September 30, 2014

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) launched a new modeling tool for meteorologists to study severe weather and track how it develops at the local level. The model, known as High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR), was developed over five years by researchers in NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory.

The model can track individual storms in detail and predict the movement of weather patterns up to 15 hours in advance. Increased spatial resolution and faster data processing allow the model to pinpoint specific neighborhoods that will experience hail, high winds, heavy rain or snow, or flash flooding.

Data from the new model will be valuable to other government agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, which can adapt flight paths around storms, and the Department of Energy, where the new information will be valuable for weather-dependent alternative energy sources like wind and solar.

The public can track developing storm systems on NOAA’s National Weather Service website.

Sources: E&E News, NOAA