NAWDIC-AR Recon Workshop, 20 June 2024

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, USA and Online
Summary

On 20 June 2024, the international communities of the North Atlantic Waveguide, Dry Intrusion, and Downstream Impact Campaign (NAWDIC) and Atmospheric River Reconnaissance (AR Recon) came together for a joint workshop at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, CA (United States). In total 41 participants (12 in person and 29 online) from 22 different institutions attended the half-day workshop to discuss the current status of the planned NAWDIC activities and the AR Recon program as well as strategies to best utilize their scientific synergies during the observational phase in winter 2025/26. This event was the prelude to the 5th International Atmospheric Rivers Conference the following week at the same location.

After introductory words by the hosts Marty Ralph (CW3E) and Alexandre Ramos (KIT), Julian Quinting (KIT) presented the overall status of NAWDIC with a special focus on the HALO aircraft component and the KITcube ground-based measurements. Ian Renfrew (University of East Anglia) reported on recent measurements of air-sea interactions with the FAAM BAE146 aircraft, which unfortunately will not be available during NAWDIC. Gwendal Riviere (LMD) introduced the French contribution to NAWDIC that will include research flights with the SAFIRE ATR42 aircraft and the deployment of ground-based radars, followed by Marty Ralph who highlighted measurement strategies, achievements and visions of the AR Recon program. Steven Cavallo (University of Oklahoma) closed the presentation part of the workshop by discussing the US contribution NURTURE that aims for the first mission deployment of the new NASA B777 aircraft.

The second part of the workshop left plenty of room for plenary discussions which covered sampling strategies and impact metrics to best leverage the observations for data assimilation applications as well as potential risks of the related science projects. In a dedicated session, logistics, forecast tools, and coordinated flight planning activities for the two-week NAWDIC dry run in January and February 2025 were discussed. Moreover, complementary measurement systems including Airborne Radio Occultation, the Global Drifter Program, and WindBorne Systems were presented and opportunities for additional radiosonde launches were examined before Marty Ralph closed the workshop with final thoughts on the perspectives of the collaborative efforts of NAWDIC and AR Recon. The workshop was a very successful contribution to the preparations for coordinating these upcoming campaigns.

Agenda

Times are given in Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7) and Central European Summer Time (UTC+2).

PDT CEST Topic Speaker
08:00 - 08:15 am 05:00 - 05:15 pm Welcome Marty Ralph (CW3E/SIO/UCSD) and Alexandre Ramos (KIT)
08:15 - 08:30 05:15 - 05:30 NAWDIC Julian Quinting (KIT)
08:30 - 08:45 05:30 - 05:45 NAWDIC-UK Ian Renfrew (U East Anglia)
08:45 - 09:00 05:45 - 06:00 NAWDIC-FR Gwendal Riviere (LMD-ENS)
09:00 - 09:15 06:00 - 06:15 AR Recon Marty Ralph (CW3E/SIO/UCSD)
09:15 - 09:30 06:15 - 06:30 NAWDIC-US Steven Cavallo (U Oklahoma)
09:30 - 10:00 06:30 - 07:00 General Discussion Moderator: Alexandre Ramos (KIT)
10:00 - 10:30 07:00 - 07:30 Coffee Break  
10:30 - 11:20 07:30 - 08:20 Data Assimilation Moderator: David Lavers (ECMWF)
11:20 - 12:10 08:20 - 09:10 Dry Run Coordination Moderator: Bastian Kirsch (KIT)
12:10 - 01:00 pm 09:10 - 10:00 pm Additional Observations Moderator: Anna Wilson (CW3E/SIO/UCSD)
Organization team
  • Julian Quinting, Alexandre Ramos, Bastian Kirsch (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)
  • Marty Ralph, Anna Wilson, Sam Babbitt (Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes)
  • David Lavers (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts)

NAWDIC-AR Recon Workshop René Garreaud
Participants of the NAWDIC-AR Recon Workshop 2024.