WRF Rapid Refresh replacing RUC?

[Bob Hartig]

I just bought Tim Vasquez's Red Book, and in the section on models, I read the following: "[The WRF] will replace the RUC in 2007 or 2008, running as the WRF Rapid Refresh."

Next paragraph down, I read, "The RUC will be discontinued in 2007 and replaced with the WRF Rapid Refresh."

Last I knew, RUC was still alive and well as RUC 20 and was being upgraded to RUC 13. Why even bother if RUC is going to be scrapped? Or is RUC 13 in fact the same thing as WRF Rapid Refresh? Would someone who's in the know please enlighten me on what is happening with RUC and WRF, and what their status is in development?

Side question: How close is RUC 13 to being fully operational? Judging from what I've seen of it online, it appears to be up and running.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

The Rapid Refresh (RR)

• The next-generation version of the RUC
  [*]An experimental (to become operational) NOAA/ NCEP hourly updating operational weather prediction system comprised primarily of
  • A numerical forecast model
  • An analysis/assimilation system to initialize that model.
    • The Rapid Refresh uses a
    • a RR-configuration of the WRF model
    • a RR-configuration of the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) analysis system.

• Developed to serve users needing frequently updated short-range weather forecasts, including those in the US aviation community and US severe weather forecasting community.
• The Rapid Refresh is the next-generation version of the 1-h cycle system, planned to replace the current RUC by 2009.
  The Rapid Refresh (RR) will use a version of the WRF model and the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) analysis largely developed at NCEP/EMC. NOAA/ESRL/GSD is currently running versions of the WRF initialized with RUC analyses (see index on left) and initial GSI cycling toward Rapid Refresh testing.

--> http://ruc.noaa.gov/rr/Welcome.cgi

From what I understand, the current WRF-RR will replace the current RUC in 2009 (with a 6-member ensemble system / 3 using NMM core and 3 using ARW core / planned for 2012). There's some good information if you follow the link listed on that page under "News stories" (or download the powerpoint presentation HERE, dated 10/2007).

 

[rdale]

RUC13 has been operational for a while, you can get all the available test versions and some with additional data sources at http://ruc.noaa.gov

 

[Jeff Miller]

http://ruc.noaa.gov/pig.cgi?13km_BU+am+T00

This is my link of choice to the 13k RUC. It has all index paramaters and hourly grids to 48.

 

[rdale]

In the Great Lakes through Dakotas - the TAMDAR version is very useful since it incorporates numerous aircraft soundings all over the region that aren't included into any other model.

 

[Bob Hartig]

Thanks, all, for your helpful responses. I appreciate the information that's available in this forum.