Projects

Spring Forecasting Experiment

The NOAA HWT Spring Forecasting Experiment is a yearly experiment that investigates the use of convection-allowing model forecasts as guidance for the prediction of hazardous convective weather. A variety of model output is examined and evaluated daily, and experimental forecasts are created and verified to test the applicability of cutting-edge tools in a simulated forecasting environment. The variety of model output allows us to explore different types of guidance, including products derived from both ensembles and deterministic forecasts, and to provide focused feedback to model developers. Click here for more information about the Spring Forecasting Experiment.

Severe Weather Extended Range forecasting and Verification Experiment

The Severe Weather Extended Range forecasting and Verification Experiment (SWERVE) is an experiment aimed to assess the capabilities and skill of extended-range severe weather prediction by using and evaluating available operational and experimental forecast products to generate and verify extended-range severe weather forecasts for the contiguous United States. This experiment provides a framework for NWS operational forecasters, OAR laboratory scientists, and academic collaborators to work together to develop new forecast guidance and products for extended-range severe weather prediction that will be evaluated and potentially transitioned to operations.

Phased Array Radar Activity

The Phased Array Radar (PAR) activity provides forecasters with an opportunity to explore and provide researchers with feedback on multiple aspects of dual-pol phased array radar data. Participants issue warnings in simulated real-time events, take surveys, and participate in discussions regarding the events and how volume update time, vertical coverage, and dual-pol data clarity/texture impacted warning decisions and understanding of storm-scale processes. Forecasters evaluate data from the Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD), which is the first dual-pol S-band phased array radar designed for weather observations.

Satellite Proving Ground Experiment

In the Satellite Proving Ground (SPG) Experiment, National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters evaluate recently developed experimental products, with a focus on improving the detection and prediction of severe weather hazards, such as tornadoes and large hail. These products will be used alongside their standard suite of products to provide experimental short term severe weather forecasts, severe thunderstorm/tornado warnings, and decision support services to the public. The experimental products are associated with improvements to existing weather satellite systems from the GOES-R and JPSS programs. The focus of the SPG experiment is to evaluate the products and capabilities of the satellites in a real time environment that allows experiment participants to provide constructive feedback. This information will be used to accelerate product development and improve forecaster training, so that they can be effectively deployed operationally at NWS local forecast offices.

Hazard Services-Probabilistic Hazard Information Recommender Experiment

The Hazard Services (HS)-Probabilistic Hazard Information (PHI) Recommender Experiment, a joint experiment between the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), Global Systems Laboratory (GSL), and the National Weather Service, is the latest in a series of experiments conducted in recent years to evaluate the use of probabilistic information in The HS-PHI Recommender Experiment evaluates severe thunderstorm warning recommenders within Hazard Services using Probabilistic Hazard Information (PHI) as a "first guess" to generate storm-based warnings during both live and archive severe weather events. Forecasters will also have the opportunity to test the applicability to Threats-in-Motion (TiM) and early-stage, experimental web-based guidance for tornado threats. The HS-PHI Recommender Experiment will provide critical feedback on whether "first-guess" tools actually reduce workload and directly influence how PHI research moves into operational tools.

Warning Program

Related Links

During the Satellite Convective Applications Experiment, the Satellite Proving Ground conducts a demonstration of recently developed experimental products and capabilities alongside an NWS forecaster’s standard operational data and products with a focus on evaluating the products and capabilities of the satellite in a real-time environment. [+]

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During the weeks of the Spring Experiment, forecasters assess a new tool using rapidly-updating high-resolution gridded Probabilistic Hazard Information (PHI) as the basis for next-generation severe weather warnings. This experiment is part of a broad effort to revitalize the NWS watch/warning paradigm known as Forecasting a Continuum of Environmental Threats (FACETs). FACETs is a proposed next-generation severe weather watch and warning framework that is modern, flexible, and designed to communicate clear and simple hazardous weather information to serve the public. (Video only; no sound.)

As participants in the PHI Experiment, broadcasters perform typical job functions under a simulated television studio environment as they receive experimental probabilistic advisories and warnings from NWS forecasters. Researchers study how broadcast meteorologists interpret, use, and communicate this probabilistic information. [+]

During the HMT-Hydro experiment, forecasters and hydrologists from the NOAA NWS work with NSSL scientists to assess new technology and techniques to improve the prediction and warning of flash flooding. [+]