SHRMC Overview

     The SHRMC was formed in 2001 by the Atmospheric Science Program at the University of Georgia and the Southern Smoke Management Team (part of RWU-SRS-4104). The consortium plans to develop and assimilate models, relying on the mesoscale MM5 model, and to supply regional and local weather forecasts to foresters in the Southern Region (R-8), which consists of the 13 southern states from Virginia to Texas.

     The SHRMC will collaborate with other scientists, local, state, and federal air quality and fire regulators, other interested parties, and colleagues at existing and planned modeling centers as part of a national framework of regional interagency modeling consortia. The SHRMC will allow for advances in air quality, fire control and smoke impact mitigation, and weather prediction through several stages of deliverables.

     The initial stages of development of the Southern High Resolution Modeling Consortium include:

• Provide the physical infrastructure for real-time receipt and limited archival of real-time meteorological data for use by consortium members.
• Provide real-time operational runs of the UCAR/Penn State MM5V3 Mesoscale Model across the southern United States for use by consortium members.
• Begin development of internet-based data distribution systems for the real-time data and MM5 output to USFS FSL-Athens consortium members and other interested parties.
• Begin four separate research projects into atmospheric-related forest hazards/disturbances and climatic feedbacks from forest changes that can be addressed using SHRMC resources.