CIMSS Model Analyses and Forecasts

Active runs: CRAS45NA || 45AK || CRAS48HI || CRAS20US || CRAS15MW || 15OR || CRAS90NA || CRAS48SP

Last updated: Tue Nov 24 20:20:26 UTC 2009

Northern Hemisphere
	00 UTC	06 UTC	12 UTC	18 UTC
CRAS 45NA	coarse medium fine 3-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-	coarse medium fine 3-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-
CRAS 45NA	CRAS45NA — 84-hour Forecast for North America Assimilates GOES Sounder water vapor and clouds
CRAS 45AK	coarse medium fine 3-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-	coarse medium fine 3-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-
CRAS 45AK	CRAS45AK — 84-hour Forecast for Alaska-North Pac Assimilates GOES Sounder, Aqua/Terra MODIS water vapor and clouds
CRAS 48HI	coarse medium fine 3-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-	coarse medium fine 3-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-
CRAS 48HI	CRAS48HI — 72-hour Forecast for Hawaii-Pacific Ocean Assimilates GOES Sounder water vapor and clouds
CRAS 20US	coarse medium fine 3-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-	coarse medium fine 3-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-
CRAS 20US	CRAS20US — 48-hour Forecast for United States Assimilates GOES Sounder water vapor and clouds
CRAS 15MW	coarse medium fine 1-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 1-Hr Wisconsin 2009-11-24	-	coarse medium fine 1-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 1-Hr Wisconsin 2009-11-24	-
CRAS 15MW	CRAS15MW — 36-hour Forecast for Midwest-Central US Assimilates GOES Sounder water vapor and clouds
CRAS 15OR	coarse medium fine 1-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 1-Hr Oregon 2009-11-23	coarse medium fine 1-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 1-Hr Oregon NEVER	coarse medium fine 1-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 1-Hr Oregon 2009-11-24	coarse medium fine 1-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 1-Hr Oregon 2009-11-24
CRAS 15OR	CRAS15OR — 12-hour Forecast for Oregon-Western US Assimilates GOES Sounder water vapor and clouds
CRAS 90NA	-	coarse medium fine 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-	coarse medium fine 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-23
CRAS 90NA	CRAS90NA — 180-hour Forecast for North America
Southern Hemisphere
	00 UTC	06 UTC	12 UTC	18 UTC
CRAS 48SP	coarse medium fine 3-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-	coarse medium fine 3-Hourly Charts 4-Panel Charts 2009-11-24	-
CRAS 48SP	CRAS48SP — 72-hour Forecast for Antarctica-South Pole Assimilates Aqua/Terra MODIS water vapor and clouds

CRAS AUTOMATED ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
COOPERATIVE INSTITUTE FOR METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE STUDIES MADISON WI
0820 PM UTC TUE NOV 24 2009

GEMPAK IMAGE GENERATION FOR THE 20091124/18Z CRAS15OR IS NOW COMPLETE.

.END

CRAS/CRTMA GRIB2 Output

Directory for CRAS45NA GRIB2 Messages on AWIPS 212 Grid
Directory for CRAS45AK GRIB2 Messages on AWIPS 216 Grid
Directory for CRAS48HI GRIB2 Messages on Custom North Pacific Grid
Directory for CRTMA5GL GRIB2 Messages on Custom Great Lakes Grid

These computer forecasts are EXPERIMENTAL and are used by atmospheric scientists to assess the value of satellite observations in numerical weather prediction. Although the accuracy of these products is consistently good, forecast errors can occur due to non-receipt of data, observation errors, and computer problems. The forecasts are fully automated and are not always closely monitored by CIMSS scientists. The risk of using the CRAS to plan weather-sensitive activities falls on the user. Feedback will help us improve deficiencies in the CRAS. Please forward any comments to the CRASmaster using the contact form.

About these Forecasts

The purpose of the CRAS is to test the use of satellite observations in a numerical prediction model. The quality of a numerical forecast depends on having accurate observations of the environment to define the forecast model's initial state. Here is a list of the observations that are currently used in the CRAS 12-hour spin-up forecast:
    3-layer precipitable water (mm) from the GOES-11/12 sounders
    Cloud-top pressure (hPa) and effective cloud amount (%) from the GOES-11/12 sounders
    4-layer thickness (m) from the GOES-11/12 sounders
    Cloud-top pressure (hPa) from MODIS
    Gridded hourly precipitation amounts from NCEP
    Cloud-track and water vapor winds (m/s) from the GOES-11/12 imagers
    Cloud-top pressure (hPa) and effective cloud amount (%) from the GOES-12 imager
    Surface temperature (C), dew points (C) and winds (m/s)
    Sea surface temperature (C) and sea ice coverage (%) from NCEP rtg analysis

Numerical Weather Prediction Research at CIMSS

61 km CRAS Hurricane Track Prediction Project

60-hour Simulation of the Edmund Fitzgerald Storm

Numerical Weather Prediction Concepts

Land Surface Energy/Water Budget Studies

CIMSS Convective Development Nearcasting Model (CCDNM)
Nowcasting Analysis Project using the GOES sounder

Publications referring to CRAS

Please refer questions or comments to the CRASmaster using the contact form.