GSL is leading research that improves forecasts of wildfire smoke and other pollutants. Our research investigates:
How do wildfires, weather, and climate impact how a fire spreads and behaves?
How do fire emissions, trace gases, smoke, and aerosols, develop and produce hazardous air quality conditions?
How can forecasters, emergency managers, and other users best communicate fire information to the public?
NOAA has five main objectives for the Fire Weather Testbed:
The NOAA Fire Weather Testbed is a collaborative effort between NOAA's GSL, National Weather Service (NWS), and National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS).
GSL's Rapid Refresh - Smoke (RAP-Smoke) model simulates the emissions and transport of smoke from wildfires and predicts the impact of smoke on the weather on a 13km grid. RAP Smoke estimates “near-surface smoke” which impacts air quality and visibility) and “vertically integrated smoke” which predicts smoke concentrations from the surface to about 25km in the atmosphere. The RAP-Smoke domain covers the entire North and Central Americas.
Visit the RAP Smoke site ↗
GSL’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh-Smoke (HRRR-Smoke) model simulates the emissions and transport of smoke from wildfires and predicts the impact of smoke on the weather on a 3km grid. HRRR Smoke estimates “near-surface smoke” which impacts air quality and visibility and “vertically integrated smoke” which predicts smoke concentrations from the surface to about 25km in the atmosphere.
Visit the HRRR Smoke site ↗
GSL's Experimental Hourly Wildfire Potential (HWP) is an index derived from the HRRR model predictions of temperature, winds, and soil moisture conditions. To check out this experimental index, visit the HRRR model website and look for the “Hourly Wildfire Potential” parameter on the left side of the matrix table.
View HWP data on the HRRR site ↗
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Rapid-Refresh model coupled to chemistry (RAP-Chem) is a next-generation coupled weather/air quality experimental forecasting system that has been operating at NOAA GSL since July 2020. The model includes anthropogenic, wildfire, and natural emission sources and simulates full gas-phase and aerosol chemistry and transport allowing prediction of both primary and secondary pollutants (e.g., ozone and secondary organic aerosols) produced from wildfire emissions in addition to their impacts on weather. Experimental products include forecasts of air quality index as well as UV-index, Ozone forecasts, and PM2.5 forecasts, all including fire weather.
Visit the RAP-Chem site ↗
GSL led the development of the Global Ensemble Forecast System - Aerosols (GEFS-Aerosols) model. GEFS-Aerosols is an atmospheric composition model that integrates weather and air quality forecasts to produce week-long forecasts of aerosol components including wildfire smoke, soot, organic carbon, particulate sulfate, dust, sea salt, and volcanic ash. This model was implemented into NOAA operations on September 23, 2020 as one of the ensemble members of the Global Ensemble Forecast System.
Visit the GEFS-Aerosols site ↗
This tour, created by GSL walks viewers through the 2020 fire season and how HRRR Smoke can be used to show how the smoke from wildfires moves across the U.S.
GSL research focuses on atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric physics, and developing models that predict smoke from wildfires. Future research will involve predicting fire behavior and developing decision support criteria. Our laboratory’s research will:
GSL fire weather research collaborators include:
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