Estimation of Three-Dimensional Error Covariances. Part III: Height–Wind Forecast Error Correlation and Related Geostrophy

Abstract

The method of statistical analysis of wind innovation (observation minus forecast) vectors is extended and applied to the innovation data collected over North America for a 3-month period from the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System to estimate the height?wind forecast error correlation and to evaluate the related geostrophy. Both single-level and multilevel analyses are performed. The single-level analysis shows that the geostrophy is well satisfied in the middle troposphere but is not well satisfied in the boundary layer and around the tropopause. The multilevel analysis indicates that the cross correlation between height and tangential wind forecast errors at different vertical levels is not small and thus should not be neglected.