NWC SAF/High Resolution Winds MV Software evolution between 2012 and 2014

Abstract

The "High Resolution Winds AMV software (HRW)", developed inside the "Satellite Application Facility on support to Nowcasting and very short range forecasting (NWC SAF)" stand alone software package, provides a detailed calculation of Atmospheric Motion Vectors locally and in real time by its users, considering up to seven MSG/SEVIRI channels. A new version of HRW software has been made available in August 2013 with some new elements: the calculation of trajectories through the continuous tracking of the same tracer, the update of the Quality control process, and the optimization of the algorithm for the default calculation without wind guess in the definition of the tracking area, among other ones. The validation shows additional improvements respect to previous versions, including the increase in the amount of available AMVs with a reduction in their NRMSVD values, and the usability of all AMVs with a QI ≥ 1%. HRW v2013 has been validated by external studies (the NWP SAF AMV monitoring by the MetOffice, and the Second AMV intercomparison study by CIMSS/University of Wisconsin), comparing very positively against other AMV algorithms. The MetOffice has also started to assimilate operationally HRW AMVs in its NWP mesoscale model around the British Isles with a positive impact in the forecast. Because of its characteristics and its ease to be obtained and run locally, NWC SAF/High Resolution Winds software has been proposed as option for “Stand alone AMV calculation software”, available to all AMV researchers and users. The good validation results for NWC SAF/HRW software by the external studies should solve any doubts about the usefulness of this AMV algorithm.