NCEP update-040305 (fwd)

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: NCEP update-040305 (fwd)
• From: John Ward <wd22jw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Friday, March 05, 2004 1:23 PM -0500

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

SUBJECT:          Changes to the NWS Production Suite



    The quarterly backup exercise scheduled for Thursday, 4 March
was canceled due to critical weather.  A new date will be scheduled,
and a minimum of 30 days notice will be provided.

    On 9 March additional ensemble products will become available
on the Telecommunication Operations Center's (TOC) FTP server.
Details on file size and content for this series of changes can be
found at:

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

   On Tuesday, 20 April 2004, the configuration of the Eta Model
will be modified to allow for the 0 - 84 hour forecast to run in the
current 0 - 60 hour time slot.  This will be a permanent change.
The expected new delivery times for Eta products are as follows:

    24 hr products:    5-10 minutes earlier
    36 hr products:   15-20 minutes earlier
    48 hr products:   15-20 minutes earlier
    60 hr products:   20-25 minutes earlier
    84 hr products:   35-40 minutes earlier

    More precise times will be provided when they become available.
Details on the change can be found at:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/notifications/tin04-07eta_compression.txt

    Currently, on both the NCEP and TOC FTP servers, over 50% of
the gridded NCEP model data sets are not being accessed.  In June
2004, unused model data will be removed from both the TOC & NCEP FTP
servers.  A review of file access on both FTP servers was conducted
during the months of January and February.  A list of files to be
removed will be posted on the TOC and NCEP WEB sites by 1 April.
Files will only be included on this list if they are unused on both
servers.  A minimum of 60 days will be provided for user comments.
In early June all files deemed unnecessary will be removed.  This
process will provide the server resources to host higher temporal
and spatial resolution data not currently available.  Further
details will be provided as they become available.

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

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

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                Synopsis of Major System Changes
                       Week of 8 March 2004

    CCS Production:

    9 March 2004 -- Global ensemble model resolution upgrade

    Dataflow:

    9 March 2004 -- Global ensemble data flow adjusted for CCS
    implementation  - Systems: Frost/Snow, DMZNAS, TGSV10/11

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    The following crisis item was implemented this past week:

   149.  GLOBAL_SSI - IBM Jobs 532, 822, 852.  (Treadon, NP23).
This program combines available time-windowed observation with a GFS
model background using a 3D-variational approach to produce an
atmospheric analysis.  The following modifications were implemented;
1) An error in the algorithm used to adjust the observation error
for vertically dense data (e.g., sondes, profiles, aircraft reports)
was corrected.  The error lead to an over weighting of vertically
dense observations, particularly at higher levels.  The corrected
algorithm results in a smoother analysis at these levels due to a
more representative weighing of the observations.  2) The numerical
precision of the transmittance calculations in the brightness
temperature forward model was reduced from QUAD to DOUBLE.  This
change reduces the run time for this portion of the global_ssi
without noticeably altering the final results.  This change will
make operational monitoring of AQUA AIRS brightness temperatures at
a later date more computationally feasible.  Done at 18Z on 2 March.

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