A Method for Assimilating Pseudo Dewpoint Temperature as a Function of
GLM Flash Extent Density in GSI-Based EnKF Data Assimilation System - A
Proof of Concept study
Abstract
In this study, a new lightning data assimilation (LDA) scheme using
Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) flash extent density (FED) is
developed and implemented in the National Severe Storms Laboratory
(NSSL) Warn-on-Forecast System (WoFS). The new LDA scheme first
retrieves the pseudo relative humidity between the cloud base and a
specific layer based on the FED value. Then on each model layer, the
pseudo relative humidity is converted to dewpoint temperature according
to the corresponding air temperature. Some sensitivity experiments are
performed to investigate how to derive and use GLM/FED in a best
possible way. The impact of assimilating this derived pseudo dewpoint
temperature on short-term severe weather forecast is preliminarily
assessed in this proof-of-concept study. A high-impact weather event
over Kansas on 24 May 2021 is used to evaluate the performance of the
new scheme on analyses and subsequent short-term forecasts. The results
show that the assimilation of additional FED derived dewpoint
temperature observations along with radar, satellite radiance and cloud
water can improve short-term (3-h) forecast skill. The improvement is
primarily due to the direct and indirect adjustment of dynamic and
thermodynamic conditions through the LDA process. More specifically, the
assimilation of FED-derived dewpoint temperature, in addition to the
other observations currently used in WoFS, tends to enhance the
ingredients required for a thunderstorm to occur, namely moisture,
instability and lifting mechanism.