20020412: NWS production suite

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: 20020412: NWS production suite
• From: Linda Miller <lmiller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 08:47:15 -0600

                                     April 12, 2002




MEMORANDUM FOR:   Distribution E

FROM:             John H. Ward
                 Chief, Production Management Branch

SUBJECT:          Changes to the NWS Production Suite


    On Tuesday, 16 April at 12Z the resolution of the RUC model
will be increased from 40 km to 20 km.  There will be no change
in the forecast grids being disseminated via AWIPS or Family of
Services.  The target completion time for the 20 km RUC will be
approximately 10 minutes later than the 40 km.  The 3 hour
forecast will be completed by 45 minutes after each hour and the
12 hour forecast will be completed 55 minutes after each hour.
These new target times continue to satisfy the NWS and FAA
requirements for forecast guidance from the RUC.  A Real-Time
Test and Evaluation of the 20 Km RUC began on 8 March.  Test data
are available on the NCEP ftp server at:

    ftp://ftpprd.ncep.noaa.gov/pub/data/nccf/com/ruc/para/

and also on the NWS ftp server at:

    ftp://tgftp.nws.noaa.gov/SL.us008001/ST.opnt/.

    The advertised changes to the BUFR data stored on the NCEP
supercomputer originally planned for 26 March, have been
rescheduled for 7 May.  This delay is necessary to facilitate
testing of the large number of applications that utilize these
BUFR codes and to accommodate previously scheduled travel plans
by the programmers involved with this implementation.

    ALL PROGRAMMERS WHO UTILIZE THESE BUFR DATA SHOULD DETERMINE
IF THE PROPOSED BUFR CHANGES WILL IMPACT THEIR PROCESSING AND
TEST THEIR CODES WITH THE TEST DATASETS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF
THIS MEMO.  If there are other codes which must be modified prior
to the BUFR data change, please submit JIFS as soon as possible.
See the bottom of this memo for more information.

    A series of changes to the NCEP global model are planned for
this Spring.  On Tuesday, 5 March 2002, at 12Z the forecast
length of the global AVN model was increased to 384 hours for all
four cycles.  These extended forecast data are currently
available on the NCEP ftp server at:

    ftp://ftpprd.ncep.noaa.gov/pub/data/nccf/com/avn/prod/

    and on the NWS ftp server at:

    ftp://tgftp.nws.noaa.gov/SL.us008001/ST.opnl/.

    Starting with the 00Z cycle on 24 April 2002 the 00Z MRF
model will be replaced with look-alike grids from the 00Z AVN
model.  These look-alike grids will be available through Fall
2002.  NCEP is currently making these look-alike grids in
parallel production.  These data are available on the NCEP ftp
server at:

    ftp://ftpprd.ncep.noaa.gov/pub/data/nccf/com/mrf/para/.

    Finally, in early June the resolution of the NCEP global
model will be increased from T170L42 to T254L64.

    A list of the major model implementations planned for 2002
can be found at:

    http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/changes

    As additional information about each implementation becomes
available, links will be added on the change summary page.

    To unsubscribe from the JIF memo use the link provided at:

    http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/jifmemo/