Automatic Satrep - a Useful Tool for Forecasters

The SATREP (Satellite Report) is a detailed description of the IR and WV image in terms of conceptual models, making use of ECMWF model fields and of surface weather reports. It is meanwhile produced four times a day, at ZAMG during the day (06 and 12 UTC), at FMI in the evening (18 UTC) and at KNMI in the nightshift (00 UTC). It is desirable to have the SATREP in higher temporal frequency which is, however, inhibited by the considerable amount of manpower required for this analysis of the satellite image. A potential solution arose with the creation of an automatic satellite image interpretation tool (ASII) being developed within the EUMETSAT SAF on nowcasting and very short range forecasting. Many image structures like different types of cloud cells, cloud bands, fibres and water vapour structures can be detected automatically. ASII makes an optional use of ECMWF model fields to increase the quality of the satellite interpretation. For the use in the forecasting offices of the Austrian Meteorological Service, the ASII product has been adapted to the SATREP format.