Performance test of the Movable-Area Fine-Mesh model in the western Pacific

During the last six years at the National Meteorological Center (NMC), a project to develop a numerical model capable of forecasting hurricane (typhoon) movements has been underway. This project has been very successful and has resulted in the development and operational implementation of a primitive-equation, analysis-forecast system, the Movable- Area Fine-Mesh Model (MFM), capable of producing forecasts of either hurricane tracks or large-scale heavy precipitation. A performance test using the MFM was conducted on selected storms from the Western Pacific-1977 Typhoon Storm Season. The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the performance of the MFM in the Western Pacific where a sparsity of data and large storms exist. The initial analysis came from the Operational Spectral Analysis System. From this analysis a 48- hour Northern Hemisphere Six-Layer Primitive Equation Model forecast on a 381 km (true at 60° latitude) grid was generated to provide boundary conditions for the MFM. Forecast results are verified against the Joint Typhoon Warning Center provided typhoon positions. James Kerlin. "January 1979." "This is an unreviewed manuscript, primarily intended for informal exchange of information among NMC staff members." System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Includes bibliographical references (page 12).