Wind observations from hot‐air balloons and the application in an NWP model

In this paper, we report on a wind observation method based the movement of hot-air balloons (HABs). A quality assessment was carried out by comparing against observations at meteorological tower Cabauw in Netherlands during May–September 2018, and obtained standard deviations error were σ u = 0.65 ms − 1 $$ {\sigma}_u=0.65\;{\mathrm{ms}}^{-1} v 0.69 {\sigma}_v=0.69\;{\mathrm{ms}}^{-1} for measured zonal meridional components, respectively. Subsequent comparison short-term forecasts HARMONIE-AROME model showed deviation 2.5 ms−1 vector difference. From HAB set, case selected with rapidly changing field belonging to small intensifying depression. The applied data assimilation as proof principle single-observation experiment. It is shown that complex baroclinic situation, state slightly improved.