On the Potential Use of the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar Gust Front Detection Algorithm on the WSR-88D System. Part II: Detecting Non-gust Front Convergent Weather Phenomena

On the Potential Use of the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar Gust Front Detection Algorithm on the WSR-88D System. Part II: Detecting Non-gust Front Convergent Weather Phenomena
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 44
Release: 1991
Genre:
ISBN:

This study examines the capability of the Gust Front Detection Algorithm (GFDA) developed for the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) system to detect other types of non-gust front weather phenomena which are associated with patterns of convergence in a Doppler-radar radial velocity field. The potential use of the GFDA as a nowcasting tool, a mesoscale forecasting tool, and as a tool to detect other kinds of aviation hazards besides gust fronts, needs investigation. The phenomena studied include synoptic fronts, sea-breeze fronts, gravity waves, terrain-induced convergence boundaries, old thunderstorm outflow boundaries, and the convergence bands within extratropical cyclones associated with enhanced precipitation. Comparisons of the convergent characteristics of these other phenomena to those of gust fronts are made. In addition, several case studies are presented to demonstrate the ability of the GFDA to detect the non-gust front phenomena.

On the Potential Use of the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar Gust Front Detection Algorithm on the WSR-88D System. Part 1: Impacts of Radar System Differences

On the Potential Use of the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar Gust Front Detection Algorithm on the WSR-88D System. Part 1: Impacts of Radar System Differences
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 42
Release: 1991
Genre:
ISBN:

The feasibility of using the gust front detection algorithm (GFDA) developed for the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) system on a Next Generation Weather Radar WSR-88D (formerly NEXRAD) system is assessed. The data resolution and tilt sequences of the WSR-88D system are different than TDWR, and the WSR-88D is designed to operate at greater ranges. To test the effect of the decreased data resolution of WSR-88D, TDWR-like data were degraded to the resolution of WSR-88D and the GFDA was tested on this degraded dataset. Also, the GFDA was tested on a gust front which occurred outside the normal 60-km range in which data are processed for TDWR. Results show that the degraded velocity precision of WSR-88D has little effect on the performance of the GFDA However, the larger sample volume sizes for the WSR-88D system did degrade the performance of the GFDA. The second lowest tilt angle for the WSR-88D tilt sequences is about 0.5 deg higher than TDWR, and this reduced the maximum range of gust front detectability. These tests show that the GFDA's performance on the WSR-88D system will be acceptable after a few modifications.

Publications Abstracts

Publications Abstracts
Author: United States. National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Publisher:
Total Pages: 290
Release: 1989
Genre: Telecommunication
ISBN:

Publications Abstracts

Publications Abstracts
Author: Environmental Research Laboratories (U.S.)
Publisher:
Total Pages: 202
Release: 1992
Genre: Environmental policy
ISBN: