UWCI and OTTC first forecaster interactions

A new set of NWS WFO personnel from St. Louis, Des Moines, Buffalo, and New York were giving GOES-R training with respect to future satellite-based decision support for convective initiation, convective overshooting-tops, and thermal couplets (enhanced-V) detection. All the forecasters were very receptive to the training and asked excellent questions with regard to temporal latency and how products might help with situational awareness. After training was conducted each forecaster was given access to AWIPS workstation and allowed to set up environment as they would at their office. Four panel displays were constructed consisting of UWCI cloud top cooling rate (CTC)/convective initiation signal plotted over GOES imager visible imagery and vertically composited radar. Forecasters in general felt that the CTC rate provided more lead time and better quantitative magnitude based on verbal communication. In some instances no reflectivity was present on radar for up to 15 minutes after CTC indication, in other cases the product acted more as a diagnostic. Chris and I will look through evaluation forms (filled out after AWIPS interaction last night) and use those to help guide today's training. Here is a summary of yesterday's 24 hours (12 UTC - 12 UTC) UW CI/CTC compared to SPC reports and accumulated NLDN.

Initial evaluation of Overshooting-top/Thermal Couplets (OTTC) also occurred but forecasters spent most of their time first familiarizing themselves with UWCI products.