TY - JOUR
T1 - REFRACTT 2006
AU - Roberts, Rita D.
AU - Fabry, Frédéric
AU - Kennedy, Patrick C.
AU - Nelson, Eric
AU - Wilson, James W.
AU - Rehak, Nancy
AU - Fritz, Jason
AU - Chandrasekar, V.
AU - Braun, John
AU - Sun, Juanzhen
AU - Ellis, Scott
AU - Reising, Steven
AU - Crum, Timothy
AU - Mooney, Larry
AU - Palmer, Robert
AU - Weckwerth, Tammy
AU - Padmanabhan, Sharmila
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - The Refractivity Experiment for H2O Research and Collaborative Operational Technology Transfer (REFRACTT), conducted in northeast Colorado during the summer of 2006, provided a unique opportunity to obtain high-resolution gridded moisture fields from the operational Denver Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) and three research radars using a radar-based index of refraction (refractivity) technique. Until now, it has not been possible to observe and monitor moisture variability in the near-surface boundary layer to such high spatial (4-km horizontal gridpoint spacing) and temporal (4-10-min update rates) resolutions using operational NEXRAD and provide these moisture fields to researchers and the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters in real time. The overarching goals of REFRACTT were to 1) access and mosaic the refractivity data from the operational NEXRAD and research radars together over a large domain for use by NWS forecasters in real time for short-term forecasting, 2) improve our understanding of near-surface water vapor variability and the role it plays in the initiation of convection and thunderstorms, and 3) improve the accuracy of quantitative precipitation forecasts QPF) through improved observations and assimilation of low-level moisture fields. This paper presents examples of refractivity-derived moisture fields from REFRACTT in 2006 and the moisture variability observed in the near-surface boundary layer, in association with thunderstorm initiation, and with a cold frontal passage.
AB - The Refractivity Experiment for H2O Research and Collaborative Operational Technology Transfer (REFRACTT), conducted in northeast Colorado during the summer of 2006, provided a unique opportunity to obtain high-resolution gridded moisture fields from the operational Denver Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) and three research radars using a radar-based index of refraction (refractivity) technique. Until now, it has not been possible to observe and monitor moisture variability in the near-surface boundary layer to such high spatial (4-km horizontal gridpoint spacing) and temporal (4-10-min update rates) resolutions using operational NEXRAD and provide these moisture fields to researchers and the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters in real time. The overarching goals of REFRACTT were to 1) access and mosaic the refractivity data from the operational NEXRAD and research radars together over a large domain for use by NWS forecasters in real time for short-term forecasting, 2) improve our understanding of near-surface water vapor variability and the role it plays in the initiation of convection and thunderstorms, and 3) improve the accuracy of quantitative precipitation forecasts QPF) through improved observations and assimilation of low-level moisture fields. This paper presents examples of refractivity-derived moisture fields from REFRACTT in 2006 and the moisture variability observed in the near-surface boundary layer, in association with thunderstorm initiation, and with a cold frontal passage.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/60849138400
U2 - 10.1175/2008BAMS2412.1
DO - 10.1175/2008BAMS2412.1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:60849138400
SN - 0003-0007
VL - 89
SP - 1535
EP - 1548
JO - Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
JF - Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
IS - 10
ER -