Extracting data from NUCAPS Soundings and Potentially Useful Gridded Data...

Yesterday, one of the forecasters came up with a novel use of the NUCAPS soundings data.  That is, extracting information about the altitude of the 0C, -10C and -20C levels for use in radar evaluation of thunderstorms.  In this sample NUCAPS sounding from 18 UTC today in SW Kansas, notice that the freezing (FZL), -20C and -30C levels are noted on the soundings.

Using the sounding in this way, a forecaster can perhaps better determine the altitude of say the -20C threshold.  Corresponding that with the altitude of dBZ returns in radar data, might suggest something about the size of hail aloft.  Forecasters commonly use model soundings to obtain the freezing or -20C levels, but this represented a great use of the NUCAPS data, and I again wanted to mention this.

So, another point to this post is to mention that this process can be a little laborious...the issue of clicking on several soundings in an area and then trying to assess the altitude of the -20C temperature level.  It would thus be fantastic to see this type of analysis available via the NUCAPS gridded data.  That is, the altitude of a constant freezing level surface or a -20C surface.  However, the data are available only in millibar levels and not in terms of MSL or AGL.  Speaking with Nadia Smith, this may be possible in future iterations of the data, which would offer more utility for these types of applications...in addition to the NUCAPS Cold Air Aloft project with Alaska offices (who desired the data in terms of Flight Levels).

Kris W