NCEP Synergy Meeting Highlights: March 4, 2013

This meeting was led by Wallace Hogsett (WPC) and attended by Keith Brill (WPC); Rebecca Cosgrove, Justin Cooke, and Chris Caruso-Magee (NCO); Geoff DiMego, DeNe Carlis, John Derber, Eric Rogers, Vera Gerald, Yuejian Zhu, and Mary Hart (EMC); Kathy Gilbert (MDL); Michael Brennan and Richard Pasch (NHC); Israel Jirak (SPC); Steve Silberberg (AWC); Pete Browning (CR); Bernard Meisner (SR); Brian Miretzky (ER); David Dewitt (OST)


1. NOTES FROM NCO (Becky Cosgrove and Chris Caruso-Magee)

A PNS is out to remove all MRF grids, known in AWIPS as “gfsLR”. All files in the PNS will be removed except for grid 201, which is a 381km Northern Hemisphere GRIB2 file. In AWIPS, this is the GFS360. The other grids will be removed on April 16. A goal of EMC is to eventually replace the current 381km hemispheric grid with one of higher resolution.

NCO continues to work on the transition of many models onto the new supercomputer (WCOSS). However, no model is completely in because of delays with the graphics library and the codes that prepare the observational data for use in the models.  Other models are in various stages of validation.

The WCOSS transition will be complete by August. Customer evaluation will begin in June, with products available on an ftp server. A parallel version of the MAG website will be populated with imagery to view, and NCO will provide NCEP Centers with all of the gempak grids that they currently use on the CCS. Keep an eye out for director-level communications about participation in the evaluation. These emails will be sent soon. The data will be available for evaluation for at least a month before going live on WCOSS, during which time the Centers can evaluate in any way they choose.

Important for CCS users: if you send files to the CCS, get those processes going soon on WCOSS. We want to make sure jobs are looking in the correct locations for the files.


2. NOTES FROM EMC

2a. Global Climate and Weather Modeling Branch (GCWMB) (John Derber and Yuejian Zhu)

We have been asked to upgrade the observing systems used in the global model, and we may turn it on for WCOSS. These data sources include Metop-B (primary data source), cross-track infrared sounder (CrIS) data from NPP, and some geostationary sounder data. We will do it on WCOSS so that the data is used when the model goes live on WCOSS. Avoiding changes on the CCS appears to be the path of least disruption for NCO and others. It is not anticipated that the data changes will impact the GFS in a big way. CrIS has a similar orbit to AIRS so its impact likely is small.

The expectations have increased for the next GFS/GEFS implementation next April (2014). A semi-Lagrangian T1500 GFS (13 km) and T574 GEFS is likely, and physics/analysis changes will also be a part of the implementation. Also, keep an eye on the recently updated Canadian model; statistics for the deterministic model are looking better.


2b. Mesoscale Modeling Branch (MMB) (Geoff DiMego and Eric Rogers)

The WCOSS transition is largely complete; plans are now being made to operate on WCOSS. The NAM bundle is evolving and looking good with the EnKF ensembles. The plan is to push the CONUS nest down from 4 km to 3 km, with some additional physics changes. The fire weather nest may go down to 1 km depending on how it fits on WCOSS. An RTMA bundle implemented in Q1 as an upgrade and it is computing neutral. A High-Res Window upgrade will occur in Q3, and the SREF will go down to 12 km in Q4. All nests will have explicit convection, which should provide more structure for severe weather. The NAM nest convective scheme won’t activate as easily at higher resolution, providing more structure.  


2c. Marine Modeling and Analysis Branch (MMAB) (Vera Gerald)

MMAB continues to work on the WCOSS transition.


3. NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE (NOS, no representative)


4. FEEDBACK FROM MDL/OPERATIONAL CENTERS/REGIONS

4a. MDL (Kathy Gilbert): Nothing to report.


4b. NCEP Centers and NWS Regions

Weather Prediction Center (WPC, Wallace Hogsett):  Nothing to report.

Storm Prediction Center (SPC, Israel Jirak): Nothing to report.

National Hurricane Center (NHC, Michael Brennan): Nothing to report.

Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC, no representative):

John Derber (EMC) reported that EMC is working on the first Whole Atmosphere Model (WAM), which is planned for implementation in 2014. Many details are being worked out, but it will be semi-Lagrangian and cover a large portion of the upper atmosphere.

Ocean Prediction Center (OPC, no representative):

Aviation Weather Center (AWC, Steve Silberberg): Nothing to report.

Pacific Region (PR, no representative):

Alaska Region (AR, no representative):

Eastern Region (ER, Brian Miretzky): Nothing to report.

Western Region (WR, no representative):

Southern Region (SR, Bernard Meisner): Nothing to report.

Central Region (CR, Pete Browning): Nothing to report.


5. NESDIS (no representative):

6. The next Synergy Meeting will be held at 2:30 pm EDT on Monday, 8 Apr 2013 in NCWCP conference room 2155, with remote teleconferencing capability.