In situ and remotely sensed horizontal winds and temperature intercomparisons obtained using integrated sounding systems during TOGA COARE

The Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE) of the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere (TOGA) program has generated a uniquely large data set of colocated wind profiler and radiosonde sounding observations. During the Intensive Observing Period (IOP), Nov. '92 through Feb. '93, there were over 2000 radiosondes launched from within tens of meters of wind profilers at six sites. This initial study shows good agreement between the wind and temperature measurements made by the wind profilers and those made from the radiosondes. However, the intercomparison also identified a number of shortcomings in the radiosonde and profiler measurements. Some of these errors have been corrected, while the cause of others remains unidentified and a topic for future investigation.