Thunderstorms pose high risks for landings, departing and flying aircraft. This collaborative research effort between the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is to incorporate satellite-derived information into systems designed to nowcast atmospheric convection and its first-time initiation. Developing improved means of monitoring and characterizing convective clouds to nowcast convection initiation is a key goal. Data sets currently being processed include GOES visible, infrared and sounder-based satellite imagery (from GOES-10 and GOES-12). Future work will involve the use of MODIS, MSG and eventually GIFTS imagery.

This work supports a component of the NASA Advanced Satellite Aviation Products (ASAP) initiative with the primary focus of improving aviation safety through the use of satellite-based products. This project supports the National Convective Weather Diagnostic Forecast Product developed in part by the NCAR Convective and Oceanic Weather Product Development Teams (PDTs), as operated by the FAA. The plan at CIMSS and UAH is to process several types of satellite information into "Interest Fields" and "Pattern Fields" that can be used to describe convective initiation across large geographical regions.

This work is supported by the NASA New Investigator Program grant, NAG5-12536 and the NASA Advanced Satellite Aviation Products Initiative, 4400071484.