Skycast Wind & Thermodynamic Profiling System (WTPS)

WDSS is partnered with Radiometrics to design and implement a SkyCast Wind and Thermodynamic Profiling System (WTPS) specifically to support airport, launch site, and spaceport operations. This system combines wind and thermodynamic data from the in-situ instrumentation set boundary layer Radar Wind Profiler (RWP), Microwave Profiling Radiometer (MPR), an acoustic sodar (SODAR), and local surface station data. The data are then integrated into a processing system termed VizAir that analyzes and displays data and products in forecaster friendly formats that are supplemented by a wide range of automatically generated forecast indices to provide additional decision-making guidance.

This solution allows for real-time, unattended monitoring of vertical profiles of winds, temperature, water vapor, and liquid water content from the surface to operational altitudes. Instrumentation data and algorithm outputs are updated every 5 minutes.

 WTPS was specifically designed to support operational nowcasting and forecasting for weather-sensitive activities including aviation, space launch, military activities, emergency response and management, meteorological research, and other applications demanding high-quality, rapidly updated upper air meteorological data products. It provides forecasters and operational decision makers with the ability to reliably monitor and evaluate the state of weather conditions at their site, such as an airport or a launch facility.