Abstract

Contributions of GPS Data to Serve Weather Forecasting in California
Track: Federal Systems Implementation
Author(s): Seth Gutman

One of the most unexpected uses of GPS is in meteorology. This presentation discusses how the lower atmosphere affects the propagation of radio signals, and how continuous GPS observations are used to monitor changes of an important but under-observed constituent of the free atmosphere: water vapor. For the past several years, NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory deployed GPS receivers and Doppler Radar Wind Profilers along the California Coast to better understand the nature of "Atmospheric Rivers" that impact the West Coast in the Late Fall/Early Winter. During the Major West-Coast Storm of Jan 2008, an AR caused heavy winds and precipitation, including more than 10 inches of rain in 48 hours and several feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The observations of this event tested a prototype AR Monitoring System for West Coast Winter Storms that is expected to soon become operational at National Weather Service Forecast Offices.

Seth Gutman
NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory
325 Broadway
Boulder , Colorado 80305
United States
Phone: 303-497-7031
E-mail: seth.i.gutman@noaa.gov