With the steady increase in computing power, operational centers throughout the world are planning to run their numerical models with resolutions that begin to resolve the convective scale. This opens the opportunity and increases the demand for using radar data in convective-scale data assimilation. The potential for successfully assimilating radar data into convective-scale NWP models is predicated on the solution of several key challenges, including data quality control, proper estimation of the background error statistics, and, most notably, the estimation of atmospheric state variables that are not directly observed by radar. The main focus of this special issue will be on progress in some of these important areas.

We are particularly interested in manuscripts that report the problem and solution of radar data quality control and convective-scale radar data assimilation, with an emphasis on radar data to provide information on the storm structure, for the purpose of explicit convective storm prediction and quantitative precipitation forecasting. Additionally, we are also interested in the impact of new data types, such as differential reflectivity from polarimetric radars, on convective-scale NWP. This is also an important, timely, and interesting research topic since in the United States all the WSR-88D radars will be upgraded to have polarimetric capability by the end of 2013. Main topics include, but are not limited to:

• Radar data quality control
• Methods for radar data assimilation (3DVAR, EnKF, etc.)
• Forward operators for reflectivity and radial velocity
• Assimilation of radar data into high resolution NWP models for prediction of severe convective weather events using radar data as major observations
• Studies of the high societal impacts of severe weather events

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/amet/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/submit/journals/amet/srhr/ according to the following timetable: