November 5, 1997

MEMORANDUM TO:  Record
FROM:           Dennis A. Keyser -- W/NMC22
Subject:        Changes to 3DVAR/OI/SSI-Data Preprocessor
                (May 1, 1997 Version --
                 AVN, FNL DATACARD UPDATE # 7.1)

Implemented 12Z 05 November 1997:

GLOBAL versions ONLY.


I. OPERATIONAL CHANGES

A. CHANGES IN THE PROCESSING OF AIRCRAFT DATA

        1) The time window for processing ACARS reports over the
CONUS region was expanded from +/- 1.5-hours to +/- 3.0-hours.

	2) The floor for processing BOTH ACARS and ASDAR/AMDAR
reports was dropped from 2286 meters to -200 meters.

	3) Conventional AIREP/PIREP reports are now used over the
CONUS region (this is a PREPACQC data card change).


B. CHANGES IN THE PROCESSING OF SATELLITE CLOUD-VECTOR DATA

	1) Wind reports from ALL sources are now used over land at
ALL latitudes.


C. CHANGES IN THE PROCESSING OF ERS SATELLITE WIND DATA

	1) ERS satellite wind reports are now processed into
PREPBUFR and are assimilated by the SSI analysis.


D. CHANGES IN THE PROCESSING OF NEXRAD (VAD) WIND DATA

	1) NEXRAD (VAD) wind reports are now processed into
PREPBUFR and are assimilated by the SSI analysis. 



E. CHANGES IN THE PROCESSING OF WIND PROFILER DATA

	1) Wind profiler reports at - 3-hours to + 2-hours are now
assimilated by the SSI analysis (this is a change to the
observational error table read in by PREVENTS.  These data had
previously been processed into the PREPBUFR file.)

	2) Data are now q.c.'d by the program PROFCQC (script
change).  (NOTE: PROFCQC still not operational in RGL/ETA or RUC
versions.)


F. CHANGES IN THE PROCESSING OF SURFACE LAND DATA

	1) Hourly METAR data are now processed into PREPBUFR and
are assimilated by the SSI analysis.  (This is a script change.)


G. CHANGES IN THE PROCESSING OF TOVS DATA

	1) TOVS 40-level retrievals are no longer processed into
PREPBUFR.


II. NON-OPERATIONAL CHANGES

A. CHANGES IN THE PROCESSING OF SATELLITE CLOUD-VECTOR DATA

     1) Indian satellite cloud-drift wind reports are now processed
into PREPBUFR but are flagged with q.m.'s of 15 so they are not
assimilated by the SSI analysis.