Identification

Title

Deep learning on three-dimensional multiscale data for next-hour tornado prediction

Abstract

This paper describes the development of convolutional neural networks (CNN), a type of deep-learning method, to predict next-hour tornado occurrence. Predictors are a storm-centered radar image and a proximity sounding from the Rapid Refresh model. Radar images come from the Multiyear Reanalysis of Remotely Sensed Storms (MYRORSS) and Gridded NEXRAD WSR-88D Radar dataset (GridRad), both of which are multiradar composites. We train separate CNNs on MYRORSS and GridRad data, present an experiment to optimize the CNN settings, and evaluate the chosen CNNs on independent testing data. Both models achieve an area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC) well above 0.9, which is considered to be excellent performance. The GridRad model achieves a critical success index (CSI) of 0.31, and the MYRORSS model achieves a CSI of 0.17. The difference is due primarily to event frequency (percentage of storms that are tornadic in the next hour), which is 3.52% for GridRad but only 0.24% for MYRORSS. The best CNN predictions (true positives and negatives) occur for strongly rotating tornadic supercells and weak nontornadic cells in mesoscale convective systems, respectively. The worst predictions (false positives and negatives) occur for strongly rotating nontornadic supercells and tornadic cells in quasilinear convective systems, respectively. The performance of our CNNs is comparable to an operational machine-learning system for severe weather prediction, which suggests that they would be useful for real-time forecasting.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d79z988w

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

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Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2020-07-01T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

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version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact