Dynamic and static initialization of a mesoscale model using VAS satellite data

Various mesoscale weather forecast model initialization procedures were tested in seven simulation forecasts for a 12 hr period in July 1981. Attention was given to the impacts of using as input radiosonde data, VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) data and a combination of VAS and data from a smoothed global analysis. The data were assimilated with successive correction objective analysis procedures. The model had a 60 km horizontal grid-length resolution, 14 layers in the vertical, and accounted for short- and long-wave energy in the surface energy budget but not in the atmosphere. Conventional data were used for the mass and moisture fields. The trials showed that VAS data enhanced the predictions of the temperature and mass variables, while winds were least accurately predicted when VAS data were entered in the initializations. Finally, statically initialized precipitation forecasts from radiosonde and/or VAS data exhibited equal skill.