Progress Report on Education and Training for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites' (GOES) Geostationary Lightning Mappers (GLMs) in the Field-Driven Research-to-Operations Implementation for National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast and Warning Meteorologists

Abstract:

The NASA/NOAA Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) Science Team, in collaboration with the National Severe Storms Laboratory's (NSSL) Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT), National Weather Service (NWS) Operations Proving Ground (OPG), National Hurricane Center (NHC) Joint Hurricane Testbed (JHT), National Weather Service (NWS) Office of the Chief Learning Officer (OCLO), and many enthusiastic NWS meteorologists developed post-launch and foundational education/training materials.

The NWS satellite training team has produced a number of learning activities in collaboration with U/Maryland/CISESS, NESDIS STaR, Texas Tech University, COMET, CSU/CIRA, UW/CIMSS, OU/CIMMS, and NASA/SPoRT. Initially, the NWS team produced Guides and Job Aids to quickly describe GLM's Total Lightning data to forecasters. Guides use AWIPS-based imagery to explain GLM product applications. NWS' Mesoanalyst Evaluations conducted over the last 5 years, gave forecasters a "hands-on" experience in applying new GLM Imagery to the Convection Initiation and Severe Convective Thunderstorm Warning Processes. An NWS-wide Pre-Operational Demonstration was initiated by OPG to provide all field offices (ROCs, WFOs, RFCs, and CWSUs) and National Forecast Centers access to GLM Grids.

GLM Grids were developed/tested in NOAA/NWS Testbeds and Proving Grounds to ensure optimal implementation in NWS Warning/Forecast Operations. Gridded GLM products, currently available to all operational NWS staff include: Flash Extent Density (FED), Average Flash Area (AFA), Total Optical Energy (TOE), and Minimum Flash Area (MFA). To increase awareness and provide examples of operational applications, GLM webinars showing operational applications were offered via the Forecast Decision Training Division's Satellite Applications Webinars, the Warning Decision Training Division's Storm of the Month, and the GOES-R sponsored NWS Office of Observations' Total Operational Weather Readiness for Satellites' Book of the Month Club webinars. Additionally, updated total lightning lessons have been developed for the Virtual Institute for Satellite Integration and Training (VISIT) and WDTD Courses.

A summary of current and near future applications will also be discussed with an outlook toward full operational implementation and utilization of GLM.

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