The Regional Radar Volume (RRV) Project involves the development and implementation of an initial Cartesian radar volume product comprised data from three WSR-88D radars that scan over a small regional domain. RRV development will serve as an initial step for creating a CONUS B National Radar Volume comprised of data from all NEXRAD radars within the conterminous United States (CONUS).

The initial concept for this work was presented as part of the Forecast System's Laboratory's Tri-annual Scientific and Technical review in August, 1993. At that time Sandy MacDonald, FSL Director, proposed creating a real-time national radar volume of reflectivity and velocity data from the NEXRAD radar network. This product would be developed in the laboratory along with other CONUS data sets for use by the National Weather Service and others later this decade. While no specific requirements yet exist for a national radar volume, several uses are envisioned for this product. They include integration into high-resolution models who use asynoptic data (LAPS and MAPS, for example), displayable radar mosaic products for AWIPS, and for aircraft routing.

Following the tri-annual review, William F. (Woody) Roberts, explored the feasibility of retrieving horizontal (u/v) winds from areas scanned by multiple radars. This work indicated that overlapping scanning areas in the network were sufficient to retrieve u/v winds over a large percentage (~40%) of the CONUS area. Initial time/height u/v wind retrievals using archived 88D data from Oklahoma compared well with profiler data collected nearby. Coincident with the development activities discussed above, the National Severe Storms Laboratory under direction from the NWS Operational Support Facility (OSF) have developed Radar Interface and Data Distribution System (RIDDS) which provides a wide-band interface to the WSR-88D Radar Product Generator (RPG). This interface has been developed in order to retrieve level 2 base data from selected radars to test and refine NEXRAD algorithms and local area models. The Denver radar (KFTG) currently has this interface. Radars at Pueblo, Co., Grand Junction, Co. Goodland, KS., and Cheyenne, WY., among others, have also been designated to receive them. Connections to the Denver radar (KFTG) were completed in FY96. Connections to the Cheyenne (KCYS) WY., and Goodland (KGLD), KS. sites were completed in FY97. Routine product generation is currently being developed.

Steve Albers, meteorologist/software engineer, (303) 497-6057, steve.albers@noaa.gov