20001108: WSI NOWrad

>From: David Ahijevych <address@hidden>
>Organization: NCAR/MMM
>Keywords: 200011082329.eA8NTW423035 WSI NOWrad products

David,

I have CCed Robb Kambic on this reply so that he can jump in with more
information if/when needed.

>I have a question about UCAR's datafeed of WSI's NOWrad 2-km resolution
>radar product.  Several of us in MMM have been using the 5-minute
>resolution product in our research.  COMET and RAP have archived this data
>for several years--COMET on 8mm Exabyte tapes, and RAP on the Mass Storage
>system.  Both archives have proved useful.  But I was wondering if UCAR
>also receives a 15-minute resolution NOWrad product from UNIDATA.

The WSI feed of Nexrad imagery that is available to all groups
in UCAR includes 2 km and 8 km mosaics that both are issued every
5 minutes.  It was somewhat of a suprise when the 2 km mosaic updates
increased from 15 minute to 5 minute a couple of years ago.  I can't
tell you how or why this happened, but we have enjoyed the increased
frequency ever since.

>According to http://sysu1.wsicorp.com/unidata/intro.html, mosaics are
>available in 5-minute (2 levels of quality control) and 15-minute (3
>levels of quality control) updated intervals.   It is the 15-minute
>product that we are interested in.

I believe that this web page must now be in error.  Both the 2 and 8 km
products now come in every 5 minutes.

>Since our previous source of 15-minute 3-levels of quality control NOWrad
>mosaics is discontinuing their subscription after 2000,

And who is that?

>I was hoping to
>tap into UCAR's feed.  But I don't know how to get this product.

You have to run an LDM and ingest the product your self.  Or, you can
get access to the imagery from one of the other groups (like RAP) that
is already running an LDM and intesting the products.

>Both
>COMET and RAP have only archived the 5-minute 2-levels of quality control
>NOWrad mosaics.  Do you know of anyone at UCAR/NCAR who is currently
>archiving the 15-minute product?

No, sorry.  If the data we are getting is really different than what
you are seeking, we will have to do further investigation.  Again, our
feed of 2 km data which used to come in every 15 minutes started coming
in every 5 minutes a couple of years ago.  I was unaware that these
products were undergoing less quality control than the 15 minute versions.

>Is there a way I could access this data?

It might be best to contact RAP about getting the data from their LDM
server.  If you can't get the information you need there, we can find out
who the appropriate contact is.

>Thanks,
>David Ahijevych
>NCAR/MMM Division

Tom Yoksas