Greg Higgins
Supporter
Does anyone have a particular set or combination of indices's / "F5 maps" that you find useful in forecasting severe weather using the F5 software and data?
Greg Higgins
Greg Higgins
Models and F5 software
- Thread starter Greg Higgins
- Start date
Bob Hartig
EF5
With F5 Data, I mostly use the same maps and indices that everyone else here resorts to on the free sites such as TwisterData and COD--i.e. wind speeds and barbs at various levels, surface and 850 dewpoints, surface pressure, 700 mb temps, MLCINH, and so forth. But F5 offers a number of added features that I tap into regularly. The ability to overlay different parameters is invaluable and gives you the option to run your own customized loops. Also, F5 aggregates a whole slew of parameters that you'd have to search hard to find elsewhere (if, indeed, you could find them at all), and these include a number of proprietary indices. I particularly like Andy's APRWX tornado index, severe Wx index, and lid strength.
I also like to cross-check the maps with F5 Data's forecast soundings, which offer a pretty complete roster of data.
One huge virtue of F5 Data is its integration with GR3 (and GR2/GR2AE) through Allisonhouse. I love the RUC overlays. A glance at the radar not only shows me the storm, but also tells me what kind of bulk shear and helicity it's moving into, what the winds are doing at different levels, and so forth. If you subscribe to Allisonhouse as well as F5 and you're not using the F5 overlays, I encourage you to give them a try.
Perhaps you can tell that I'm a huge fan of F5 Data. I find myself using it as my primary source, cross-referencing it with other sources such as TwisterData. It really is a great tool, a regular Swiss Army Knife for storm freaks.
I also like to cross-check the maps with F5 Data's forecast soundings, which offer a pretty complete roster of data.
One huge virtue of F5 Data is its integration with GR3 (and GR2/GR2AE) through Allisonhouse. I love the RUC overlays. A glance at the radar not only shows me the storm, but also tells me what kind of bulk shear and helicity it's moving into, what the winds are doing at different levels, and so forth. If you subscribe to Allisonhouse as well as F5 and you're not using the F5 overlays, I encourage you to give them a try.
Perhaps you can tell that I'm a huge fan of F5 Data. I find myself using it as my primary source, cross-referencing it with other sources such as TwisterData. It really is a great tool, a regular Swiss Army Knife for storm freaks.
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