Nowcasting Guidelines

 

These guidelines are designed to give you a framework from which you can develop a nowcast briefing. All general comments regarding terminology and preparation, which apply to the briefing guidelines, also apply to nowcasting.

 

(Note: you should always have read at least the local Forecast Discussion, and maybe the surrounding ones as well) 

 

(See the Briefing Score Sheet to get a detailed look at how your briefing will be graded)
 

A. Briefly discuss the big picture:

1) Briefly discuss large scale (hemispheric) analyses and locate major troughs ridges, jet streams, and short waves.  (SJSU WEB)

2) Discuss satellite imagery as it relates to large weather features in the forecast region.  (Usually IR, GARP)

3) Show current large scale surface analysis. Other analyses can be found here.
 
 

B. Current local weather analysis:

1) Discuss local satellite imagery if possible (GARP, or 1KM VIS from SJSU Page or UCAR)

2) Discuss the current local obs, including regional obs. Identify all fronts, boundaries and drylines.

3) Discuss the local radar.

4) Examine any mesoscale discussions, which may pertain to the current situation.

 

 

C. Forecasting:

1) Examine trends observed in your local weather analysis.

2) Identify and discuss the main forecast problem or problems.

3) In order to understand the current environment and how it might be changing in the short term. Discuss model forecasts for your location: Always show: 500 heights and vorticity, 700 mb heights and omega regardless of the situation. Other maps to show will depend on the situation. ASK the instructor for help on which model graphics to discuss.

4) Make a forecast, write numbers on board!

 

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