Global satellite icing grids and G-AIRMET icing verification

Something new on the international side of this year's experiment was the global satellite icing grids. The FIT, SLD, and icing layer bases/tops are all currently provided in the AWT for the CONUS domain. However, this year LaRC also provided a global GEO set of icing products in gridded form. These products were examined today for verification of yesterday's experimental icing AIRMETs over the CONUS area.

20160223 2300 UTC gridded Flight Icing Threat and icing G-AIRMETs. Red=probability heavy, orange=high probability MOG, yellow=high probability light, green=medium probability light, and blue=low probability light.

20160223 2300 UTC Icing top altitudes and icing G-AIRMETs

While there are, of course, caveats to using satellite-derived imagery as verification (i.e., the strengths/weaknesses of satellite icing detection must be kept in mind), it does provide valuable insight. Typically, G-AIRMETs for icing (and turbulence) are verified totally from PIREPs or other insitu information, both of which can be difficult to come by and very subjective. Having the addition of icing-derived satellite probabilities and intensities has great potential and will be explored in more detail in future evaluations.