Enhanced automated meteorological observations at the Canadian Arctic Weather Science (CAWS) supersites

Abstract ∘  N, 68.51∘  W) in September 2015 and the other in Whitehorse (60.71∘  N, 135.07∘  W) in November 2017 as part of the Canadian Arctic Weather Science (CAWS) project. The primary goals of CAWS are to provide enhanced meteorological observations in the Canadian Arctic for HIW nowcasting (short-range forecast) and NWP model verification, evaluation, and process studies and to provide recommendations on the optimal cost-effective observing system for the Canadian Arctic. Both sites are in provincial/territorial capitals and are economic hubs for the region; they also act as transportation gateways to the north and are in the path of several common Arctic storm tracks. The supersites are located at or next to major airports and existing Meteorological Service of Canada ground-based weather stations that provide standard meteorological surface observations and upper-air radiosonde observations; they are also uniquely situated in close proximity to frequent overpasses by polar-orbiting satellites. The suite of in situ and remote sensing instruments at each site is completely automated (no on-site operator) and operates continuously in all weather conditions, providing near-real-time data to operational weather forecasters, the public, and researchers via obrs.ca. The two sites have similar instruments, including mobile Doppler weather radars, multiple vertically profiling and/or scanning lidars (Doppler, ceilometer, water vapour), optical disdrometers, precipitation gauges in different shielded configurations, present weather sensors, fog monitoring devices, radiation flux sensors, and other meteorological instruments. Details on the two supersites, the suites of instruments deployed, the data collection methods, and example case studies of HIW events are discussed. CAWS data are publicly accessible via the Canadian Government Open Data Portal (https://doi.org/10.18164/ff771396-b22c-4bc3-844d-38fc697049e9, Mariani et al., 2022a, and https://doi.org/10.18164/d92ed3cf-4ba0-4473-beec-357ec45b0e78, Mariani et al., 2022b); this dataset is being used to improve our understanding of synoptic and fine-scale meteorological processes in the Arctic and sub-Arctic, including HIW detection and prediction and NWP verification, assimilation, and processes.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Enhanced automated meteorological observations at the Canadian Arctic Weather Science (CAWS) supersites ; volume:14 ; number:11 ; year:2022 ; pages:4995-5017 ; extent:23 ; Earth system science data ; 14, Heft 11 (2022), 4995-5017 (gesamt 23)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Mariani, Zen ; Huang, Laura ; Crawford, Robert ; Blanchet, Jean-Pierre ; Hicks-Jalali, Shannon ; Mekis, Eva ; Pelletier, Ludovick ; Rodriguez, Peter ; Strawbridge, Kevin

Further information

• DOI: 10.5194/essd-14-4995-2022
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2022111704320679112205
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:21 AM CEST