Use of Radar Summary Maps for Weather Analysis and Forecasting

Abstract

A study of radar summary maps collected from July to December 1961 shows that the echo areas reported are closely associated with precipitation and that the reported echo intensifies and heights of tops are valuable for assessing the occurrence of thunderstorms and other precipitation types. Use of past-hour motion arrows shown on the maps for prediction by translation gives better 3-, 6-, and 9-hr forecasts of echo areas over St. Louis, Mo., than does persistence. The symbols given to indicate the fractional echo coverage within echo areas are usefully related in summer to the probability that precipitation occurs at any point within the echo area. Such relationships can be combined with the probabilities associated with echo-area forecasts to obtain a probability for the future occurrence of echo at any particular point. Some means for extending such probability designations to route forecasts are briefly indicated.A principal weakness of the present radar data observing and reporting methods is the coding scheme. The encoded echo observations are very general and the location of echoes within the areas indicated on the radar summary maps is not shown except for particularly noteworthy cases. However, the present data demonstrate both that radar is a valuable aid for terminal and enroute forecasting and that forecasts of useful accuracy and greater precision should be possible when more precise radar data become available.