Needs & Challenges for Urban Weather Observations Challenges in Urban Meteorology: A Forum for Users...

Needs & Challenges for Urban Weather Observations

Challenges in Urban Meteorology: A Forum for Users and Providers

21-23 September 2004 • Rockville, Maryland

presented by

Walter F. Dabberdt, Ph.D.

Mailto: [email protected]

©Vaisala | 20040921 | Dabberdt_Urban Forum - Rockville, MD |

Four Major USWRP ‘Urban’ Meetings

PDT-10: Forecasting in the Urban Zone (24-26 August 1998);

Sept. 2000 BAMS http://ams.allenpress.com/pdfserv/i1520-0477-081-09-2047.pdf

PDT-11: Air Quality Forecasting (6-8 November 2001);

April 2004 BAMS http://ams.allenpress.com/pdfserv/i1520-0477-085-04-0563.pdf

Community Workshop on Air Quality Forecasting (29 April - 1 May 2003);

report in preparation

Community Workshop on Mesoscale Measurement Networks

(6-8 December 2003); http://box.mmm.ucar.edu/uswrp/reports/reports.html


Responses to Four Questions Posed by Forum Organizers on Adequacy of Current Urban Meteorological Observations

1 - Q: Requirements for timeliness, precision and accuracy?

2 - Q: Priority measurements and observing systems?

3 - Q: What are major challenges for collecting and assimilating meteorological observations to meet users needs?

4 - Q: Adequacy of education, training and outreach?




R: Temporal resolution consistent with obtaining a stable value (~15min)

R: Representativeness and spatial resolution are critical!





Fluid Modeling of Urban Street-Level Dispersion

Hoydysh and Dabberdt, 1994

Source Wind vector


(MacDonald et al., 2001)

SCOS-97 mixing depths, September 4, 1997

Mixing Depth – Spatial and Temporal Variability

0300LST

1400LST

L.A. Basin

(Plate, 2004)







R: Application-specific with considerable overlap

PBL depth and structure (winds, temperature and turbulence) are perhaps the single highest priority



Urb

an-M

eso

scal

e N

etw

ork

s:D

esig

n v

s. A

pp

licat

ion

s


Estimating Mixing Depth

Cn2

VerticalVelocity

SpectralWidth

Mixing Depth – Data and MethodsMixing Depth – Radar Wind Profiler

0 local time 24


Mixing Depth - LidarCT25K Backscatter 28-29-Mar-2000

Local Time (h)

Alt

itude (

m)

10 12 14 16 18 20 22 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 00

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

0 5 100200400600800

100012001400160018002000Radiosonde Sounding 29-Mar-2000 @ 11:44

Potential Temperature (°C)

Alt

itude (

m)

102 103 1040200400600800

100012001400160018002000CT25K Backscatter 29-Mar-2000 @ 11:44

Backscatter (a.u.)

Alt

itude (

m)

1m

CT25K BSL










R: Establishing effective public-private-academic partnerships!



Current roles of the public, private and academic sectors

Public Sector:NWS, FAA, EPA, DoD

Private Sector:Weather service providers;Equipment manufacturers

Academia:Universities; National centers

X X

X X

X

-

X

X X

Research &

Developm

ent

Prototyping &

Testing …

Operations…

……

……

..


Future roles of the public, private and academic sectors??

Public Sector:NWS, FAA, EPA, DoD

Private Sector:Weather service providers;Equipment manufacturers

Academia:Universities; National centers X X x

X X X

x x X

Research &

Developm

ent

Prototyping &

Testing …

Operations…

……

……

..


Implementation recommendations:

Typical member roles: The public sector members access the data for the public good; i.e. public

safety. Set performance standards. The private-sector consortium members (and possibly academic partners)

use the data to create and sell various value-added products. Academia and non-profit research centers have access to the data for

educational and research purposes.

The December 2003 USWRP Mesoscale Observing Systems Workshop recommended a partnership arrangement and the creation of consortia of PPA partners to develop, maintain and support regional mesoscale networks or even a composite national network.


Testbeds

Testbeds provide the infrastructure for transitioning from R&D to operations. The testbed needs the flexibility to test many new ideas, the expertise to judge which of them are viable, and the infrastructure to harden the sensors, algorithms and models that will generate new products for operations.



1- Q: Requirements for timeliness, precision and accuracy?







R: Establishing effective public-private-academic partnerships!


R: Inadequate!


Actions/Needs

Need to develop methods to design urban meteorological measurement networks that are consistent with evolving and more demanding needs, especially modeling

Establish testbeds that involve observing systems and strategies, modeling, data assimilation, EPS, forecast products and users, and that serve multiple applications (Sydney-2000 a good example)

Find mechanisms to establish effective and viable Public-Private-Academic Partnerships


“The times they are a-changing” (Bob Dylan, 1965)

Come gather 'round peopleWherever you roamAnd admit that the watersAround you have grownAnd accept it that soonYou'll be drenched to the bone.If your time to youIs worth savin'Then you better start swimmin'Or you'll sink like a stoneFor the times they are a-changin'.


“The times they are a-changing” (Bob Dylan, 1965)

Come gather 'round peopleWherever you roamAnd admit that the watersAround you have grownAnd accept it that soonYou'll be drenched to the bone.If your time to youIs worth savin'Then you better start swimmin'Or you'll sink like a stoneFor the times they are a-changin'.

endend

Needs & Challenges for Urban Weather Observations Challenges in Urban Meteorology: A Forum for Users...

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