OAX Best Local IFPS Methodology or Practice

1
OAX Best Local IFPS Methodology or Practice

• Cathy Zapotocny
• NWS Omaha/Valley IFPS Focal Point
• March 4-6, 2003

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Best Local Practice

• - In addition to the sample points for the CWA,
  sample points from adjacent offices were added as
  each office came on-line with ISC grids. This
  method has provided the forecasters with a quick
  consistency check and has been preferred over
  generating discrepancy areas or grids.
• Others
• Starting with the previous forecast
• Save and send ISC frequently
• Use of procedures and smart tools (shrink and
  stretch), plan to implement latest version of
  DiurnalTfromMinMaxT Version 1.4

National Weather Service Omaha/Valley 2003
3
OAX Prepares for the National Roll-Out of its
Digital Forecasts Supplemental

• Cathy Zapotocny
• NWS Omaha/Valley IFPS Focal Point
• March 4-6, 2003

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OAX is Part of the Central Cluster

• Involved with the
• Testing of software
• Testing of bandwidth
• Experimenting with work schedules, workload,
  products, forecast methodologies, and
  collaboration/coordination tools

National Weather Service Omaha/Valley 2003
5
NDFD Test Sites

• Test Phase
• October 2001 Stress Test All Central Cluster
  NDFD Test sites send all their gridded forecasts
  at once.
• December 2001 Initial Coordination between NCEP
  and Eastern Cluster NDFD test sites.
• April 2002 HPC/WFOs using Instant Messenger to
  collaborate
• ISC Test- Determine traffic flows and
  characteristics.
• Determine products capabilities, customers

• Test Phase Cont
• 2002 Determine Central Cluster triggers
• 2002 Test to append AFDs for that calendar day
• 2002 Test the send one county one zone
• 2002 Test FX Connect collaboration tool
• 2002 NDFD grid requirements refined. Floating
  PoP.
• Feb 2003 Central Cluster workshop MKC
• Feb 2003 switch to 12Planet collaboration tool

National Weather Service Omaha/Valley 2003
6
NDFD Issues - Consistency
Move from Central Cluster Triggers to NDFD
National Triggers

• Max/Min Temperatures - 5 degrees (7 degrees in
  complex terrain)
• Winds10kt / 45 degrees (15kts in complex
  terrain)
• Probability of Precipitation 20
• Sky Cover 25 (40 in complex terrain)
• QPF - .25/6hr
• Snow Amounts 2 inches
• Wx Liquid/freezing/frozen

National Weather Service Omaha/Valley 2003
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NDFD Issues - Consistency
Example of a discrepancy grid Triggers for
coordination have been set. Here, the MinT is
off by more than 5 degrees it is highlighted in
its own grid.
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NDFD Issues - Consistency
Discrepancy Area Highlights for the forecaster
where their forecast is not consistent with a
neighboring site.
9
NDFD Issues - Consistency
Forecasters prefer to use sample points
surrounding the CWFA vs discrepancy grids and
discrepancy areas.
10
OAX has been using the 12Planet Chat software
operationally since 2/18/03
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley 2003
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Outreach

• Internet graphics and digital products posted to
  the web accompanied by descriptions.
• Interactive graphics make Forecasts at a Glance
  and Meteograms available by latitude and
  longitude.
• Newsletter articles highlighting these new
  products sent through WCM mailing list and made
  available on the web.
• Public Information Statement - NDFD

National Weather Service Omaha/Valley 2003
12
Outreach - Continued

• Media/Emergency Management Seminar 2/27-3/1/03
• Three sessions at our office
• Half of all the counties in the forecast area
  were represented
• Nearly every television station was represented
  from Omaha, Lincoln, and Sioux City.
• Omaha World Herald
• The emphasis of the seminar was three-fold
• WSR 88-D Algorithms
• Communication/Safety during warning situations
• IFPS/NDFD
• Demonstration of IFPS/NDFD after the regular
  seminar

National Weather Service Omaha/Valley 2003
13
Outreach - Continued

• Outcome of the Seminar regarding IFPS/NDFD
• Only 1-2 people at each seminar had heard of
  IFPS/NDFD All were television broadcasters
• These sophisticated weather users mainly used the
  Internet to get their weather information.
  Secondary weather sources were from television
  and radio.
• These users wanted to know why light snow was
  not being used as frequently in the past to
  describe light snow. They requested that this
  distinction be made.
• There is a perception that there are differences
  in forecasts from one WFO to another. They were
  very interested in our collaboration/coordination
  methods.

National Weather Service Omaha/Valley 2003