Storm Tracker – a Web-Based Tool for Working with the Automated Tracking of Thunderstorm Clusters

Bob RabinNOAA / NSSL / CIMSS

Tom WhittakerSpace Science & Engineering Center / CIMSS

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Goals of the Project

● Make the results of on-going research at NSSL available to others

● Provide a web-based portal and appropriate tools● Augment use of GOES data with other sources

– Radar– RUC analysis– Lightning

● Explore using THREDDS cataloging for data access and VisAD data model for manipulation

Research community needs

● Rapid access to archived data

● Simplified conversion of data formats

● Tailoring the manipulation and visualization of multidimensional data to specific needs

● For example: integrating and overlaying data from multiple sources in Lagrangian reference systems.

● Remote access to “slices” of data

Proposed solution

● Expand on the ideas of radar tracking algorithms– Operate on larger storms (e.g., MCS, tropical)

● Include multi-sensor data– Radars– Satellite– Lightning– Model analyses & forecasts

● Build a prototype that operates on realtime and archived data– Background collection and staging of data– User interactive selection, displays, manipulation

Considerations in Gathering of Data● At NSSL, acquire and stage:

– GOES data (McIDAS)– Radar data images (McIDAS)– Lightning data

● From NCDC, acquire and stage:– RUC data (via NOMADS/THREDDS catalog)

● Stage data by:– Common projection for 'background' images– VisAD Data model for co-locating RUC in space and

time● Server needs to serve many clients simultaneously

Data Flow

GOES

Radar

RUC model analysis

THREDDS

LightningTrackingAlgorithm Web Server

Example session…

Measuring “success”

● Successful implementation of the Web-based storm analysis application with ability to access real-time or archived data sets from NCDC and other sites via the commodity Internet plus Abilene (Internet2)

● Demonstration of the successful use of THREDDS and NOMADS leading to the development of future applications using this technology

● Use of the system for storm research at NOAA labs and universities, and by the SPC and other forecast centers

What’s next?

● Early reviews by forecasters at NSSL are promising– Need more feedback to evolve tools

● Switch to using 20km RUC– Higher resolution would be better

● Add low-level / boundary wind vector display to time-sections

● Seek additional funding…