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November 6, 2008 MEMORANDUM FOR: Distribution E FROM: Allan Darling Deputy Director, NCEP Central Operations (NCO) SUBJECT: Scheduled Operational Changes and Upgrades ---- SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATIONS ----The following items will be implemented at 12Z on Wednesday, 12 November to introduce several changes in the Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) modeling-assimilation system. These changes are being made to improve model performance. For complete details of the change, please see the Technical Information Notice (TIN) located at:
http://www.weather.gov/os/notification/tin08-77_amended_ruc_upgrades.txt1087. RUC2_HYBFRONT - IBM Jobs ruc2a_prep_00-23. (Manikin, EMC). The RUC analysis code is being modified to include the processing of three-dimensional radar reflectivity mosaic data which produces a latent heat specification to be used in the model digital filter. It is also being modified to include an assimilation of TAMDAR and MESONET wind data with a list of approved providers, a revision to observation and background error for moisture data, and an improved quality control based on mean observation-background differences for a given platform within a RUC analysis window.
1088. RUC2_HYBCST - IBM Jobs ruc2a_fcst-00-23. (Manikin, EMC). The RUC forecast model is updated to change the longwave radiative scheme from Dudhia to Rapid Radiative Transfer Model (RRTM), modify the snow component of the land-surface model to avoid excessively cold temperatures over fresh snow at night as well as during warm advection events over snow cover, and modify the convective scheme to reduce the excessive generation of light precipitation areas. Code is also added to specify three-dimensional latent heating in the diabtic digital filter initialization code.
1089. RUC2_HYBPOST - IBM Jobs ruc2_post_00-23. (Manikin, EMC). The RUC post processor is updated to add simulated reflectivity products and relative humidity computed with respect to precipitable water in a saturated column to the pressure level output files and add four new land-surface fields (soil type, vegetation type, land/water mask, and ice cover) to the native level output files. It is also modified to correct the GRIB PDS (product description section) time descriptors for very short-range precipitation forecasts.
1090. RUC2_HYBCSTPR - IBM Jobs ruc2a_prep_00-23. (Manikin, EMC). This code which prepares the initial fields needed to run the RUC model is updated to read the 4 new fields being added to the native level files.
1091. RUC2_READREFL - IBM Jobs ruc2_prep_00-23. (Manikin, EMC). This new code reads in radar mosaic data and interpolates it to RUC levels so the radar data can be passed into the analysis code.
______________________________________________ <snip> ---- OPERATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS ----1. The annual holiday moratorium on changes to the CCS Production Suite will begin on Wednesday, 17 December 2008. With the transition to the IBM Power6 system beginning in January 2009, the moratorium will continue through approximately 1 April 2009.
The last date to submit Requests for Change (RFC) for minor implementations will be Monday, 20 November. For major changes, requiring extended parallel runs, the last day to submit RFCs will be Wednesday, 1 October.
As usual, changes to resolve operational problems will be accepted throughout the moratorium.
Our intention is to implement all CCS related RFCs by Tuesday, 16 December. Any outstanding CCS related RFCs remaining after that date will be returned to the users for testing and validation on the Power 6 system. Please let us know if you have any requests which must be implemented prior to the moratorium.
2. NCEP Central Operations (NCO) is preparing the WWB 5th floor swing-space for NCWCP testing. The WWB swing-space will be provisioned with a scaled-down version of the NCWCP data center. NCWCP future tenants will use the swing-space to test operational applications and processes in preparation for the WWB-NCWCP transition.
The overview of the schedule is:* Nov – Dec 2008: NCO provisions WWB 5th floor swing-space with a scaled-down version of the NCWCP data center and NCWCP LAN * Jan – Apr 2009: NCWCP future tenants test operational applications and processes using the WWB swing-space * May – Sep 2009: NCO leads the IT provisioning for the NCWCP IT infrastructure
* Sep - Dec 2009: Tenants move to NCWCP, vacate WWB3. NCO is scheduling a 2-hour window twice a week for testing revisions to the RFC application software. Testing will be conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday from 0600L to 0800L beginning on Tuesday, 23 September 2008. All users should avoid using the Request for Change (RFC) application during this time or risk the possibility of losing or replicating data.
4. Upcoming major changes to NCEP's production suite and details on any product or timing changes associated with upcoming implementations can be viewed at the following website:
http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/changes/Test data for each of these proposed changes should be available six weeks prior to implementation. Anyone wishing to receive formal notice of the final pre-implementation testing and the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes can subscribe to the Model Evaluation mailing list via:
https://lstsrv.ncep.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/ncep.list.modelevalinfo
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