FROST-2014 project and meteorological support of the Sochi-2014 Olympics

Abstract

In order to provide weather services to the 2014 Winter Olympics, the observational network in the Sochi region was strengthened with more than 40 automatic weather stations, the dual polarization Doppler radar, temperature and wind profilers, micro-rain radars, ets. These observation facilities allowed using the Sochi testbed for the development, testing, and intercomparison of various technologies of nowcasting and short-range numerical weather forecast. It was accomplished in the framework of the international project of the World Weather Research Program of WMO called FROST-2014 (Forecast and Research in the Olympic Sochi Testbed). The prognostic products of the FROST-2014 project was used for the operational meteorological servicing of Olympic events. Presented are the main research directions and the project preliminary results.