Ia. Renfrew et al., Mesoscale forecasting during a field program: Meteorological support of the Labrador Sea Deep Convection Experiment, B AM METEOR, 80(4), 1999, pp. 605-620
This report discusses the design and implementation of a specialized foreca
sting system that was set up to support the observational component of the
Labrador Sea Deep Convection Experiment. This ongoing experiment is a multi
disciplinary program of observations, theory, and modeling aimed at improvi
ng our knowledge of the deep convection process in the ocean, and the air-s
ea interaction that forces it. The observational part of the program was ce
ntered around a cruise of the R/V Knorr during winter 1997, as well as seve
ral complementary meteorological research flights. To aid the planning of s
hip and aircraft operations a specially tailored mesoscale model was run ov
er the Labrador Sea, with the model output postprocessed and transferred to
a remote field base. The benefits of using a warm-start analysis cycle in
the model are discussed. The utility of the forecasting system is illustrat
ed through a description of the flight planning process for several cases.
The forecasts proved to be invaluable both in ship operations and in puttin
g the aircraft in the right place at the night time. In writing this narrat
ive the authors hope to encourage the use of similar forecasting systems in
the support of future field programs, something that is becoming increasin
gly possible with the rise in real-time numerical weather prediction.