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+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **NOAA In Your State**            |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **North Dakota**                  |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| *NOAA\'s work touches the daily   |   -------------------             |
| lives of every person in the      | --------------------------------- |
| United States and in much of the  |   ![](media/image2.               |
| world. Our products and services  | png){width="2.6333333333333333in" |
| are the result of the hard work   |   height="1.6888888888888889in"}  |
| of NOAA's dedicated staff and     |                                   |
| partner organizations located in  |   -------------------             |
| program and research offices      | --------------------------------- |
| throughout the country. The       |                                   |
| following is a summary of NOAA    |                                   |
| programs based in, and focused    |                                   |
| on, your state. The entries are   |                                   |
| listed by statewide, region, and  |                                   |
| then by congressional districts   |                                   |
| and cities or towns.*             |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| ***ND***                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Statewide***                   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Weather Service (NWS)  |                                   |
| and Office of Oceanic and         |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Incident Meteorologist Program  |                                   |
| and Earth Systems Research        |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Fire Weather Services and       |                                   |
| Support**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The National Weather Service      |                                   |
| (NWS) fire weather forecasters    |                                   |
| are called Incident               |                                   |
| Meteorologists (IMETS). When a    |                                   |
| fire reaches a large enough size  |                                   |
| the IMETS are called out to the   |                                   |
| fire to provide constant weather  |                                   |
| updates and forecast briefings to |                                   |
| the fire incident commanders at   |                                   |
| the fire. The IMETS are very      |                                   |
| important members of the fire     |                                   |
| fighting team, as changes in the  |                                   |
| fires are largely due to changes  |                                   |
| in the weather. To improve NWS    |                                   |
| fire weather services to the      |                                   |
| public, NOAA's Earth System       |                                   |
| Research Laboratory (ESRL)        |                                   |
| conducts modeling,                |                                   |
| instrumentation and data services |                                   |
| research.                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ESRL data dissemination and       |                                   |
| display systems are designed to   |                                   |
| be used by trained                |                                   |
| meteorologists, the US Forest     |                                   |
| Service, and the Bureau of Land   |                                   |
| Management. For example, the      |                                   |
| FX-Net thin client system and the |                                   |
| Gridded FX-Net full function      |                                   |
| system are ESRL-developed         |                                   |
| software systems that are a       |                                   |
| critical part of the equipment    |                                   |
| the IMETS bring with them to the  |                                   |
| fire. These mobile PC--based      |                                   |
| client software packages are used |                                   |
| by NWS forecasters at fires in    |                                   |
| all 50 states. Computer servers   |                                   |
| that communicate with the mobile  |                                   |
| PC clients are located in Hawaii, |                                   |
| Alaska, Utah, Colorado, Texas and |                                   |
| New York. The PC-base clients are |                                   |
| also used by state emergency      |                                   |
| managers in many of the NWS       |                                   |
| regional areas. Other             |                                   |
| collaborators who work to improve |                                   |
| NWS fire weather services include |                                   |
| the University of Colorado in     |                                   |
| Boulder (CU), NCAR and private    |                                   |
| sector instrumentation companies. |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Ground Based GPS Meteorology**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Earth System Research         |                                   |
| Laboratory operates and maintains |                                   |
| the Ground-Based GPS Meteorology  |                                   |
| project, currently consisting of  |                                   |
| more than 300 GPS water vapor     |                                   |
| observing systems that provide    |                                   |
| near real-time integrated         |                                   |
| precipitable water vapor (IPW)    |                                   |
| measurements for weather          |                                   |
| forecasting, climate modeling,    |                                   |
| observing system calibration and  |                                   |
| validation, and research. This    |                                   |
| project provides water vapor data |                                   |
| available to all users.           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://                          |                                   |
| www.gpsmet.noaa.gov/jsp/raob.jsp> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***ND-At Large***                 |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Bismarck***                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Weather Service        |                                   |
| (NWS)**                           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Weather Forecast Office**       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Bismarck WFO**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Located at Bismarck Municipal     |                                   |
| Airport, this National Weather    |                                   |
| Service Weather Forecast Office   |                                   |
| provides weather and flood        |                                   |
| warnings, daily forecasts and     |                                   |
| meteorologic and hydrologic data  |                                   |
| for 36 counties in the western    |                                   |
| two-thirds of North Dakota;       |                                   |
| serving a population of more than |                                   |
| 345,000.                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [[http                            |                                   |
| ://www.crh.noaa.gov/bis]{.underli |                                   |
| ne}](http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bis) |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Total Column Ozone              |                                   |
| Measurements**                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA\'s Earth System Research     |                                   |
| Laboratory (ESRL) makes           |                                   |
| measurements of the column        |                                   |
| amounts of ozone between the      |                                   |
| earth\'s surface and the top of   |                                   |
| the atmosphere at a number of     |                                   |
| locations around the United       |                                   |
| States, including Bismarck, ND.   |                                   |
| The observations are obtained     |                                   |
| with ground-based spectrometers   |                                   |
| that measure the attenuation by   |                                   |
| ozone of ultraviolet light. This  |                                   |
| integrated ozone amount is        |                                   |
| critical in determining the       |                                   |
| amount of ultraviolet radiation   |                                   |
| reaching the earth\'s surface.    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Excess ultraviolet radiation is   |                                   |
| responsible for human skin cancer |                                   |
| and is also harmful to other      |                                   |
| biogenic organisms. Column ozone  |                                   |
| measurements monitor changes in   |                                   |
| the stratospheric ozone layer     |                                   |
| resulting from human-produced     |                                   |
| chlorine and bromine compounds    |                                   |
| that destroy ozone. With controls |                                   |
| now in place on the manufacture   |                                   |
| and use of these ozone destroying |                                   |
| compounds, it will be important   |                                   |
| to monitor the ozone layer for    |                                   |
| the expected recovery and         |                                   |
| determine whether other factors   |                                   |
| such as long-term climate change  |                                   |
| are influencing this recovery.    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.es                    |                                   |
| rl.noaa.gov/gmd/about/ozone.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Dahlen***                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Monitoring the Atmosphere       |                                   |
| Aloft - Carbon Cycle Gases and    |                                   |
| Halocarbons**                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA\'s Earth System Research     |                                   |
| Laboratory (ESRL) operates a new  |                                   |
| and growing small aircraft-based  |                                   |
| North American network of         |                                   |
| sampling sites to measure         |                                   |
| vertical profiles of important    |                                   |
| greenhouse gas concentrations.    |                                   |
| Air is sampled above the surface  |                                   |
| up to approximately 25,000 feet   |                                   |
| above sea level using a           |                                   |
| relatively small, light, and      |                                   |
| economical automated system       |                                   |
| developed by ESRL researchers.    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| These air samples are delivered   |                                   |
| to the ESRL laboratory in         |                                   |
| Boulder, Colorado for             |                                   |
| measurements of CO2, CH4, and     |                                   |
| other greenhouse gasses. This     |                                   |
| data will improve understanding   |                                   |
| and models of the global carbon   |                                   |
| cycle. Sampling is conducted      |                                   |
| bi-weekly. Some air samples from  |                                   |
| the small aircraft program are    |                                   |
| also analyzed for halocarbon      |                                   |
| gases that can destroy the        |                                   |
| stratospheric ozone layer.        |                                   |
| Halocarbon measurements help      |                                   |
| determine the effectiveness of    |                                   |
| efforts to protect and restore    |                                   |
| the ozone layer so it can protect |                                   |
| us from the sun's ultraviolet     |                                   |
| radiation.                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.esrl                  |                                   |
| .noaa.gov/gmd/about/climate.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Eastern North Dakota at Grand  |                                   |
| Forks***                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Weather Service        |                                   |
| (NWS)**                           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Weather Forecast Office**       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Grand Forks WFO**               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Located at the University         |                                   |
| Technology Park adjacent to the   |                                   |
| University of North Dakota campus |                                   |
| in Grand Forks, the Eastern North |                                   |
| Dakota National Weather Service   |                                   |
| Weather Forecast Office provides  |                                   |
| weather and flood warnings, daily |                                   |
| forecasts and meteorologic and    |                                   |
| hydrologic data for 17 counties   |                                   |
| in eastern North Dakota and 18    |                                   |
| counties in northwestern          |                                   |
| Minnesota. NWS data and products  |                                   |
| form a national information       |                                   |
| database and infrastructure which |                                   |
| can be used by other government   |                                   |
| agencies, the private sector,     |                                   |
| media, the public and the global  |                                   |
| community.                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [[http                            |                                   |
| ://www.crh.noaa.gov/fgf]{.underli |                                   |
| ne}](http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fgf) |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Medora***                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Climate Reference Network**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Medora Station**                |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Each U.S. Climate Reference       |                                   |
| Network (USCRN) station provides  |                                   |
| benchmark measurements of surface |                                   |
| air temperature and               |                                   |
| precipitation. Collectively the   |                                   |
| USCRN measurements monitor and    |                                   |
| document the National annual      |                                   |
| average temperature and           |                                   |
| precipitation trends across the   |                                   |
| lower 48 contiguous states over   |                                   |
| long periods of time. Deploying   |                                   |
| USCRN stations in Alaska will     |                                   |
| provide similar monitoring and    |                                   |
| documentation across Alaska. The  |                                   |
| modernization of the U.S.         |                                   |
| Historical Climatology Network    |                                   |
| (USHCN-M) will increase the       |                                   |
| reference observational network   |                                   |
| making it possible to track U.S.  |                                   |
| regional annual average           |                                   |
| temperature and precipitation     |                                   |
| trends over long periods of time. |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://                          |                                   |
| www.ncdc.noaa.gov/crn/sites.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Northgate***                   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Climate Reference Network**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northgate Station**             |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Each U.S. Climate Reference       |                                   |
| Network (USCRN) station provides  |                                   |
| benchmark measurements of surface |                                   |
| air temperature and               |                                   |
| precipitation. Collectively the   |                                   |
| USCRN measurements monitor and    |                                   |
| document the National annual      |                                   |
| average temperature and           |                                   |
| precipitation trends across the   |                                   |
| lower 48 contiguous states over   |                                   |
| long periods of time. Deploying   |                                   |
| USCRN stations in Alaska will     |                                   |
| provide similar monitoring and    |                                   |
| documentation across Alaska. The  |                                   |
| modernization of the U.S.         |                                   |
| Historical Climatology Network    |                                   |
| (USHCN-M) will increase the       |                                   |
| reference observational network   |                                   |
| making it possible to track U.S.  |                                   |
| regional annual average           |                                   |
| temperature and precipitation     |                                   |
| trends over long periods of time. |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://                          |                                   |
| www.ncdc.noaa.gov/crn/sites.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Williston***                   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Weather Service        |                                   |
| (NWS)**                           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Weather Service Office**        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Williston WFO**                 |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Located at Sloulin Field          |                                   |
| International Airport, the        |                                   |
| Williston National Weather        |                                   |
| Service Weather Service office    |                                   |
| provides warnings for three       |                                   |
| counties in northwest North       |                                   |
| Dakota, and operates a local      |                                   |
| warning radar.                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [[http                            |                                   |
| ://www.crh.noaa.gov/bis]{.underli |                                   |
| ne}](http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bis) |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **NOAA's Office of Legislative    |                                   |
| Affairs**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Tel: 202-482-4981               |                                   |
| [ht                               |                                   |
| tp://www.legislative.noaa.gov](ht |                                   |
| tp://www.legislative.noaa.gov/)** |                                   |
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