NAM AIR QUALITY DIAGNOSTIC DISCUSSION
NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER CAMP SPRINGS MD
1019 AM EDT MON JUL 30 2012


*** The following information pertains to initialization errors
noted on the 12Z NAM that may negatively impact the performance of
the 12Z CMAQ output as used for air quality forecasting.
Specifically, errors that apply to temperature, winds, relative
humidity and precipitation are included. This discussion only
applies to geographical regions of the CONUS where air quality is
currently forecast to be degraded (i.e. CODES:
YELLOW/ORANGE/RED/PURPLE/MAROON). ***


...CALIFORNIA/SOUTHERN NEVADA/SOUTHERN ARIZONA...
THE NAM INITIALIZES TEMPERATURES 5-10 F LOWER THAN OBSERVED
NUMBERS ACROSS SOUTHERN NEVADA AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.  THE NAM
WAS 10F TOO WARM NEAR LAKE TAHOE.  THE NAM HAS PRODUCED TOO MUCH
PRECIPITATION ACROSS SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA.


...IDAHO...
THE NAM WAS 5-10F TOO WARM ACROSS WEST-CENTRAL...CENTRAL...AND
SOUTHWEST IDAHO WHILE BEING 15F TOO WARM BETWEEN TWIN FALLS AND
JEROME.  WINDS WERE MORE NORTH TO NORTHWESTERLY THAN THE NAM
INDICATED ACROSS MOST OF SOUTHERN IDAHO.


...NEW MEXICO/COLORADO...
THE NAM WAS 5F TOO COOL ACROSS CENTRAL NEW MEXICO.


...SOUTHERN PLAINS/MIDWEST/WESTERN GULF COAST...
THE NAM WAS 5F TOO COOL NEAR HARRISON ARKANSAS...ACROSS SECTIONS
OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA...AND NEAR THE TENNESSEE/VIRGINIA
BORDER.  THE NAM DID NOT SPREAD THE RAINFALL DEPICTED NEAR THE
KANSAS/NEBRASKA BORDER FAR ENOUGH TO THE EAST...WHICH HAS NOW
SPREAD INTO NORTHERN MISSOURI.  THE NAM DID NOT SPREAD THE RAIN IS
FORECAST ACROSS THE MID-SOUTH FAR ENOUGH SOUTHWARD...COMPLETELY
MISSING THE ACTIVITY ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA.


...MID ATLANTIC STATES/SOUTHEAST/FLORIDA...
THE PRECIPITATION DEPICTED BY THE NAM NEAR THE NORTHEAST COAST OF
THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE SOUTHEAST COAST EXTENDED TOO FAR INLAND.


ROTH