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Article
Further Evaluation of Probabilistic Convective Precipitation Forecasts Using the QPF–PoP Neighborhood Relationship
Weather and Forecasting
  • Michael C. Kochasic, NOAA/NWS/Weather Forecast Office
  • William A. Gallus, Jr., Iowa State University
  • Christopher J. Schaffer, NOAA/NWS/Southeast River Forecast Center
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
8-1-2017
DOI
10.1175/WAF-D-16-0227.1
Abstract

A neighborhood postprocessing approach that relates quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPF) to probability of precipitation (PoP) forecasts applied to a single model run was found by Schaffer et al. to be as good as traditional ensemble-based approaches using 10 members in 30-h forecasts of convective precipitation. The present study evaluates if PoP forecasts derived from additional variations of the approach can improve PoP forecasts further compared with previous methods. Ensemble forecasts from the Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms (CAPS) are used for neighborhood tests comparing a single model run and a traditional ensemble. In the first test, PoP forecasts for different combinations of training and testing datasets using a single model member with 4-km grid spacing are compared against those obtained with a 10-member traditional ensemble. Overall, forecasts for the neighborhood approach with just one member are only slightly less accurate to those using a more traditional neighborhood approach with the ensemble. PoP forecasts improve when using older data for training and newer data for testing. Assessments of the sensitivity of the neighborhood PoPs suggest that thinning of the horizontal grid at fine grid spacing is an effective way of maintaining the accuracy of PoP forecasts while reducing computational expenses. In an additional test, the diurnal variation of the forecast is examined on a day-by-day basis, showing good agreement between the two approaches for all but a few cases during 2008.

Comments

This article is published as Kochasic, Michael C., William A. Gallus Jr, and Christopher J. Schaffer. "Further Evaluation of Probabilistic Convective Precipitation Forecasts Using the QPF-PoP Neighborhood Relationship." Weather and Forecasting 32, no. 4 (2017): 1423-1440. DOI: 10.1175/WAF-D-16-0227.1. Posted with permission.

Rights
Works produced by employees of the U.S. Government as part of their official duties are not copyrighted within the U.S. The content of this document is not copyrighted.
Copyright Owner
American Meteorological Society
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Michael C. Kochasic, William A. Gallus and Christopher J. Schaffer. "Further Evaluation of Probabilistic Convective Precipitation Forecasts Using the QPF–PoP Neighborhood Relationship" Weather and Forecasting Vol. 32 Iss. 4 (2017) p. 1423 - 1440
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/william_gallus/63/