Assessment of The Multi-radar/multi-sensor System (mrms) and The Corridor Integrated Weather System (ciws)

Abstract

The Forecast Impact and Quality Assessment Section of NOAA/ESRL/GSD was tasked to perform an assessment of the Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor system (MRMS) developed by the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) and the Corridor Integrated Weather System (CIWS) developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory (LL). These products both provide an analysis and short-term (2-hour) forecast of radar-derived fields, namely, Vertically Integrated Liquid (VIL) and height of the 18-dBZ surface (Echo Top, ET). The assessment incorporates output from the MRMS and CIWS algorithms, as well as observations (including radar, satellite, METAR, and sounding data), in order to identify similarities and differences between MRMS and CIWS products; establish a baseline for analysis/forecast characteristics, including differences between the two products; and evaluate results to support future incorporation of MRMS into tools and assessments. Findings are based on data assessed over the period of Dec 2013 - May 2014 in order to utilize the latest version of MRMS that included the incorporation of dual pol radar (introduced September 2013). A comparison between May 2013 and May 2014 data was also performed to try to determine how and if the incorporation of dual pol might have affected on the MRMS product