Putting D3D in the Weather Forecast Office

Paula McCaslin
Forecast Systems Laboratory

Display 3-Dimension (D3D) is a tool developed at NOAA/FSL to display gridded model data in an operational forecast setting. This application evolved from the desire to make tangible, through graphical displays, the richness and complexities of gridded data. By displaying atmospheric parameters other than in the traditional 2D cross sections, significant features of certain parameters can be revealed. One capability, for example, of plotting wind barbs on a potential temperature surface conveys information about the relationship of the two fields and possibly how they impact one another. In this talk we will discuss the work at FSL in transforming Vis5D, the backbone software behind the application, into D3D as it currently exists. Testing of earlier versions of D3D was accomplished at FSL through different forecast exercises involving forecasters from a spectrum of NOAA and the NWS. In addition, D3D is now being used on a test basis at several WFOs. We will discuss the changes that have resulted from this interaction, and where we hope to go with D3D in the future.

BIO -Paula McCaslin Paula McCaslin is a Computer Scientist developing 3D visualization capabilities to investigate meteorological data in Boulder, CO. Working for NOAA/FSL for 12 years has given her an appreciation of the role of computer programming in meteorologic applications. (Much of her work with data manipulation has been to create scripts to prepare, create, manage, and purge forecast model runs and other graphical products.) Her experience includes building graphical user interfaces for real-time meteorological applications. She has a degree in mathematics from the University of Colorado-Boulder. She is looking for art amidst the technology.

Auditorium - Paper Tuesday - 11:40 - 12:00 A.M.