CIMSS-NOAA Weekly Report [ Archive ]

ASPB AND CIMSS WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING JANUARY 19, 2018

IN THE PRESS:

ITEMS FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR:

ITEMS FOR THE OFFICE DIRECTOR, STAR:

CIMSS and ASPB Support JPSS AMS Short Course: The Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) and the NOAA Advanced Satellite Products Branch (ASPB) provided instruction at the JPSS Short Course held on January 6, 2018, held in conjunction with the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting in Austin, TX. The short course focused on using JPSS data products to observe and forecast a variety of major environmental events. It included both informative lectures and hands-on exercises in data access, assessing snow and ice conditions, using satellite sounders to forecast severe weather, and identifying volcanic eruption plumes in regard to aircraft safety. The RealEarth application and other SSEC data and imagery were demonstrated. CIMSS and ASPB instructors included Kathy Strabala, Aaron Letterly, and Michael Pavolonis. Jordan Gerth was the short course co-chair. One example of a hands-on activity was the use of JPSS snow and ice products to evaluate conditions for the Alaska Iditarod sled dog race (led by Aaron Letterly, CIMSS). The cryosphere activity material is available at http://stratus.ssec.wisc.edu/jpss/meetings/ams2018/. Materials for other hands-on activities are available from the respective instructors. The JPSS Short Course was well-received. It was filmed for use in future JPSS training courses. (A. Letterly, CIMSS, 608-890-1981; J. Key, E/RA2, 608-263-2605, jkey@ssec.wisc.edu) 

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Remote Sensing Seminar in Madison : CIMSS conducted a week-long course for eight students (from the GOES Program, Hampton University, and a research center in Italy) with instruction on remote sensing techniques, guest lectures from leading scientists (Steve Goodman, Tim Schmit), and hands-on labs working with satellite data. Students got practical experience working with visualization software called HYDRA, and utilizing data from the Community Satellite Processing Package (CSPP) to learn how to create composite multi-spectral images and identify environmental signatures. Past courses emphasized the capabilities of Suomi NPP to depict land, ocean, and atmospheric features; this week the course focused on the new GOES imager - ABI. (P. Menzel, CIMSS, 608-263-4930, paulm@ssec.wisc.edu)

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ITEMS FOR THE DIVISION CHIEF, CoRP:

Chair of AMS Committee on Radio Frequency Allocations: Jordan Gerth, of the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS), has been selected to chair the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Ad Hoc Committee on Radio Frequency Allocations. The term begins on 1 February 2018. The committee monitors and informs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on relevant proceedings to the weather enterprise. (J. Gerth, CIMSS, 608-263-4942)

Visits to Local National Weather Service Forecast Offices: Jordan Gerth and Scott Lindstrom of the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) visited the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on 16 and 17 January 2018. The purpose of the visit was to hold a series of conversations with small groups of operational meteorologists about the benefits of imagery from the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series (GOES-R), particularly for winter weather forecasting applications. These conversations, aimed at increasing retention of GOES-R capabilities, supplement conventional training that NWS meteorologists have completed over the past year. Similar upcoming visits in January and February 2018 to the NWS forecast offices in Green Bay and Milwaukee/Sullivan are anticipated in order to facilitate conversations with all relevant staff. (J. Gerth, CIMSS, 608-263-4942, S. Lindstrom, CIMSS)

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