The NWA February Webinar will be held Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 2pm EST/1pm CST.
Title: Next Generation Satellite RGB Dust Imagery Leads to Operational Changes at NWS Albuquerque
Abstract: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center has been providing unique, multispectral red-green-blue (RGB) composite imagery to operational forecasters since 2004. More recently, SPoRT has used the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites “best practices” standards for RGB composites to transition a wide array of imagery for multiple uses. A “Dust” RGB product has been made available for evaluation at the National Weather Service (NWS) in Albuquerque, New Mexico (ABQ), since 2012. Several cases have occurred where forecasters were able to isolate dust plume locations for mesoscale and synoptic events during daytime and nighttime conditions. This type of imagery is a large change from the single channel imagery typically used by operational forecast staff and, therefore, can be a challenge to interpret. This presentation focuses on the integration of such new imagery into operational use as well as the benefits assessed by NWS ABQ over several documented events. The primary benefits include improvements in short-term forecasts of ceiling conditions for the aviation community as well as improved decision support services and communication to the general public regarding blowing dust.
