The long-anticipated arrival of NOAA-21 NUCAPS profiles (to supplement NOAA-20!) to AWIPS means that data void regions such as the South Pacific Ocean now have complete twice-daily coverage, as shown by the inidividual profiles above, and the overlapping profiles below. This means that a twice-daily mappings of accurate satellite sounder-provided thermodynamic variables are available! The K-Index fields shown here are highlighted because of their known relationship to the Galvex-Davison Index. Thus, the basin-wide fields can be compared to model output to assess where the model is or is not in accord with reality.

The stepped animation below shows the GDI forecast bracketing the observations of K-Index shown above, from the GFS initialized at 1800 UTC 12 May 2024. (Source).

GOES-18 imagery compares favorable to the K-Index fields, as shown in the true-color imagery below (taken from the CSPP Geosphere site).

NUCAPS profiles are also available from MetopC, and that satellite gives excellent (but not complete) coverage about three hours before the NOAA-20/NOAA-21 overpasses. MetopC estimates of K-Index are shown below, for two passes spanning 2006 to 2153 UTC on 12 May 2024.

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