# Presentation: 493690

## GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27 2002
- ForecastSystems Laboratory

## Logistics

- Restrooms
- Classroom/Lab Locations
- Agenda and Breaks, Assigned Tracks
- Restaurants - Cafeteria
- Get together – Lazy Dog Saloon
- Staff Introduction / Guest Introduction
- Questionnaire

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## What’s this course about?

- This is not a knobology course.
- This course covers advanced concepts of GFESuite and focuses on GFE, not IFPS.
- Fine print: Region expects you to become regional experts and help others.
- The software we are teaching, is to be deployed soon to all WFOs, so what you are learning is timely.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Targeting all WFOs...

- The field is screaming for TRAINING.
- GFE Topics taught have not been taught in detail at NWSTC
- Trying to reach ALL WFOs in series of 3 workshops:
- Nov 2001 – 46 attendees
- Apr 2002 – 56+ attendees
- Sept 2002 – 58 attendees
- FSL developed the GFESuite.
- We want to teach you the advanced concepts.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## This workshop...

- Covers GFESuite portion of IFPS only.
- Is Intense...
- There is a lot of material to cover in 3 1⁄2 days.
- Is Interactive...
- We want participation. We get as much out of it than you do.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## This workshop...

- May have you looking like this by Friday!

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Agenda

- Demos, Lectures, and Discussions:
- ifpIMAGE and Other Programs
- What’s New with GFESuite?
- GFESuite Configuration
- Joint Discussions
- Track “A” and “B” together

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Agenda

- Labs:
- Numerical Python
- Smart Tools
- Smart Initialization
- GFE Configuration and 			ifpIMAGE
- Intersite Coordination

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Computers in the Labs

- You are assigned a machine and a site.
- Your “HOME” WFO is configured for you.
- Sometimes you have your own machines, sometimes you will share with another.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Acknowledgments

- LeRoy Spayd, NWS Training Manager
- Rental of computers
- Guest Speakers
- Lynn Maximuk, EAX MIC
- Carl McCalla, MDL

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## GFESuite, IFPS, AWIPS, RAP, RPP, NDFD, IOC ?????

- Mark Mathewson
- Carl McCalla

## GFESuite

- Software written by FSL
- Part of formal IFPS deployment
- Consists of:
- Database
- Derivation Algorithms (a.k.a. Smart Initialization)
- Graphical Forecast Editor
- Product Generation programs – text, graphics, grids
- Supplemental Programs

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Components of GFESuite

- D2D
- AWIPS
- Model
- Data

- Spatial
- Editor

- Temporal Editor

- Grid Manager

- GFE Editors

- Products

- Ingest/DB

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## IFPS

- Remainder of IFPS developed by MDL
- MDL portion consists of:
- IGR (Matrix Editor)
- ICS (Combo Selector)
- Text Product Formatters (e.g., ZFP, CCF, RDF)
- MOS initialization routines
- Model Interpretation (a.k.a. Slider Bars)
- INFORMIX database
- CRS Formatters, W/W/A

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## IFPS Components

- ifpServer
- Grids

- INFORMIX
- Matrix

- D2D
- AWIPS
- Model
- Data

- Master
- Menu

- MOS
- Sensible
- Weather

- Smart
- Initialization

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

**Notes:**
Training: concentrate on GFESuite.

## Historical View of IFP

- ICWF – started in the 1980s on AFOS, matrix-based
- AFPS (GFESuite) – started in 1990, grid-based
- Original plan: ICWF deployed to field, replaced with AFPS two years later
- MDL provides text formatters
- FSL provides editors, database
- Independent development continued until 1996 when a merge of ICWF and AFPS was called IFPS.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## IFPS History

- IFPS first deployed to AWIPS in Build 5.0 (about two years ago)
- Major issues:
- Development/progress was very slow
- Inadequate forecaster/developer interaction
- Few field test sites: just a few ICWF, none GFE
- Time Between AWIPS Releases: 6-9 months
- Time From s/w development to field: 12 months

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## IFPS History

- AWIPS uses industry standard practices for deploying mature, operational software to a large installed set of customers.
- This process was not adequate for rapid progress and exploratory development, as as what IFPS needed.
- IFPS was relatively new, and did not have a solid set of requirements and specifications.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Rapid Prototyping Project (RPP)

- MSD chief’s initiative – Summer 1999
- RPP created to address the shortcomings.
- Goals:
- Improve GFE user interface and usability
- Explore Modernized Products
- Explore Gridded Forecast Methodology
- Currently ~20 sites participating in RPP.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Rapid Prototyping Project (RPP)

- Quick turnaround of software
- 6-8 week cycle typical (recently weekly cycles)
- Frequent interaction with forecasters
- Workshops
- Listserver
- Software evaluations
- More progress made in last 3 years, than first 9 years – by far!

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## GFE in 1996

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## GFE in 1999

- Prior tostart ofRPP

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Prior to RPP

- GFE was a paint-program
- Interactive tools, such as the bulldozer, made impressive demos.
- No meteorology in GFESuite at that time (except for ifpInit).
- User Feedback minimal

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Recent GFE (RPP11 – May01)

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Results of RPP

- Features developed over the last 3 years
- Smart Tools
- Smart Initialization
- Major U/I Overhaul –modeling the forecast process
- ifpIMAGE
- Intersite Coordination of Grids
- Base/site/user configurability
- Text Products Infrastructure
- Meteorology in the GFE!

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Rapid Prototyping and AWIPS

- RPP

- 1/00

- 5/00

- 9/00

- 1/01

- 5/01

- 9/01

- 7/00

- 11/01

- 3/00

- 11/99

- 11/00

- 3/01

- 7/01

- 1

- 2

- 3

- 4

- 5

- 6

- 7

- 13

- 12

- 11

- 10

- 9

- 8

- 5.1.1

- 5.0

- 5.1.2

- 5.2.1

- AWIPS
- Development
- Handoff

- 14

- AWIPS Deployment

- 5.0

- 5.1.1

- 5.1.2

- 5/02

- 3/02

- 1/02

- 15

- 16

- 10

- IFPS10

- 5.2.1

- 7/02

- 9/02

- 17

- 18

- 19

- 11

- 12

- 13

- IFPS11

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## RPP Releases

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Where do the improvements come from?

- Suggestions for improvements come from two sources:
- AWIPS Requirements
- Usually requires additional details/specificationss
- Interaction between forecasters and developers
- Majority of features start this way
- Turnaround time
- Sometimes a matter of days

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## About a year ago...

- NWSH realized it was time to focus on “IFPS” and decided to really gear up for it.
- There have been a huge amount of changes in the IFPS program
- Goals, targets
- Change in development process
- Field Prototyping/Testing plans
- NDFD was the first change.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## National Digital Forecast Database

- Contains a seamless mosaic of National Weather Service digital forecasts
- Is available to all users and partners – public and private
- Allows users and partners to create a wide range of text, graphic, and image products.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## NDFD increases the usefulness of Gov’t forecasts by:

- Providing weather information to drive custom applications developed by partners
- Decision support systems that fit the forecast to the problem
- Weather information along a path
- Text generation in more than one language
- Forecasts for vehicles and hand-held devices with GPS
- Smart appliances (e.g., heating, cooling, irrigation)
- Communicating the forecaster’s mental image of the weather situation in greater detail

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## The NDFD will contain...

- Weather, water, and climate forecasts from WFOs, RFCs, and NCEP Service Centers
- Elements that support generation of current WFO products
- Digital watch, warning, and advisory information
- Elements that support generation of national products defined by NDFD Product Development Process
- Elements that would attract the private development of graphics and decision tools
- The ***official*** NWS forecast for each element

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## NDFD Prototype

- Exploration now occurring in the clusters:
- Weather elements, time requirements
- Coordination techniques between offices
- Solving technical issues
- Methodology issues
- 3 Clusters – Western, Central, Eastern

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## NDFD Grids (a.k.a. National Mosaic Grid)

**NWS plans to issue national gridded products by Sept 2003**

- FFC

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## NDFD and Intersite Coordination

- Related – but not the same.

- WFO

- WFO

- WFO

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Intersite Coordination Grids

**PUB**

**BOU**

**CYS**

**PUB**

**CYS**

**BOU**

- Internal NWS Tool to facilitate coordinated forecasts

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Intersite Coordination Grids

- OAX

- TOP

- TSA

- SGF

- Probability
- of
- Precipitation

- (Before
- any coordination)

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## ISC Grids – coordination improvements

- Same as left image,
- But with color
- Table changes.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## IFPS Roadmap

- Accepted Dec 10, 2001 by NWS Operations Committee.
- Specific thresholds and “stretch objectives.”
- A new plateau of NWS service to the nation.
- Thresholds of Success

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Thresholds for Success

- Prepare local digital forecast database
- To 7 days
- At every WFO
- Update it as necessary at least twice a day.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Thresholds for Success

- Prepare existing base forecast products
- Via IFPS
- In the format they are today
- At every CONUS WFO
- By September 30, 2003
- OCONUS to be implemented by December 2003

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Thresholds for Success

- Provide external user access to local digital forecast data in GRIB2 format.
- Provide for required digital product retention.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Existing Base Forecast Products

- Zone Forecast Product (ZFP)
- Coded Cities Forecast (CCF)
- Fire Weather Forecast (FWF)
- Miscellaneous Fire Weather Prediction (FWM)
- Coastal Waters Forecast (CWF)
- Marine Verification coded Forecast (MVF)
- NearShore Forecast (NHS)
- Great Lakes Open Lake Forecast (GLF)
- Service Area Forecast (SAF)
- Tabular State Forecast (TSF)

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## IOC (Initial Operating Capability)

***The preceding list of products defines the Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for IFPS at a WFO.***

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Rapid Alpha Process (RAP)

- NWS/AWIPS response to the IFPS Roadmap
- Provides more frequent development, field test, feedback for developers and field.
- Generally patterned after Rapid Prototype Process (RPP).
- Operates within AWIPS.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Steps in the RAP

- Monthly Conference Calls
- Gather feedback from field sites.
- Set development priorities.
- Frequent build/test/release cycles
- Latest GFESuite bundled into each IFPS release.
- Formal testing at NWSHQ
- Field testing at 30 Alpha Test WFOs.
- Phase I
- Phase II
- Release to all WFOs.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## RAP Schedule

- RAP
- Alpha

- 5/02

- 9/02

- 4/02

- 3/02

- 6/02

- 7/02

- 8/02

- 12

- 11

- 10

- IFPS10

- IFPS11

- AWIPS
- Deployment

- 5.2.1

- 10/02

- 5.2.2

- RAP toall WFOs

*Schedule for IFPS10/11 fixed, coordinates with B5 responsibilities.*
*Later builds of IFPS12+ will be coordinated with WFOs.*

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## RAP Contents – IFPS 10

- Port to Linux
- Intersite Coordination of Grids
- Fire Weather (1st cut)
- Daily Forecast Critique (1st cut)

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## RAP Contents – IFPS11

- Service Backup
- Floating-PoP
- Use of Daylight Savings Time in grid unloader
- Site-selectable PoP12 Adjustment (MOS ingest)
- Thresholds for weather and obstructions to vision
- GFE Streamline Tool
- Rate-dependent weather elements, e.g., QPF, SnowAmt
- Enhanced Daily Forecast Critique

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## RAP Contents – IFPS12

- Snow Levels
- Fire Weather Formatter
- Service Backup version control
- GFE Utility Programs – publishGFE, sendISC, ifpServerText
- ISC of Grids – now includes marine areas
- Move Grid Unloader Thresholds into INFORMIX database.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## RAP Contents – IFPS13

- Support for non Lambert Conformal projections, and non-square domains.
- Support for OCONUS-specific weather elements.
- Improved local formatter infrastructure

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## RAP vs. RPP 

- Latest GFESuite (RPP) goes into latest RAP.
- RPP schedules adjusted to closer fit RAP schedules.
- RPP will precede RAP deliveries by about two months.
- RPP *may* differ from RAP (schedule, contents)

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Customer Support

- Mark Mathewson
- Carl McCalla

## Customer Support Teams

- Site Support Team (SST)
- 24x7 Site Support Team (24x7/SST)
- Customer Support Team (CST)

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Site Support Team

- Composition
- Two MDL staffers (typically s/w developers)
- Function
- Troubleshoot and resolve
- Operational IFPS problems occurring at baseline and RAP sites (NCF refers site problems)
- Installation problems occurring at IFPS _baseline_ sites

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Site Support Team (cont.)

- Availability
- Mon-Fri (except holidays) during EST/EDT normal business hours
- Resources
- The entire IFPS s/w development staff (both MDL and FSL)

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## 24x7 Site Support Team

- Composition
- Two MDL staffers (typically s/w developers) available for callback overtime.
- Function
- Troubleshoot and resolve
- Critical operational IFPS problems occurring at baseline and RAP sites (NCF refers site problems)
- Availability
- Holidays, weekends, and Mon – Fri after normal business hours

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Customer Support Team

- Composition
- Two MDL full-time customer service / customer support staffers
- Function
- Perform pre/post IFPS RAP and baseline site installation “interviews”
- Field calls from _RAP_ sites regarding installation problems
- Work with IFPS s/w developers to ensure RAP installation problems are resolved
- Shield NCF from installation issues.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Customer Support Team (cont.)

- Availability
- Mon – Fri during normal business hours
- Resources
- The entire IFPS development staff – both MDL and FSL.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## FSL Support ... a little more informal

- Composition
- Entire FSL GFESuite development team, as needs dictate
- Function
- Assist MDL in supporting IFPS
- Troubleshoot and resolve problems at RPP sites
- Availability
- Normal business hours plus volunteer 24/7 emergency support.
- Method of Support
- Listservers , gfesupport@fsl.noaa.gov

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Training Plans

- Brian Motta

## IFPS Training

- GFESuite workshop materials to be converted to distance learning.
- Future IFPS workshops to address best practices and focal point issues.
- Boundary Layer workshop to be held at Comet at end of FY03.
- Comet and NWSTC adding new hardware and IFPS to classrooms.

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## IFPS Training

- Possible teletraining sessions this coming year:
- ISC Grids / Collaboration
- Text Formatters
- Selected smart tools
- Service Backup
- Shift Management
- Forecast Methodology

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002

## Are We Ready?

- Sept. 2003 – a year away
- By IOC, all offices must meet a minimum standard.
- Do we need training on IOC Expectations?
***NWS will be judged by the least capable office.***

- GFESuite Training Workshop

- Sept. 24-27, 2002