PACJET Evaluation Overview
During PACJET-2003, a number of real-time experimental products will once again be available for direct use by West Coast NWS forecasters. These products will include:
- Web-based wind profiler products for a network of boundary layer wind profilers extending from Oregon to Southern California. One exciting addition to the profiler network is the San Nicolas Island site, located offshore of Los Angeles. NOAA/ETL will once again be offering its experimental snow level product, as well as a new time-height display of virtual potential temperature.
- Web-based GOES rapid-scan winds products (GWINDEX-3). In addition to the regionaland multi-level displays available in the past, Chris Veldon's group at CIMSS is planning to offer a display that overlays model forecasted isotachs with GWINDEX observations.
- Web-based model verification page. An exciting addition to the real-time PACJET products is ETL's model verification page. This web site provides real-time comparisons between model soundings and observed profiles of wind and temperature, as well as comparisons between forecast and observed surface conditions.
The use of these experimental products will be tracked through web logs, on-line feedback forms, referencing in Area Forecast Discussions, and a special email address. One important addition to this year's usage assessment will be the ability to track forecasters use of wind profiler data via the NPS web site and the ability to collect feedback from forecasters that use this web interface. Teletraining sessions on these real-time products will once again be offered to West Coast NWS forecasters. Rather than covering all the materials in one session, we are planning to split the teletraining into two shorter sessions: one focusing on wind profilers and the second focusing on the satellite products. Planning for visits to the Monterey, Sacramento, and Oxnard WFOs and CNRFC to present training materials are also underway.