The Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) was an American atmospheric prediction system that consisted primarily of a numerical forecast model and an analysis system to initialize the model. The first operational implementation was created in 1994, with 60km resolution and a 3-hour cycle.[1]
Graphical 12-hour forecast output from RUC2
The RUC was designed to provide accurate short-range (0- to 12-hr, later expanded to 18-hr in 2010) numerical forecast guidance for weather-sensitive users, such as those in the aviation community. Significant weather forecasting problems that occur in the 0- to 12-hr range include severe weather in all seasons (for example, tornadoes, thunderstorms, snow, and ice storms) and hazards to aviation (for example, clear air turbulence, icing, and downbursts).
The RUC ran at the highest frequency of any forecast model at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), assimilating recent observations to provide very high frequency updates of current conditions and short-range forecasts. This update frequency was only once an hour (the standard interval for ASOS observation reporting), and with computational limitations and the time required to assimilate all of the data, there is approximately a one-hour delay in producing the forecasts. Because of this, it was common practice to use a one-hour forecast from the RUC as a current analysis, as the one-hour forecast would come out only a few minutes before the time it is forecasting for. There is also little possibility for error in a one-hour forecast, meaning that the RUC's one-hour forecast would not usually vary greatly from the actual state of the atmosphere at that particular point in time.
The RUC was decommissioned on May 1, 2012; it was replaced by the Rapid Refresh (RR or RAP) model, based on the WRF. Like the RUC, the Rapid Refresh model also runs hourly out to 18 hours on a 13 km (8.1 mi) grid spacing, but also covers a wider area. An experimental High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) ran by the Earth System Research Laboratories (ESRL) offers 3 km (1.9 mi) resolution at 15-minute intervals.[2] A backup version of the RUC continued to run until that too was stopped on May 15, 2013, thus formally bringing an end to the model.
^Rapid Refresh information page. NOAA. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
External linksedit
NCEP RUC Homepage – Includes forecast output images and descriptions of the diagnostic variables available from the model output.
April 14, 2024
rapid, update, cycle, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, 2014,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Rapid Update Cycle news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Rapid Update Cycle RUC was an American atmospheric prediction system that consisted primarily of a numerical forecast model and an analysis system to initialize the model The first operational implementation was created in 1994 with 60km resolution and a 3 hour cycle 1 Graphical 12 hour forecast output from RUC2The RUC was designed to provide accurate short range 0 to 12 hr later expanded to 18 hr in 2010 numerical forecast guidance for weather sensitive users such as those in the aviation community Significant weather forecasting problems that occur in the 0 to 12 hr range include severe weather in all seasons for example tornadoes thunderstorms snow and ice storms and hazards to aviation for example clear air turbulence icing and downbursts The RUC ran at the highest frequency of any forecast model at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction NCEP assimilating recent observations to provide very high frequency updates of current conditions and short range forecasts This update frequency was only once an hour the standard interval for ASOS observation reporting and with computational limitations and the time required to assimilate all of the data there is approximately a one hour delay in producing the forecasts Because of this it was common practice to use a one hour forecast from the RUC as a current analysis as the one hour forecast would come out only a few minutes before the time it is forecasting for There is also little possibility for error in a one hour forecast meaning that the RUC s one hour forecast would not usually vary greatly from the actual state of the atmosphere at that particular point in time The RUC was decommissioned on May 1 2012 it was replaced by the Rapid Refresh RR or RAP model based on the WRF Like the RUC the Rapid Refresh model also runs hourly out to 18 hours on a 13 km 8 1 mi grid spacing but also covers a wider area An experimental High Resolution Rapid Refresh HRRR ran by the Earth System Research Laboratories ESRL offers 3 km 1 9 mi resolution at 15 minute intervals 2 A backup version of the RUC continued to run until that too was stopped on May 15 2013 thus formally bringing an end to the model References edit The Rapid Update Cycle RUC The Rapid Update Cycle RUC ruc noaa gov Retrieved 2023 08 27 Rapid Refresh information page NOAA Retrieved 2010 05 15 External links editNCEP RUC Homepage Includes forecast output images and descriptions of the diagnostic variables available from the model output Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rapid Update Cycle amp oldid 1211608232, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
