STAR Seminars

STAR Seminar Series

OneNOAA Science Seminar Series

Speakers: Huan Meng, NESDIS/Center for Satellite Applications and Research, and Kristopher White, NWS/Huntsville, AL Weather Forecast Office and NASA/MSFC/Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center

Sponsor: NOAA NESDIS STAR

Host and contact: Ralph.R.Ferraro@noaa.gov

Remote Access:

Webex - event address for attendees: https://star-nesdis-noaa.webex.com/star-nesdis-noaa/onstage/g.php?MTID=e6264cd9de7be3b4177ecc46f0791645e

Event number: 991 988 937

Event password: STAR

Audio:

Conference #:  1-888-396-1320

Passcode: 9371952

Abstract:
An over land snowfall rate (SFR) product has been produced operationally at NOAA/NESDIS since 2012. The product utilizes the passive microwave measurements from the ATMS sensor aboard S-NPP and NOAA-20, and from AMSU and MHS sensor pair aboard the Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) operated by NOAA and EUMETSAT. Recently, SFR product has also been developed for SSMIS aboard the DMSP satellites and for GMI aboard NASA's GPM core satellite. The SFR algorithm consists of two components: snowfall detection and snowfall rate estimation. Both components mainly rely on the high frequencies at and above 88/89 GHz due to their sensitivity to solid precipitation. The snowfall detection component is a statistical algorithm that optimally combines snowfall probabilities derived from a satellite-based module and a numerical weather prediction model-based module. The snowfall rate component is a physical, 1DVAR-based algorithm. The SFR product has been validated extensively against gauge observations and radar snowfall rate estimates with satisfactory results. As part of a project supported by the JPSS Proving Ground and Risk Reduction program, the SFR product retrieved from eight satellites was also evaluated at some NWS Weather Forecast Offices in winter 2017-2018. NWS meteorologists evaluated and provided feedback regarding the SFR product suite via an online survey, emails and a webinar. Evaluation results affirmed operational utility of the SFR product, especially as it pertains to the analysis and forecast of snowfall rates in regions that lack necessary radar and in-situ observations. Some data issues were also discovered and addressed during the evaluation period, highlighting the positive aspects of the intensive assessment process, which fosters direct interaction between product developers and end-users. Conclusions and recommendations for future iterations of the SFR product will also be discussed.

About the Speakers:

Huan Meng:

Huan Meng received her MS in Physical Oceanography from the Florida State University in
1993, and her PhD in Hydrology from the Colorado State University in 2004. She supported
STAR as a contractor between 1999 and 2006 and then joined STAR as a federal employee. Her
research interest is in the development of passive microwave products. She has received two
NOAA group bronze medals. One of them was for developing NOAA's first operational
snowfall rate product.

Kristopher White:

Mr. White received his B.S. in Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma in 2002. After graduation, Mr. White worked at the Reagan Missile Test Site on the Kwajalein Atoll, serving as lead mission meteorologist for several test missions, including introductory SpaceX launch tests.
Mr. White entered the National Weather Service (NWS) in Duluth, Minnesota in 2006, and was later promoted to journey and then lead meteorologist at the NWS office in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2011, Mr. White was promoted to Applications Integration Meteorologist, serving both as a lead meteorologist and principal liaison between the NWS and the NASA SPoRT program.