Rapid Refresh
The next-generation version of the RUC (scheduled early 2010)
- An experimental (to become operational) NOAA/
NCEP
hourly updating operational weather prediction system
comprised primarily of
- A numerical forecast model
- An analysis/assimilation system to
initialize that model.
- The Rapid Refresh uses a
- a RR-configuration of the WRF model, with ARW core (v3.0) with generally RUC-like physics (Grell-Devenyi convection, Thompson/NCAR microphysics, RRTM longwave radiation, Dudhia shortwave radiation, MYJ turbulent mixing, RUC-Smirnova land-surface model)
- a RR-configuration of the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) analysis system. (March 2008 version, with cloud/hydrometeor analysis added, similar to RUC)
- Developed to serve users needing frequently updated short-range weather forecasts, including those in the US aviation community and US severe weather forecasting community.
- The Rapid Refresh is the next-generation version of the 1-h cycle system, planned to replace the current RUC in NCEP operations by early 2010.
- The Rapid Refresh (RR) uses a version of the WRF model and the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) analysis largely developed at NCEP/EMC.
- A 3-km hourly updated nest inside of the 13km Rapid Refresh
(currently nested inside the 13km radar-enhanced RUC run at GSD)
- Real-time products from 3km HRRR
- The HRRR is fully dependent on the hourly-updating RR.
News items
- 7 July 2008 - 1h Rapid Refresh cycle is now running with improved reliability, as of last week. Now includes DFI every hour, cloud/hydrometeor analysis.
- 11 Dec 2007 - Updated summary on Rapid Refresh development/plans presented at NCEP Production Suite Review meeting. RR info starts on slide 35, but the preceding slides on the RUC 2008-upgrade are also very relevant to the Rapid Refresh (radar reflectivity assimilation, TAMDAR, upgrades to Grell-Devenyi convection, RUC land-sfc).
- 10 Nov 2007 - The experimental Rapid Refresh is running only in a shake-down period at this point. There is a 6-h cycle with GSI and WRF (RR versions of both), but not with satellite radiance assimilation yet, and without the RUC/RR cloud analysis yet or other RR enhancements.
- 2 Nov 2007 - Rapid Refresh summary - from RUC/RR Technical Review on 30 Oct 07.
- high-frequency (every 1h) short-range weather model forecasts (out to 12+ h) in support of aviation and other mesoscale weather forecast users
-
high-frequency (every 1h) 3-d objective analyses
over all of North America,
including the contiguous United States and
adjacent areas of Canada and Mexico, assimilating the following types of observations:
- Commercial aircraft
- Profiler related
- Wind profilers (404 and boundary-layer 915 MHz)
- VAD (velocity-azimuth display) winds from NWS WSR-88D radars
- RASS (Radio Acoustic Sounding System)
- Rawinsondes and special dropwinsondes
- Surface
- Surface reporting stations and buoys (including cloud, visibility, current weather)
- Mesonet
- Satellite
- AMSU-A/B satellite radiances
- GOES satellite radiances
- GPS total precipitable water estimates
- GOES cloud-top data (pressure and temperature)
- GOES total precipitable water estimates
- SSM/I total precipitable water estimates
- GOES high-density visible and IR cloud drift winds
- Experimental
- Radar reflectivity (3-d) - near future, following RUC
- Lightning - near future, following RUC
- Regional aircraft data with moisture (TAMDAR) - near future, following RUC
The key features of the Rapid Refresh include:
Stan.Benjamin@noaa.gov (303)497-6387