BUFKIT
(last updated 6/14/06)
Introduction
The BUFKIT ( BUFfalo 's forecasting toolKIT) program is a forecast profile visualization and analysis tool kit developed by forecasters at NWSFO Buffalo in 1995, with assistance from many others within the NWS. Ed Mahoney, who was the SOO at Buffalo at the time, was the driving force behind the project. Ed is now with the NWS Warning Decision Training Branch (WDTB) in Norman OK, but still oversees changes and improvements to the program. The latest release (Version 23) was released in October 2001.
The program can be downloaded from the following site:
http://wdtb.noaa.gov/tools/BUFKIT/index.html
To "test drive" all of the capabilities of BUFKIT, you must download and install the program, which is fairly easy and fast. If you can't download the program but still would like an explanation of its capabilities, click the "Documentation" section on the BUFKIT homepage.
BUFKIT Program and Data Displays
Data File Access:
- BUFKIT uses BUFR grid files from the Eta, NGM, and RUC that can be obtained through the following methods:
- Generate files on-station using a Unix workstation or a Linux PC using Gempak
- Download grid files directly from a centralized server
- Download grid files from the Internet. These files (as well as links to many other sites that provide BUFKIT profiles) are available at NWSFO Buffalo's homepage
Data Displays:
There are two screen modes available in BUFKIT. These are Profile and Overview modes.
Profile Screen
This is the display when you are in "Profile" mode. On the right side is the vertical profile (zoomed in to the lower 10,000 ft to show better detail in the lower levels). Vertical profiles are available for each of the 60 forecast hours on the Eta (48 hours on the MesoEta). These soundings have 17 vertical layers below 850 mb.
On the bottom left side are the display controls for the vertical profiles. The screen shown here is set up to a typical configuration for examining the lower layers, which are useful for aviation forecasting.
On the left side is a map of the forecast area. The green rectangular boxes are for lake-effect snow forecasting. As you can see from the boxes in the top left corner (Data, Heavy Pcp, Precip Type, etc.), this map can be replaced with other displays (while they might not be useful for IFR forecasting, they are very useful for forecasting other parameters).
Overview Screen
This is one of hundreds of possible displays available on the "Overview" screen. This particular display is showing the full 60-hour forecast window (earliest times on the right/latest times on the left). Parameters shown are:
- Clouds (hatched gray [SCT], gray [BKN], and white [OVC])
- Cloud Height (yellow line—the corresponding height in thousands of feet AGL are on the right vertical axis)
- Visibility (blue line—corresponding visibility in miles is on the left vertical axis)
Note that you can zoom in/out on both the vertical height scale and on the horizontal time scale. The following example shows both of these features.
Here's the same data set, but "zoomed in" to a particular 24-hour time period, and to the lowest 5,000 feet of the sounding (great for TAFs!).
In this example, parameters shown are:
- Clouds (hatched gray [SCT], gray [BKN], and white [OVC])
- Cloud Height (yellow line—the corresponding height in thousands of feet AGL are on the right vertical axis)
- Visibility (blue line—corresponding visibility in miles is on the left vertical axis)
- Wind Speed Contours—colored contours with the corresponding height in thousands of feet AGL along the right vertical axis
Note the 30-knot wind speed maxima near 4,000 ft AGL at around 0600 UTC! Suppose this speed maxima was 70 knots. This would be a great tool for forecasting low level wind shear when combined with the Profile section; inversions and any wind maxima just above that inversion are easily seen. As you can imagine, BUFKIT is very useful in ceiling and visibility forecasting, as there is an extensive array of parameters that can be examined relevant to the ceiling and visibility forecast problem.
The latest version of BUFKIT also includes parameters for the UPS radiation fog forecast method, as snow in the four-panel display in the example below. Imagine how much easier this technique would be when you do not have to pick out input parameters from MOS or other data.
