IHOP

International H2O Project (IHOP)

13 May 2002 - 25 June 2002

Lead Scientist: Randy Peppler

Observatory: SGP

The International H2O Project (IHOP) sought to map out the 4-D distribution of water vapor over the ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) site. The project occured over the SGP site from May 13 to June 25, 2002. The project was focused on precipitating convective clouds with four overlapping and co-coordinated research components aimed at the following:

1. improving the understanding and prediction of convective initiation,
2. improving the measurement and treatment of surface and boundary layer processes as they relate to the formation and evolution of convective clouds,
3. determining the impact of improved characterization of the water vapor field on quantitative precipitation forecasts, and
4. providing guidance on the future optimal mix of water vapor measurement and assimilation strategies.

The project included additional surface-based measurements over southern Kansas and Oklahoma, targeted mobile facilities, and up to six research aircraft each equipped with advanced water-vapor measurement systems. The project had interagency approval under the U.S. Weather Research Program and included investigators from DOE, NASA, NCAR, NOAA, Office of Army Research, France, Germany, Canada and the U.S. university community. The project was also considered a pre-TIMEX field initiative (the NOAA/NSSL Thunderstorm Initiation Mobile Experiment Campaign).