Conceptual QPE system architecture with key functions/components identified in the workshop.
Conceptual QPE system architecture with key functions/components identified in the workshop.
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Contact:  Rob Cifelli
June 22, 2012

Mini Workshop on Precipitation Data Fusion

HMT and partners from the National Weather Service (NWS) recently convened a workshop to explore the feasibility of creating an objective, unified precipitation framework for NOAA, and to identify viable options. The workshop was held at the Office of Hydrologic Development (OHD) in February 2012 and was co-led by Rob Cifelli of the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL), and Ed Clark and Tim Schneider of NWS. The workshop included 18 participants from 3 NOAA line offices: OAR, NESDIS, and NWS as well as academia. The motivation for the workshop was based on the fact that, presently, NOAA has no unified and widely accepted system to generate the best possible precipitation information (especially quantitative precipitation estimation - QPE) that permits a truly multi-sensor, multi-platform integration of observations and remote sensing data; and to provide a seamless pathway for development, prototyping, evaluation and ultimately operational application.

Drawing on existing efforts within NOAA, the workshop focused on establishing pathways to integrate precipitation measurements and methods with the requirement that the envisioned system should enable three closely related functionalities within a common framework: (i) research and development; (ii) transition to operations; and (iii) real-time operations.

Participants were presented high-level descriptions of existing QPE systems implemented across NOAA by system developers. These included the Multi-Sensor Precipitation Estimator (MPE) system developed by the Office of Hydrologic Development (OHD) and used at the River Forecast Centers (RFCs) and Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs); Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Morphing Technique (CMORPH) developed and used by the CPC; and the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system developed and operated by the National Severe Storms Lab (NSSL). As these QPE systems were discussed, participants in the workshop were asked to deconstruct them and identify common elements and gaps in current or ideal future systems. With this information, participants drafted a list of requirements for a next-generation precipitation estimate service that would be capable of meeting current and future stakeholders’ needs.

The workshop co-leads are developing a white paper summarizing the workshop and next steps, which will be available in the near future.


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