NCEP Modeling Synergy Meeting Highlights: July 28, 2008

This meeting was led by Bill Bua and attended by Eric Rogers, Hendrik Tolman, and Mary Hart. Stephen Jascourt of UCAR/COMET and Steve Silberberg from AWC attended by remote teleconference.

1. NCO

No representative from NCO was present. No acting director has been picked as yet. Chris McGee has been performing duties in place of John Ward, who will be taking over the GCWMB.

A detailed list of all upcoming upgrades and implementations can be found here.

2. NOTES FROM EMC

2a. Global Climate and Weather Modeling Branch

GSI minor implementations are being run in parallel right now. The GCWMB is continuing to investigate model improvements.

2b. Mesoscale Modeling Branch

Eric Rogers discussed the upcoming NAM implementation. The code bundle is currently being tested and will be frozen this week with a tentative implementation scheduled for November. This bundle currently includes the following:

· A change to the NDAS to allow the use of partial cycling; using global background atmospheric fields at T-12 instead of fully cycling with NDAS fields. This change is expected to result in improvement in the forecast beyond 36 hours.

· The addition of several new data types, including TAMDAR, Canadian AMDAR, and MetOp satellite data.

· Minor land surface changes.

· A change to the shallow convection scheme.

· Modification of radiation absorption coefficients for cloud water and ice (in response to problems with a cold air damming event last winter).

2c. Global Ensemble Prediction System

No one was available to report.

2d. Short Range Ensemble Forecast System

Eric Rogers reported that there has been no change in the schedule for the expected SREF upgrade. The code must be given to NCO by end of July to meet deadline for September 2008 implementation.

2e. Marine Modeling and Analysis Branch

Hendrik Tolman reported that the NDFD wave driven model reported on last month is now being run in parallel. Data flow issues taken care of so the live data feed is now good. It is expected that this will become available operationally in OB 9 of AWIPS.

Regarding the Global Ocean Model (HYCOM), earlier issues regarding depiction of the Gulf Stream off the Atlantic coast of the U.S. seem to have been resolved in parallel runs. While there is no slot for implementation yet, please stay tuned for an implementation timetable.

Wave ensemble: Fleet Numerical and NCEP combination reported on last month is now running in parallel.

3. FEEDBACK FROM OPERATIONAL CENTERS/REGIONS

AWC

Question re: RUC evaluation. Geoff running code on development, don’t know when parallel. AWC to be lead on this, and wants to know when

4. The next Synergy Meeting will be held Monday, August 25, 2008, at 12:00 pm EDT in Room 209 at EMC, with remote conference capability.