The DTC ensembles task: A new testing and evaluation facility for mesoscale ensembles

The Developmental Testbed Center (DTC) has established the DTC Ensemble Task (DET) as a new testbed platform. The DET is intended to serve as a bridge between research and operations. The goal of the DET is to provide an environment in which extensive testing and evaluation of ensemble-related techniques can be conducted such that the results are immediately relevant to the operational centers. One guiding assumption of the DET is that it can function best as an independent evaluator of ensemble forecasting systems and their elements as a joint venture. The DET is a joint venture primarily between the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the Earth Systems Research Laboratory (ESRL), and is well positioned to serve the established function. Another associated assumption is that forecast centers with or without research branches will lack the resources to compare several competing modeling components originating in the research community in the face of operational demands.