HEMS Weather ToolStatus Update February 2017

2017 USHST Infrastructure Summit, Washington, DC

NWS/NCEP

Aviation Weather Center

Kansas City MO

NWS/NCEP Aviation Weather Center USHST Update Feb 2017

Timeline

● Late 2000s - NCAR - Java version

○ Development of Java version (2006-8?)

○ Release of code to AWC (~2010)

● 2013 - Development of new AWC website

○ Move away from Java to Javascript/OpenLayers for security and mobile support

○ New layout to mimic weather.gov

○ New tools

● July 2013 - Demonstration at Oshkosh AirVenture

○ Mobile support critical

● March 2014 - Release of new AWC website○ Added support for HEMS Java version to website

○ Demonstrated an OpenLayers version of HEMS

○ Management supported moving to OpenLayers version of HEMS

NWS/NCEP Aviation Weather Center USHST Update Feb 2017

Timeline

● July 2014 - Demonstration of OpenLayers version of HEMS to FAA/NWS

● December 2014 - Safety and Risk Mitigation for new HEMS

○ Concentrated on new features, not interface

● May 2015 - HEMS is operational

● July 2015 - Updated HEMS based on user feedback

○ Rearranged menus

○ Changed some default settings

○ Added radar timeline, loop toggle

○ Added county names

○ Saved more user settings in browser cookies

● August 2016 - Added LAMP ceiling and visibility to testbed version

● December 2016 - Added MADIS data to testbed version

NWS/NCEP Aviation Weather Center USHST Update Feb 2017

Current Status

● Operational since May 2015

● Data imagery

○ Global composite satellite

○ MRMS radar (RALA)

○ Flight category, ceiling, visibilityFrom NCVA (Ceiling and Visibility Analysis)

○ Icing from CIP and FIP (Current andForecast Icing Product)

○ RAP temperature, relative humidityand wind speed

○ Data on 1000’ increments AGL

● Data overlays

○ METARs

○ PIREPs

○ SIGMETs

○ G-AIRMETs

○ CWA (Center Weather Adv)

○ NWS Hazards

○ RAP wind barbs

NWS/NCEP Aviation Weather Center USHST Update Feb 2017

New Data on Testbed

● MADIS○ Additional surface

observations

○ Lack of ceiling and visibility

observations

○ Reliability issues

● LAMP Ceiling and Visibility○ Approved product

○ Coarser resolution

○ Hourly updates at :45 after

○ Forecast data in addition to

analysis

NWS/NCEP Aviation Weather Center USHST Update Feb 2017

Looking Forward

● GFA - Graphical Forecast for

Aviation○ New user interface, more intuitive

○ Access to much more data

○ Data imagery

■ Satellite and Radar

■ RAP model data

■ LAMP Ceiling and Visibility

■ NDFD Precipitation and

Convection

■ RAP Cloud Layers

○ Data overlays

■ METARs

■ PIREPs

■ SIGMETs, G-AIRMETs

■ More navigation data

NWS/NCEP Aviation Weather Center USHST Update Feb 2017

Looking Forward

● GFA Clouds○ Derived from RAP grids

○ Show cloud layer information

○ Heights in MSL

NWS/NCEP Aviation Weather Center USHST Update Feb 2017

Looking Forward

● GFA Navigation○ Adding data from FADDS

56 day update

○ Airports

○ Airspace

○ VORs

○ Fixes

○ Low level airways

NWS/NCEP Aviation Weather Center USHST Update Feb 2017

Future Data

● RTMA-RU○ 15 minute updates, 30 minute latency

○ High resolution

○ Use more than just ceiling and visibility

including wind, temperature, etc

● LAMP Ceiling and Visibility forecasts○ Experimental 15 minute updates

● MADIS Plus○ Looking for more C&V sites

● More observations○ Buoy and CMAN data for Gulf

● GOES-16 Products○ Aviation related post-processed data

such as probability of IFR

○ GLM lightning product

● HRRR Model Data

● More vertical levels○ 500’ increments up to possibly 10,000’

● More forecast times○ Possibly out to 12 hours