Identify cloud types and their characteristics

Guy Kelman (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) explained the relationship between cloud top temperature and effective radius and emphasised the advantage this can have on the lead time and the possibility to nowcast areas with a high potential of severe convection. The session was followed by Wilfried Jacobs (DWD) on the Automatic weather and product monitoring (Automon).

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This case study presents an analysis of radiation in a fog event over the Pannonian Basin that took place from 18th to 20th November, 2011. It is an example of the conceptual model of fog and stratus cloudiness. Special attention is dedicated to the analysis of vertical atmospheric profiles (temperature, humidity and wind) combined with satellite observation.

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This training module describes the Sandwich Products. These products help to detect and analyse various cloud top features of storms (storm systems) in their mature phase. It eases the detection of specific cloud-top features related to storm dynamics and microphysics, structure, and possible storm severity - such as overshooting tops, cold-U/V (enhanced-V) or cold-ring features, embedded warm spots/areas, gravity waves, above-anvil ice plumes, areas composed of very small ice particles, etc. These products directly support monitoring and nowcasting of convective storms. In areas with no, or poor, weather radar and surface observation coverage, this product is essential for proper storm detection.

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Dan Bikos received his BS in Meteorology at the State University of New York College at Brockport (1995), and MS in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma (1998). His areas of interest include severe weather, lake-effect snow and applications of satellite imagery to weather forecasting, particularly on the mesoscale. Dan has been a research associate at CIRA since 1998 working for the Virtual Institute for Satellite Integration Training (VISIT) project in which he develops training for NWS forecasters. Distance learning software (VISITview) combined with a conference call are utilized to deliver the training to NWS forecast offices. Dan has instructed more than 300 hours of live teletraining sessions, primarily dealing with operational applications of satellite imagery.

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Lee-Ann Simpson is currently working as a meteorological trainer in the Regional Training Center (RTC) in Pretoria. She worked as an operational forecaster from 2003-2008, after which she started in the training department. She presently lectures to Post graduate forecasting students, focusing on specialized weather forecasting and satellite meteorology. Through the University of Pretoria, she lectures satellite meteorology and Tropical meteorology to honours students. Her interests lie in short term forecasting, severe weather and all satellite based interpretation of weather phenomena. She has a BSc (Hon) in Meteorology from the University of Pretoria and she is currently completing her MSc through the same institution.
Jannie Stander has worked as an operational weather forecaster from 1998 to 2005. Since 2006 Jannie has been working in the Regional Training Centre at Pretoria providing marine (2006-2008) and aviation forecaster training (2008-current). His main interests are aviation meteorology, synoptic meteorology and satellite interpretation and he is involved with several international working groups within these disciplines. He holds a BSc Hons degree in Meteorology at the University of Pretoria and is currently completing his MSc at the same University.

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Ok Hee received her BSc in Astronomy at the Chungbuk National University at Chungchungbukdo the province of South Korea (1992), and MSc in Meteorology from the Seoul National University in Seoul South Korea (2004). She is preparing for the PhD. Her areas of interest include severe weather, lake-effect snow, Asian dust, fog and applications of satellite imagery to weather forecasting, particularly on the mesoscale. She worked at weather forecasting division as assistant for weather forecaster for 3 years from 1992 and satellite image analyst 3 years from 1996. She has been a research associate at NMSC (National Meteorological Satellite Center) KMA (Korea Meteorological Administration) since 2006. She is currently working as a meteorological satellite image trainer and analyzer of COMS (Communication Ocean Meteorological Satellite) image for KMA's weather forecaster in NMSC. Presently, she is trying to develop Conceptual Models which are applicated in East Asia after training SATREP in ZAMG.

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Vesa Nietosvaara has worked as an operational weather forecaster for twenty years in 1988-2008. Since 1998 Vesa has been working within several training projects and created learning resources for operational meteorologists. Particularly, he is interested in satellite image interpretation and conceptual models for weather diagnosis. Most of his career Vesa has done at the Finnish Meteorological Institute, but since 2012 he works as a Training Officer at EUMETSAT. He assists the EUMeTrain monthly weather briefing team and regularly participates or lead the European online weather briefings (ePort weather briefings).
Larisa (Lara) Nikitina has been working as aviation weather forecaster in Rostov aviation center (Rostov-on-Don, south Russia) since 1985 after training as a weather forecaster in Russian State Hydrometeorological University (RSHU). And since 2010 she became the weather forecaster for Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. Her special interests are the satellite meteorology applications for nowcasting and distance learning.

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Firstly, the characteristics of synoptic weather which convective cloud occurs over eastern Asian region will be mentioned and the thunderstorm monitoring system with radar data which KMA forecasters use will be also introduced. And then I will present our convective cases and explain them with satellite, radar and other NWP data.

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Delineating areas where convection is most/least likely to develop can be difficult, especially in the next 3-9 hours. Knowing how forecasts can extend the usefulness of SEVIRI products from observations to forecasts can be equally challenging. This talk discusses a new forecast tool that addresses a number of questions: How can SEVIRI products be used to monitor and predict areas that are becoming more/less supportive for development of convection? Will the details in the SEVIRI observations be retained by short-range forecast tool? How do the derived SEVIRI forecast products relate to standard satellite forecasting conventions? Can IR satellite observations still be useful after convection has begun and clouds have formed? Are the SEVIRI projections useful for monitoring NWP performance?

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Within the CM SAF we have developed an algorithm for the retrieval of daytime cloud physical properties from MSG-SEVIRI. This algorithm and the retrieval products will be described. Furthermore applications will be discussed with a focus on convection.

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Mountainous regions tend to be the starting point for convective developments due to their elevated heat sources, the topographic amplifying factor or their role as a flow obstacle. In this presentation different synoptic situations and the consequent convection will be analyzed in the Alpine region on the hand of case studies.

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Next to sufficient instability, strong vertical wind shear is the main driver that promotes thunderstorms to organize into multicells, supercells or lines, which are more probable to attain a longer lifetime and to produce severe weather phenomena like hail or wind gusts. The role of vertical wind shear in storm organization is explained in this presentation, and selected case studies illustrate how favorable conditions for severe storms can evolve either by large-scale processes or, more challenging for forecasters, by local modifications of the wind systems and associated temperature and humidity changes.

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