Nearcasting Moisture and Stability Product

Basic Information | Detailed Product Information

The images above show a sequence of multi-layer stability observations and short-range forecasts obtained from GOES sounder precipitable water products.

Who is developing and distributing this product?

The Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) in Madison, Wisconsin is developing and distributing this product.

Who is receiving this product, and how?

The product has not yet been distributed; however, when distributed, it will be as both a web graphic (URL: http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/model/nrc) and as GRIB-2 data fields injected into the Unidata LDM.

What is the product size?

Minimal. GIF imagery and GRIB-2 fields are less than 1 MegaByte in size.

Purpose of this product

This product provides forecast guidance in the 1-6 hour time-frame. It predicts the movement of lower- and mid-tropospheric moisture defined by current and past GOES DPI observations. Areas where differential advection of dryer mid-level air over lower-level moisture maxima isolate regions where convective instability is likely to increase..

Why is this a GOES-R Proving Ground Product?

This product can be produced only with multiple water vapor channels as are proposed on the ABI. It cannot be produced using GOES-11/-12/-13 imager data.

How is this product created now?

RUC model output is used to initialize a trajectory model that transports GOES sounder observations of precipitable water in different layers for 1-6 hours into the future.

Product Examples and Interpretation

An example of the nearcasting moisture and stability product can be found on the CIMSS Satellite Blog.

Advantages and Limitations

Products are available within minutes of GOES DPI observations and integrate DPI from previous 6 hours. These data are not included in operational NWP models from NCEP. Although initial observations are limited to clear-air regions only, the NearCasting technique moves data into areas that can later become obscured by clouds. RUC model winds used to initialize the NearCasts can include significant initial adjustment noise and must be smoothed.