NOAA Knowns in Norman

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NOAA Knowns in Norman

• Jeff Kimpel
• Director, NSSL
• November 21, 2006

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Fish Oceans Weather Satellites Research 4
B
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Within the Federal Government
President of the United States
Secretary of Commerce
NOAA
Oceanic and Atmosphereric Research
National Weather Service
WASH, DC
NSSL
SPC
ROC
WFO
WDTB
Norman, OK
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Radar Operations Center (ROC)

• FY06 budget
• 23.3 M
• People
• 101 federal (tri-agency)
• 93 contractors
• 10 OU CIMMS
• 204 total

• ROC Functions
• Keep NEXRAD radars running
• Sustain baseline capabilities
• Improve system reliability
• integrate new capabilities
• Support NEXRAD product improvement program

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• 158 Operational Doppler radars deployed
  throughout the United States and at selected
  international locations.

Alaska (7)
Korea (2)
Azores (1)
CONUS (141)
Hawaii (4)
Okinawa (1)
Puerto Rico (1)
Guam (1)
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ROC Program Milestones

• 1987 Unysis contract ROC established
• 1990-1995 NEXRAD deployment
• 1996-2002 Open Radar Product Generator (ORPG)
• Hi-res products, rapid refresh algorithms, new
  science
• 2001-2006 Open Radar Data Acquisition (ORDA)
• Super-res products, improved data
  quality/calibration, new science, foundation for
  Dual Polarization
• 2006-2011 Dual Polarization (Dual Pol)
• Improve precipitation estimates, classify
  precipitation types, improve data quality

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National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)

• FY06 budget
• 22.9 M
• People
• 44 federal
• 39 OU CIMMS
• 11 OU students
• 12 contractors
• 106 total

• Three Major Thrusts
• 1) Weather radar research
• 2) Science and modeling to improve hazardous
  weather forecasts and warnings
• 3) Hydrometeorology precip estimation and
  runoff modeling

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DUAL POLARIZATIONRADAR
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National Weather Radar Testbed

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Storm Prediction Center (SPC)

• FY06 budget
• 4.4 M
• People
• 33 federal
• 4 contractor/CIMMS
• 37 total

• SPC Functions
• Issue tornado watches
• Issue severe thunderstorm watches
• Issue convective outlooks (1-8 days out)
• Issue fire weather outlooks (1-8 days out)
• Issue guidance and keep records

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CONVECTIVE OUTLOOKSDay 1 5 times/day Day 2
2 times a day Day 3 once a day Experimental
Composite Day 4-8
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All TORNADO and SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHESfor
the Contiguous United States
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The Watch/Warning Funnel Concept
Thunderstorm, Fire Weather, Severe Weather
OUTLOOKS
Days
Detailed Mesoscale DISCUSSIONS
Hours
SPC Products
SVR/TOR WATCHES
Minutes
WARN
Local NWS Products (WFO)
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Oklahoma City / Norman Weather Service Forecast
Office (WFO)

• FY06 budget
• 3.5 M
• People
• 27 federal
• 0 contractor/CIMMS
• 27 total

• WFO Functions
• Take surface and upper air observations
• Issue tornado, severe thunderstorm, and flash
  flood warnings
• Issue public, aviation, river, and fire weather
  forecasts
• Program NOAA Weather Radio

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Service Area
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NWS Oklahoma City Weather Forecast OfficeNorman,
Oklahoma
January 31, 2002
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Warning Decision Training Branch (WDTB)

• FY06 budget
• 1.2 M
• People
• 9 federal
• 9 contractor/CIMMS
• 18 total

• WDTB
• Trains NWS personnel to improve performance goals
• Teaches expertise in science, technology, and
  human factors
• Developed the hazardous weather event simulator
• Pioneered distance learning in NOAA

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Simulations Improve Performance

• Developing Expertise
• Routine Events
• High Impact Events
• Train as You Fight

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NOAA Groups Work Together

• On Radar
• NSSL ROC WFO
• On Improving Forecasts and Warnings
• NSSL SPC WFO
• Training Forecasters
• WDTB with NSSL, ROC, SPC, and WFO

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NOAA Knowns in Norman

• FY06 Budget
• 55.3 M
• People
• 214 federal
• 61 OU CIMMS
• 10 OU Students
• 107 contractors
• 392 Total