A 2009 National Research Council study recommended that new mesoscale observing networks beintegrated with existing networks to form a nationwide “network of networks”. The report alsorecommended that research testbeds be established, such as the Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensingof the Atmosphere (CASA) DFW Testbed, to ascertain the potential benefit of proposed observing systems.In this work, we use various conventional and non-conventional observing systems from the DFW Testbedin a series of observing system experiments (OSEs). Of special interest are radar data from TerminalDoppler Weather Radars and CASA X-band radars, as well as novel surface observations. The AdvancedRegional Prediction System (ARPS) model is used to perform OSEs that are designed to assess the impactof these observing systems. A three-dimensional variational analysis system and companion complexcloud analysis are used to produce analysis increments, which are assimilated in ARPS using IncrementalAnalysis Updating. Experiments are performed on a supercell thunderstorm case from 11 April 2016 thatproduced large, damaging hail. The analysis includes quantitative comparisons of model-derived hail withradar-observed hail, along with verification of surface fields. The CASA radial velocity data benefited theforecasted storm structure, as it positively affected subsequent storm morphology and model-derived hailforecasts. Of note in surface observation impacts, the dewpoint measurements from the non-conventionalEarth Networks and CWOP networks slightly degrade the forecasted dewpoint field compared toindependent standard observations, but did not prevent the successful prediction of hail.
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