scholarly journals Simultaneous Ensemble Postprocessing for Multiple Lead Times with Standardized Anomalies

2017 ◽  
Vol 145 (7) ◽  
pp. 2523-2531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Dabernig ◽  
Georg J. Mayr ◽  
Jakob W. Messner ◽  
Achim Zeileis
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Conventional Method ◽  
Numerical Weather Prediction ◽  
Statistical Models ◽  
Lead Time ◽  
Observation Interval ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Lead Times ◽  
Ensemble Forecasts ◽  
Time Specific

Separate statistical models are typically fit for each forecasting lead time to postprocess numerical weather prediction (NWP) ensemble forecasts. Using standardized anomalies of both NWP values and observations eliminates most of the lead-time-specific characteristics so that several lead times can be forecast simultaneously. Standardized anomalies are formed by subtracting a climatological mean and dividing by the climatological standard deviation. Simultaneously postprocessing forecasts between +12 and +120 h increases forecast coherence between lead times, yields a temporal resolution as high as the observation interval (e.g., up to 10 min), and speeds up computation times while achieving a forecast skill comparable to the conventional method.

scholarly journals Post-processing rainfall forecasts from numerical weather prediction models for short-term streamflow forecasting

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 3587-3603 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Robertson ◽  
D. L. Shrestha ◽  
Q. J. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Weather Prediction ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Probability Distributions ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Lead Times ◽  
Streamflow Forecasting ◽  
Post Processing ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Ensemble Forecasts ◽  
Numerical Weather

Abstract. Sub-daily ensemble rainfall forecasts that are bias free and reliably quantify forecast uncertainty are critical for flood and short-term ensemble streamflow forecasting. Post-processing of rainfall predictions from numerical weather prediction models is typically required to provide rainfall forecasts with these properties. In this paper, a new approach to generate ensemble rainfall forecasts by post-processing raw numerical weather prediction (NWP) rainfall predictions is introduced. The approach uses a simplified version of the Bayesian joint probability modelling approach to produce forecast probability distributions for individual locations and forecast lead times. Ensemble forecasts with appropriate spatial and temporal correlations are then generated by linking samples from the forecast probability distributions using the Schaake shuffle. The new approach is evaluated by applying it to post-process predictions from the ACCESS-R numerical weather prediction model at rain gauge locations in the Ovens catchment in southern Australia. The joint distribution of NWP predicted and observed rainfall is shown to be well described by the assumed log-sinh transformed bivariate normal distribution. Ensemble forecasts produced using the approach are shown to be more skilful than the raw NWP predictions both for individual forecast lead times and for cumulative totals throughout all forecast lead times. Skill increases result from the correction of not only the mean bias, but also biases conditional on the magnitude of the NWP rainfall prediction. The post-processed forecast ensembles are demonstrated to successfully discriminate between events and non-events for both small and large rainfall occurrences, and reliably quantify the forecast uncertainty. Future work will assess the efficacy of the post-processing method for a wider range of climatic conditions and also investigate the benefits of using post-processed rainfall forecasts for flood and short-term streamflow forecasting.

scholarly journals Spin-up time from switching the microphysics scheme in the assimilation cycle and impacts on the precipitation forecast quality

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Ulbrich ◽  
Christian Welzbacher ◽  
Kobra Khosravianghadikolaei ◽  
Michael Hoff ◽  
Alberto de Lozar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Weather Prediction ◽  
Lead Time ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
Precipitation Forecast ◽  
Additional Measure ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Numerical Weather ◽  
Complementary Approach ◽  
Forecast Quality

<p>The SINFONY project at Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) aims to produce seamless precipitation forecast products from minutes up to 12 hours, with particular focus on convective events. While the near future predictions are typically from nowcasting procedures using radar data, the numerical weather prediction (NWP) aims at longer time scales. The lead-time in the latest available forecast is usually too long for merging both the nowcasting and NWP output to produce reliable seamless predictions.</p><p>At DWD, the current forecasts are produced by the short range numerical weather prediction (SRNWP) <span>making use of a</span> continuous assimilation cycle with relatively long cutoff times and using 1-moment microphysics. In order to reduce the differences in the precipitation to the <span>nowcasting </span>on the NWP side, we use two different approaches. First, we reduce the lead-time from the model start by running 1-hourly forecasts based on an assimilation cycle with shorter data cutoff. Secondly, we use new observational systems in the assimilation cycle, such as radar or satellite data to capture and represent strong convective activity. This procedure is called Rapid Update Cycle (RUC). As an additional measure, we introduce a 2-Moment microphysics scheme into the numerical model, resulting in a better representation of the radar reflectivities. In order to keep the model state similar to that of the SRNWP, the RUC is a time limited assimilation cycle starting from forecasts of the SRNWP at pre-defined times.</p><p>The introduction of the 2-Moment scheme leads to a spin-up affecting both the assimilation cycle and the short forecasts. The resulting effects are analysed by comparison with the corresponding assimilation cycle using the 1-Moment scheme. As a complementary approach for the analysis, the routine cycle is run with the 2-Moment scheme. The forecast quality is used as a measure to compare the results with respect to precipitation and additional observed parameters. It is shown in how far the resulting improvements are related to the assimilation and momentum scheme, or to the higher frequency of forecasts.</p>

scholarly journals Intrinsic Predictability of the 20 May 2013 Tornadic Thunderstorm Event in Oklahoma at Storm Scales

2016 ◽  
Vol 144 (4) ◽  
pp. 1273-1298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunji Zhang ◽  
Fuqing Zhang ◽  
David J. Stensrud ◽  
Zhiyong Meng
Keyword(s):  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Numerical Weather Prediction Model ◽  
Lead Times ◽  
Forecast Errors ◽  
Ensemble Forecasts ◽  
Positive Feedbacks ◽  
Convective Storms ◽  
Cold Pools ◽  
Initial Errors ◽  
Environmental Instability

Abstract Using a high-resolution convection-allowing numerical weather prediction model, this study seeks to explore the intrinsic predictability of the severe tornadic thunderstorm event on 20 May 2013 in Oklahoma from its preinitiation environment to initiation, upscale organization, and interaction with other convective storms. This is accomplished through ensemble forecasts perturbed with minute initial condition uncertainties that were beyond detection capabilities of any current observational platforms. It was found that these small perturbations, too small to modify the initial mesoscale environmental instability and moisture fields, will be propagated and evolved via turbulence within the PBL and rapidly amplified in moist convective processes through positive feedbacks associated with updrafts, phase transitions of water species, and cold pools, thus greatly affecting the appearance, organization, and development of thunderstorms. The forecast errors remain nearly unchanged even when the initial perturbations (errors) were reduced by as much as 90%, which strongly suggests an inherently limited predictability for this thunderstorm event for lead times as short as 3–6 h. Further scale decomposition reveals rapid error growth and saturation in meso-γ scales (regardless of the magnitude of initial errors) and subsequent upscale growth into meso-β scales.

Estimates of the Earth surface influence on the accuracy of numerical prediction of air temperature in Belarus using the WRF model

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 50-68
Author(s):  
S.А. Lysenko ◽  
◽  
P.О. Zaiko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Numerical Weather Prediction ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Lead Time ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Numerical Weather ◽  
Global Land

The spatial structure of land use and biophysical characteristics of land surface (albedo, leaf index, and vegetation cover) are updated using the GLASS (Global Land Surface Satellite) and GLC2019 (Global Land Cover, 2019) modern satellite databases for mesoscale numerical weather prediction with the WRF model for the territory of Belarus. The series of WRF-based numerical experiments was performed to verify the influence of the updated characteristics on the forecast quality for some difficult to predict winter cases. The model was initialized by the GFS (Global Forecast System, NCEP) global numerical weather prediction model. It is shown that the use of high-resolution land use data in the WRF and the consideration of the new albedo and leaf index distribution over the territory of Belarus can reduce the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of short-range (to 48 hours) forecasts of surface air temperature by 16–33% as compared to the GFS. The RMSE of the temperature forecast for the weather stations in Belarus for a forecast lead time of 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours decreased on average by 0.40°С (19%), 0.35°С (10%), 0.68°С (23%), and 0.56°С (15%), respectively. The most significant decrease in RMSE of the numerical forecast of temperature (up to 2.1 °С) was obtained for the daytime (for a lead time of 12 and 36 hours), when positive feedbacks between albedo and temperature of the land surface are manifested most. Keywords: numerical weather prediction, WRF, digital land surface model, albedo, leaf area index, forecast model validation

scholarly journals Forecasting length-of-day using numerical weather prediction models

1988 ◽  
Vol 128 ◽  
pp. 285-286
Author(s):  
R. D. Rosen ◽  
D. A. Salstein ◽  
T. Nehrkorn ◽  
J. O. Dickey ◽  
T. M. Eubanks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Weather Prediction ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Lead Times ◽  
Length Of Day ◽  
Wind Fields ◽  
Numerical Weather ◽  
Medium Range Forecast ◽  
Frequency Changes ◽  
Numerical Weather Prediction Models

A new approach to forecasting changes in length-of-day (δl.o.d) with lead times from one to ten days is examined. The approach is based on the high correlation that has been shown to exist between high frequency changes in l.o.d. and those in the atmosphere's angular momentum (M). Because forecasts of tropospheric values of M can be calculated from the zonal wind fields produced by operational numerical weather prediction models, it seems worth investigating whether these forecasts are sufficiently skillful to use to infer the evolution of δl.o.d. Here, we examine the quality of M forecasts made by the Medium Range Forecast (MRF) model of the U.S. National Meteorological Center (NMC). By comparing these forecasts against those based on a simple model of persistence, we find that skillful forecasts of M are being achieved on average by the MRF, although there has been much month-to-month variability in forecast quality. Overall, our results indicate that for prediction lead times of 1–10 days, dynamically-based forecasts of δl.o.d. represent a viable alternative to the empirical approaches currently in use.

Uncertainty Evaluation in a Flood Forecasting Model Using JMA Numerical Weather Prediction

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 600-605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadi Kardhana ◽  
◽  
Akira Mano ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Weather Prediction ◽  
Lead Time ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Japan Meteorological Agency ◽  
Rainfall Runoff ◽  
Flood Prediction ◽  
Numerical Weather ◽  
Forecast Lead Time ◽  
Rainfall Runoff Model ◽  
Runoff Model

Numerical weather prediction (NWP) is useful in flood prediction using a rainfall-runoff model. Uncertainty occurring in the forecast, however, adversely affects flood prediction accuracy, in addition to uncertainty inherent in the rainfall-runoff model. Clarifying this uncertainty and its magnitude is expected to lead to wider forecast applications. Taking the case of Japan’s Shichikashuku Dam, 6 flood events between 2002 and 2007 were analyzed. NWP was based on short-range forecasts by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The rainfall-runoff model is based on a distributed tank model. This research calculates uncertainty by identifying and quantifying the relative error of forecasts by a) NWP and b) the runoff model. Results showed that NAP is the main cause of flood forecast uncertainty. They also showed the correlation between forecast lead time and uncertainty. Uncertainty rises with longer lead time, corresponding to the magnitude of observed discharge and precipitation.

scholarly journals Practical Predictability of Supercells: Exploring Ensemble Forecast Sensitivity to Initial Condition Spread

2018 ◽  
Vol 146 (8) ◽  
pp. 2361-2379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Montgomery L. Flora ◽  
Corey K. Potvin ◽  
Louis J. Wicker
Keyword(s):  
Lead Time ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Object Oriented ◽  
Comprehensive Analysis ◽  
Initial Condition ◽  
Forecast System ◽  
Model Assumption ◽  
Ensemble Forecasts ◽  
Severe Thunderstorms ◽  
Perfect Model

Abstract As convection-allowing ensembles are routinely used to forecast the evolution of severe thunderstorms, developing an understanding of storm-scale predictability is critical. Using a full-physics numerical weather prediction (NWP) framework, the sensitivity of ensemble forecasts of supercells to initial condition (IC) uncertainty is investigated using a perfect model assumption. Three cases are used from the real-time NSSL Experimental Warn-on-Forecast System for Ensembles (NEWS-e) from the 2016 NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed Spring Forecasting Experiment. The forecast sensitivity to IC uncertainty is assessed by repeating the simulations with the initial ensemble perturbations reduced to 50% and 25% of their original magnitudes. The object-oriented analysis focuses on significant supercell features, including the mid- and low-level mesocyclone, and rainfall. For a comprehensive analysis, supercell location and amplitude predictability of the aforementioned features are evaluated separately. For all examined features and cases, forecast spread is greatly reduced by halving the IC spread. By reducing the IC spread from 50% to 25% of the original magnitude, forecast spread is still substantially reduced in two of the three cases. The practical predictability limit (PPL), or the lead time beyond which the forecast spread exceeds some prechosen threshold, is case and feature dependent. Comparing to past studies reveals that practical predictability of supercells is substantially improved by initializing once storms are well established in the ensemble analysis.

scholarly journals Global meteorological drought – Part 2: Seasonal forecasts

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 2669-2678 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Dutra ◽  
W. Pozzi ◽  
F. Wetterhall ◽  
F. Di Giuseppe ◽  
L. Magnusson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lead Time ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Standardized Precipitation Index ◽  
Meteorological Drought ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Lead Times ◽  
Seasonal Forecasts ◽  
Ensemble Forecasts ◽  
Global Precipitation Climatology Centre ◽  
The World

Abstract. Global seasonal forecasts of meteorological drought using the standardized precipitation index (SPI) are produced using two data sets as initial conditions: the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA-Interim reanalysis (ERAI); and two seasonal forecasts of precipitation, the most recent ECMWF seasonal forecast system and climatologically based ensemble forecasts. The forecast evaluation focuses on the periods where precipitation deficits are likely to have higher drought impacts, and the results were summarized over different regions in the world. The verification of the forecasts with lead time indicated that generally for all regions the least reduction on skill was found for (i) long lead times using ERAI or GPCC for monitoring and (ii) short lead times using ECMWF or climatological seasonal forecasts. The memory effect of initial conditions was found to be 1 month of lead time for the SPI-3, 4 months for the SPI-6 and 6 (or more) months for the SPI-12. Results show that dynamical forecasts of precipitation provide added value with skills at least equal to and often above that of climatological forecasts. Furthermore, it is very difficult to improve on the use of climatological forecasts for long lead times. Our results also support recent questions of whether seasonal forecasting of global drought onset was essentially a stochastic forecasting problem. Results are presented regionally and globally, and our results point to several regions in the world where drought onset forecasting is feasible and skilful.

scholarly journals EuLerian Identification of Ascending air Streams (ELIAS 2.0) in Numerical Weather Prediction and Climate Models. Part II: Model application to different data sets

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Francesco Quinting ◽  
Christian Michael Grams ◽  
Annika Oertel ◽  
Moritz Pickl
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Resolution ◽  
Numerical Weather Prediction ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Ensemble Forecasts ◽  
Numerical Weather ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Air Streams

Abstract. Warm conveyor belts (WCBs) affect the atmospheric dynamics in midlatitudes and are highly relevant for total and extreme precipitation in many parts of the extratropics. Thus, these air streams and their effect on midlatitude weather should be well represented in numerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate models. This study applies newly developed convolutional neural network (CNN) models which allow the identification of footprints of WCB inflow, ascent, and outflow from a limited number of predictor fields at comparably low spatio-temporal resolution. The goal of the study is to demonstrate the versatile applicability of the CNN models to different data sets and that their application yields qualitatively and quantitatively similar results as their trajectory-based counterpart which is most frequently used to objectively identify WCBs but requires data at higher spatio-temporal resolution which is often not available and is computationally more expensive. First, an application to reanalyses reveals that the well-known relationship between WCB ascent and extratropical cyclones as well as between WCB outflow and blocking anticyclones is also found for WCB footprints identified with the CNN models. Second, the application to Japanese 55-year reanalyses shows how the CNN models may be used to identify erroneous predictor fields that deteriorate the models' reliability. Third, a verification of WCBs in operational European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ensemble forecasts for three Northern Hemisphere winters reveals systematic biases over the North Atlantic with both the trajectory-based approach and the CNN models. The ensemble forecasts' skill tends to be lower when being evaluated with the trajectory approach due to the fine-scale structure of WCB footprints in comparison to the rather smooth CNN-based WCB footprints. A final example demonstrates the applicability of the CNN models to a convection permitting simulation with the ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic (ICON) NWP model. Our study illustrates that deep learning methods can be used efficiently to support process-oriented understanding of forecast error and model biases, and opens numerous directions for future research.

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