Mesonet Wind Quality Monitoring Allowing Assimilation In The RUC and Other NCEP Models

Abstract

The Rapid Update Cycle (RUC, Benjamin et al. 2004a,b), covering 2/3 of North America, continues to be the only 1-h (hourly updating) assimilation and mesoscale forecast cycle in the world running as part of an operational numerical prediction center (US National Centers for Environmental Prediction - NCEP). RUC prediction grids are used heavily as mesoscale guidance for short-range forecasts, especially for aviation, severe-weather, and situational awareness forecast users. In this report, we summarize both significant changes planned for a RUC upgrade at NCEP later in 2007 and testing and development toward the 2009-planned implementation of the Rapid Refresh (RR), an hourly update analysis/forecast cycle succeeding the RUC. The RR differs from the RUC in using a version of the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model and a version of the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) analysis (used at NCEP), both including RUC-unique enhancements, over an extended North American domain. These modifications and subsequent testing for both RUC changes and RR development are described in this paper.