Polar Meteorology: Overview

Weather Forecasting in the Polar Regions

The Polar Meterology Group (PMG) at BPRC focuses much of their work on numerical modeling, which enables them to develop forecasts of the polar regions. In 1997(?), they developed a version of a numerical model that can accommodate the range of conditions that occur in the Polar Regions. That model, the Polar MM5, enabled them to provide forecasts as logistical support to the National Science Foundation's U.S. Antarctic Program. The U.S. Antarctic Program uses the forecasting information to plan their flights to, from, and over the Antarctic continent.

As a public service, the PMG model at OSU provides a backup to the Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System (AMPS), an NSF-sponsored real-time modeling collaboration between the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and OSU's PMG.

In May of 2008, the PMG completed modifications to adapt another Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF — pronounced like "wharf") to the conditions of the Polar Regions. Known as Polar-WRF, this model is now in use and a development study has been completed (using Greenland data). Other development studies of this model are also underway.