Revised 3/16/01

Update: MOCISE will collaborate with pre-IHOP and COMPASS in 2001. I'll update this page as information becomes available over the next few months. Information pertaining to the '01 effort is preceded by a *.

A plethora of questions pertaining to convective initiation have been generated from ongoing analysis of VORTEX, MOCISE and STEPS data. Additionally, recent publications using data collected during VORTEX have documented various interactions of tornadic supercells with boundaries. It has become increasingly clear that an investigation of the environmental mesoscale thermodynamics and kinematics along and near various boundaries is required in order to understand the underlying dynamics relevant to thunderstorm convective initiation.

Until a more complete characterization of boundaries in general, and the boundaries associated with tornadic supercells in particular, is acheived our knowledge will remain limited. This observational study will add comprehensive information for detailed boundary characterizations and will test applicable hypotheses. Emphasis will be placed on a variety of mesoscale boundaries, including the dryline, outflow boundaries, and quasi-stationary fronts as well as supercells.

MOCISE objectives

1.  *Obtain data documenting surface and boundary layer thermodynamics inconjuntion with dual Doppler radar data during the evolution of mesoscale boundaries.

2.  Obtain data documenting coherent kilometer-scale kinematic flow structures and moisture gradients along boundaries.

3.  * Obtain data documenting atmospheric surface variables in conjunction with dual Doppler radar data within deep moist convection.

Operating window:

Observational Platforms:

• * Six Mobile Mesonet stations (two will remain in OUN) from the Joint Mobile Research Facility of the University of Oklahoma, Texas Tech University (TTU), and the National Severe Storms Laboratory. Mobile Mesonets will sample the surface meteorological conditions along and across preconvective surface boundaries and utilized for deep moist convective studies for COMPASS.
• * Two SMART-Radars. These will be tested in preconvective boundary layer conditions similar to what will be encountered in IHOP. The radars will also be used for the COMPASS objectives.
• * One NSSL mobile laboratory. M-CLASS soundings will be used to sample boundary layer conditions across the boundaries under investigation. Pre-storm environmental soundings and updraft soundings will also be released for COMPASS.

• Eight Mobile Mesonet stations from the Joint Mobile Research Facility of the University of Oklahoma, Texas Tech University (TTU), and the National Severe Storms Laboratory. Mobile Mesonets will sample the surface meteorological conditions along boundaries.
• One NSSL Mobile Sounding System (M-CLASS) to document the upper air environment in the dryline moisture transition zone, both sides of the dryline and/or boundary under investigation.

Observational Studies:

Convective Initiation Studies

The Great Plains dryline will be the focus for a majority of the experiment. In order to achieve the project's objectives, quiescent and/or slow ( < 6 m/s) transient dryline events will be targeted. This will enable a detailed sampling of the surface gradients and coherent flow structures embedded within the dryline. Examples are online of Mobile Mesonet (MM) observations of drylines and the Denver Convergence and Vorticity Zone (DCVZ). Convectively active and/or fast-moving drylines will not be considered for operations. Similarly, outflow boundaries and quasi-stationary fronts moving over 6 m/s will not be targeted.

Safety:-link to VORTEX guide lines.

Participants should be thoroughly familiar with the safety standards established within the document linked above. These same rules apply for all MOCISE participants and will be strictly adhered to.

Communications:

In MOCISE, the standard VORTEX radio protocol will be used. It's quite simple

• Keep VHF communications to a minimum to reduce data contamination.
• At the start of a conversation, use the template "Other Team [this is] My Team". For example, if you are P4 and wish to speak to P2, say "P2 this is P4" or simply "P2, P4".
• There is no need to say "over" or "clear" at the end of a conversation; just get off the radio.
• No profanity. No conversations that make light of bad weather; others are listening. These channels are for official use, not idle chatter. While engaged on an intercept use channels ONLY for official communications; we will be more relaxed while an intercept is not going on.

We will utilize two VHF simplex channels, depending on the situation. This will be channels X.XX and Y.YY on the MM VHF radios. Cell phone coverage is rather sparse in some of the MOCISE region; the FC, . unit team, and the M-CLASS team will have project cell phones in the vehicles.

National Weather Service:

The National Weather Service Forecast Office (WFO) in Lubbock (LBB), TX will aid in the operational efforts of MOCISE. The LBB WFO will also provide both resources (also see data archival) and personnel to the project. The WFO will monitor the Spur, TX (KSPR) Campbell unit observations and also increase the temporal resolution of the observations from one-hour, to fifteen minutes. The LBB WFO will closely monitor the Lubbock WSR-88D Archive II data collection system when the project is operating in their warning area. Additionally, when regional precipitation and bordering WSR-88D operations permit, the LBB WFO will prolong the use of VCP 32 volume scans before switching to VCP 11. The lengthen VCP 32 window will aid the MOCISE forecasters and researchers in better resolving and monitoring radar "fine Lines". Please note that during severe weather operations, the primary mission of the NWS - protection of life and property - must take precedent over MOCISE activities in the event that resources are insufficient to accommodate both. Data and observations from the MOCISE data collection will be relayed to the Lubbock WFO in real-time through the Nowcaster, to assist in warning operations. Post-event verification operations will be relayed directly to the LBB WFO by the FC. When possible MOCISE participants will assist the LBB WFO in damage surveys. This may also include the participation of Wind Engineers from TTU.

The Dodge City, KS WFO will help assist with nowcasting. Jim Johnson will head this effort for the office (see Nowcaster).

 

Forecasting:

Several individuals and the FC will conduct daily forecasting. The forecasting will commence the evening before a possible mission. For logistical reasons, the forecast information will be shared via a very informal email exchange between the forecasters and the FC. The email discussion is intended to aid the FC in determining a mission target area. Forecasting emphasis will be placed on the relevant data and guidance pertinent to synoptic and mesoscale features for the following day. Ongoing overnight convection will be closely monitored with regard to outflow boundary development. Given only the evening sounding and numerical model runs will be available, compounded by a 18-hr mesoscale forecast, any target areas chosen should be considered preliminary until the updated morning forecast is distributed. Once the FC has decided upon a preliminary target, he will write a status message and forecast discussion. This will be emailed directly to MOCISE participants. The forecast will consist of a detailed discussion over the synoptic and mesoscale environment. A "GO”, “NO-GO”, or “STAND-BY" status will be issued in the email. The time the email is sent out will vary; therefore, participants are encouraged to read the SPC Day-2 forecast discussion before the receipt of the evening forecast. This will provide the participant with a possible "heads up" for the next day. It is stressed that the SPC outlooks should not be viewed as a gauge in determining a "GO”, “NO-GO" decision. The forecasting objectives of SPC are vastly different then MOCISE's. If the evening status message is a “STAND-BY”, information leading to the decision delay will be explained.

When the evening status message and forecast discussion contains a "GO” or "STAND-BY" condition, morning forecast will occur. Forecasting emphasis will be placed on current remote sensing instruments. The forecasting time frame will preclude the use of 12Z soundings and numerical guidance. Forecasts will include but are not limited to, boundary(ies) placement and movement, expected time of convective initiation, supercell type(s) given the probability of supercells and likely motion, as well as tactical operations for that day. In formulating his decision, the FC will also consider how the terrain and vegetation in the target area may effect operations; the relative amount of data already for various study objectives. The feasibility of reaching the target and thus insuring that the teams arrive at the potential boundary area before initiation of deep convection will be carefully examined. Once the FC has made a decision for the day, a second email will be sent containing the mission status. The email will be sent to all participants no later than 1700 UTC. It is possible that a morning status message will be a “STAND-BY”. If that is the case, information pertaining to this decision will be conveyed along with a time frame for a later update. The majority of MOCISE participants are TTU grad students and in close academic proximity to the FC. This group of participants will be updated verbally in addition to the email. The students’ exam schedules will be taken into account in determining the "GO" "NO-GO" decision.

 

Data sources and archival:

Several sources are providing specialized real-time data and the archiving of remote sensing and model data. Jim Bresch with the Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Division, at NCAR, will maintain a real-time MM5, 30-km resolution sector centered over Oklahoma. Eric Nelson with the College of DuPage, neXlab, is providing a Southern Plains ETA sector. TTU will maintain the ingestion and archive NIDS, satellite, soundings, ACARS, profiler, and surface data. Archived level II WSR-88D data will be ordered as needed through NCDC. The LBB WFO will archive the ETA model output and the KSPR Campbell mesonet site. Observational field notes and mission summaries will be maintained by the FC. These will be made available on-line as time permits. The mobile mesonet and M-CLASS data will be available to the community after rigorous quality assurance steps have been completed.