Download Weather Impact on the Olympic Winter Games

Weather Support
for 2002 Olympic Games
Dr. Tom Potter
SLOC Weather Coordinator
and U. of Utah Meteo Dep’t
2002 Winter Games
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2500 Athletes
78 Events at 10 Venues
1.5 Million Spectators
9000 Accredited Media + 4 K more
26,000 Volunteers + 5000 Staff
Budget $ 1.3 Billion
Games Labeled “Outstanding” by
Athletes,Spectators,TV Audience,
and even the Media.
Effects on Olympic activities
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Sport Competition Delays
Transportation (Ground and Air)
Spectator Safety & Comfort
Medical Emergency Response
Security
Snowmaking & Snow Removal
Engineering & Construction:
Seats,tents,flags,displays,…
• Environmental Quality & Air Pollution
• Ceremonies with weather-critical shows
before 50,000+ people in stadium
What the WSP Provided
• Forecasts & Warnings : For 5 Outdoor
Venues,the Salt Lake Area, and Roads
• Official Weather Conditions at Venues
• Historical Climate Data: Venues & Cities
plus Climate Forecasts from CPC
• Consultant advice on applications:
snowmaking,engineering & construction,
transportation, security, ceremonies,...
Who Did the Job
Unique Weather Team from public,
private, academic and military sectors
- NWS: Area-wide & road corridor fcsts,
plus led twice-daily conference calls
- KSL : Detailed fcsts for sports venues
- U: Sensors, MesoWest, Research, Fcst Tools,
Hi-Res Analyses & Fcsts, Wx Aides
- Hill AFB: Helicopter Support and TMOS
- NCEP, SLOC IS/Comm/Others, USFS
Avalanche Center, FSL (FX-Net), UOPSC
Real-time Operations
• Weather Operations Center at NWS Office
near SLC Airport (24/7)
• Weather Forecasters at Outdoor Venues
( 0400 to 1800 on event days)
• Volunteer Weather Aides at Outdoor
Venues: Official Obs (0600 to 1800)
• High-res MM5 and ADAS Runs,
MesoWest DataBase at U of U (24/7)
• Aviation Weather from Hill AFB (24/7)
• Coordinator/Aides at SLOC/MOC(04-1900)
Tool Kit
* Modern Hardware and Software with
Hi-Res Analyses and Forecasts
* Superb MesoWest Database
* New Understanding of Local Mountain
Snow Processes from IPEX
* Forecasters Knew Local Mtn Weather
* Each Component of Weather Team
brought unique strengths
* Twice Daily Conference Calls Aided in
Accurate & Well-Coordinated Forecasts
MesoWest surface network
• 2600 stations & 70
networks in western US
• 250+ stations in
northern Utah
www.met.utah.edu/mesowest
MesoWest Olympic obs
Park City
Alpine GS, Snowboard GS
Snowboard Half Pipe
Snowbasin
Downhill, Combined, Super-G
Olympic region sites
Utah Olympic Park
Bobsled, Luge, Skeleton,
Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined
Deer Valley
Alpine Slalom, Aerials, Moguls
Soldier Hollow: Cross Country, Biathlon, Nordic Combined
Location of MM5 MOS sites
Mesoscale modeling/(MOS)
FX NET
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PC-based weather display
system from NOAA/FSL
• Provides access to
NWS/AWIPS information at
outdoor venues and Hill AFB
• Insures all forecasters on
Olympic team have access to
the same weather information
Potential Wx Concerns
• Forecasts of Precipitation in the Mountains
• Forecasts for tiny sports venues at precise
fixed times
• Heavy Snow
• Strong Winds
• Too Warm for Snowmaking
• Rain on Snow
• Low Visibility: Fog or Snow
• Lightning
• Avalanches
• Air Pollution
Westwide Avalanche Network
D. Judd
Actual Weather
• Nearly Perfect for Winter Games :
Colder & Drier than Normal, with no big
snowstorms, strong wind gusts, or low
visibilities
• Few Weather Delays/Postponements
- Mostly from Winds
- Only one postponement from snow
- Potential Wind/Lightning effects at all 4
Opening/Closing Ceremonies
Forecast Results
• Overall, forecasts were excellent,
according to customers.
• Superb data sets and wide range of
models available to experienced
forecasters who coordinated well.
• Had high resolution analyses/forecasts.
• MM5/MOS forecasts for venues were quite
accurate.
• Detailed,precise forecasts for
Opening/Closing Ceremonies were
exceptionally good.
LEGACIES
• More Obs, Better D.B., New forecast tools
• Better Understanding of Winter Weather
in Complex Terrain thru Research &
Experience
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Will result in better forecasts in mountain
regions well after the Olympics
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Model of Multi-Sector Cooperation
Ongoing scientific issues
• QPF!!!
– When, where, how much
• Highway surface modeling/guidance
• Snow-surface temperature/structure
• AQ during cold pools/inversions