# Presentation: 711176

## WORKING GROUP FOR WEATHER INFORMATION FOR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION (WG/WIST)

**Meeting 05-3**
**Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research**
**April 28, 2005**

***Recording In Progress ***

**NOTE:**
**Audio recording in progress**
**to assist with capturing **
**Record of Actions.**

## Please sign-in on roster
Life Support:  Coffee, Tea, Sodas, Snacks, etc.
Emergency Exits *
Phones: *
Incoming messages: 301- 427- 2002
Incoming faxes:  301- 427- 2007
Dial 9 for commercial, 4 for DSN on DSN line
Restrooms:  Grab a key at the front desk*
Parking Validation

**Life Support:  Coffee, Tea, Sodas, Snacks, etc.**
**Emergency Exits ***
**Phones: ***
**Incoming messages: 301- 427- 2002**
**Incoming faxes:  301- 427- 2007**
**Dial 9 for commercial, 4 for DSN on DSN line**
**Restrooms:  Grab a key at the front desk***
**Parking Validation**

***Administrative Info***

- * slide follows

## Emergency Exit

**Elevators**

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**Toilet**

**Kit**

**Copier**

**Fax**

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***Emergency Exit***

- WG
- Meeting
-  room

## Phones

**Elevators**

- MEN

- WOMEN

**Toilet**

**Kit**

**Copier**

**Fax**

**DFC**

**USN**

**USAF**

**FAA**

**FC**

- WG
- Meeting
-  room

## Restrooms

**Elevators**

- MEN

- WOMEN

**Toilet**

**Kit**

**Copier**

**Fax**

**DFC**

**USAF**

**FAA**

**FC**

***Restrooms***

**USN**

- WG
- Meeting
-  room

## 1.   OPENING REMARKS      (10 minutes---8:30 – 8:40 am) 
2.	RECORD OF ACTIONS    (5 minutes---8:40 - 8:45 am) 
3.	MEETING DISCUSSION TOPICS:   
	A.  INFORMATION GATHERING ACTIVITY TO DOCUMENT WHAT WIST R&D WORK IS ALREADY GOING ON AND CROSS FEED THE INFORMATION TO ALL MEMBERS (ACTION ITEM 2005-1.4).  (15 minutes--8:45 – 9:00 am)
	B.  FINALIZE THE WG/WIST TOR (ACTION ITEM 2005-1.2).  (30 minutes--9:00 - 9:30 am) 
	C.  FINALIZE THE VISION AND GOAL(S) FOR A NATIONAL WIST PROGRAM (ACTION ITEM 2005-1.5).  (30 minutes--9:30 - 10:00 am). 
	BREAK             15 minutes--10:00 - 10:15 am 
	D.  USING PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED R&D NEEDS LISTS AS A GUIDE, DETERMINE A PRELIMINARY STRUCTURE FOR THE WG/WIST R&D PLAN TO CLEARLY EXPRESS THE R&D PRIORITIES OF THE WIST COMMUNITY (Action Item 2005-1.3).  (60 minutes---10:15 – 11:15 am)  
	E.  REVIEW THE PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED R&D NEEDS LISTS AND SELECT A STRATEGY TO DETERMINE THE FEDERAL R&D NEEDS THAT WOULD BE THE FOCUS OF THE WIST R&D PLAN (Action Item 2005-1.3).  (30 minutes---11:15 – 11:45 am)  
	F.  AGENCY INPUTS AND NEW ITEMS.  (30 minutes---11:45 am – 12:15 pm)
4. 	REVIEW OF ACTION ITEMS   (15 minutes---12:15 - 12:30 pm) 	
5.	NEXT MEETING   (5 minutes---12:30 - 12:35 pm)  
ADJOURN at 12:35 pm

- 2.	_**RECORD OF ACTIONS    (5 minutes---8:40 - 8:45 am)**__ _
- 3.	_**MEETING DISCUSSION TOPICS:**__   _
- 	A.  INFORMATION GATHERING ACTIVITY TO DOCUMENT WHAT WIST R&D WORK IS ALREADY GOING ON AND CROSS FEED THE INFORMATION TO ALL MEMBERS (ACTION ITEM 2005-1.4).  (15 minutes--8:45 – 9:00 am)
- 	B.  FINALIZE THE WG/WIST TOR (ACTION ITEM 2005-1.2).  (30 minutes--9:00 - 9:30 am)
- 	C.  FINALIZE THE VISION AND GOAL(S) FOR A NATIONAL WIST PROGRAM (ACTION ITEM 2005-1.5).  (30 minutes--9:30 - 10:00 am).
- 	_*BREAK             15 minutes--10:00 - 10:15 am *_
- 	D.  USING PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED R&D NEEDS LISTS AS A GUIDE, DETERMINE A PRELIMINARY STRUCTURE FOR THE WG/WIST R&D PLAN TO CLEARLY EXPRESS THE R&D PRIORITIES OF THE WIST COMMUNITY (Action Item 2005-1.3).  (60 minutes---10:15 – 11:15 am)
- 	E.  REVIEW THE PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED R&D NEEDS LISTS AND SELECT A STRATEGY TO DETERMINE THE FEDERAL R&D NEEDS THAT WOULD BE THE FOCUS OF THE WIST R&D PLAN (Action Item 2005-1.3).  (30 minutes---11:15 – 11:45 am)
- 	F.  AGENCY INPUTS AND NEW ITEMS.  (30 minutes---11:45 am – 12:15 pm)
- 4. 	_**REVIEW OF ACTION ITEMS   (15 minutes---12:15 - 12:30 pm)**_
- 5.	_**NEXT MEETING   (5 minutes---12:30 - 12:35 pm)  **_
_**ADJOURN at 12:35 pm**_

***Tentative Agenda***

## Committee Chairpersons

***Opening Remarks***

##   The draft Record of Actions 05-02 was distributed to WG/WIST members on April 6, 2005.  Minor changes were received and incorporated.

***Record of Action Review***

## WG/WIST ACTION ITEM 2005-1.4:  The Executive Secretary will work with the WG/WIST to perform an information gathering activity to find out what WIST R&D work is already going on and tabulate and cross feed the information to all members.  On April 13, 2005, the WG/WIST Exec Secretary request input from WG/WIST members on WIST R&D activities in their agencies or activities their agency funds but are performed by another agency, academic institution, or private company.  To help organize the data for the WG/WIST's use, it was requested that inputs use the following format wherever possible.PROGRAM NAMELEAD AGENCY / COLLABORATING AGENCIESLEAD AGENCY POINT OF CONTACTPROGRAM POINT OF CONTACTWIST R&D AREA(S) BEING STUDIEDTYPE OF PROGRAM / APPLICATION (E.G., BASIC RESEARCH, APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT, SENSORDEVELOPMENT)Inputs were requested by May 13, 2005, in a WORD file. 

***Action Item 2005-1.4***

## TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

**TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)**

-   ACTION:   Finalize the WG/WIST TOR.
-   Original TOR wording:
-   The WG/WIST will:  Conduct a detailed review of the WIST Report (Ref: f) recommendations and prepare an initial set of appropriate actions to be taken for each recommendation.
-   Suggested change to TOR from the last meeting:
-   The WG/WIST will:  Conduct a review of the WIST Report (Ref: f) recommendations and prepare an initial set of appropriate actions to be taken for any recommendation that falls within the purview of the WG/WIST, as established by the ICMSSR at its May 14, 2004 meeting.

## Finalize Vision 

**VISION:**
**Safe and efficient movement of people and goods on the surface transportation system, whatever the weather.**

## Finalize Goals 

**Goals:**
**1.  Timely, accurate, relevant and accessible observed and predicted information on weather and resulting surface conditions that will support decisions that contribute to:**
**	****-  A reduction in weather-related surface transportation deaths, injuries, and property damage. **
**	****-  Improved management of weather-related delays and operating costs.**
**	****-  Mitigation of adverse impacts of surface transportation operations on the environment.**
**2.  Facilitate development and delivery of training and outreach materials to build capacity of surface transportation constituents.**

## Develop R&D Plan

**Synthesize R&D needs**
**Define a structure for the needs**
**Prioritize needs**
**Align R&D needs with goals**
**Account for constraints:  funding, staffing,  time to completion, path to deployment**
**Document prioritized needs in a Program Plan (with accompanying time line)**
**Set Stage to Develop an Implementation Plan**

## Develop R&D Plan Structure

**Example structures follow....**

## Example of Road Weather Research Needs

- Transportation Modeling

- Weather/Road Modeling

- Advanced Sensor Development

- Observation Networks

- Hazard Detection/Prediction

- In-Vehicle Info Systems

- Information Dissemination

- Standard Development

-  Control strategy development
-  Signal timing
-  Ramp metering
-  Variable speed limits
-  Positive control strategies
-  Dynamic message signs
-  Optimal routing

-  Road weather data assimilation
-  Boundary layer physics
-  Mesoscale modeling
-  Ensemble modeling
-  Probabilistic products
-  Land surface modeling
-  Verification and validation
-  Pavement surface modeling

-  ESS improvements
-  Pavement temperature
-  Chemical concentration/freeze temp.
-  Pavement contamination
-  Precipitation type and rate
-  Visibility
-  Camera/Video processing
-  Local radar
- Mobile sensors

-  Data acquisition
-  Quality control
-  Data integration
-  Data dissemination
-  Fixed and mobile sensors
-  Interoperability
-  Formats and standards

-  Snow
-  Black ice
-  Fog
-  Hail
-  Heavy rain
-  High winds

-  Dashboard electronics
-  Navigation systems
-  Communications
-  Product generation
-  Product content and format
-  Human factors
-  Product data sources
-  Quality control

-  Communication protocols
-  Seamless operations
-  Presentation media
-  Human factors
-  511
-  Web
-  Television
-  DMS
-  In-vehicle
-  Decision support system

-  ESS reporting standards
-  ESS siting standards
-  Metadata standards
-  Data accuracy standards
-  QC process standards
-  Presentation standards

- Decision Support Systems

-  _Tactical and Strategic DSS Development_
-  Winter maintenance
-  Non-winter maintenance
-  Traffic management
-  Incident management
-  Emergency management
-  Construction
-  Traveler information systems

-  Snow drifting
-  Road frost
-  Tornado
-  Flooding
-  Freezing precip.
-  Low friction

- [Partial listing only]

## Road Weather Blueprint

## Modified Blueprint Structure 

|  | Urban | Rural | Coastal | Airport and Ports | Roadway | Rail | Pipeline
ETC -> |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rain |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Snow |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Ice |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Sleet |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Fog |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Smoke |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Blwoing dust |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Blowing snow |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Heat |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Tropical Storms |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

## WIST Report Structure 

|  | Roadway | Railway | Pipeline | transit | marine transportation | airport ground operations-  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Improve Use of Observation Data |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improve surface condition forecasting |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Detection and Predict Reduced Visibility |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Detection and Prediction of High Wind Events |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improve weather and surface sensing Capabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improve access to and application of WIST data |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Development and Improvement of misoscale to mesoscale weather prediction models and applications |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Better integrate weather and other decision support factors |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Extend fundamental WIST  knowledge  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improve WIST related  education and training |  |  |  |  |  |  |

## CTRE R&D Structure 

|  | Weather providers | Weather Users | Maintenance Management and Operations | Traffic Management and Operations | Design and Construction | Intermodal Traffic Management and Operations |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Improved Weather Event Detection |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improved Weather Event Prediction |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improved Weather Information Communication |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improved Decision Support Systems |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improved Education and Outreach |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improved Performance Measures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improved Weather-Related Accident Reporting |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

## Modified CTRE R&D Structure 

|  | Maintenance Management and Operations | Traffic Management, Operations and safety
 | Intermodal Traffic Management and Operations
 | Weather Enterprise | Design and Construction |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Observations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Modeling and Forecasts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Weather Information Dissemination |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improved Decision Support Systems |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improved Education and Outreach |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improved Performance Measures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Improved Weather-Related Accident Reporting |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

## WIST R&D Needs Gameplan

**We have many WIST R&D Needs source documents:**
**WIST Report, 2002**
**AMS Policy Forum, 2003**
**FHWA Blueprint for Road Weather Research, 2003**
**NRC Report, 2004**
**NOAA Strategic Plan, 2004**
**Iowa DOT/CTRE Report, 2004**
**USWRP **
**Draft NOAA-FHWA Partnering Plan**

## WIST R&D Needs Gameplan

**How should we proceed to bring it all together to put together our Federal R&D Needs Plan?**
**Have technology, surface transportation operations, or surface transportation weather information needs changed that much since 2002?**
**What do we have time to do?**
**Just synthesize and prioritize what we have?**
**Bring in subject matter experts to validate already stated needs or provide new ones before synthesizing what we have?**
**Have a small group work up a draft listing?**
**Other ideas or comments? **

## WIST R&D Needs Gameplan

**WIST R&D Needs prioritization ideas...just to get thinking going.**
** **

- R&D Need		Time Sensitivity	Short-Term Gain	Overall Level of Effort	Lead Time	Ultimate Gain Potential
- Bridge the modeling gap	near term	average	moderate		average 	exceptional
- Characterization of surface conditions
- & input data sets		near term	average	high		average 	exceptional
- Test and refine physical basis for
- sub-grid-scale parameterizations	longer term	average	moderate		average 	exceptional
- Characterize dispersion in
- complex environments	immediate	average	high		average 	high
- Improve ensemble construction
- and interpretation		immediate	minimal	high		short 	exceptional
- Techniques to better estimate 	near term	near term	average		average	moderate
- wet and dry deposition
- Physical and high-resolution
- computational models	moderate	average	average		high 	 exceptional
- Improve tracer materials and
- measurement technology	immediate	high	moderate		short	exceptional
- Improve boundary-layer
- measurement technology	immediate	high	high		short	exceptional
- Improve and evaluate
- sensor-fusion techniques	immediate	high	moderate		moderate	high
- Data QA/QC for model fit and
- data assimilation		immediate	average	moderate		moderate	high
- Develop physics-based
- model evaluation methods	near term	high	low		average	exceptional

## ACTION ITEM 2005-1.1:  The Executive Secretary will establish a web site where all WG reference materials can be posted to ensure all WG/WIST members have access to them.	STATUS: CLOSED

ACTION ITEM 2005-1.2:  The Executive Secretary will provide all WG/WIST members with a consolidated listing of all WIST Report recommendations so they can review them and determine if the TOR’s paragraph 3a is too ambitious based on ICMSSR tasking actions from May 2004.  STATUS: OPEN

ACTION ITEM 2005-1.3:  The Executive Secretary will provide a synthesized R&D needs list so that WG members could review them and begin to determine the R&D needs that would the focus of the WIST R&D Plan and start to build a structure for the R&D Plan to clearly express the priorities of the WIST community.  STATUS: OPEN

ACTION ITEM 2005-1.4:  The Executive Secretary will work with the WG/WIST to perform an information gathering activity to find out what WIST R&D work is already going on and tabulate and cross feed the information to all members.  STATUS: OPEN

ACTION ITEM 2005-1.5:  WG/WIST members will review and comment on the draft vision and goals.   STATUS:	CLOSED

- ACTION ITEM 2005-1.2:  The Executive Secretary will provide all WG/WIST members with a consolidated listing of all WIST Report recommendations so they can review them and determine if the TOR’s paragraph 3a is too ambitious based on ICMSSR tasking actions from May 2004.  STATUS: OPEN
- ACTION ITEM 2005-1.3:  The Executive Secretary will provide a synthesized R&D needs list so that WG members could review them and begin to determine the R&D needs that would the focus of the WIST R&D Plan and start to build a structure for the R&D Plan to clearly express the priorities of the WIST community.  STATUS: OPEN
- ACTION ITEM 2005-1.4:  The Executive Secretary will work with the WG/WIST to perform an information gathering activity to find out what WIST R&D work is already going on and tabulate and cross feed the information to all members.  STATUS: OPEN
- ACTION ITEM 2005-1.5:  WG/WIST members will review and comment on the draft vision and goals.   STATUS:	CLOSED

***Review of Action Items***

## Next Meeting??

## Meeting Adjourned

**Thank you!**