Real-time PGLM operations

The forecasters are now engaged in a real-time IOP over Norman, OK and Lubbock, TX. Luckily the OKLMA became operational once again right before the dinner break so we are able to get the forecasters familiar with the PGLM product. The first two forecasters to look at the PGLM data had some interesting comments regarding the product's potential uses and performance. One of the forecasters mentioned how useful the product would be in the case of being overloaded with radar information. For instance, during weak cap, high instability days when storms cover the entire radar area a radar operator can get 'tunnel vision' on a couple storms they initially think are the most important and forget about the rest. She said that a GLM product would be very useful in getting you 'back to reality' when you get overwhelmed and help you identify the cells which are most important at that time. Also, the same forecaster mentioned how they would use this in situations when they are bordering on issuing a severe warning. When the radar information is ambiguous or unchanging, the GLM would help determine whether or not to issue the warning based on any dramatic increases seen in the number of total flashes in the cell.

In one case during the IOP we saw the first occurrence of flashes from the PGLM occurring with a growing cell near the center of the OKLMA network 40 minutes prior to the first CG. Flash rates reaching 25 flashes / 8 km / min occurred 25 minutes prior to the first CG for the same cell. She mentioned that this would be extremely helpful in determining whether the cell was actually a 'thunderstorm' and something to watch out for, stating that a lot of forecasters use the first occurrence of a CG to start thinking about the possibility of that cell ever becoming severe. This would provide a much heightened level of situational awareness, especially when storms can rapidly produce tornadoes, severe hail and/or winds with little warning.