Localized Aviation MOS Program (LAMP)

Attention LAMP users:

Effective on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, beginning with the 1200 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) run, the National Weather Service (NWS) Meteorological Development Laboratory (MDL) will update the Localized Aviation Model Output Statistics Program (LAMP) system. The LAMP changes are listed below.

Replacing the current LAMP total sky cover guidance with new opaque sky cover guidance which is dependent on cloud opacity. The LAMP sky cover guidance predicts an estimate of the total percentage of the sky covered by clouds in terms of the five categories reported in the METAR observations (clear, few, scattered, broken, or overcast). The current LAMP total sky cover guidance does not distinguish between opaque and translucent cloud cover.

Redeveloped ceiling height and conditional ceiling height equations to produce improved forecast guidance.

Adding 119 stations to the LAMP text bulletins and BUFR products. These changes will be reflected in the new equations for opaque sky cover, and the redeveloped ceiling height and conditional ceiling height equations. These changes will also be reflected in the guidance for the following elements:

Precipitation occurring on the hour
Precipitation in a 6-hour period
Precipitation in a 12-hour period
Thunderstorms in a 2-hour period
Precipitation type
Visibility 
Conditional visibility 
Obstruction to vision 

For the list of 119 new stations, please see: List of 119 new LAMP stations.

These changes will slightly alter the format of the LAV text products because new lines will be added to the existing bulletins to accommodate the new stations. In addition, some stations might not have had guidance for all of the above elements prior to this change, and with this change, guidance will now be produced for those elements for those stations.

For more information, please see TIN 11-46.

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