# Presentation: 535871

## Standard Situational Awareness Displays and WarnGen Test and Practice Modes

- Michael Dangelo
- Senior Forecaster
- NWS State College, PA (CTP)
- 12 July 2005
- NWS Severe Weather Tech Workshop

## The (Perceived) Need for Standard SA Displays

- Many offices have Situational Awareness (SA) Displays, or have begun to adopt them recently, as an outgrowth of the best-practices of the offices in the forefront of Severe Weather Operations, and AWOC.
- A STANDARD SA Display is not part of our AWIPS baseline.

## The (Perceived) Need (cont.)

- The offices that do have SA Displays have used local ingenuity and resources to develop these displays.
- SA Displays keep SA of all individuals in the office (WDMs and helpers) high through use of visual cues and (at times) audible alarms and feedback.

## Reasons for SA Displays:

- In real-time, any potential Warning Decision-Maker or staff member assisting with Severe Weather Operations can see the valid warnings and threats across their area of responsibility (and beyond?).
- In some cases, real-time verification may be available from outside (media/spotter) sources.

## What’s the problem with the way it is done now?

- Each WFO has a different “level” of an SA Display
- None (The norm?)
- Haphazard, locally grown (CTP)
- Elaborate, locally grown (OUN)
- Get everyone up to a similar level

## Why we should tie SA Displays to AWIPS (baseline).

- AWIPS already contains ALL of the information for the warning/verification-monitoring part of SA Displays.
- Not all of this information is in the same place in AWIPS, though. – D2D/Local Warnings -- WWA/GHG -- LSR.
- AWIPS is our STANDARD WFO platform, and having this info all tied together on AWIPS would be most logical.

## CTP’s SA Display

- One 42” Plasma TV Screen hooked to one windows-networked PC, and to one display screen (0:2) of our workstations (LX4).
- We can switch between the PC and LX via a toggle                                                       switch.

## Troubles with CTP’s SA Display

- Not convenient
- Must either keep the PC always tuned to the web site (Iowa State) that we use to monitor local warnings (in lieu of AWIPS “Local Warnings” working).
- Use one screen on the LX to display D2D w/radar or WWA/GHG Monitor. (resources & LXs thin in big events)

## SA Breakdown Example (June 6th)(Intro)

- We try to employ one forecaster as a Severe Weather Coordinator, but that person is usually not at a LX.
- The coordinator and newly arriving help couldn’t keep current.
- Intra-office and External Coordination both suffer.

## SA Breakdown Example (June 6th)(continued)

- “Sectorized” warnings (4 forecasters)
- SA Display not utilized to fullest potential due to lack of resources
- Coordinator could not keep good SA – and did not contact appropriate Counties in a few cases, as the warnings were flying out fast and furious.
- Coordinator could not answer minor questions from those areas that were contacted timely.

## SA Breakdown Example (June 6th)(continued)

- Troubles (no notifications and/or poor communication with External contacts) may have been avoided - if the appropriate information was available to the Coordinator via an SA Display

## What kind of Info do I want from an AWIPS SA Display?

- Watch and Warning Info, by polygon and with text-time readouts (GHG Monitor?)
- Radar-overlay available (RIDGE)
- LSR info (damage report locations, icons)
- Use D2D? (familiar interface)
- Little Configuration Needed

## What kind of Info do I want from an AWIPS SA Display?

## Topic #2

- The (perceived) Need for WarnGen Test/Practice Modes

## Topic#2:  The (perceived) Need for WarnGen Test/Practice Modes

- Forecasters have a real need to practice warnings with the tools they must use (WarnGen (WG)).
- Best done at the workstations – takes little time/attention away from current weather and operations.
- Need to occasionally send TEST msgs.

## Topic#2:  The (perceived) Need for WarnGen Test/Practice Modes (cont.)

- Don’t we have this?
- A TEST mode is available, but difficult to start and fraught with danger (D2D frozen in time).
- No PRACTICE Mode at all.
- Why every forecaster cannot use it:
- Test mode is difficult to invoke, and not all forecasters (me!) are comfortable with the procedure.

## Topic#2:  The (perceived) Need for WarnGen Test/Practice Modes (cont.)

- WWA and GHG (as it is being deployed nationally) have these features built in!
- but, only after mishaps occurred
- WarnGen (WG) should have these features, too!  It is our PRIMARY WARNING TOOL!
- Forecasters use WG exclusively in Thunderstorm-Warning Mode.
- It should be easy to use – switch available to the forecaster right on the GUI (checkbox or radio boxes) with graphical (colors/pop-ups) feedback on current WG “mode.”

## WG Test/Practice modes, Conclusions

- These adjustments to WG would:
- Greatly enhance our ability to train forecasters, and keep them sharp
- Keep SA higher when worrying less about how to make the machine work
- Allow for EASY issuance of TEST messages
- Allow for PRACTICE after local modification of WG templates

## Two Ideas, One Goal

- Enhance the operations in the WFO during the busiest time - Warning Decision Making Situations.
- Both “Standard” SA Displays and WG Test/Practice Modes would be moves toward this goal.