Numerical Weather Model Process

 

Numerical weather models (NWM) process analysis (A) data, collected from ground stations and soundings, process them using algorithms that conserve mass, momentum, energy and relate pressure and elevation (e.g., the primitive equations) to generate forecasts (F) or prognostics (progs). These forecasts can be compared to observations using analysis data, which in the comparison process are referred to as verifications (V). From the A, F, and V data assessment of NWM forecast error and weather persistence error can be computed.

 

The National Weather Service (NWS) provides access to many A, F, and V data for the NAM, GFS, WRF, NGM, SREF, and RUC image data at: http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/nwprod/analysis/

 

The Unisys corporation also provides some access for the NGM, ETA, AVN, MRF, RUC, and ECMWF image data at: http://weather.unisys.com/

 

NWM data can also be accessed for display in ArcGIS using the World Meteorological Organization’s NDFD GRIB2 Decoder, described by the NWS online.  Once the NDFD is installed, NWM products available form the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) are online. The FTP site for these data is: ftp://ftpprd.ncep.noaa.gov/pub/data/nccf/com/gfs/prod/. The NDFD will extract the data into SHP files that can then be viewed as polygons in ArcGIS.

 

Thanks to Andy Lee at SUNY ESF and his conversations with Dave Nicosia and colleagues in getting this process sorted.

 

Links

 

Main NCEP products site

http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/products/

 

FTP download site

ftp://ftpprd.ncep.noaa.gov/pub/data/nccf/com/gfs/prod/

 

Decoder information site

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl/NDFD_GRIB2Decoder/

 

Decoder download site

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl/NDFD_GRIB2Decoder/download.php

 

 

TRMM Process

 

TRMM Online Viewer of 0.25 degree 3-hourly data products: http://disc2.nascom.nasa.gov/Giovanni/tovas/TRMM_V6.3B42.shtml

 

TRMM Site: http://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/datapool/TRMM_DP/01_Data_Products/01_Orbital/index.htmlhttp://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/datapool/TRMM_DP/01_Data_Products/01_Orbital/index.html

 

Cyprus coordinates: 35.8 N, 32.2 E, 34.5 N, 34.6 E

 

Thanks to Mike Miller at SUNY ESF for his efforts in getting this process rolling.