# Presentation: 512857

## VTECStatus & Plan for Action

**National Partners Workshop**
**January 15, 2004**
**Dr. Jason Tuell**
**Office of Science and Technology**

## Overview

**Objective**
**Background**
**Current status**
**Actions since the September Partner’s conference**
**Schedule**
**Changes to the VTEC specification**
**Interaction with partners**
**Summary**

## Objective

**Implement the Valid Time Event Code in NWS Watch, Warning and Advisory products**
***Improve interpretation and accessibility of critical NWS products***
***Reduce errors in critical NWS products***
***Improve end-to-end tracking of products associated with specific meteorological and hydrological events***

## Background

**VTEC “implemented” in AWIPS OB2 software**
**VTEC was scheduled to be turned on 2 December 2003 for some locally generated watches and warnings**
**Partner’s conference call held 27 August to discuss status of 2 December implementation**
***Consensus to slip VTEC implementation***
**Consensus to slip implementation confirmed at 11 September Partner’s meeting**

## Current Status

**VTEC specification updated to address shortcomings identified during Watch-by-County and internal testing**
***Revised specification in internal review***
***Partner’s VTEC working group integral part of specification revision***
**Software developers tasked to implement revised specification**
***Some development risk if changes to specification occur during review cycle***

## Schedule

| Date | Action |
| --- | --- |
| 30 January 2004 |  Revised NWSI 10-1703 in coordination |
| 13 February 2004 | Initial PNS on new schedule and specification |
| November 2003 – March 2004 | Software development and DT&E |
| 1 March 2004 | Deliver software for OB3.1 |
| 1 April 2004 | Release OB3.1 |
| 1 June 2004 | Deliver VTEC related training to WFOs |
| 1 July – 15 August 2004 | OT&E |
| 1 September 2004 | OT&E draft assessment complete |
| 1 October 2004 | Joint go/no go decision on turn key, issue final PNS |
| 15 October 2004 | Deploy software corrections from OT&E |
| 15 October – 1 November 2004 | Re-test corrections of OT&E related deficiencies |
| 1 December 2004 | VTEC turn key for locally generated products |
| January 2005 | Turn key Watch by County |
| Hurricane season 2005 | Deliver VTEC in hurricane products |

**Schedule**

## VTEC changes

**First letter prefix to classify type of products**
***“******o” operational***
***“******t” test***
***“******e” experimental***
***“******x” operational with experimental VTEC string***

## Locally generated products

| Public Products |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | SVR |
|  | Tornado Warning | TOR |
|  | Winter Storm products | WSW |
|  | Non-Precipitation products | NPW |
|  | Severe Weather Statement | SVS |
|  | Watch County Notification | WCN |
| Hydro Products |  |  |
|  | Flood Watch | FFA |
|  | Flash Flood Warning | FFW |
|  | Flood Warning | FLW |
|  | Flash Flood Statements | FFS |
|  | Flood Statements | FLS |

## Locally Generated Products

| Marine Products |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | Coastal Waters Forecast | CWF |
|  | Nearshore Waters Forecast | NSH |
|  | Open Lakes Forecast | GLF |
|  | Offshore Waters Forecast | OFF |
|  | Special Marine Warning | SMW |
|  | Marine Weather Statements | MWS |
|  | Coastal Flood products | CFW |
|  | Lakeshore Flood products | CFW |

## Partner-NWS Interaction

**Herb White**
**Dissemination Services Manager**
**Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services**

## Partner InteractionOT&E

**Our goal – Joint OT&E of locally generated products**
***Test NWS and partners’ capabilities***
***Work together to build an OT&E plan***
*Need to accommodate full spectrum of products during OT&E*
***Define evaluation criteria***
***Joint data collection for error monitoring***

## Partner Interaction

**Must ensure adequate feedback on VTEC and other issues**
**Participation in OT&E is critical as learned in WBC**
***Planning and execution***
**VTEC working groups has had made a tremendous contribution to refining and clarifying the VTEC specification **
** ****VTEC listserve/remailer to disseminate and share VTEC related information**
- Send comments to NWS.VTEC@noaa.gov

## Summary

**Consensus to not implement VTEC on 2 December 2003**
**Have worked with the partners to define new schedule and enhanced specification**
**Conduct joint OT&E to determine whether we are jointly ready for VTEC December 2004**

**Work together to make VTEC a success!**