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Acronyms in SPC Discussions
This is a list of acronyms and abbreviations SPC frequently uses in our products.
NOTE: Weather station IDs referenced in SPC outlooks and other NWS products may be found by state in this List of Surface Stations by Greg Thompson of UCAR.
NOTE: More glossary terms can be found in the NWS Glossary page.
ACARS (A)ircraft (C)ommunications (A)ddressing and (R)eporting (S)ystem
ACCAS (A)lto(C)umulus (CAS)tellanus
AMDAR (A)ircraft (M)eteorological (D)ata (R)elay
AOA (A)t (O)r (A)bove
AOB (A)t (O)r (B)elow
ARKLAMISS (ARK)ansas / (L)ouisian(A) / (MISS)issippi region
ARKLATEX (ARK)ansas / (L)ouisian(A) / (TEX)as region
ARW A specific configuration of the (W)eather (R)esearch and (F)orecasting (WRF) model. ARW stands for (A)dvanced (R)esearch (W)RF.
ASOS (A)utomated (S)urface (O)bserving (S)ystem
ATTM (A)t (T)his (T)i(M)e
AWIPS (A)dvanced (W)eather (I)nteractive (P)rocessing (S)ystem
AWOS (A)utomated (W)eather (O)bservation (S)ystem
BRN (B)ulk (R)ichardson (N)umber
BWER (B)ounded (W)eak (E)cho (R)egion
CAA (C)old (A)ir (A)dvection
CAPE (C)onvective (A)vailable (P)otential (E)nergy
CB (C)umulonim(B)us
CIN (C)onvective (IN)hibition
CONUS (CON)tinental (U)nited (S)tates
CSI (C)onditional (S)ymmetric (I)nstability
CU (CU)mulus cloud
DCVA (D)ifferential (C)yclonic (V)orticity (A)dvection
DELMARVA (DEL)aware / (MAR)yland / (V)irgini(A) region
DPVA (D)ifferential (P)ositive (V)orticity (A)dvection (same as DCVA in Northern Hemisphere)
ECMWF (E)uropean (C)entre for (M)edium-Range (W)eather (F)orecasts model
EHI (E)nergy (H)elicity (I)ndex
EL (E)quilibrium (L)evel
ELY (E)aster(LY)
EML (E)levated (M)ixed (L)ayer
ERN (E)aste(RN)
FROPA (FRO)ntal (PA)ssage
FRZLVL (FR)ee(Z)ing (L)e(V)e(L)
GEFS (G)lobal (E)nsemble (F)orecast (S)ystem
GFS (G)lobal (F)orecast (S)ystem
GOES (G)eostationary (O)perational (E)nvironmental (S)atellite
HPC (H)ydrometeorological (P)rediction (C)enter
HRRR (H)igh-(R)esolution (R)apid (R)efresh model
INVOF (IN) (V)icinity (OF)
IR (I)nfra(R)ed
J/KG (J)oules per (K)ilo(G)ram
LCL (L)ifted (C)ondensation (L)evel
LEWP (L)ine (E)cho (W)ave (P)attern
LFC (L)evel of (F)ree (C)onvection
LI (L)ifted (I)ndex
LLJ (L)ow (L)evel (J)et
M2/S2 M2/M2 - (M)eters squared per (S)econd squared
MAX (MAX)imum
MB (M)illi(B)ars
MCC (M)esoscale (C)onvective (C)omplex
MCS (M)esoscale (C)onvective (S)ystem
MCV (M)esoscale (C)onvective (V)ortex
MD (M)esoscale (D)iscussion
MLCAPE (CAPE) calculated using a parcel consisting of (M)ean (L)ayer values of temperature and moisture from the lowest 100 mb above ground level
MLCIN (CIN) calculated using a parcel consisting of (M)ean (L)ayer values of temperature and moisture from the lowest 100 mb above ground level
MLLI (LI) calculated using a parcel consisting of (M)ean (L)ayer values of temperature and moisture from the lowest 100 mb above ground level
MUCAPE (CAPE) calculated using a parcel from the pressure level that results in the (M)ost (U)nstable value
MUCIN (CIN) calculated using a parcel from the pressure level that results in the (M)ost (U)nstable CAPE
MULI (LI) calculated using a parcel from the pressure level that results in the (M)ost (U)nstable value
MOS (M)odel (O)utput (S)tatistics
NAM (N)orth (A)merican (M)odel: A regional numerical forecast model used to support multi day forecasts over North America
NCEP (N)ational (C)enters for (E)nvironmental (P)rediction
NHC (N)ational (H)urricane (C)enter
NLY (N)orther(LY)
NMM A specific configuration of the (W)eather (R)esearch and (F)orecasting (WRF) model. NMM stands for (N)onhydrostatic (M)esoscale (M)odel.
NRN (N)orthe(RN)
NSSL (N)ational (S)evere (S)torms (L)abratory
NVA (N)egative (V)orticity (A)dvection
NWS (N)ational (W)eather (S)ervice
PV (P)otential (V)orticity
PVA (P)ositive (V)orticity (A)dvection
QG (Q)uasi-(G)eostrophic
QLCS (Q)uasi-(L)inear (C)onvective (S)ystem
RAOB (RA)diosonde (OB)servation
RAP (RAP)id Refresh: A regional numerical forecast model refreshed frequently to support the need for near-term forecasts over the United States (RUC successor)
SBCAPE (CAPE) calculated using a (S)urfaced-(B)ased parcel
SBCIN (CIN) calculated using a (S)urfaced-(B)ased parcel
SBLI (L)ifted (I)ndex calculated using a (S)urfaced-(B)ased parcel
SLY (S)outher(LY)
SPC (S)torm (P)rediction (C)enter
SREF (S)hort (R)ange (E)nsemble (F)orecast system
SRH (S)torm (R)elative (H)elicity
SRN (S)outhe(RN)
SSEO SPC (S)torm-(S)cale (E)nsemble of (O)pportunity
SWODY1 (S)evere (W)eather (O)utlook - (D)ay (1)
SWODY2 (S)evere (W)eather (O)utlook - (D)ay (2)
SWODY3 (S)evere (W)eather (O)utlook - (D)ay (3)
TC (T)ropical (C)yclone
TCU (T)owering (CU)mulus
TD (T)ropical (D)epression
TS (T)ropical (S)torm
TSTM (T)hunder(ST)or(M)
UKMET (U)nited (K)ingdom (MET)eorological Office Model
ULJ (U)pper (L)evel (J)et
UVV (U)pward (V)ertical (V)elocity
VAD (V)elocity-(A)zimuth (D)isplay
VIL (V)ertically (I)ntegrated (L)iquid
VWP (V)AD (W)ind (P)rofile
WAA (W)arm (A)ir (A)dvection
WFO (NWS) (W)eather (F)orecast (O)ffice
WLY (W)ester(LY)
WPC (W)eather (P)rediction (C)enter
WRF (W)eather (R)esearch and (F)orecasting Model
WRN (W)este(RN)
WW (W)eather (W)atch; specifically a Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado Watch
Z "(Z)ulu" time, same as GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), UTC and military time. Add 6 hours to Central Standard Time or 5 hours to Central Daylight Time.
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