Forums (Forecast Builder)

Back

ProbIcePresent removed in FB

Mark Loeffelbein, modified 7 Years ago.

ProbIcePresent removed in FB

Youngling Posts: 3 Join Date: 5/9/14 Recent Posts

On line 684 of FB there is a check to remove ProbIcePresent from parmsToLoad if "All" is selected. I'm trying to understand why it isn't a good idea to load this with the other fields.

Thanks.

Mark

AJ
Andy Just, modified 7 Years ago.

RE: ProbIcePresent removed in FB

Youngling Posts: 89 Join Date: 6/2/15 Recent Posts

Mark,

  As you saw this was intentional. Part of the reason is ProbIcePresent across the terrain can produce undesirable results, because of model horizontal and vertical resolution issues with topography. In essence we force people to click ProbIcePresent to be sure they want to include it.  And the only reason for inclusion is for freezing rain/drizzle events. 

  However, we do need to continue to evaluate ProbIcePresent. It's a very good grid to help diagnose freezing rain/drizzle events due to a loss of ice in the cloud. The same process for generating ProbIcePresent exists in the NBM, so looking on the NBM Viewer will help determine if perhaps we should always populate with it along with SnowLevel.

John Keyes, modified 7 Years ago.

RE: ProbIcePresent removed in FB

Youngling Posts: 2 Join Date: 7/17/13 Recent Posts

If it's not available to run under "all" in the menu, why not just remove it from step 2, and leave it as a "step 3 only" option until its usefulness is fully determined?  I will say that being a mountain office and running it, the grids are definitely not useable at this time.  Froecast Builder produces way too much freezing rain in our area.  It's a rarity, even on a widespread and prolonged basis. 

 

 

John Keyes

 

DB
David Barjenbruch, modified 7 Years ago.

RE: ProbIcePresent removed in FB

Youngling Posts: 16 Join Date: 9/2/14 Recent Posts

John,

That sounds like a reasonable request. Andy may have other thoughts on that with regard to coding, but it would make populating ProbIcePresent more of a forecaster option at that point. 

We have used ProbIcePresent here in sharp terrain (Boulder) with success for upslope freezing drizzle events as Andy mentioned.  We're also looking forward to taking advantage of it when possible for the rest of the western region or mountain sites in more saturated environments when a top/down approach to p-type may be beneficial.  

Thanks!

Dave