Central California Ozone Study (CCOS) - Desert Research Institute

CCOS Field Operations Plan Version 2: 5/31/00
Arising from discussions during the daily conference call, forecast products will be
developed by the Forecast Team. The products will be delivered to the Management Team
verbally by the Forecast Team leader at 15:00 PDT on each day. These products include:
• Alert Forecast – This is approximately a 3-day forecast for the intended ozone
maximum of interest (72-hours if the forecast ozone maximum were to occur at 15:00
PDT on the third day following the Forecast Team product). Specifically, this product
is available 57 hours before the commencement of canister sampling at midnight on
the third day (48 hours + 9 hours from 15:00 PDT to midnight initiation of sampling
on the first day of the episode) and 63 hours before the take-off of aircraft (48 hours +
15 hours from 15:00 PDT to 6:00 PDT on the first day of the episode). Note that if a
ramp-up day is desired, the Forecast Team must make approximately a 4-day forecast
(96-hours if the forecast ozone maximum were to occur at 15:00 PDT on the third day
following the Forecast Team product). The purpose of this product is to put the field
crews on alert.
• Standby Forecast – This is approximately a 2-day forecast for the intended ozone
maximum of interest (48-hours if the forecast ozone maximum were to occur at 15:00
PDT on the third day following the Forecast Team product). Specifically, and using
the same reasoning as in the Alert Forecast product discussion, this product is
available 33 hours before the commencement of canister sampling at midnight on the
third day and 39 hours before the take-off of aircraft. Note that if a ramp-up day is
desired, the Forecast Team must make approximately a 3-day forecast. The purpose
of this product is for field teams to prepare for operations.
• Confirmation Forecast – This is approximately a 1-day forecast for the intended
ozone maximum of interest (24-hours if the forecast ozone maximum were to occur at
15:00 PDT on the third day following the Forecast Team product). Specifically, and
using the same reasoning as in the Alert Forecast product discussion, this product is
available 9 hours before the commencement of canister sampling at midnight on the
third day and 15 hours before the take-off of aircraft. Note that if a ramp-up day is
desired, the Forecast Team must make approximately a 2-day forecast (48-hours if
the forecast ozone maximum were to occur at 15:00 PDT on the third day following
the Forecast Team product). The purpose of this product is to cancel field operations
if conditions change and to issue the intended flight paths for the following morning.
The status of each of these products will either be a go or no-go for the date of interest.
The Forecast Team will use resources and products produced by other agencies as well as the
forecasting expertise of local districts. The ARB has established the following CCOS web page
of links to other web sites around the country that provide meteorological and air quality
data/information to be used in the Forecast Team’s decision making process for go or no-go
days.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/themis/forecast.html
This web page currently contains the following links:
Chapter 3: FORECAST PROTOCOL 3-4