Enhancing Evapotranspiration Data Product from GOES-16/17 Advance Baseline Imagers for NOAA NWP, NWM and Drought Monitoring Operations

Abstract:

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a major component of the global and regional water cycle. Accurate estimation of ET is needed for numerical weather and water prediction models. An operational GOES ET and Drought (GET-D) product system has been developed by NESDIS of NOAA for numerical weather prediction (NWP) and water model validation, data assimilation and for drought monitoring. The GET-D system was generating ET and Evaporative Stress Index (ESI) maps at 4-8km spatial resolution using thermal infrared (TIR) observations from the Imagers on GOES-13 and GOES-15 satellites before the primary operational GOES satellites transitioned to GOES-16 and GOES-17. The Advanced Baseline Imagers (ABIs) on the new generation of NOAA geostationary operational satellites (GOES-16 and GOES-17) allow the GET-D system to be significantly enhanced with higher spatial resolution and better accuracy that are needed for NOAA numerical weather, climate, and water models. With the upgraded GET-D we generate ET products using ABI observations at 2 km spatial resolution covering the continental United States. The GET-D software package is also upgraded with the recent improvements to the ALEXI model. The advances include using Ka-band AMSR2 observations on cloudy days when the GOES TIR observations are not available. This presentation will demonstrate the most recent results from the new GET-D product system with ET retrievals validated against ground measurements. Further algorithm improvements, system enhancement and application plans will be discussed.