Survey Results of WSR-88D Field Sites Meteorological Algorithm Performance, 1994

摘要

In March 1994 the OSF Algorithms Section sent a survey form to 76 National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast offices and Center Weather Service Units (CWSU's). In a cooperative effort with the Air Force, Headquarters Air Weather Service also sent survey forms to 27 Department of Defense (DOD) sites. The goal of this project was to ask WSR-88D operators to subjectively assess the performance of the 19 WSR-88D meteorological algorithms and products. Survey forms were returned from 74 offices and 157 forecasters. The algorithms rated highest (in order) by all 3 agencies are as follows: Vertically Integrated Liquid, VAD Wind Profile, One Hour Precipitation, Storm Total Precipitation, Three Hour Precipitation, Velocity Azimuth Display, and Layer Composite Reflectivity. Algorithms rated lowest were Echo Top Contour, Hail, Severe Weather Potential, and Combined Shear. Algorithms used the most (in order) were VAD Wind Profile, Storm Tracking, Vertically Integrated Liquid, Storm Total Precipitation, Mesocyclone, and One Hour Precipitation. Severe Weather Probability, Echo Top Contours, Layer Composite Turbulence, and Combined Shear were used least often. (Descriptions of these and other WSR-88D algorithms and products can be found in Crum and Alberty, 1993; Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 11, Part C, 1991; Klazura and Imy, 1993) This summary will assist the OSF and NEXRAD agencies focus efforts on the algorithms that most need improvement.