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Fire Weather Observations
Improving monitoring in complex terrain.
Recognizing the increasing threats of wildfire and their potential negative impacts on communities, NOAA Research is advancing fire weather observations to better monitor, understand, and forecast the total fire environment—especially in complex terrain where weather can change rapidly and be difficult to predict.
About This Project
NOAA's Global Systems Laboratory (GSL), Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML), Air Resources Laboratory (ARL), and Physical Sciences Laboratory (PSL) have partnered to build four fixed boundary-layer observation facilities and two mobile units equipped with similar instruments. These facilities will better characterize the fire weather environment and support research on the physical processes that contribute to adverse fire weather conditions in complex terrain.
Why Is This Project Necessary?
Wildland fire is a growing, year‑round hazard across much of the U.S., particularly the High Plains and Western states. Rapid changes in the daytime boundary layer can mix stronger winds down to the surface, and complex terrain drives mountain‑valley circulations and downslope windstorms. Many high‑risk areas lack sufficient observations to support fire weather forecasting and decision‑making.
More on the wildfire context:
What Is the Goal?
Observations from the fixed sites and mobile units will improve understanding of weather dynamics in high‑risk wildfire areas, enabling better assessment of wildfire behavior in complex terrain. Through NOAA Research’s data assimilation and model development, these observations will inform improvements to operational numerical weather prediction models.
About the Fixed Sites
Four fixed observing sites in the Intermountain West will provide advanced meteorology and air quality measurements across different climates and surface conditions. Each site includes instruments such as:
- 449‑MHz Doppler radar wind profiler (winds from ~100 m to 4+ km)
- Infrared spectrometer (temperature and humidity profiles; cloud properties)
- Polarization‑sensitive ceilometer (aerosol vs. cloud layer discrimination)
- Surface radiation sensors (downwelling/upwelling longwave and shortwave)
- Fast‑response sonic anemometers and moisture probes (turbulent fluxes)
- Standard surface meteorology sensors (T/RH/pressure/precipitation/winds)
- Soil moisture probes (soil moisture profiles)
- Trace gas and aerosol detectors (e.g., PM2.5/PM10, CO2, CO)
About the Mobile Facilities
Two mobile observing units — Collaborative Lower Atmospheric Mobile Profiling Systems (CLAMPS) — provide similar capabilities to the fixed sites. For mobility, the large radar wind profiler is replaced by a compact Doppler lidar. The mobile systems support targeted deployments nearer to active fires and in challenging environments.
Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS)
A UAS capability is being developed to collect low‑altitude measurements of wind, temperature, humidity, pressure, and turbulent fluxes, as well as trace gases, aerosol concentrations, and surface characteristics (e.g., albedo and fire front location). UAS deployments can complement the mobile facilities or operate independently.
How Will the Data Be Shared?
When possible, data from fixed sites, mobile facilities, and UAS are communicated in near‑real time to data hubs in Boulder, Colorado, for health monitoring and public sharing with forecasters, firefighters, researchers, and partners. Datasets requiring post‑processing will be released when available, and all datasets will be archived for future public use and research.
Early data access: View PSL Table Mountain fire weather data.
View PSL Table Mountain dataMeasurement Tool Examples
Examples of instruments used across fixed and mobile deployments include:
- 449‑MHz Doppler Radar Wind Profiler: Profiles of wind speed and direction from about 100 m to over 4 km.
- Radiation Table: Downwelling and upwelling radiation in longwave and shortwave bands.
- Infrared Spectrometer: Temperature and humidity profiles; cloud properties.
- Laser Ceilometer: Heights of aerosol and cloud layers; discrimination between the two.
- Meteorology Tower: Surface observations including wind, temperature, humidity, pressure, and precipitation.
- Doppler Lidar (mobile): Compact wind profiling for mobile deployments.
- Spectroradiometer: Spectral measurements supporting radiation and cloud studies.
- Total Sky Imager: All‑sky cloud/sky characterization.
Contacts
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Dave Turner
Global Systems Laboratory – Senior Scientist – Cross‑lab Team Lead -
Tilden Meyers
Air Resources Laboratory – Senior Scientist -
Joseph Sedlar
Global Monitoring Laboratory – Research Scientist -
Jennifer Bednar
Physical Sciences Laboratory – Data, Instrumentation, and Field Campaigns Division Chief
Our Mission
Lead research and directed development through the transition of environmental data, models, products, tools, and services to support commerce, protect life and property, and promote a scientifically literate public.
Research Areas
Organizational Excellence, Earth System Prediction, Advanced Technologies, and Decision Support are the foundation to achieving the GSL Grand Challenge: Deliver actionable global storm-scale prediction and environmental information through advanced technologies to serve society.
Global Systems Laboratory
