Technology Transfer In Tropical Cyclone Numerical Modeling Â?? The Role of The Developmental Testbed Center (DTC)

Abstract

The Hurricane Weather, Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model is one of two NOAA operational regional numerical weather prediction (NWP) models for tropical cyclones. HWRF is an important component of the numerical guidance used at the National Hurricane Center for tropical storm forecasting. For that reason, it is critical that HWRF be continuously improved and uses state of the art research and developments in tropical NWP. The Developmental Testbed Center (DTC – dtcenter.org) has partnered with the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction to work with the transfer of new technologies onto HWRF. The DTC is an organization with nodes at NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory and the National Center for Atmospheric Research that has as a mission bridging the gap between research and operations in several areas of numerical weather prediction. The DTC’s work in transferring new technology to HWRF follows two strategies. First, the DTC recognizes that the use of a single code base between research and operations facilitates the exchanges between the two groups. Over the last year, the DTC has worked with NOAA NCEP to merge the components of the HWRF model that are used operationally onto Community codes. This work has culminated with the transfer of a community model for operational implementation for the 2011 hurricane season. Since March 2010, the DTC has been providing code management and user support for HWRF (http://www.dtcenter.org/HurrWRF/users), having now reached 150 registered users. Our presentation will describe the process used to transfer the community model onto operations and the support that DTC provides to its users. The second strategy is to have the DTC maintain a functionally equivalent HWRF testing and evaluation infrastructure in order to assess new developments that have a potential for operational implementation in the short or medium term. We will present results of multiple- season forecasts of the Community HWRF model and will discuss the upcoming evaluations to be conducted at the DTC to test new developments that have a potential for operational implementation.