CW3E Participates in ECMWF’s Workshop on Observational Campaigns for Better Weather Forecasts

June 14, 2019

CW3E’s Luca Delle Monache (Deputy Director), Forest Cannon (Data Analyst), and Anna Wilson (Field Research Manager), along with SIO collaborator Jennifer Haase, recently attended the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts’ Workshop on Observational Campaigns for Better Weather Forecasts, held in Reading, UK, on June 10-13, 2019. The workshop goal was to strengthen the links between observational campaigns and Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) to (1) help observational campaigns optimize their use of forecasts and knowledge of forecast errors and (2) help NWP system development make better use of observational campaign data.

The CW3E scientists, along with AR Recon Co-PI Vijay Tallapragada (NCEP), and AR Recon partners Jim Doyle (NRL), Jeremy DeHart and Ryan Rickert (Air Force 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron), and David Lavers (ECMWF), all spent time in their presentations describing efforts and results related to the ongoing AR Reconnaissance (AR Recon) work. The other CW3E attendees each presented posters on AR Recon and Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations observational campaigns. The Air Force provided an operations briefing in the Weather Room. Dr. Tallapragada, Co-PI of AR Recon, also delivered a presentation focusing on AR recon prepared by CW3E Director Marty Ralph. Other field campaigns covered at the workshop included NAWDEX, polar campaigns, cloud observing campaigns, among many other topics. Presentations focused on the use of ECMWF forecasts in planning field efforts, and the utility of field data to improve model parameterizations and weather forecasts. There were many fruitful discussions regarding ongoing efforts structured into the workshop. CW3E is grateful for the opportunity to participate in such a dynamic community of experts. All presentations were recorded and are available online on the workshop website. AR Recon represents a partnership led by CW3E including NCEP, NRL, ECMWF and NCAR and depends upon support from the Air Force’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron and NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aircraft Operations. The CA Department of Water Resources and the US Army Corps of Engineers provide the core support for dropsondes and planning.

Attendees of the workshop at ECMWF.