The West Coast Picket Fence Experiment during STORM-FEST
Mesoscale weather systems that develop in the central United States are often forced by environmental features that have formed far upstream over the conventional data-sparse Pacific Ocean. Although remotely sensed observations, such as satellite retrievals, are becoming more numerous and accurate, they still may not have the resolution necessary to enhance global model-based analyses and forecasts over this region. These global model products are the primary source of lateral boundary conditions that have been found to have large impacts on the downstream forecast skill of regional mesoscale models over the United States. In addition, the temporal and spatial resolution of the current rawinsonde network along the West Coast may not be sufficient to detect and measure mesoscale flow features as they move inland. During the STORM-FEST experiment in February–March 1992, a “Picket Fence” of seven special rawinsonde stations were interspersed among the seven regular rawinsonde sites from Port Hardy, British C...