIT ] 8 [4] km 50 lvls HWRF & GFDL 9 km 42 levels Forecast length 12 hours 24 / day hours 2 / day [4/day] 48 hours 1 large nest + 1 small nest 4/day when no hurricanes 48 [30] hrs 4/day 120 hrs 4 storms 4/day

11 FY10 Planned Model Changes Implement SREF upgrade with resolution increase to 32 km, 10 WRF members, increased physics diversity and improved BUFR output Implement GENS/NAEFS upgrade with resolution increase to T190, stochastic forcing, concurrent generation and extension to 35 day forecast once per day Implement HWRF capability upgrade Implement RTOFS SSH data assimilation and other upgrades Implement GSI data assimilation in GDAS with assimilation of RARS data, EUMETSAT-9 winds, improved use of GPSRO data and GFS model bug fixes Implement GFS shallow convection and other physics Implement HYCOM-Navy global model at 1/12 degree Upgrade HWRF system with HYCOM ocean model Upgrade GFS resolution to 27 km

12 Software Support From GEMPAK to NAWIPS to AWIPS-II Late 1980’s - GEMPAK software came to NMC/NCEP from the Severe Storms Branch at Goddard Spaceflight Center Mid 1990’s – NCEP AWIPS system (NAWIPS) developed with GEMPAK at core –Supports NCEP Forecast Centers – NAWIPS transitioning to AWIPS-II Architecture

13 Software Support Unidata has taken the NAWIPS software system and packaged it for use by the university/research community (real-time modeling and research) Unidata provides software, documentation, training and support to its participating universities Unidata participants provide bug fixes, software optimization, new application software, all of which are worked into future releases by NCEP/NCO NCEP will continue rely on Unidata to do the same as we enter the AWIPS-II era

14 Software Support Unidata Involvement in the AWIPS-II Program Monthly migration telcons IV&V, OT&E (baseline + NAWIPS extensions) –Test plans, cases and execution User training (limited) – web based Developers conference held July Design and development collaboration Liaison with University community

15 Model Implementation Process Feedback to Model Implementation Process NCEP model improvement process includes peer review of impending upgrades: –Via the model evaluation mailing list, members are notified of upcoming major model upgrades –Members can register to participate in the evaluation –Participants are told where to access model data for the evaluation period and how and when to provide feedback –Feedback is considered in implementation decision process – ncep.list.modelevalinfo Participation in model evaluations is encouraged and appreciated

16 Summary NCEP/Unidata Partnership –Remains vibrant with both groups benefitting from CONDUIT –Focused on provision of operational model data to the research community (O2R!) –Application software support and exchange ongoing – from NAWIPS to AWIPS II Future –Processes established through CONDUIT allow users to provide requirements for model access, especially as we enter the Ensemble Era –Expanded applications possible as operational models expand to support climate services, ecological forecast systems and ocean and space weather prediction models

17 Appendix  CONDUIT Inventory/Data Sets  FY10 Planned Model Changes