Some thoughts and observations on NUCAPS gridded data...

It's been interesting to observe and think about ways the gridded NUCAPS data can be used in an operational setting dealing with convective weather.  The recent blog post highlighted lapse rates and their similarity to analyses provided by the Storm Prediction Center.  For this one, I was going to take a quick look at Convective Inhibition (CIN) data as provided by the NUCAPS gridded data, in conjunction with satellite observations of the region.  This first image shows the NUCAPS derived CIN data over the southern and central High Plains at ~19Z overlaying GOES-16 0.64 um imagery.  

The color curve in the above image is set so that generally brither colors (light blues to greens) indicate higher values of CIN and thus regions where convection is being inhibited.  Notice that low clouds can be seen in areas of western Kansas where CIN values are lower.  The same can be said for portions of northern Texas.  Meanwhile, CIN values are peaked generally in the TX/OK panhandles and parts of southern Kansas where there is little cloud development in this scene.  Taking in the big picture here, this would indicate any development might be favored to continue in western Kansas where one cell can already be observed to develop. A post earlier showed that lapse rates were not that steep in this area during the early afternoon, however, steeper lapse rates just to the west were about to advect into western Kansas.

Forecasters are going to be inclined to check on the data individually and take it on an individual basis sometimes.  Comparing the NUCAPS gridded data with the soundings can present some problems sometime.  Take for example, the gridded data in the far NE corner of the TX panhandle.  The observation at this point shows a value of ~279 J/Kg (of CIN) between the 850 and 500 mb levels, which is where the inversion is located in this area.  Now, looking at the actual sounding for this same location shows different values.

Although not shown, the CIN values for a ML parcel in this scene according to the sounding data were about 600 J/Kg.  Granted, this is just one example shown, but was representative of the broader issues.  So, there perhaps needs to be a better way to obtain the gridded data so that there are no potential discrepancies between the NUCAPS Soundings data, and the gridded data.

-Kris W