Physics Suite Testing for GFS v16

Overview

The GMTB tested four configurations of NOAA's Unified Forecast System (UFS) to support EMC in selecting a more advanced physics suite for the GFS v16, due to be implemented operationally in 2021. The primary verification for this test was conducted by EMC. For examples of the available verification, see the following websites below as well as the report issued by EMC's Model Evaluation Group:

Verification of all four suites - 00 UTC initializations
Verification of all four suites - 12 UTC initializations
Verification of all suite 1 and FV3GFSB - 00 UTC initializations

GMTB has computed select verification metrics and diagnostics to complement the results provided by EMC and to provide additional information to the independent evaluation panel. The work by GMTB focused on the following areas: scorecards, precipitation, planetary boundary layer (PBL), energy budget, and tropical cyclones. The examples of the types of verification and/or main findings of the supplmental information the GMTB generated are provided, but note that GMTB did not conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the test results as that was done by the independent evaluation panel.