Assimilation of Transformed Retrievals From Satellite High-Resolution Infrared Data Over the Central Pacific Area

A month-long data assimilation experiment is carried out to assess the impact of CrIS and IASI Transformed Retrievals (TRs) on the accuracy of analyses and forecasts from a 3-hr Weather Research and Forecasting cycling system implemented over the central North Pacific Ocean. Conventional observations and satellite MicroWave (MW) radiance data are assimilated along with TRs in comparative experiments. Both the NCEP Global Forecasting System and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts analyses are used in the evaluation process. The results show that the assimilation of TRs alone, and in combination with MW radiance assimilation, have the greatest impact on the characterization of the moisture field in the middle atmospheric levels (800-300 hPa), and particularly in the lower portion (800-600 hPa). The latter improvement is likely due to a refinement in the vertical definition of the trade-wind inversion.