Aviation Weather

A new Aviation Weather Decision Support System is now operational at the Dubai International Airport. The system combines radiometer, wind profiler, radar and satellite data in a WRF model to deliver automated fog, turbulence, wind shear and downburst alerts for air traffic control. The state-of-the-art system, developed by Weather Decision Technologies, is the most advanced aviation weather Nowcast and forecast system available today. The AWDSS is the system of choice for critical and timely weather information needed for safe and efficient modern airport operations.

Real-Time Radiometer Soundings

The German Weather Service has been observing temperature, humidity and liquid profiles with a Radiometrics TP/WVP-3000 since 1998. Their website compares radiometer soundings with other profile data. To view comparisons click here; and then click Lindenberg Observatory (upper right), Actual results of measurements (8th arrow, left panel) and finally passive ground-based remote sensing. The site compares radiometric retrievals to:

  • Radiosonde temperature, vapor density and relative humidity
  • Model temperature, vapor density and relative humidity
  • Laser ceilometer cloud base height
  • Radiosonde and GPS integrated water vapor

NOAA ESRL ingests real-time international radiometer network data into MADIS. The radiometer data are automatically quality checked, converted to netcdf and made available for weather forecast research and operations. To display these data in interactive skew-T plots, select the Radiometers button in the Intial data source box and then click Java-based plot. Point to temperature and dewpoint sounding lines in the skew-T plot for interactive java. Left-click on the surface temperature data point to display CAPE in the list of real-time forecast indices plotted at upper right. The network includes:

NSSTC -- National Space Science & Technology Center (NASA - U. Alabama) with its Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS), delivers real-time radiometer, numerical weather model, satellite, ceilometer, wind radar and sodar soundings.

NASA -- Glenn Research Center (GRC) delivers radiometer, cloud radar and ceilometer data. The GRC Icing Remote Sensing program supports NCAR Aircraft Icing Research.

Clark County, Nevada -- Las Vegas Ozone Transport Study (SLOTS) delivers continuous radiometer and wind profiler data for state-of-the-art air quality management.

Chilbolton Observatory -- Rutherford Laboratory (U.K.) measures water vapor profiles, integrated water vapor and integrated liquid water to correct radio astronomy observations.

Beijing Meteorological Bureau -- delivers temperature, humidity and liquid profiles from a radiometer network for state-of-the-art short term weather forecasting and weather modification for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Radiometrics delivers real-time radiometer and radiosonde soundings from its facilities in Boulder, Colorado.