Collaboration Across the Road 

Weather Enterprise:

The Pathfinder Project

December 2016

FHWA-HOP-16-086
Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. 

Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. 

The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the 

information contained in this document.

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. 

Trademarks or manufacturers' names appear in this report only 

because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.

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The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality 

information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner 

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improvement.

(Front Cover Picture Source: Wyoming Department of Transportation)
Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.

FHWA-HOP-16-086

2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle

Collaboration Across the Road Weather Enterprise: The Pathfinder Project

5. Report Date

December 2016

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Author(s)

Megan Helsel, Brenda Boyce, Tyler Poling, Sudharson Sundararajan

8. Performing Organization Report No.

N/A

9. Performing Organization Name And Address

Booz Allen Hamilton

8283 Greensboro Drive

McLean, VA 22102

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.

DTFH6111D00019

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Highway Administration

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

Final: 2013-2016

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

FHWA 

15. Supplementary Notes

FHWA Task Manager, Paul Pisano, Road Weather and Work Zone Management Team Lead

16. Abstract

Weather has a significant impact on the operations of the nation’s roadway system year-round. To help improve weather 

impacts on our roadways the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) and 

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Weather Service (NWS) have been working 

together to document the state-of-the-practice and working relationships between State Departments of Transportation 

(DOTs) and the weather enterprise. The Pathfinder project was initiated in to document current State DOT interactions and 

working relationships with the weather enterprise (both NWS and private sector). The team documented best practices across 

the agencies to disseminate consistent messages about the weather and its impact on the roads. This document serves as a 

guidance document for improving the collaboration between State DOTs and the weather enterprise.

17. Key Words

Pathfinder, Road Weather Management Program 

(RWMP), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service 

(NWS), Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS)

18. Distribution Statement

No Restrictions

19. Security Classif. (of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classif. (of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

96

22. Price

N/A

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... 1

CHAPTER 1. UNDERSTANDING WEATHER’S IMPACT ON THE NATION’S 

ROADWAY SYSTEM.................................................................................................................. 3

CHAPTER 2. APPLYING ROAD WEATHER FORECASTING IN YOUR STATE .......... 5

CHAPTER 3. MAKING THE INVESTMENT CASE FOR ROAD WEATHER 

FORECASTING AND DECISION SUPPORT SERVICES .................................................... 9

CHAPTER 4. THE PATHFINDER PROJECT ...................................................................... 13

CHAPTER 5. INTRODUCTION TO PATHFINDER CONCEPTS ..................................... 15

CHAPTER 6. GUIDANCE FOR PATHFINDER PROJECT STANDUP ............................ 19

CHAPTER 7. PATHFINDER GUIDANCE ............................................................................. 29

CHAPTER 8. NEXT STEPS ...................................................................................................... 37

APPENDIX A. THE PATHFINDER PROJECT – BACKGROUND ................................... 39

APPENDIX B. MAKING THE CASE FOR AN INVESTMENT DECISION ..................... 43

APPENDIX C. EXAMPLES OF SHARED IMPACT MESSAGES...................................... 45

APPENDIX D. SPECIFIC COLLABORATION EXAMPLES OF PATHFINDER TEAMS

....................................................................................................................................................... 51

APPENDIX E. FEDERAL RELATED INITIATIVES ........................................................... 55

APPENDIX F. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER FORECAST OFFICES 

BY STATE ................................................................................................................................... 63

APPENDIX G. PARTNER COLLABORATION AND RELATIONSHIPS ........................ 67

APPENDIX H. EVENT DATA ARCHIVING CHECKLISTS.............................................. 73

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... 77

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 79

iii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Photo. Plowing is One of Many Treatment Strategies for Adverse Weather.................. 4

Figure 2. Photo. Road Weather Information Helps Maintenance Activities Run Smoothly.......... 5

Figure 3. Photo. Fog is a Common Weather Condition Affecting Visibility. ................................ 6

Figure 4. Chart. Weather-Related Crashes, Fatalities, and Injuries................................................ 9

Figure 5. Photo. A Large Number of Crashes Each Year Are Related to Adverse Weather. ...... 10

Figure 6. Graph. Weather-Related Impacts on Arterials and Freeways. ...................................... 11

Figure 7. Photo. I-80 Corridor Shown Across Various Weather Forecast Offices, Department of 

Transportation, and Weather Service Provider Operational Boundaries...................................... 13

Figure 8. Chart. Weather, Roads, Timing, and Motorists Affect Impact. .................................... 15

Figure 9. Photo. Traffic Operations Center. ................................................................................. 20

Figure 10. Photo. A Snow Plow and Other Vehicles Driving in the Snow. ................................. 30

Figure 11. Photo. Weather Forecasting Offices County Warning Areas in the Project Region...41

Figure 12. Photo. Economic Impact of Road Weather Events. .................................................... 43

Figure 13. Photo. National Weather Service Image Shared via Facebook, 12/23/14................... 45

Figure 14. Photo. National Weather Service Image Shared via Twitter, 12/23/14. ..................... 46

Figure 15. Photo. Wyoming Department of Transportation Traffic Management Center Dynamic 

Message Sign Updated 12/24/25. ................................................................................................. 47

Figure 16. Photo. National Weather Service Graphic (1) for Expected Christmas Winter Event.47

Figure 17. Photo. National Weather Service Graphic (2) for Expected Christmas Winter Event.48

Figure 18. Chart. National Weather Service Graphic (3) for Expected Christmas Winter Event.48

Figure 19. Photo. National Weather Service Graphic (4) for Expected Christmas Winter Event.49

Figure 20. Photo. Utah Weather Story Example........................................................................... 52

Figure 21. Graph. Aggregate Vehicle Miles Traveled vs. Time of Day....................................... 53

Figure 22. Photo. National and Regional National Weather Service Headquarters..................... 66

Figure 23. Chart. Schematic of Idealized, Event-specific Communication Flow for Case 1. ...... 68

Figure 24. Chart. Schematic of Idealized, Event-specific Communication Flow for Case 2. ...... 68

Figure 25. Chart. Schematic of Idealized, Event-specific Communication Flow for Case 3. ...... 69

Figure 26. Chart. Schematic of Idealized, Event-specific Communication Flow for Case 4a. .... 69

Figure 27. Chart. Schematic of Idealized, Event-specific Communication Flow for Case 4b. .... 70

v

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Typical Responsibilities of a State Department of Transportation................................. 21

Table 2. Typical National Weather Service Operational Responsibilities. .................................. 23

Table 3. Typical Private Sector Responsibilities. ......................................................................... 25

Table 4. Weather-Related Crash Statistics.................................................................................... 44

Table 5. Level 3 and Level 4 – Most Mature – Road Weather Operations Program Components.

....................................................................................................................................................... 56

Table 6. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices by State. ...................................... 63

Table 7. National Weather Service Archiving Checklist for Events. ........................................... 73

Table 8. Department of Transportation Archiving Checklist for All Events................................ 74

vii

LIST OF ACRONYMS

ACRONYM DEFINITION

AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

CCTV Closed-Circuit Television

CMF Capability Maturity Framework

CMM Capability Maturity Model

DMS Dynamic Message Sign

DOT Department of Transportation

DSS Decision Support Systems

ESS Environmental Sensor Station

FHWA Federal Highway Administration

HAR Highway Advisory Radio

ITS Intelligent Transportation System

LOS Level of Service

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NWS National Weather Service

NWS-CYS National Weather Service Forecast Office – Cheyenne, Wyoming

NWS-RIW National Weather Service Forecast Office – Riverton, Wyoming

NWS-SLC National Weather Service Forecast Office – Salt Lake City, Utah

PIO Public Information Officer

Rd/Wx Road Weather

RWIS Road Weather Information System

RWM Road Weather Management

RWMP Road Weather Management Program

SHRP2 Strategic Highway Research Program 2

SLC Salt Lake City

TI Traveler Information

TMC Traffic Management Center

TOC Traffic Operations Center

UDOT Utah Department of Transportation

US United States

USDOT United States Department of Transportation

VMS Variable Message Sign

VMT Vehicle Miles Traveled

VSL Variable Speed Limit

WFO Weather Forecast Offices

WRN Weather-Ready Nation

WRTM Weather-Responsive Traffic Management

WSP Weather Service Provider

WYDOT Wyoming Department of Transportation

Wx Weather

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) 

and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Weather 

Service (NWS) have been working together to document the state-of-the-practice and working 

relationships between State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and the weather enterprise. 

The objective of this work is to encourage further collaboration through growing partnerships, 

with the ultimate goals of saving lives and property and to keep the economy moving. The 

weather enterprise encompasses public and private meteorological entities, including NWS 

weather forecast offices (WFOs), and private weather service providers, especially those 

contracted by DOTs. The objective of this document is to provide information and guidance to 

State DOTs and the weather enterprise regarding different methods and best practices for crossagency collaboration and the integration of weather information into daily transportation 

operations.

The Pathfinder project was initiated in 2014 as a pilot project across four western States 

(California, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming) to document current State DOT interactions and 

working relationships with the weather enterprise (both NWS and private sector). The focus was 

on the I-80 corridor which represents a mix of metropolitan and rural areas and serves as a main 

commercial trucking route. The team documented best practices across the agencies to 

disseminate consistent messages about the weather and its impact on the roads, and the way in 

which the messages prompt travelers to change departure times, cancel trips, choose alternate 

routes, or select different modes of transportation in response to adverse weather conditions.

This document serves as a guidance document for improving the collaboration between State 

DOTs and the weather enterprise.

Did You Know?

The Pathfinder project is a joint initiative that aims to save lives, time and money on our 

nation’s roadways by minimizing the impacts of weather through the dissemination of 

consistent and actionable information.

Refer to Appendix A to Learn More

Learn more about Pathfinder project details.

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CHAPTER 1. UNDERSTANDING WEATHER’S IMPACT ON THE NATION’S 

ROADWAY SYSTEM

THE WEATHER IMPACT

Weather has a significant impact on the operations of the nation’s roadway system year-round. 

Rain reduces pavement friction; winter weather can leave pavements snow/frost covered or icy; 

fog, smoke, blowing dust, heavy precipitation, and vehicle spray can restrict visibility; flooding, 

snow accumulation, and wind-blown debris can cause lane obstructions. These weather events 

translate to changes in traffic conditions, roadway safety, travel reliability, operational 

effectiveness, and productivity. 

Weather affects traffic conditions in a variety of ways. Weather events may prompt travelers to 

change departure times, cancel trips, choose alternate routes, or select different modes of 

transport. Slick pavements, low visibility, and lane obstructions lead to driving at lower speeds 

or with increased following distances. These changes in driver behavior can affect the operation 

of signalized roadways, where traffic signals are timed for clear, dry conditions, resulting in 

reduced traffic throughputs, increased delays, and increased travel times. 

Weather affects roadway safety by increasing exposure to hazards and crash risk. Weather also 

affects the operational effectiveness and productivity of traffic management agencies and road 

maintenance agencies through increased costs and lost time. 

It is, therefore, an important responsibility of traffic managers and maintenance personnel to 

implement operational strategies that optimize system performance under such conditions by 

mitigating the effects of weather on the roadways. The operational approaches these personnel 

use dictate their needs for weather and road condition information. Accurate, timely, routespecific weather information allows traffic and maintenance managers to better operate and 

maintain roads under adverse conditions. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 

Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) has defined three types of road weather 

management strategies that can be employed in response to rain, snow, ice, fog, high winds, 

flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, and avalanches: advisory, control and treatment.

Advisory Strategies. These strategies provide information on prevailing and predicted 

conditions as well as impacts to motorists. 

A variety of approaches are available to traffic managers to advise travelers of road weather 

conditions and weather-related travel restrictions (such as road closures resulting from fog, 

smoke or flooding). Strategies include posting warnings on dynamic message signs (DMS), 

broadcasting messages via highway advisory radio (HAR), providing road condition reports 

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COLLABORATION ACROSS THE ROAD WEATHER ENTERPRISE: THE PATHFINDER 

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through interactive traveler information (TI) systems such as websites and 511-phone systems, 

and Public Information Officer (PIO) interaction with media.

Control Strategies. These strategies alter the state of roadway devices to permit or restrict 

traffic flow and regulate roadway capacity. 

To control traffic flow during adverse weather, traffic managers may regulate lane use (such as 

lane reversals for evacuations), close hazardous roads and bridges, restrict access on particular 

roadways to designated vehicle types (e.g., tractor-trailers during high winds), implement 

variable speed limits (VSL), adjust freeway ramp metering rates, or modify traffic signal timings.

Figure 1. Photo. Plowing is One of Many Treatment Strategies for Adverse Weather.

(Source: United States Department of Transportation)

Treatment Strategies. These strategies apply resources to roadways to minimize or eliminate 

weather impacts. Maintenance managers use road weather information and decision support tools 

to assess the nature and magnitude of winter storms, determine the level of staffing required 

during a weather event, plan and execute proactive and reactive road treatment strategies (e.g., 

plowing, sanding, chemical applications), and activate anti-icing/deicing systems.

Road Weather Observations. Road weather observations are a critical aspect of any forecast 

system. They allow for vital understanding of weather impacts and situational awareness of 

current conditions. Observations also provide a basis for value added applications including 

nowcasting/forecasting systems and supply a ground truth for assessment of forecast quality. For 

example, road weather observations can be used to understand when forecasts deviate from 

reality and allow for an understanding of forecast accuracy. Finally, observation information 

provides an excellent basis for road maintenance performance measurement.

Did You Know?

Beyond winter weather, maintenance managers are also concerned about the impacts of other 

events such as sand storms and wildfires that may reduce visibility and create hazardous 

driving conditions.

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CHAPTER 2. APPLYING ROAD WEATHER FORECASTING IN YOUR STATE

Figure 2. Photo. Road Weather Information Helps Maintenance Activities Run Smoothly.

(Source: Wyoming Department of Transportation)

The Benefits of Road Weather Forecasting in a Nutshell

• Access to high-quality road weather information helps decision makers improve safety, 

enhance traffic flow and travel reliability, and increase agency productivity. 

• Road weather mitigation strategies enhance roadway safety by:

o Reducing crash frequency and severity.

o Restricting access to hazardous roads.

o Encouraging safer driver behavior.

• Road weather management strategies enhance traffic flow and mobility by:

o Allowing the public to make more informed travel decisions. 

o Promoting more uniform traffic flow.

o Reducing traffic congestion and delay, and minimizing the time to clear roads of 

snow and ice. 

• Productivity is increased through better interagency communication and data sharing, 

and by reduced labor, material, and equipment costs for snow and ice control 

operations.

USE OF ROAD WEATHER INFORMATION IN MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Maintenance managers obtain and make extensive use of road weather information such as 

pavement temperature forecasts, water, snow and ice accumulation, and road condition 

predictions. This information helps managers make proactive decisions for a variety of winter 

and non-winter maintenance activities, including decisions about staffing levels, the selection 

and timing of maintenance activities, and resource management (such as personnel, equipment, 

and materials) as well as road treatment strategies during winter storms. 

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Winter road maintenance activities are especially sensitive to weather conditions. Some of the 

most common weather conditions experienced throughout this season of the year include snow, 

ice, frost, freezing rain, and fog. Other conditions, such as blowing snow further complicate 

these weather aspects. During this period of the year, maintenance tasks can often involve snow 

and ice treatment strategies, including plowing snow, spreading abrasives to improve vehicle 

traction, and dispensing anti-icing/deicing chemicals to lower the freezing point of precipitation 

on the pavement. In regions with heavy snowfall, maintenance managers may erect snow fences 

adjacent to roads to reduce blowing and drifting snow. Other mitigation strategies may include 

the use of slope sensors and avalanche forecasts to minimize landslide and avalanche risks. 

When a slope becomes unstable because of snow accumulation or soil saturation, roads in the 

slide path may be closed to allow the controlled release of an avalanche or landslide. After snow, 

mud and debris are cleared and damaged infrastructure repaired, the affected route can be 

reopened to traffic. 

Figure 3. Photo. Fog is a Common Weather Condition Affecting Visibility.

(Source: Georgia Department of Transportation)

Many non-winter maintenance activities are also affected by weather conditions. Mowing is 

conducted on a cycle throughout the summer months but will be suspended during heavy rain 

and thunderstorms. The spraying of herbicides is not conducted during rainstorms or high winds. 

Striping requires a dry roadway, no high winds, a minimum ambient air temperature, and no 

immediate likelihood of rain. Surface repairs (such as pothole and seam repairs) using hot mix 

asphalt need dry pavement with a minimum ambient air temperature and no risk of rain in the 

short term. Many maintenance activities will also be suspended for thunderstorms, tornado 

forecasts, and periods of low visibility to protect the safety of both maintenance personnel and 

travelers who may unexpectedly encounter maintenance equipment on or near the roadway.

Examples of Additional Collaboration Events

• Red Flag (Fire Weather) Warnings.

• Burn Bans.

• High Winds.

• Flash Flooding.

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USE OF ROAD WEATHER INFORMATION IN TRAFFIC OPERATIONS

The FHWA RWMP is working with State and local transportation agencies to become more 

proactive in the way they manage traffic operations during weather events. Weather-Responsive 

Traffic Management (WRTM) is the central component of the program’s efforts. WRTM 

involves the implementation of traffic advisory and control strategies in direct response to or in 

anticipation of developing roadway and visibility issues that result from deteriorating or 

forecasted weather conditions.

Over the past 10 years, transportation agencies have implemented a variety of strategies to 

mitigate the impacts of adverse weather on their operations. These strategies range from simple 

flashing signs to coordinated traffic-control strategies and the dissemination of regional TI. 

Operational strategies that traffic managers are currently using include:

• Motorist advisories, alerts, and warnings intended to increase the awareness of the 

traveler to current and impending weather and pavement conditions. Approaches include 

active warning systems that warn drivers of unsafe travel conditions through a particular 

section of roadway, often in remote or isolated locations; pre-trip road condition 

information and forecast systems; and en-route weather alerts and pavement condition 

information. 

• Speed-management strategies designed to manage drivers’ speed during inclement 

weather events. This includes both advisory, which usually involves posting an advisory 

travel speed deemed safe by the operating agency for the current travel conditions, and 

regulatory, which include speed limits that change based on road, traffic, or weather 

conditions. 

• Vehicle restriction strategies involve placing restrictions on the types or characteristics of 

vehicles allowed to use a facility during inclement weather events. These strategies might 

include size, height, weight, or profile restrictions. 

• Road restriction strategies restrict the use of a facility during inclement weather to help 

travelers avoid sections of roadway that are dangerous.

• Traffic signal control strategies involve making modifications or influencing the way 

traffic signals operate during inclement weather to allow for more uniform traffic flow 

based on the prevailing or predicted weather conditions.

USE OF ROAD WEATHER INFORMATION BY MOTORISTS AND COMMERCIAL 

VEHICLE OPERATORS

Traffic managers disseminate road weather information to road users of all types to influence 

their travel decisions.

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Motorists make travel decisions by using traveler information (TI) via roadway infrastructure, 

telephone systems, websites, broadcast media, and interactive smart phone applications that have 

road weather information both pre-trip and en-route. 

Road weather TI applications are being tailored to different road users allowing them to make 

informed travel decisions regarding travel mode, departure time, route selection, vehicle type and 

equipment, speed choice/selection, and driving behavior. In the event of a road closure, travelers 

will need alternate route information.

Commercial vehicle operators will also use this information as well as information from their 

truck dispatchers for travel decisions. Commercial vehicle operators are especially sensitive to 

time delays and may need additional information about road restrictions caused by high winds, 

height and weight limits, or subsurface freeze/thaw conditions. These applications use detailed 

information and allow for the dissemination of road weather information in a standard, easy to 

understand format. 

While different types of road users have varying information needs, it is important to have 

consistent information when disseminated from different sources.

Did You Know?

Pathfinder identified additional areas for future expansion of road weather information 

including further integration with the Commercial Trucking Industry and Emergency Services.

Visit http://ntl.bts.gov for more information.

Key Points

• Road weather and weather are closely related, however it is important to stress that 

weather forecasts are not intended for giving motorists detailed information on the road 

weather conditions.

• Road weather and weather forecasts need to be differentiated from one another, as well 

as standardized so that road users and managers can make appropriate decisions 

regarding travel. 

• Road weather and weather forecasts must address both current and predicted 

conditions.

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COLLABORATION ACROSS THE ROAD WEATHER ENTERPRISE: THE PATHFINDER 

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CHAPTER 3. MAKING THE INVESTMENT CASE FOR ROAD WEATHER 

FORECASTING AND DECISION SUPPORT SERVICES

THE WEATHER IMPACT ON SAFETY, MOBILITY, AND PRODUCTIVITY

The impacts of weather events on the transportation system have been well analyzed. Adverse 

weather conditions have been shown to have significant impacts on the safety, mobility, and 

productivity of transportation system users and roadway operators.

WEATHER IMPACTS ON SAFETY

Over the last ten years, there has been an average of over 5,760,800 vehicle crashes each year. 

Twenty-two percent (22%) of those crashes—nearly 1,259,000, were weather-related (Figure 4). 

Weather-related crashes are defined as those crashes that occur in adverse weather (i.e., rain, 

sleet, snow, fog, severe crosswinds, or blowing snow/sand/debris) or on slick pavement (i.e., wet 

pavement, snowy/slushy pavement, or icy pavement). On average, nearly 6,000 people were 

killed and over 445,000 people were injured in weather-related crashes each year.

Figure 4. Chart. Weather-Related Crashes, Fatalities, and Injuries.

(Source: Derived from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration historical data)

Refer to Appendix B to Learn More

Detailed statistics are available in the Weather-Related Crash Statistics Table.

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COLLABORATION ACROSS THE ROAD WEATHER ENTERPRISE: THE PATHFINDER 

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Figure 5. Photo. A Large Number of Crashes Each Year Are Related to Adverse Weather.

(Source: Wyoming Highway Patrol)

WEATHER IMPACTS ON MOBILITY 

Significant roadway capacity reductions can be caused by flooding or by lane obstructions

caused by snow accumulation and wind-blown debris. Road closures and access restrictions 

resulting from hazardous conditions (such as large trucks in high winds) also decrease roadway 

capacity.

Weather events reduce mobility and travel time reliability through speed reductions and 

increases in speed variance. Reduced friction due to wet, snow or ice-covered pavement also 

leads to travel time delays, and start-up delays (i.e., how long it takes a line of cars to start 

moving from a red light).

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COLLABORATION ACROSS THE ROAD WEATHER ENTERPRISE: THE PATHFINDER 

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Figure 6. Graph. Weather-Related Impacts on Arterials and Freeways.

(Source: Derived from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration historical data)

Significant impacts are also felt on freeways in the presence of adverse weather conditions.

Figure 6 illustrates a few percentage ranges that different weather-conditions can have on arterial 

and freeway travel.

Overall, it has been estimated that 23 percent of non-recurring delay on highways across the 

nation is due to impacts associated with snow, ice, and fog. This amounts to an estimated 544 

million vehicle-hours of delay per year.

One important takeaway from Figures 4 and 6 is that there are a range of weather-related impacts 

to traffic safety and mobility, from minimal to severe. Impact type changes with weather event 

timing, type, location, etc. The specific impacts for each weather event is an important part of 

forecasting and decision support services for road system users.

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WEATHER IMPACTS ON PRODUCTIVITY 

Adverse weather can also increase the operating and maintenance costs of road maintenance 

agencies, traffic management agencies, emergency management agencies, law enforcement 

agencies, and commercial vehicle operators. Winter road maintenance activities account for 

roughly 20 percent of State transportation agency maintenance budgets. Each year, State and 

local agencies spend more than $2.3 billion on snow and ice control operations. 

Each year, trucking companies lose an estimated 32.6 billion vehicle-hours because of weatherrelated congestion in the nation’s top 281 metropolitan areas. The estimated cost of weatherrelated delay to trucking companies is $3.1 billion annually in the nation’s 50 largest cities. 

The availability of accurate, up-to-date road weather observations that are tailored to the needs of 

roadway operators together with the decision support tools that place the observation data in a 

transportation system operations and management context plays a significant role in helping 

better prepare roadway operators and users of the transportation system for adverse weather 

conditions. In turn, this approach improves safety, mobility, and productivity.

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COLLABORATION ACROSS THE ROAD WEATHER ENTERPRISE: THE PATHFINDER 

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CHAPTER 4. THE PATHFINDER PROJECT

In an effort to better serve the end user (decision makers and the traveling public), the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) and the 

United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration 

(FHWA) Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) are working together on an initiative 

entitled “Surface Transportation Weather Collaboration: The Pathfinder Project.” The initiative 

objective is to build a framework that facilitates collaborative partnerships between NWS 

Weather Forecast Offices (WFO), State Departments of Transportation (DOT), and as 

applicable, private sector Weather Service Providers (WSP) supporting DOTs. Within the first 

phase of the initiative, the team identified a singular interstate corridor (Interstate 80) across four

States (California, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming) with a variety of WFO, DOT, and WSP 

operational configurations to test the implementation of a cross-entity collaboration framework 

in a real-world setting (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Photo. I-80 Corridor Shown Across Various Weather Forecast Offices, 

Department of Transportation, and Weather Service Provider Operational Boundaries.

(Source: Adapted from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website)

BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATION

A key mission shared among the Pathfinder participants is to improve safety, mobility, and the 

economy. Essential to accomplishing this mission is communicating information to decision 

makers and the public to ensure informed decisions and preparedness when faced with rain, 

snow, fog, wind, wildfire, or other potentially impactful weather events to the surface 

transportation system.

Through collaboration on road weather impact messages, weather forecast offices (WFOs), 

departments of transportation (DOTs), and weather service providers (WSPs) can better serve the 

needs of users of road weather information, supporting mission fulfillment.

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COLLABORATION ACROSS THE ROAD WEATHER ENTERPRISE: THE PATHFINDER 

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What is the Pathfinder Project?

The Pathfinder project is a joint initiative to save lives, time and money on our nation’s 

roadways by minimizing the impacts of weather through the dissemination of consistent and 

actionable information.

Refer to Appendix A to Learn More

Learn more about Pathfinder project details.

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COLLABORATION ACROSS THE ROAD WEATHER ENTERPRISE: THE PATHFINDER 

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CHAPTER 5. INTRODUCTION TO PATHFINDER CONCEPTS

THE IMPACT MESSAGE

Here, the term “impact” is used to distinguish the type of information relayed to the public. The 

“impact forecast” adds value to a standard weather forecast by placing the weather into the 

context of the local transportation system. Impact considers the weather, the road surface, 

average traffic volumes, how the weather’s interaction with the road surface and/or vehicles will 

affect traffic, how effective maintenance mitigation efforts will be during the event, and so on.

Classifying the impact of an upcoming event demands a thorough knowledge of the weather and 

traffic in a given area, as well as some understanding of human factors. For example, all else 

being equal, a given winter storm may have a low to moderate impact in an area where traveling 

in wintry weather is commonplace, but have a high impact in an area that rarely, if ever, 

encounters wintry road conditions. Time of day and traffic volume are important, as the impact 

of a weather event will be greatly increased if it is forecast to occur during a peak commute 

period. While the classification of impacts is somewhat subjective, the Pathfinder participants 

can arrive at shared impact messages through relationship building, education about each other’s 

agency operations, and collaboration.

Figure 8. Chart. Weather, Roads, Timing, and Motorists Affect Impact.

(Source: Federal Highway Administration)

Note that not all weather results in a significant impact, and the designation of a storm as 

minimally-impactful is just as important to communicate to road users as one that is more 

significantly-impactful. In fact, the focus should be on the regular communication of impact due 

to weather events on a day-to-day basis.

Refer to Appendix C to Learn More

Refer to some examples of shared weather impact messages.

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COLLABORATION ACROSS THE ROAD WEATHER ENTERPRISE: THE PATHFINDER 

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The term “event” is used throughout this document to denote any specific weather occurrence 

which has an impact on driving conditions, (e.g., slick roads due to rain, snow or ice; flooded 

roadways; poor visibility due to fog, heavy precipitation, blowing dust or smoke; or high cross 

winds). Here, an event usually refers to the entire course of a storm, for example, a winter storm 

with a defined beginning and ending. An event may last hours or days.

During the winter of 2014-2015, the first winter of the Pathfinder Project, the weather forecast 

offices (WFOs), departments of transportation (DOTs), and weather service providers (WSPs)

collaborated before, during, and after winter storms to establish common impact messages for 

dissemination. The collaboration was performed via NWSChat, emails, conference calls, and in 

person. Messages disseminated by the NWS were via services such as text products, websites, 

graphics, video briefings, and media interviews. DOT Traveler Information (TI) systems such as 

Dynamic Message Signs, websites, highway advisory radio, and 511 were employed.

THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION

Motorists search for and receive weather-related information from a variety of sources. When 

inconsistent information is obtained, it becomes increasingly difficult to reach a conclusion on 

how the weather may potentially impact their travel choices. When State DOTs and the weather 

enterprise collaborate on shared weather impact messages, consistent information may be 

obtained across the gamut of sources, which in turn is more likely to allow more travelers to 

make informed decisions regarding their travel in the face of inclement weather.

Benefits of the Creation of a Shared Weather Impact Message

• Provides improved, consistent traveler information and messaging.

• Reinforces weather and travel messages.

• Improves public response.

• Engages the State Department of Transportation and the weather enterprise.

CASE STUDY EXAMPLE OF PATHFINDER COLLABORATION

The mutual benefit of collaboration between DOTs and National Weather Service (NWS) was 

realized in the initial Pathfinder States where local WFOs and the State DOT’s Traffic 

Operations Centers (TOCs) instigated evolving partnerships to develop impact-specific weather 

messages for motorists. These messages would be released to the public from both agencies 

explaining the timing, duration, location and impacts of the weather on local roadways.

Though the State DOTs communicated the messages through TI outlets and the WFOs 

communicated through advisory products (watch, warning, etc.) and “Weather Story” graphics, 

the substance of the messages were the same. Most local media outlets closely followed and 

re-posted advisory products, which further expanded the reach of these messages. As a result of 

the collaboration, these elements helped travelers make alternative travel plans prior to the worst 

of the upcoming weather.

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From several experiences in the Pathfinder States, the collaborative model has been promoted as 

an inexpensive method to increase the range and effectiveness of road weather messaging to 

reach the public prior to events and to help them plan their travel. The improved, consistent 

information resulted in a more-informed public, improving safety and mobility by decreasing or 

shifting discretionary travel.

Refer to Appendix D to Learn More

Read specific collaboration examples from the Utah, Wyoming, and Nevada Pathfinder teams.

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CHAPTER 6. GUIDANCE FOR PATHFINDER PROJECT STANDUP

LINKS TO FEDERAL INITIATIVES

The expansion of the collaborative model nationwide has been supported by initiatives at federal 

headquarters for both the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the National Weather 

Service (NWS), such as:

• The Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2) Capability Maturity Model 

(CMM).

• The Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) Roadmap.

The SHRP2 CMM provides transportation agencies with a tool to improve transportation system 

management. It was refined for several sub-topics, including road weather management (RWM). 

The model classifies the mature program as one that operates with a high degree of collaboration 

with the weather community before an event and proactively messages the public. 

Recommended tasks for maturing in the area of collaboration with the weather enterprise 

include:

• Establish lines of communications between Department of Transportation (DOT) and 

identified meteorologists.

• Create an email list of points-of-contact in the weather community.

• Institute a list serve for exchange of coordination information.

• Develop standard operating procedures for coordination.

• Establish and attend local joint meetings between the weather and transportation 

communities to discuss road weather management.

• Hold post-event debriefings between DOT staff and the weather community.

• Establish methods for archiving weather data and forecasts.

The establishment of the collaborative relationship is optimized when there is a dedicated 

weather position within the DOT, when joint meetings are made routine prior to hazardous 

weather events, and when NWS, private sector and academic resources are integrated into DOT 

operational procedures. These are the traits of a mature Road Weather Management Program

(RWMP).

PARTNERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES THROUGHOUT WEATHER EVENTS

There are numerous facets to State DOTs, the weather forecasting offices (WFOs) and, when 

present, DOT-contracted weather service providers. This section provides an overview of the 

responsibilities of each partner as they relate to operating procedures during hazardous weather 

events. The following section refines the responsibilities to interaction and relationship-building 

among the partners.

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Refer to Appendix E to Learn More

For additional details on Federal initiatives.

Figure 9. Photo. Traffic Operations Center.

(Source: Utah Traffic Operations Center)

Pathfinder Testimonial

“Before Pathfinder, working together was often disjointed because there were 

misunderstandings, and a lack of knowledge and end goals. After Pathfinder, relationships 

improved, communication was more consistent and action-oriented. Pathfinder helped build 

structure and an organized path of communication between all parties involved.”

- Vice President of Road Weather/Meteorologist, DayWeather, Inc.

STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

State DOT traffic management and maintenance operations function in real time. A few of their 

typical operational responsibilities (both general and storm-specific) are listed in Table 1. Due to 

the intrinsic nature of weather in DOT resource allocation, planning divisions have weatherrelated responsibilities as well. The financial needs of DOT operations change from year to year 

with changes in the weather, updates to operational methodologies, and the availability of 

technological advances. Therefore, planning divisions should remain intimately aware of the 

weather and climate that dictate the actions and changing nature of the DOT’s operational 

divisions.

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Table 1. Typical Responsibilities of a State Department of Transportation.

Traffic Management Responsibilities Maintenance Operations Responsibilities

General Responsibilities: 

Manage traffic and incidents (weather is 

considered an incident). Maintain highways and infrastructure.

Maintain (a pre-determined) level of service 

(LOS) through traffic control devices and 

techniques.

Maintain (a pre-determined) LOS through 

maintenance activities.

Manage Intelligent Transportation System

(ITS) infrastructure signals/timing, Variable 

Message Sign (VMS), Variable Speed Limit 

(VSL), Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV),

Road Weather Information System (RWIS).

Manage resources (equipment, material, 

etc.).

Gather information (from field devices, field 

crews, other agencies, other States).

Communicate (within and with traffic 

operations).

Disseminate information (to public, other 

agencies, other States). Safety (themselves, public).

Monitor (traffic flow, road conditions, road 

weather).

Gather, understand, and utilize road weather 

information.

Share weather information with weather 

enterprise. Manage performance metrics.

Manage performance metrics.

Event-Specific Responsibilities:

Pre-event: gather a detailed understanding of 

the upcoming weather, its impacts to the road 

system, locations and timing.

Pre-event: gather a detailed understanding 

of the upcoming weather, its impacts to the 

road system, locations and timing.

Develop a traffic management plan. Develop a maintenance plan.

Warn travelers of expected impacts. Prepare infrastructure (e.g., apply anti-icers, 

clear culverts, etc.).

During the event: continue to gather road 

condition and traffic information and continue 

to keep the public updated on road conditions, 

traffic speeds, and incidents.

During the event: continue to gather road 

weather and traffic information.

Use traffic control devices to manage travel by 

reducing speeds, altering traffic signal timing, 

offering information and alternative routes, etc.

Help to maintain mobility and safety through 

mitigation of weather-related hazards.

Post-event: maintain communication with the 

public regarding road conditions as roads are 

cleared and/or congestion is relieved.

Provide timely information about hazardous 

driving conditions and roadway or lane 

closures or blockages due to adverse weather 

conditions within 20 minutes or less from 

the time the conditions are observed.

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WEATHER ENTERPRISE

“Weather Enterprise” is a term which encompasses all weather service-providing organizations 

within the public and private sector (including news media), each catering their forecasts and 

data products to their customers’ needs. For the purpose of DOT-Weather Enterprise interaction, 

the broad field of providers is focused into two participating entities: The National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) NWS and private road weather service providers.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

The NWS is a division of NOAA within the U.S. Department of Commerce. Its nationwide 

offices include:

• One hundred and twenty-two (122) WFOs that cover set geographical areas called county 

warning areas (listed in Appendix F).

• NWS national headquarters and regional headquarters (refer to Appendix F).

• Thirteen (13) River Forecast Centers collocated with WFOs.

• Nine (9) Centers for Environmental Prediction, including the Storm Prediction Center 

and the National Hurricane Center.

The official mission of the NWS is to “provide weather, water, and climate data, forecasts and 

warnings for the protection of life and property.” Its stated vision is: “A Weather-Ready Nation,” 

in which “society is prepared for and responds to weather-dependent events.” To this end, the 

NWS has catered its forecast products to the general public and to emergency managers alike to 

mitigate impacts from daily weather to high-impact events. The NWS has worked to build and 

maintain relationships with government agencies to better understand their weather information 

needs. Table 2 lists a few of their typical operational responsibilities (both general and stormspecific).

Prior to a weather event, NWS forecasters assign a watch, warning or advisory designation to the 

event. The criteria are based on the severity of the event, as designated by numerical forecast 

values (e.g., snow amount, wind speed, etc.). However, recent efforts have sought to alter the 

thresholds for these products to expected impact, instead of numerical forecast values. For 

example, a winter storm is forecast to accumulate two inches of snow, which would place the 

event in advisory criteria. However, the precipitation is expected to occur quickly, beginning at 5 

p.m. and local road temperatures have been hovering just above freezing. Snow is expected to 

first melt on the road surface, but quickly freeze as road temperatures drop, creating a slick layer 

of ice and snow. At 5 p.m., traffic volume will be high. The combined effects from the weather, 

road temperature and traffic would create a higher impact event than would be expected from the 

forecast alone. A WFO may re-assign the event to warning level for its expected transportation 

impact. The text contained in the forecast product would provide decision support by explaining 

the impact and including “call-to-action statements.”

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Table 2. Typical National Weather Service Operational Responsibilities.

Routine National Weather Service Services National Weather Service Services in 

Support of Public Safety Officials

General Responsibilities 

Produce a suite of weather, water, and climate 

information services, including non-routine 

watches, warnings, and advisories.

Partner on outreach and education efforts, 

including customer workshops and 

awareness weeks.

Disseminate observation and forecast 

information via legacy text products, National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA) Weather Radio, and digital services, 

including websites and social media.

Facilitate sharing of National Weather 

Service (NWS) forecast and observation 

data for use in partner information services.

Conduct community outreach and education 

efforts in support of a Weather-Ready Nation.

Coordinate and provide input on selection 

of sites for Department of Transportation 

(DOT) and NWS observation systems.

Build relationships with core partners and learn 

and document their decision thresholds and 

community impacts.

Coordinate seasonal meetings.

Conduct employee training to improve impactbased decision support services and situational 

awareness.

Interact for non-routine situations that may 

be critical to public safety, such as fires, 

hazardous materials incidents, dense fog, 

and dangerous conditions that are not well 

covered by standard NWS products.

Event-Specific Responsibilities 

Provide decision support services remotely and 

on-site to community leaders and decision 

makers.

Provide Site-specific (Spot) Forecasts 

essential to public safety.

Serve as a conduit to media, ensuring 

dissemination of key messaging.

Collaborate regarding significant weather 

events where public safety is at risk, to 

include timing and impacts, and to ensure 

consistent public messaging.

Gather and disseminate past and current stormrelated information (e.g. precipitation totals, 

wind speeds).

Share storm reports for use in messaging 

and verification.

Conduct post-event after-action reviews and 

surveys as deemed necessary.

Participate in post-event after action 

reviews.

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THE PRIVATE SECTOR

The meteorological private sector includes a range of companies that provide weather forecasts, 

observation-based technologies and Decision Support Systems (DSS), and/or data services to 

various clientele. They may be independent, associated with a media group, or contract with 

other companies and agencies. The forecasters are especially trained in transportation-specific 

weather, and their products focus on weather interaction with the road surface and with traffic 

mobility. Table 3 lists a few typical operational responsibilities (both general and storm-specific) 

for private sector entities.

There are several private weather firms serving State DOTs nationwide. Almost all of the firms 

provide internal operational forecasts and decision support, but the DOT may request other 

services, such as modeling and software development, weather instrumentation, research, data 

management, personnel training, collaboration with other agencies, decision support (e.g., winter 

maintenance treatment recommendations), and producing TI weather conditions and forecasts. 

During weather events, the company will usually be asked to: conduct briefings with 

maintenance, traffic operations, emergency managers, and others; interpret and disseminate 

weather observations, interact with other divisions and agencies; answer questions from DOT 

personnel; provide weather alerts; and so on, as requested.

Each DOT has a different working arrangement with their contractor, though there are a few 

DOTs that have no contracted weather support. Forecasters may be located within a Traffic 

Management Center (TMC), elsewhere in-state or elsewhere out-of-state. Various configurations 

of these arrangements will dictate the manner of collaboration between the DOT, its contractors

and the NWS.

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Table 3. Typical Private Sector Responsibilities.

Private Sector Collaboration

General Responsibilities 

Learn the capabilities of maintenance operations. 

Produce weather and road weather forecast information and/or support. 

Provide decision-support for various decision-makers.

Accommodate other potential Department of Transportation (DOT) needs, such as modeling 

and software development, weather instrumentation and data management, personnel 

training, research, program management, collaboration with other agencies and producing TI 

weather conditions and forecasts.

Event-Specific Responsibilities

Conduct briefings with maintenance, traffic operations, emergency managers, or others.

Conduct annual event scenario response training.

Interpret and disseminate weather observations.

Interact with other divisions and agencies.

Answer questions from Department of Transportation (DOT) personnel.

Provide weather alerts.

EMERGENCY MANAGERS

Emergency management encompasses all actions to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a 

disaster or emergency. Sometimes you will hear about emergency preparedness or emergency 

response. Each State dictates when emergency management is initiated based on a set of 

thresholds (e.g., closure, NWS warning). After an analysis of the current and/or forecasted 

weather and there is an indication that thresholds will be met, the emergency management team 

should be included in the collaborated messages to the public. With this inclusion, all messages 

will be consistent and the proper information will be conveyed.

EMERGENCY RESPONDERS

Emergency responders depend on roadways to provide crucial services to individuals and 

communities. People who are in danger or are physically hurt rely on emergency responders to 

come to their rescue without being affected by the weather condition. Communication flows with 

emergency responders is needed at the start to insure they can effectively continue to operate 

without the repercussions of hazardous weather conditions. Furthermore, the very nature of 

hazardous weather conditions will likely increase the need for emergency responders making 

their inclusion even more imperative to include them when establishing collaborative 

relationships.

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ACADEMIA

It is important to remember that academia is also an important partner to State DOT weatherrelated operations. Although academia’s role of forecasting is rarely operational in nature, the 

State DOT can work with local universities or transportation institutes to conduct research or 

build tools to assist operations. A State DOT can also leverage the data management resources of 

universities to quality control and archive its road weather information systems (RWIS) data. In 

these ways, academia serves as an important segment of the weather enterprise.

Refer to Appendix F to Learn More

For a list of all weather forecast offices within the United States.

PARTNER COLLABORATION AND RELATIONSHIPS

As mentioned in the previous section, every State DOT has a different operational configuration 

with their private sector contractor, and some DOTs do not have one. The operational 

configuration of the partners will affect how collaborative communication takes place. The 

following five configuration cases were identified nationwide:

Case 1: Private Sector Meteorologist in the TMC.

Case 2: Private Sector Meteorologist outside the TMC.

Case 3: No Private Sector Meteorologist.

Case 4a: Private Sector and DOT Meteorologists in the TMC.

Case 4b: Private Sector and DOT Meteorologists outside the TMC.

For Cases 1, 2 and 3, there is no DOT-employed meteorologist on staff. In Case 4, the DOT has 

an employed meteorologist. Cases 1, 2, 4a and 4b show that the physical location of the private 

sector meteorologists may be inside or outside of the TMC. The physical location of all partners 

during events will affect communication between them.

Refer to Appendix G to Learn More

Illustrates how event-specific communication flows. Media is included as an important part of 

the weather enterprise and an important conduit for traveler information and forecasts.

The participating State DOT should be aware of the configuration of their public and private 

partners, as well as any tools that would ease communication between each. This guidance will 

not suggest specific ways of communicating among each of these five configuration cases.

Successful collaborative partnerships arise from building relationships between all participants 

within the State DOT and weather enterprise. Relationships should be fostered through 

successive and varied joint activities throughout the year. It is important that many modes of 

interaction become part of standard operating procedures. Interaction methodologies should be 

clearly outlined and practiced regularly. While partner interaction may become a requirement in 

operational policy, authentic trust, open dialogue and true collaboration are built over time and 

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by working toward a common goal. Each partner must be willing not only to give information, 

but also to listen and to consider the viewpoint from the other agency. Ultimately, the purpose of 

the collaboration is to provide the traveling public with consistent road weather impact 

information so they can make better decisions, and this goal must be kept central to the effort.

In many ways, this effort is about changing operational culture at the State DOT, in the private 

sector, and at the NWS. Naturally, there will be disagreements with weather forecasts, specific 

timing, etc., but there will also be commonalities. It is imperative to the collaborative effort to 

look past potential disagreements and identify the commonalities in each entity’s tools, 

resources, and expertise. Open communication will aid in developing road impact agreements.

Throughout the Pathfinder project, meteorologists on both sides needed to be reminded each 

time that the ultimate goal of the collaboration goes beyond having the “best” weather 

forecast, to having a shared impact message so the public can take appropriate action. At the 

same time, State DOT management must realize that putting forth the effort to collaborate pays 

off on the transportation system and the efficiency of their operations.

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Getting Started Quick Reference Guide:

Setting Initial Collaboration Guidelines and Procedures

Identify partners

• Determine the key points of contact across all of the key agencies, organizations and 

companies.

Determine qualifying collaboration events

• Impactful precipitation events effecting travel such as high winds, etc. 

Select communication mediums and set procedures

• NWSChat

o Decide if the chat room is private or public.

o Initiate the conversation.

o Discuss 3 main items until general agreement is reached:

 1) Impact potential 2) Location of potential impact 3)Timing of potential impact.

• Conference calls- as necessary scheduled through chat or email.

Establish point person at each participating entity

• Announce regular shift hours.

• Obtain name and contact information for after hours.

• Define lines of communication, i.e., determine who will be communicating with whom, 

especially doing weather events.

Synchronize forecast schedules

• As much as possible, synchronize.

o Releases of information to the public. 

o Schedules for Pathfinder collaboration chats and conference calls.

Establish definitions and create shared resources

• Photo repository, PowerPoint templates, shared impact messages, dynamic message 

sign message templates.

Create shared Impact message for the public

• Recognize contributions of each entity (retweet, utilize other entity’s graphic on your 

social media post, etc.). 

• Set goals for distribution of messages based on the event type: For example, for an ice 

event ~ Release and distribute impact messages at least 24 hours before the event.

Conduct post event review, and archiving data, and document operating procedures.

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CHAPTER 7. PATHFINDER GUIDANCE

STEP 1: IDENTIFYING PARTNERS

The first step across seasonal, event-centric and on-going coordination is to identify the key 

partners. Who will be the prime points of contact within the State Department of Transportation 

(DOT) (from both traffic and maintenance management)? Does the State have private sector

weather support? Is there a separate Traveler Information (TI) contractor? For each, the points of 

contact should be identified. Will the State’s emergency manager be involved? Which National 

Weather Service (NWS) forecast office of offices will be involved? Will one Weather Forecast

Office (WFO) serve as the primary point of contact? In addition to identifying the points of 

contact, determine the best means of communication (e.g., phone, email). 

STEP 2: DETERMINING QUALIFYING COLLABORATIONS EVENTS

Once the first step has been completed, it is important to establish collaboration efforts around

weather events that will affect travel. Discussions should take place prior to every weather 

season, and afterward for post-season review. However, a season is not limited to calendar

seasons, and the partnership may have established other “hazard seasons” that are particular to

the State, e.g., hurricane season, spring flooding season, wildfire season, etc. Many State DOTs

hold large pre-winter meetings, but not all seasons need the same scale of meetings; they should

be scaled to the weather’s impact and response.

STEP 3: SELECT COMMUNICATION MEDIUMS AND SET PROCEDURES

In the pre-season meetings, each entity should meet to establish or review lines of 

communication (i.e., who communicates with whom), rules of interaction, means of

communication (i.e., teleconferences, NWSChat, and websites) responsibilities and operating 

procedures, and to re-introduce the individual players. Ensure all contact information is accurate 

and up to date. Set up protocols for when the weather enterprise (NWS and private sector) 

contacts the DOT (usually pre-event and a storm evolves) and vice versa (to maintain 

communication, share observations, ask questions, etc.). Site visits are also recommended. All 

partners should be aware of the potential impacts that the transportation system could face that 

season and the manner in which the State DOT will work to mitigate those impacts. Share what 

each agency is doing to prepare, such as making sure critical instrumentation and

communications are working and material supplies are in place, and educating forecasters on

recent research and techniques.

Prior to and during weather events, each agency has its own list of responsibilities and tasks it 

undertakes to accomplish its goals. As interactions become a normative part of operating 

procedures, many of the responsibilities of each agency become shared with the other. During 

weather events most interactions between partners occur via phone; however, other means of 

communication can be used, including email and NWSChat. NWSChat can be used to share 

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quick informational bytes and to plan conference calls between the operational partners. Another 

advantage to NWSChat is that a log of chatroom activity is automatically archived for easy 

review. 

Furthermore, it may be necessary to conduct a mid-season assessment to review whether the 

initially designed lines of communication, rules of interaction, responsibilities, and operating 

procedures are meeting the needs of each entity.

Pathfinder Team Best Practice

• Seasonal Coordination Meetings are most effective if held in person.

• Post-season meetings are just as important as pre-season meetings.

• Remember to include seasonal partners in meetings.

Figure 10. Photo. A Snow Plow and Other Vehicles Driving in the Snow.

(Source: Wyoming Department of Transportation)

STEP 4: ESTABLISH POINT PERSON AT EACH PARTICIPATING ENTITY

While prime points of contact are identified in Step 1, and lines and means of communication are 

identified in Step 3, it is important to delve further to obtain a comprehensive plan for keeping 

track of points of contact from all participating entities. Each entity should keep track of points 

of contacts from other participating entities along with their best point method of contact (e.g., 

email, mobile phone, work phone). Additionally, the list should have points of contact based on 

the hours of operation as well as after operating hours. There may be a contact who is working 

during normal operating hours, but not after operating hours. Therefore, there is a need to 

establish a schedule that ensures that someone can be available at all times. Contact information 

could include availability by hours in a day, as well as which days each contact is available. 

Furthermore, there should always be a backup point of contact in each time slot in case the main 

contact is indisposed.

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STEP 5: SYNCHRONIZE FORECAST SCHEDULES

Prior to the event, weather entities prepare forecasts and brief each other and the DOT. Their 

focus is the general character of the storm and its anticipated impacts to the roadway and to 

motorists. The Department of Transportation (DOT) uses this information to prepare a game plan 

for mitigating the impacts of the storm through maintenance operations and traffic management. 

With mitigation plans in mind, the collective group discusses how the event will impact the 

traveling public and works together to create a shared public message containing details on the 

upcoming weather – type, location and timing – how that weather will affect traveling on the 

roads, and recommended actions the public should take to stay safe. An interaction schedule is 

also set for the rest of the event.

A shared message between the DOT and NWS is very important for instilling confidence in the 

public, helping them to make informed decisions and improving safety and mobility during the 

event.

During the event, collaboration continues throughout the event while it is in progress. Regular 

cross-agency briefings are used to share observations, mitigation plans and road closure updates, 

as well as reviewing forecasts for the remainder of the event. During multi-day events, the 

interaction process becomes repetitive, including forecast updates, recurring briefings, 

observation sharing and public information updates. Weather forecast messages that are 

communicated to the public from the NWS and DOT are updated around the same time as each 

other to maintain consistency between both agencies. Most of the during-storm interactions 

occur via phone, but NWSChat is used to highlight changes to the message or the forecast and to 

quickly share observations. Local media may then access these changes via social media outlets 

and share the updated impact messages through re-posting, updating press releases, etc.

National Weather Service’s Weather-Ready Nation

National Weather Services’ Weather-Ready Nation is about building community resilience in 

the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water events. Record-breaking 

snowfall, cold temperatures, extended drought, high heat, severe flooding, violent tornadoes, 

and massive hurricanes have all combined to reach the greatest number of multi-billion dollar 

weather disasters in the nation’s history. The devastating impacts of extreme events can be 

reduced through improved readiness, which is why the Weather-Ready Nation initiative is so 

important. Through operational initiatives, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration’s National Weather Service is transforming its operations to help America 

respond. In the end, emergency managers, first responders, government officials, businesses 

and the public will be empowered to make fast, smart decisions to save lives and livelihoods.

Building a Weather-Ready Nation requires the action of a vast nationwide network of partners 

including other government agencies and emergency managers, researchers, the media, 

insurance industry, non-profits, the private sector, the Weather Enterprise and more.

(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014).

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Getting Started Quick Reference Guide:

Pre- and During Event Collaboration Guidelines and Procedures

Pre-Event Activities

Each entity should prepare their forecasts in order to be prepared to brief the others. 

Focus should be on

• General character of the storm.

• Anticipated impacts to the roadway and motorists.

During pre-event briefings, work together to discuss/develop

• Mitigation plan(s) for maintenance operations and traffic management.

o Shared public messages, containing details on storm type, potential impacts and 

impacted locations/infrastructures, and timing.

• Recommended actions the public should take to stay safe.

• Interaction schedule for the course of the event.

During-Event Activities

Hold regular cross-agency briefings to

• Share observations.

• Provide updates to any mitigation plans/road closures.

• Review forecasts.

• Discuss potential updates to shared impact messages for both content and timing.

• Review interaction schedule for the remainder of the event.

Remember, a consistent, shared message from all sources is important for instilling public 

confidence and influencing informed decisions to improve safety and mobility.

STEP 6: ESTABLISH DEFINITIONS AND CREATE SHARED RESOURCES

Collaborative relationships take time and cooperation to develop. These relationships are 

maintained through regular meetings, site visits, collaboration on projects and research. 

Oftentimes, it is possible to become involved with professional organizations across disciplines. 

For example, DOT meteorologists and other operations managers could be involved with the 

local American Meteorological Society chapter, if one exists. Also, shared resources and 

standard terminology should be established to foster better communication between entities, 

which will further increase collaboration effectiveness.

There should be a constant effort to improve the message and the collaboration, and as the 

program matures, other personnel and partners can be included to increase the effectiveness of 

information dissemination. Relationships with media can improve using yearly media workshops 

and through involving DOT PIO’s in the collaborative effort. Also, DOT field crews and public 

weather spotters may be alerted to the efforts and encouraged to increase their observations from 

the field. Further, to ensure the forecast message remains a high-quality and effective product, 

the partnering meteorological entities will review their forecasts for clarity and accuracy on a 

regular basis.

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Pathfinder Team Performance Management Best Practice

Collaboration should occur during significant events. Below are examples of suggested 

archiving best practices from the Pathfinder team.

• Determine what weather forecasting offices will document such as

o Important NWSChat/email exchanges.

o Conference calls.

o Social media posts/tweets/videos/web graphics/weather stories.

• Determine what the State Department of Transportation/contracted meteorologist 

will document such as

o Alerts, traveler advisories, 511-messages.

o Use of dynamic message signs and variable speed limits.

• Determine what the entire group will document such as

o Best practices and lessons learned.

o Additional resource costs.

o Benefits to State, public, private sector, and the National Weather Service.

• Document operating procedures to ensure continuity

o Develop generic messages for future events.

o Identify training needs and follow through with training as needed.

o Capture all policy and procedural changes that occur due to Pathfinder in your 

agency.

• Conduct formal post-event meetings.

• Assess the impacts of Pathfinder implementation via agency performance 

management systems (e.g., changes in traffic patterns).

• NWSChat is automatically archived.

Pathfinder Team Best Practice

To reach a consensus on a shared impact message, focus less on the specifics of the forecast 

and instead strive to reach agreement on:

• Impact Potential.

• Location of Potential Impact.

• Timing of Potential Impact.

STEP 7: CREATE SHARED IMPACT MESSAGE FOR THE PUBLIC 

It is important to make sure there is communication between entities when disseminating 

information to the public. To reduce public confusion, entities should recognize each other’s 

impact messages, which will promote awareness and keep information constant. There are 

several tools and resources at the disposal of State DOTs and the weather enterprise that can 

enable expanded reaches of collaborative, shared transportation focused weather messages. On 

the following page is a summary of the outreach tools used by various Pathfinder team entities to 

interface with the public on shared road weather impact messages.

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National Weather Service:

• Text and Grid Based Forecasts.

• Web Graphics.

• Partner Briefings.

• Social Media.

• NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards.

Department of Transportation:

• Social Media.

• Electronic Message Signs.

• Highway Advisory Radios.

• Digital Subscription Alerts.

• Public Affairs.

• Traveler Information (website/phone/mobile application).

• Commercial Vehicle Communications.

STEP 8: CONDUCT POST EVENT REVIEW AND DATA ARCHIVING 

Post Event and Post Season Meetings

After the event, an after action review may be warranted. This is done collaboratively and 

in-person, if possible. Some form of analysis or data archiving is recommended for each event, 

regardless of the severity, though the extent to which an event is analyzed can be scaled to the 

severity. A storm catalog can help with automatically archiving a standard set of data from each 

event. As with after action reviews, post-event analyses should include a detailed review of the 

collaboration undertaken throughout the event. 

Post-season meetings are just as essential as pre-season meetings. All partners come to the table 

and the weather impacts experienced over the season are reviewed. Here, it is also important to 

review the collaboration effort: the challenges and successes experienced by each partner, the 

tasks and goals that need to be outlined for the next season, and the ability of the agency to agree 

upon and disseminate a shared public message. At this time, the team should document operating

procedures, especially to help ensure continuity when staff turnover occurs. 

Pathfinder Team Best Practice

• Repost, retweet, and recognize each other’s emblems on social media posts.

• Reach out to the media.

• Include the Department of Transportation’s Public Information Officer and use press 

releases.

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Pathfinder effectiveness should also be documented within the context of agency performance 

management systems. For example, efforts to measure mobility and changes in traffic conditions 

should be assessed during Pathfinder execution as a means of quantifying the effectiveness of the 

effort. The team may want to develop generic messages to help consistency and to ease 

execution during future weather (Wx) events.

Educational Opportunities

The Pathfinder Team has recognized the value in understanding their counterparts’ job functions 

and constraints, and encourages sharing industry information and education opportunities with 

one another. It may be necessary to develop training materials to education and inform new team 

members. Such training materials should be specific to the Pathfinder team and their operational 

model. It is also important to educate local media on the collaborative efforts being made 

amongst DOT and weather entities.

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CHAPTER 8. NEXT STEPS

The Pathfinder project has realized improved communication throughout various seasons and 

helped develop a better understanding of the needs and goals of State Departments of 

Transportation and the weather enterprise. It has helped build and maintain a solid foundation 

between agencies and increased interagency training. Based on the experiences of the Pathfinder 

project, continued improvement now looks toward the next steps, which may include the 

following:

• Maintaining year-long collaboration.

• Expanding collaborative efforts and messaging during the warm season.

• Sharing more information (traffic data, connected vehicle data, etc.).

• Improving message timing (dynamic message signs and others).

• Holding formal after-event reviews.

• Gaining a better understanding of how various travelers receive and use weather 

information (i.e., truckers vs. general public).

• Expanding communication channels to adjacent States.

To learn more about the Pathfinder project and other efforts regarding road weather 

management, please visit the Road Weather Management Program’s homepage at 

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/.

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APPENDIX A. THE PATHFINDER PROJECT – BACKGROUND

The Surface Transportation Weather Collaboration Pathfinder Project, which has come to be 

known familiarly as the “Pathfinder Project,” was designed to assess the Department of 

Transportation (DOT)-to-weather enterprise collaborative model in States that differ 

operationally (Refer to the five operational cases in Appendix G). The administration of the 

project was jointly led by the National Weather Service (NWS) and DOT leadership, managing 

the project in a collaborative manner, with significant input from private sector participants.

The Project tested the collaborative model in four adjacent States (California, Nevada, Utah and 

Wyoming) each with a different NWS-DOT-private operational configuration (detailed below) to 

explore the feasibility of this cross-entity collaboration framework in different DOT settings. 

Lessons learned over the 2014-2015 winter season were used to create this guidance document 

for other DOTs to utilize.

PROJECT APPROACH

Objectives

By testing the collaborative model in States with various operational configurations (Refer to

five cases in Appendix G), the ultimate objective of the project was to see if the Utah model is 

transferable to other partner agencies throughout the country. The lessons learned in these project 

States were used to provide guidance for developing collaborative relationships between DOT 

Traffic Management Centers (TMCs), NWS Weather Forecasting Offices (WFOs) and private 

sector partners of any operational configuration.

The project also sought to examine:

• The extent to which collaborating improves operations at each agency.

• The extent to which culture change is possible in the NWS, DOTs and private sector.

• How the partners can create an environment in which the private sector views 

collaborating with the NWS as good for business.

Assumptions and Constraints

A major assumption of the project is that there is a causal link between traffic response and the 

impact-related message released by the DOT and NWS. Making that link, however, involves a 

number of individual assumptions, including:

• The majority of travelers seeking information about the event received the DOT/NWS 

message.

• The message was widely distributed because the media relayed the same message 

released by the DOT/NWS.

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• The message was much more acceptable or believable by the public because there was 

agreement from multiple sources.

• Those who altered travel plans did so in response to the message.

These assumptions can be tested through social and behavioral studies. Social science indicates 

that message consistency is a critical aspect for getting the public to respond to warnings

(Sorensen, 2000). Years of experience in Utah has also showed that drivers modified their 

behavior when consistent, clear messages regarding weather impacts were relayed to them prior 

to events. One such study was conducted in the Salt Lake City metro area during January 2013, 

and assessed drivers’ sources of weather and road information, their decisions to modify travel or 

commute plans, and their perceptions of storm impacts and severity. A couple of key findings 

were (1) the public uses multiple sources to gather information about an upcoming event, but 

most frequently accesses local media; (2) that the forecast messages relayed to the public do 

cause motorists to change their travel plans; and (3) most frequently travelers decided to change 

their travel schedule or route, with a smaller, but not insignificant portion of respondents 

deciding not to travel at all. Social studies should continue to be done to ensure the public is 

receiving the information it needs to make important decisions about travel.

During introductory and instructional meetings with management from State DOTs, NWS WFOs 

and private sector consultants from the four project States, it was requested that each agency put 

forth equal participatory effort into collaborating and documenting the results. There were 

separate meetings with private sector partners involved in the effort to try to understand and 

address concerns they may have with sharing their own proprietary knowledge and expertise 

with the NWS. There is much to be learned from the private sector on how to best accomplish 

the goals of the collaborative effort. They were encouraged, during the project, to note ways in 

which collaboration impacted their business, whether positively or negatively. 

EVALUATION LOCATIONS – SELECTED STATES

The four States identified for testing in this project were California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming, 

which also happen to be active members of the I-80 Corridor Coalition. They were chosen 

because:

• The States’ DOTs represent four operational configuration cases (Caltrans – Case 3, 

Nevada DOT – Case 2, Utah DOT – Case 4a, Wyoming DOT – Case 1).

• I-80 is a major commercial trucking corridor.

• There are only one or two WFOs per State along the corridor, simplifying the lines of 

communication during the testing phase.

• The States offer a mix of metropolitan and rural roadways.

• They offer a mix of mountain summits and open plains, which experience everything 

from snow and wind to dust and wildfire.

• Most major storms that come across the Intermountain West will impact all four States, 

offering a clear comparison of the impacts felt in each State and how the States

collaborate across borders.

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• There are already established relationships and communication protocols between the 

States involved in the I-80 Corridor Coalition, simplifying project coordination and 

initiation.

Specifically, the WFOs involved in the project were: Sacramento, Reno, Elko, Salt Lake City, 

Riverton and Cheyenne. Refer to Figure 11 for the locations and coverage of these WFOs.

Figure 11. Photo. Weather Forecasting Offices County Warning Areas in the Project 

Region. The Location of I-80 is Denoted by the Bold, Red Line.

(Source: Adapted from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website)

DATA COLLECTION

After each event, the partners were asked to document their collaborative efforts individually and 

their results and perceptions of the collaboration. A questionnaire was sent out to each State after 

the events. The motivations of the questionnaire were clearly stated for the personnel to see each 

time it was filled out; and they are

• To help you identify successful collaboration habits.

• To help you identify challenges, opportunities for improvement and goals for the next 

weather event.

• To prepare you for after-action review discussions with your partners.

• To help you decide what data are pertinent for archiving.

• With your answers from all other weather events this year, to build a reference library for 

easy post-season review.

• To assist in the effort to develop guidelines for other State DOTs, WFOs and private 

firms.

Each DOT and WFO was asked to archive as much pertinent data as possible during the course 

of events for post-event and post-season review. Data collected includes:

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• Traveler Information. Variable Message Signs (VMS) and 511-messages, social media, 

local media stories.

• Road Weather Info. Road Weather Information System (RWIS) data, camera images, 

maintenance logs.

• Collaboration. Phone calls and emails, NWSChat logs, in-person meetings.

• Public Response. Traffic data, news stories, public feedback.

The partners could refer to checklists (shown in Appendix H) to ensure all pertinent data was 

collected, either during each event, or at the end of the season.

After-action reviews (AARs) were held at the partners’ discretion. AARs serve as a format to 

bring all partners to the table after an event to review the details of the event, the role each 

partner played, what worked well, what needed improvement, and what actions need to be taken 

to see improvement. AARs can also be held at the end of a season for reviewing the entire 

season.

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APPENDIX B. MAKING THE CASE FOR AN INVESTMENT DECISION

OPERATIONAL POLICIES AND CONSTRAINTS

Operational policies for road weather management activities vary from State to State, both in 

terms of their detail and their formality. Many State transportation agencies have documented 

policies and procedures that describe strategies for conducting winter and non-winter 

maintenance activities under various adverse weather conditions. Similar guidelines for the 

management of traffic operations under adverse weather conditions appear to be less widespread 

but are gaining ground because of the efforts of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

Weather- Responsive Traffic Management initiative, among other efforts. In many instances, the 

documented policies and procedures appear to be derived from personnel experience and 

informal rules of practice. It also appears that documented operational policies are supplemented 

with undocumented practices.

According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 

(AASHTO), State transportation agencies are increasingly adopting the use of performancebased management approaches. All State Departments of Transportation track asset condition 

and safety data. The majority of States provide comprehensive performance data to decision 

makers to increase accountability and achieve the best possible transportation system 

performance under current levels of investment. The definition of the performance measures and 

the formality of reporting again vary from State to State, but weather-related metrics, particularly 

relating to snow removal during winter storms, are not uncommon. Overall, no operational 

policies related to road weather management are common across the United States.

Figure 12. Photo. Economic Impact of Road Weather Events.

(Source: American Highways Users Alliance performed by IHS Global Insight)

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Table 4. Weather-Related Crash Statistics.

Road 

Weather Weather-Related Crash Statistics

Conditions Annual Averages Average Annual Percentages

Wet 907,831 crashes 16% of vehicle crashes 73% of weather-related crashes

Pavement 352,221 persons injured 15% of crash injuries 80% of weather-related injuries

4,488 persons killed 13% of crash fatalities 77% of weather-related fatalities

Rain 573,784 crashes 10% of vehicle crashes 46% of weather-related crashes

228,196 persons injured 10% of crash injuries 52% of weather-related injuries

2,732 persons killed 8% of crash fatalities 47% of weather-related fatalities

Snow / 210,341 crashes 4% of vehicle crashes 17% of weather-related crashes

Sleet 55,942 persons injured 3% of crash injuries 13% of weather-related injuries

739 persons killed 2% of crash fatalities 13% of weather-related fatalities

Icy 151,944 crashes 3% of vehicle crashes 13% of weather-related crashes

Pavement 38,770 persons injured 2% of crash injuries 9% of weather-related injuries

559 persons killed 2% of crash fatalities 10% of weather-related fatalities

Snowy / 174,446 crashes 4% of vehicle crashes 14% of weather-related crashes

Slushy 41,597 persons injured 2% of crash injuries 10% of weather-related injuries

Pavement 538 persons killed 2% of crash fatalities 10% of weather-related fatalities

Fog 28,533 crashes 1% of vehicle crashes 3% of weather-related crashes

10,448 persons injured 1% of crash injuries 3% of weather-related injuries

495 persons killed 2% of crash fatalities 9% of weather-related fatalities

(Source: Ten-year averages from 2004 to 2013 analyzed by Booz Allen Hamilton, based on 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data)

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APPENDIX C. EXAMPLES OF SHARED IMPACT MESSAGES

The following example is from Wyoming, using the December 24-25 winter event.

NWSCHAT LOG FOR DECEMBER 23, 2014

Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) Meteorologist: It’s looking more and more 

like there will be significant travel concerns across much of the state on Thursday. We should 

think about having a conference call some time tomorrow (Wed) to discuss greatest impact areas 

on I-80 for Pathfinder purposes. It looks like WYDOT will have plenty of space on Dynamic 

Message Signs (DMS) tomorrow for some weather-text.

National Weather Service (NWS) Riverton, Wyoming (RIW)-office (name protected): Sounds 

good on this end. Looks very interesting!

NWS-Cheyenne, Wyoming (CYS)-office (name protected): Hi WYDOT, will pass on to rest of 

crew for tomorrow.

WYDOT Meteorologist: Okay, thank you. I’ll probably be in contact with everyone to 

coordinate more formal conversation tomorrow.

NWS-Salt Lake City, Utah (SLC)-office (name protected): Sounds good here at SLC.

Figure 13. Photo. National Weather Service Image Shared via Facebook, 12/23/14.

(Source: National Weather Service Cheyenne Wyoming Facebook Page)

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Figure 14. Photo. National Weather Service Image Shared via Twitter, 12/23/14.

(Source: National Weather Service Cheyenne Twitter Account)

NWSCHAT LOG FOR DECEMBER 24, 2014

WYDOT Meteorologist: Okay, I’m adding a little more stress to the blowing snow and low 

visibility potential for road conditions. TMC currently has DMS signs updated for all of I-80, but 

also in sections where there are watches/warnings for I-25 and I-90. Those signs will stay up 

until road conditions start deteriorating. Let’s hope people pay attention and get all their 

traveling in before tomorrow.

NWS-RIW-office (name protected): Absolutely! It sounds like we’re all on the same page.

NWS-SLC-office (name protected): WYDOT, for Uinta Co., we are expecting the most 

significant impacts to occur in the 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. window Thursday evening/night, with and 

behind the backdoor front. Impacts will likely begin to materialize tomorrow morning with the 

initial frontal passage, but not to the same extent. Have issued a YouTube briefing discussing 

travel impacts and storm total snow graphics to go alone with the Winter Storm Warning in 

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place. Please let us know if you would like us to add additional messaging regarding I-80. 

Thanks!

Figure 15. Photo. Wyoming Department of Transportation Traffic Management Center 

Dynamic Message Sign Updated 12/24/25. 

(Source: Wyoming Department of Transportation)

Figure 16. Photo. National Weather Service Graphic (1) for Expected Christmas Event.

(Source: National Weather Service)

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Figure 17. Photo. National Weather Service Graphic (2) for Expected Christmas Event.

(Source: National Weather Service)

Figure 18. Chart. National Weather Service Graphic (3) for Expected Christmas Event.

(Source: National Weather Service)

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Figure 19. Photo. National Weather Service Graphic (4) for Expected Christmas Winter 

Event.

(Source: National Weather Service)

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APPENDIX D. SPECIFIC COLLABORATION EXAMPLES OF PATHFINDER TEAMS

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION WEATHER COLLABORATION: THE PATHFINDER 

PROJECT IN UTAH CASE STUDY

Weather collaboration for surface transportation in Utah occurs primarily between four entities, 

the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), the private sector WeatherNet, LLC, and 

Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) Salt Lake City, UT (SLC) and Grand Junction, CO (GJT). 

These parties are collectively referred to as the Utah Weather Partners. For a road weather 

impact study, the University of Utah was also brought into the Utah Weather Partners fold. Out 

of this effort, collaboration occurs across a broad spectrum of activities and events, with the goal 

of maximizing societal benefits with respect to safe and efficient vehicular travel. Winter storms, 

high wind, dense fog, severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, and wildfires are among events for 

which collaboration occur. While discussion of the meteorology or hydrology of the event 

sometimes occurs, the focus is on impacts and messaging, in-line with the emphasis of the 

partnership that delivery of impacts-based information and consistent messaging should result in 

informed decisions and improved driver responses. Collaborated information is then distributed 

by the Utah Weather Partners and media via multiple mediums.

To illustrate the efforts in Utah, collaboration for a winter storm event in January 2013 is 

highlighted below. The event featured a band of heavy snow which moved into the Salt Lake 

City metropolitan area around 2200 UTC (3:00 PM MST) on 10 January 2013. With cold road 

surface temperatures, rapidly cooling air temperatures, and high anticipated snowfall rates, it was 

expected that snow would rapidly accumulate on area roadways during the evening commute. 

Confidence was high that this event would have a significant negative impact on driving 

conditions. Thus, several days before its arrival, collaboration and messaging began in an effort 

to provide notification of possible impacts. By late evening, most of the Salt Lake Valley had 

received between 4 and 8 inches of snow, with the majority of the accumulation during the 

evening commute.

Collaboration in NWSChat, an instant messaging program used by the National Weather Service

(NWS) and its partners, began three days prior to the storm. At this point, dense fog was also 

being discussed. By the following day, 8 January 2013, collaboration was occurring in 

NWSChat, including setting a time for a midday coordination call. During the call, event timing, 

impacts, including anticipated road conditions and routes to be effected, and precautionary 

messages were coordinated. Later in the day, a link to a YouTube event briefing was produced. 

Similar coordination continued into the day of the event, when collaboration in NWSChat and 

conference calls shifted to specific timing of the snow impacting the commute. A chat message 

issued the morning of the storm stated “NWS, UDOT has decided to post VMS signs reading 

"Winter Storm xxxx Time" These signs are currently indicating road impacts in Ogden at 3 p.m., 

SLC at 4 p.m., Provo/Utah County at 5 p.m. We are expecting the evening commute to be 

impacted significantly by this storm.” This information was reflected in UDOT variable message 

signs (VMS), with information also shared via UDOT Road Weather Alert graphics, 511 service, 

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and social media. At the same time, this information was distributed via WFO SLC legacy text 

products, Weather Story graphics (example in Figure 19), and social media.

This event occurred during a road weather impact study, so information on motorist behavior 

throughout the Salt Lake Valley was available. A targeted survey, developed collaboratively by 

the Utah Weather Partners and University of Utah, and administered by PEGUS Research, 

gathered information from 400 respondents. The responses for each event were used to:

1. Assess the weather information that drivers possessed prior to and during a storm.

2. Determine sources of weather and road information.

3. Explore uses, specifically modification of travel and/or commute plans, based on event 

information.

4. Examine perceptions of storm impacts and severity, including driver satisfaction with 

information provided.

Of note, the survey revealed that 62% of survey respondents noted they changed their schedule, 

26% changed their route, and 13% decided not to travel. Comparison of the self-reported actions 

from interviewees with data obtained by UDOT from the Performance Measurement System 

(PeMS) shows the verbal reports are fairly well supported. Figure 20 indicates the afternoon 

peak commute time shifted from a typical peak at 5 p.m. (red) to an actual peak at 3 p.m. (blue), 

with traffic volume at the typical peak commute period reduced by 43%.

Figure 20. Photo. Utah Weather Story Example.

(Source: National Weather Service)

Figure 20 shows an example of a weather story graphic issued by Weather Forecast Office 

(WFO) Salt Lake City, UT (SLC) depicting the timing of the weather system into the area, 

anticipated snowfall rates, impacts, and UDOT web cameras. Figure 21 shows traffic data 

collected by the Performance Management System (PeMS), specifically aggregate vehicle miles 

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traveled (VMT) by hour in the study area on 10 January 2013 during a snow event (blue line) 

and on a control day on 17 January 2013 (red line). The vertical shading indicates the time of the 

peak commute during the snow event (blue) and on the control day (red). 

Figure 21. Graph. Aggregate Vehicle Miles Traveled versus Time of Day.

(Source: Utah Department of Transportation)

WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PATHFINDER SUMMARY

The introduction of Pathfinder was well-received and a natural “next step” for the Wyoming 

DOT (WYDOT). The project helped improve methods of communication and relationships with 

weather partners while increasing the quality of information shared with the traveling public. 

There is little doubt that consistent weather impact messaging has helped both the weather 

service providers and the DOT get the message out to the traveling public about important 

weather events.

Starting From Scratch

Prior to Pathfinder, WYDOT’s Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) were used primarily for 

displaying current road conditions (eg: Slick Roads, Wet Roads, Reduced Visibility, etc.). There 

was limited communication and understanding of weather messaging between WYDOT and 

local National Weather Service Forecast Offices. WYDOT’s two private weather providers each 

played individual roles in providing weather support. To implement Pathfinder, several meetings 

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were set up prior to the winter season. All parties involved discussed a strategy for seamless 

communication, establishing message consistency (to the public and on social media) and best 

practices for sharing that message with the traveling public. To keep the project from becoming 

too overwhelming, the focus was narrowed down to just the I-80 corridor through the State. This 

main interstate was equipped heavily with RWIS, DMS and VSL signs – plenty of technology to 

provide information to the travelers.

The Pathfinder Project

One of the first steps was to initiate communication and start a discussion between WYDOT and 

the weather enterprise as early as possible prior to a significant weather event. Discussions took 

place frequently ahead of incoming weather events, especially in regards to how significantly 

travel will be impacted. There were three main discussion points:

1. Highlight the most significant impacts.

2. Location.

3. Timing (expected beginning and end-times).

An impact-message (based on high confidence in the latest weather forecast) was carefully 

crafted and agreed upon by all parties, then disseminated to the public through WYDOT’s 

various messaging systems. Message delivery was primarily through DMS, Highway Advisory 

Radio’s and Email and Text Message Alert Systems. Small refinements were continuously made 

during the first winter season of practice, including improving the timing of message-delivery 

and creating specific forms to make message-delivery easier for TMC operators.

The Success of Pathfinder

The implementation of Pathfinder created a formal and systematic pathway for all weather 

partners to communicate and collaborate on upcoming weather that will impact travel. The spirit 

of cooperation has been outstanding between private partners, the National Weather Service and 

WYDOT. There is a common goal – to provide the public with important decision-making 

information so that they can make informed travel decisions. It only makes sense to work 

together.

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APPENDIX E. FEDERAL RELATED INITIATIVES

Expanding the collaborative model nationwide is supported by related initiatives at the Federal 

Highway Administration (FHWA) (Road Weather Capability Maturity Framework) and the 

National Weather Service (NWS) (Weather-Ready Nation). 

These initiatives are described below.

ROAD WEATHER CAPABILITY MATURITY FRAMEWORK

The establishment of the collaborative relationship is optimized when there is a dedicated 

weather position within the State Department of Transportation (DOT), when joint meetings are 

routinely conducted prior to hazardous weather events, and when NWS, private sector and 

academic resources are integrated into State DOT operational procedures. These are many of the 

traits of a mature Road Weather Managmenet Progam (RWMP). The Road Weather Capability 

Maturity Framework (RWCMF) was established by the FHWA RWMP to outline the traits of 

weather programs at various levels of maturity, and guide programs in growing in maturity. 

Table 5 provides details of the more mature road weather programs (termed Level 3 and Level 

4).

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Table 5. Level 3 and Level 4 – Most Mature – Road Weather Operations Program Components.

Dimension Description Level 3 Level 4 (Highest)

General Definition (consistent 

with American Association of 

State Highway and 

Transportation Officials

Capability Maturity Model):

Standardized strategy applications 

implemented in priority contexts and 

managed for performance; Technical and 

business processes developed, documented, 

and integrated into the Department of 

Transportation (DOT); Partnerships aligned.

Full, sustainable core DOT 

program priority, established on 

the basis of continuous 

improvement with top level 

management status and formal 

partnerships.

Agencies at this level for road weather 

management are likely to be or have:

Agencies at this level for road 

weather management are likely 

to be or have:

Business 

Process

Capabilities for formal scoping, 

planning, programming, and 

budgeting of the program.

• Funding for road weather management is 

part of regional planning process.

• Dedicated funds with flexibility are 

available as part of a multi-year program.

• Resource sharing processes and procedures 

in place to maximize response capabilities 

in accordance to the scale of the event

between jurisdictions of an agency. Interagency collaboration is improving but 

challenges continue to exist.

• Policies allow for a full range of 

appropriate advisory, control and treatment 

strategies. Primarily driven by and reliant 

on operator and field personnel feedback.

• Funding is tied to a multi-year 

strategic roadmap for road 

weather.

• Strategic plan includes 

consideration on future needs 

incorporating medium-term and 

long-term changes to climate, 

technology and reinvestment in 

systems.

• Plan that includes recovery and 

resiliency of systems to extreme 

weather.

• Common process and 

procedures allow greater 

integration into other aspects of 

the agency like construction, 

transit operations.

• Established and understood 

guidelines, overrides and 

thresholds for automated 

activation of advisory, control 

and treatment actions.

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COLLABORATION ACROSS THE ROAD WEATHER ENTERPRISE: THE PATHFINDER PROJECT

Table 5. Level 3 and Level 4 – Most Mature – Road Weather Operations Program Components (continued).

Dimension Description Level 3 Level 4 (Highest)

General Definition 

(consistent with 

American Association of 

State Highway and 

Transportation Officials

Capability Maturity 

Model):

Standardized strategy applications 

implemented in priority contexts and 

managed for performance; Technical and 

business processes developed, documented, 

and integrated into DOT; Partnerships 

aligned.

Full, sustainable core DOT program 

priority, established on the basis of 

continuous improvement with top 

level management status and formal 

partnerships.

Agencies at this level for road weather 

management are likely to be or have:

Agencies at this level for road 

weather management are likely to 

be or have:

Systems and 

Technology

Capabilities to use systems 

engineering, systems 

architecture standards, 

level of interoperability, 

and standardization.

• Systems and technologies integrated fully 

into the regional ITS infrastructure.

• All deployments follow a robust systems 

engineering process driven by clear user 

needs.

• Generally reliable systems with remote 

health monitoring and limited quality 

control algorithms.

• Design specifications, siting criteria allow 

for consistency in deployment of systems.

• High-level of integration with internal and 

external weather sources.

• Some use of decision-support tools but 

improvements in interpretation and 

analysis are needed.

• Geographically complete coverage 

through fully build out RWIS network.

• Road segment information gathered 

through field personnel input but latency 

issues continue to persist.

In addition to items in Level 3:

• Agency invests in test beds and 

other research to continuously 

develop new capabilities.

• Systems engineering process is used 

for all projects with high internal 

capability to review deliverables 

like requirements and design 

documents.

• Device reliability and data quality 

issues are automatically tracked, 

reported and responded to by field 

personnel.

• Multiple sources of weather, road 

weather data including road 

segment data.

• Agency has strong capability to 

assess, integrate weather and road 

weather data into decision-making 

through appropriate decisionsupport tools.

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Table 5. Level 3 and Level 4 – Most Mature – Road Weather Operations Program Components (continued).

Dimension Description Level 3 Level 4 (Highest)

General Definition (consistent 

with American Association of 

State Highway and 

Transportation Officials

Capability Maturity Model):

Standardized strategy applications 

implemented in priority contexts and 

managed for performance; Technical and 

business processes developed, 

documented, and integrated into DOT; 

Partnerships aligned.

Full, sustainable core DOT 

program priority, established on 

the basis of continuous 

improvement with top level 

management status and formal 

partnerships.

Agencies at this level for road weather 

management are likely to be or have:

Agencies at this level for road 

weather management are likely 

to be or have:

Performance 

Measurement

Capabilities for performance 

measures definition, data 

acquisition, and utilization.

• Ability to generate congestion and 

reliability measures in real-time for 

adverse weather conditions.

• Winter severity index used but 

regional comparisons are still difficult 

to make.

• Performance measures for weather 

reported on a seasonal basis including 

overall traffic impacts.

In addition to items in Level 3:

• Ability to document the benefit 

over null or the “do-nothing.”

• Ability to define measures and 

normalize them over seasons, 

events and regions through a 

documented process.

• Ability to report performance 

through publically available 

dashboards by event.

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Table 5. Level 3 and Level 4 – Most Mature – Road Weather Operations Program Components (continued).

Dimension Description Level 3 Level 4 (Highest)

General Definition (consistent 

with American Association of 

State Highway and 

Transportation Officials

Capability Maturity Model):

Standardized strategy applications 

implemented in priority contexts and 

managed for performance; Technical and 

business processes developed, 

documented, and integrated into DOT; 

Partnerships aligned.

Full, sustainable core DOT 

program priority, established on 

the basis of continuous 

improvement with top level 

management status and formal 

partnerships.

Agencies at this level for road weather 

management are likely to be or have:

Agencies at this level for road 

weather management are likely 

to be or have:

Culture Capabilities relating to technical 

understanding, leadership, 

outreach, and program legal 

authority.

• Clear objectives for safety, level of 

service, cost-efficiency are documented 

and understood at all levels of the 

agency.

• High level of comfort in using forecast 

and meteorological information to make 

both strategic and tactical decisions 

from both traffic and maintenance 

standpoint.

• Action reviews post major event allow 

for improvement in tactics and overall 

strategy.

• Consideration of full lifecycle of event 

with greater emphasis on recovery, 

mitigation, planning than in Level 2.

In addition to items in Level 3:

• Agency sets other objectives 

like environmental 

stewardship, customer 

satisfaction as integral part of 

the road weather response.

• Continuous improvement 

process through after action 

reviews, best practice surveys, 

technology insertion.

• Able to consider managing 

demand on facilities/network 

prior to the event and influence 

mode, route and time choices.

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Table 5. Level 3 and Level 4 – Most Mature – Road Weather Operations Program Components (continued).

Dimension Description Level 3 Level 4 (Highest)

General Definition (consistent 

with American Association of 

State Highway and 

Transportation Officials

Capability Maturity Model):

Standardized strategy applications 

implemented in priority contexts and 

managed for performance; Technical and 

business processes developed, 

documented, and integrated into DOT; 

Partnerships aligned.

Full, sustainable core DOT 

program priority, established on 

the basis of continuous 

improvement with top level 

management status and formal 

partnerships.

Agencies at this level for road weather 

management are likely to be or have:

Agencies at this level for road 

weather management are likely 

to be or have:

Organization 

and 

Workforce

Capabilities relating to 

programmatic status, 

organizational structure, staff 

development, and recruitment 

and retention.

• Staffing needs are formalized with 

specific roles across the entire 

department and include a broader range 

of skills including weather expertise, 

field equipment maintenance.

• Access to documented procedures, 

training manuals for in-take of staff 

relating to all aspects of road weather 

operations.

• Support to participate in Peer to Peer 

exchanges between regional, national 

agencies allow for exchange of best 

practices and ideas.

In addition to items in Level 3:

• Cross-training of agency staff 

on road weather management 

activities.

• Meteorological expertise.

• In-house analysis, modeling 

capabilities for alternative 

analysis of road weather 

management strategies.

• An in-house certification 

program for road weather 

personnel.

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Table 5. Level 3 and Level 4 – Most Mature – Road Weather Operations Program Components (continued).

Dimension Description Level 3 Level 4 (Highest)

General Definition (consistent 

with American Association of 

State Highway and 

Transportation Officials

Capability Maturity Model):

Standardized strategy applications 

implemented in priority contexts and 

managed for performance; Technical 

and business processes developed, 

documented, and integrated into DOT; 

Partnerships aligned.

Full, sustainable core DOT 

program priority, established on 

the basis of continuous 

improvement with top level 

management status and formal 

partnerships.

Agencies at this level for road 

weather management are likely to be 

or have:

Agencies at this level for road 

weather management are likely 

to be or have:

Collaboration Capabilities relating to relationships 

with public safety agencies, local 

governments, metropolitan 

planning organizations, the private 

sector and the traveling public.

• All involved stakeholders have strong 

situational awareness pre- and during 

event and are able to coordinate 

responses.

• High degree of collaboration with the 

weather community with pre-event 

discussions and phone calls informing 

the overall response.

• Proactive messaging via the media. 

Lead in getting the message out to the 

traveling public.

• Starting to engage the public directly 

via social media.

In addition to items in Level 3:

• Joint operational decision 

making between internal and 

external stakeholders such as 

decisions on diversions, road 

closures, coordinated travel 

advisories.

• Device sharing and control

• In-house or procured expertise 

to act as liaison between 

weather enterprise and DOTs.

• Social media, citizen reports 

are widely used to create a 

customer-oriented two-way 

engagement strategy with the 

public and media.

Table adapted from the Road Weather Capability Maturity Framework. http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/tsmoframeworktool/index.htm

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THE WEATHER-READY NATION ROADMAP

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather-Ready Nation campaign “is 

about building community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme 

weather...” and “requires the action of a vast nationwide network of partners...” (National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014). Those partners include other government 

agencies, private weather firms, the media, etc. The campaign represents a shift away from 

criteria-based weather advisories and toward impact-based decision support services for their 

users. Because weather impacts vary across the nation, each National Weather Service weather 

forecasting office has been charged with developing an “impacts catalog” specific to their region. 

Understanding the full range of weather impacts in their region requires working closely with 

partners to understand user needs and facilitate user decision-making. More information about 

the Weather-Ready Nation Roadmap can be found at:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/about.html.

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APPENDIX F. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER FORECAST OFFICES 

BY STATE

Table 6. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices by State.

State National Weather Service’s Weather Forecast Offices

Inside State Boundaries1 Outside State Boundaries 2

AK Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau Not Applicable 

AL Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile Tallahassee, FL

AR Little Rock Jackson, MS; Memphis, TN; Shreveport, LA; 

Tulsa, OK

AZ Flagstaff, Phoenix, Tucson Las Vegas, NV

CA Eureka, Jan Joaquin Valley, Monterey 

/ San Francisco, Oxnard / Los 

Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego

Las Vegas, NV; Reno, NV; Medford, OR; 

Phoenix, AZ

CO Denver / Boulder; Grand Junction 

Pueblo

Goodland, KS

CT Not Applicable Albany, NY; New York City, NY; Boston, MA

DE Not Applicable Philadelphia, PA

FL Jacksonville, Key West, Melbourne, 

Miami, Tallahassee, Tampa Bay

Mobile, AL

GA Atlanta Charleston, SC; Columbia, SC; GreenvilleSpartanburg, SC; Jacksonville, FL; Tallahassee, 

FL

HI Honolulu Not Applicable

IA Davenport, Des Moines La Crosse, WI; Omaha, NE; Sioux Falls, SD

ID Boise, Pocatello / Idaho Falls Missoula, MT; Riverton, WY; Spokane, WA

IL Chicago, Lincoln Davenport, IA; Paducah, KY; St. Louis, MO

IN Indianapolis, Northern Indiana Chicago, IL: Cincinnati, OH; Louisville, KY; 

Paducah, KY

KS Dodge City, Goodland, Topeka, 

Wichita

Hastings, NE; Kansas City / Pleasant Hill, MO; 

Springfield, MO

KY Jackson, Louisville, Paducah Cincinnati, OH; Charleston, WV

LA Lake Charles, New Orleans / Baton 

Rouge, Shreveport

Jackson, MS 

MA Boston Albany, NY

MD Baltimore / Washington, DC Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburg, PA; Wakefield, VA

ME Caribou, Portland Not Applicable

1 Located within the referenced state (Source: http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/contact.shtml) 2 Located outside of the referenced state, but serves areas within the referenced states.

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Table 6. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices by State (continued).

State National Weather Service’s Weather Forecast Offices

Inside State Boundaries3 Outside State Boundaries 4

MI Detroit, Grand Rapids, Marquette, 

North Michigan, Central Michigan, 

Lower Michigan

Northern Indiana

MN Duluth, Minneapolis Aberdeen, SD; Sioux Falls, SD; Grand Forks, 

ND; La Crosse, WI

MO Kansas City / Pleasant Hill, 

Springfield, St. Louis

Davenport, IA; Memphis, TN; Paducah, KY

MS Jackson Memphis, TN; Mobile, AL; New Orleans / 

Baton Rouge, LA

MT Billings, Glasgow, Great Falls, 

Missoula

Riverton, WY

NC Newport, Raleigh, Wilmington Greenville - Spartanburg, SC; Morristown, TN; 

Roanoke, VA; Wakefield, VA

ND Bismarck, Grand Forks Not Applicable

NE Hastings, North Platte, Omaha Cheyenne, WY; Goodland, KS; Sioux Falls, SD

NH Not Applicable Portland, ME

NJ Not Applicable New York City, NY; Philadelphia, PA

NM Albuquerque El Paso, TX; Midland / Odessa, TX

NY Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, New 

York City

Burlington, VT

NV Elko, Las Vegas, Reno Not Applicable

OH Cincinnati, Cleveland Charleston, WV; Northern Indiana; Pittsburgh, 

PH

OK Norman, Tulsa Amarillo, TX; Shreveport, LA

OR Medford, Pendleton, Portland Boise, ID

PA Central Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 

Pittsburgh

Binghamton, NY; Cleveland, OH

RI Not Applicable Boston, MA

SC Charleston, Columbia, Greenville -

Spartanburg

Wilmington, NC

SD Aberdeen; Rapid City; Sioux Falls Not Applicable

TN Memphis, Morristown, Nashville Huntsville, AL

3 Located within the referenced state (Source: http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/contact.shtml) 4 Located outside of the referenced state, but serves areas within the referenced states.

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Table 6. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices by State (continued).

State National Weather Service’s Weather Forecast Offices

Inside State Boundaries5 Outside State Boundaries 6

TX Amarillo, Austin / San Antonio, 

Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas / 

Fort Worth, El Paso, Houston / 

Galveston, Lubbock, Midland / 

Odessa, San Angelo

Lake Charles, LA; Shreveport, LA; Oklahoma 

City, OK

UT Salt Lake City Grand Junction, CO

VA Roanoke, Wakefield Charleston, WV; Morristown, TN; Washington, 

DC / Baltimore, MD

VT Burlington Albany, NY

WA Seattle / Tacoma, Spokane Pendleton, Or; Portland, OR

WI Green Bay, La Crosse, Milwaukee / 

Sullivan

Duluth, MN; Minneapolis, MN

WV Charleston Pittsburgh, PA; Roanoke, VA; Washington, DC 

/ Baltimore, MD

WY Cheyenne, Riverton Billings, MT; Rapid City, SD; Salt Lake City, 

UT

5 Located within the referenced state (Source: http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/contact.shtml) 6 Located outside of the referenced state, but serves areas within the referenced states.

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Figure 22. Photo. National and Regional National Weather Service Headquarters.

(Source: http://www.weather.gov/organization/regional)

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APPENDIX G. PARTNER COLLABORATION AND RELATIONSHIPS

As mentioned in the body of the report, every State Department of Transportation (DOT) has a 

different operational configuration with their private sector contractor, and some DOTs do not 

have one. The operational configuration of the partners will affect how communication and 

collaboration takes place. Five configuration cases were identified nationwide. They are:

Case 1 - Private Sector Meteorologist in the Traffic Management Center (TMC).

Case 2 - Private Sector Meteorologist outside the TMC.

Case 3 - No Private Sector Meteorologist.

Case 4a - Private Sector and DOT Meteorologists in the TMC.

Case 4b - Private Sector and DOT Meteorologists outside the TMC.

For Cases 1, 2 and 3, there is no DOT-employed meteorologist on staff. In Case 4, the DOT has 

an employed meteorologist. The physical location of the meteorologists during events affects 

communication among all the players. Therefore, Cases 1, 2, 4a and 4b specify the physical 

location of the meteorologists inside or outside of the TMC. There was no configuration found 

nationwide in which a DOT has an employed meteorologist but no private sector. 

The schematics in Figures 23-27 illustrate the five possible DOT-private configurations and how 

event-specific communication would flow between all participants in an idealized manner. 

Media is included as an important part of the weather enterprise and is an important conduit for 

traveler information (TI) and forecasts.

Note: “Wx” = weather; “Rd/Wx” = road weather or road and weather, and “DSS” = decision 

support systems.

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 Figure 23. Chart. Schematic of Idealized, Event-specific Communication Flow for Case 1.

(Source: Federal Highway Administration)

 Figure 24. Chart. Schematic of Idealized, Event-specific Communication Flow for Case 2.

(Source: Federal Highway Administration)

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 Figure 25. Chart. Schematic of Idealized, Event-specific Communication Flow for Case 3.

(Source: Federal Highway Administration)

Figure 26. Chart. Schematic of Idealized, Event-specific Communication Flow for Case 4a.

(Source: Federal Highway Administration)

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Figure 27. Chart. Schematic of Idealized, Event-specific Communication Flow for Case 4b.

(Source: Federal Highway Administration)

Successful collaborative partnerships arise from building relationships between all participants 

within the DOT and weather enterprise. Relationships should be fostered through successive and 

varied joint activities throughout the year, and at different timescales: seasonal, event-centric and 

ongoing. It is important that each mode of interaction becomes part of standard operating 

procedures. Interaction methodologies should be clearly outlined and practiced regularly. While 

partner interaction may become a requirement in operational policy, authentic trust, open 

dialogue and true collaboration are built over time and by working toward a common goal. Each 

partner must be willing not only to give information, but also to listen and to consider the 

viewpoint from the other agency. Ultimately, the purpose of the collaboration is to provide the 

traveling public with consistent road weather impact information so they can make better 

decisions, and this goal must be kept central to the effort.

In many ways, this effort is about changing or enhancing operational culture at the DOT, in the 

private sector, and at the NWS. For example, meteorologists from one organization collaborating 

with those from another is certainly contrary both to operational meteorologist training and to the 

goals of the individual weather company or agency, whose business model is the creation of a 

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proprietary forecast product. As witnessed in Utah, it took a complete change of culture to have 

the meteorologists let down their guards and come to the table to listen and share openly. In 

Utah, forecast disagreements between the Salt Lake City WFO and UDOT’s private sector 

meteorologist were rare. However, the leadership in the WFO recognized that when 

disagreements did arise, it was best practice for their forecasters to leverage and integrate the 

expertise of the DOT’s meteorologists in forecasting road weather parameters, especially for 

rural areas in the State. Meteorologists on both sides needed to be reminded each time that the 

ultimate goal of the collaboration goes beyond having the “best” weather forecast, to having a 

shared impact message so the public can take appropriate action. At the same time, DOT 

management must realize that putting forth the effort to collaborate pays off on the transportation 

system and the efficiency of their operations.

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APPENDIX H. EVENT DATA ARCHIVING CHECKLISTS

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHECKLIST

The purpose of this checklist is to guide the documentation of important event information for 

post-event and post-season review. Many of the items in the table below, especially in the 

“Messaging” and “Observations” categories, are routinely archived, either at the National 

Climate Data Center or locally at Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs). Thus, focus on archiving 

items in the “Collaboration” and “Impacts/Public Response” categories. It is not necessary to 

archive every event. Instead, seek to archive those events of significant societal impact and/or 

where societal impacts for a potential high impact event were mitigated due to collaboration.

Table 7. National Weather Service Archiving Checklist for Events.

Collaboration Messaging Observations Impacts/Public 

Response

 Conference calls

 NWSChat

 Emails

 Webinars

 Media interaction

 In-person meetings 

(pre-event, during, 

etc.)

 Collaborative 

website

 Text products 

(outlooks, 

watches, 

warnings, 

advisories, 

forecasts, etc.)

 Social media

 Weather stories

 YouTube 

briefings

 Webinars

 Media interviews

 Public 

information 

statements and 

local storm 

reports

 Radar imagery

 MesoWest

 Locally produced 

maps and/or event 

summaries

 News stories 

(accidents, travel 

delays, power 

outages, etc.)

 Service 

assessments 

(local, regional, 

national)

 Local surveys

 After action 

reviews

 Public feedback

Notes

Collaboration - Please log dates and times that key coordination calls, webinars, media 

interaction, in person meetings, etc. took place. Also, include participants and nature of calls. An 

online operations log and/or Google Docs approach is recommended. NWSChat information is 

available from the NWSChat page. Use the following instructions:

1. Login in via the “Access Online Tools” interface.

2. Select “Chatroom Logs” in the interface.

3. Use the interface to select the chat room or chat rooms of choice and year, month, and 

day information.

Messaging - Please note any specific messages shared and/or used, specifically concerning 

anticipated impacts and/or precautionary actions, such as do not travel, or adjust your commute 

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time. Social media information can be retrieved from WFO Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube 

sites.

Observations - As noted above, many of the items are routinely archived, either at the National 

Climate Data Center or locally at the WFO. If not, please manually capture.

Impacts/Public Response - Capture news stories, including URLs, which highlight impacts of 

the event and key items from any service assessments, surveys, and/or after actions reviews. 

Also, please note any public comments (social media, website, phone, etc.), specifically with 

respect to storm messaging.

Please use the “Post-event Questionnaire for National Weather Service Weather Forecast 

Offices” to guide any after action reviews with partners. The after action review is a structured 

review or debriefing process for analyzing what happened, why it happened, and how it can be 

done better by the participants and those responsible for the event. All partners and key 

participants should be included, and a detailed weather, traffic, and collaboration review should 

take place.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CHECKLIST

The purpose of this checklist is to guide the documentation of important event information for 

post-event and post-season reviewing.

Table 8. Department of Transportation Archiving Checklist for All Events.

Traveler 

Information

Road Weather Info Collaboration Public Response

 Variable Message 

Signs (VMS) & 

511 messages

 Social media

 Local media

 Road Weather 

Information 

System (RWIS)

data

 Camera images

 Maintenance logs

 Phone calls & 

emails

 NWSChat logs

 In-person 

meetings

 Traffic data

 News stories

 Public feedback

Notes

Variable Message Signs and 511 Messages - Depending on your software capabilities, you can 

automatically or manually log any pertinent pre-event Variable Message Sign (VMS) messages 

concerning upcoming impacts. For example, “HEAVY SNOW/5 PM TODAY/PLAN TRAVEL” 

with sign locations and time of message deployment. Format can be text-based, map-based, 

graphical, etc. Weather-related messages placed on the 511-phone line or weather graphics or 

information posted to 511- websites can be saved as images or transcripts.

Social Media - Save Twitter or Facebook messaging regarding the forecasted travel impact of 

the upcoming storm.

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Local Media - Save pre- or during-event messages from local media that mirror the message 

being disseminated by the DOT and NWS.

RWIS Data - Save data trends from pertinent Environmental Sensor Stations (RWIS-ESS).

Camera Images - Save any images you notice that tell the story of what happened.

Maintenance Logs - Include relevant storm-specific maintenance logs that relay the impact of 

the event and how it was mitigated.

Phone Calls - Every time a phone call takes place between entities, document the details – date, 

time, participants, and nature of call. A shared spreadsheet, a website or even a white board 

accessible by all can help.

NWSChat Logs - Chatroom logs can be compiled in the NWSChat Live interface.

In-Person Meetings - Document any in-person meetings that were had before, during or after 

the event – who was there and what action items came from the meetings.

Traffic Data - Utilizing traffic data, can you show that the public responded to the event 

warnings? For example, did they change the time they normally travel? Changes in a.m./p.m.

peak times? Were there less delays (than might be expected relative to previous similar events)? 

Event-related data should be compared to baseline days with normal traffic.

News Stories - Save post-event news stories that highlight the impact experienced from the 

event.

Public Feedback - Save any comments (whether on social media or through your agency’s 

feedback forms) the public shares regarding storm messaging.

Please use the Post-event Questionnaire to guide an after-action review with all partners.

The after-action review is a structured review or de-briefing process for analyzing what

happened, why it happened, and how it can be done better by the participants and those 

responsible for the event. All partners and key participants are at the table, and a detailed 

weather, traffic and collaboration review is given.

PRIVATE SECTOR

A checklist for private sector entities is difficult to present due to the fact that many may have 

their own procedures, which may be proprietary, and specific activities may be highly variable 

based on specific terms laid out in their contract. However, the private sector entities should 

collaborate with NWS and DOT resources to guide the documentation of important event 

information for post-event and post-season review.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to the participants of the 2015 Pathfinder Stakeholder Meetings for your valuable 

input in developing the best practices guidance and documentation for the creation of a more 

effective weather impact message, including the State Departments of Transportation, the 

National Weather Service, and the private sector weather providers.

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REFERENCES

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) Best Practices 

Working Group. (2012, November). Best Practices for State Wildlife Action Plans: Voluntary 

Guidance to States for Revision and Implementation. Washington, DC: Association of Fish and 

Wildlife Agencies. Retrieved September 25, 2015, from 

http://www.fishwildlife.org/files/SWAPBestPractices.pdf

Baker, J. (2015, April 18). The Weather Channel. Retrieved October 1, 2015, from I-80 In 

Wyoming Opens After Poor Weather Caused Day-Long Shutdown: 

http://www.weather.com/news/news/snow-blinds-drivers-along-i-80-in-wyoming

Federal Highway Administration. (2010, November 8). Real-Time System Management 

Information Program [1201] Fact Sheet. Retrieved October 22, 2015, from FHWA Office of 

Operations: Programs of Interest: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/1201/factsheet/factsheet.pdf

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2014, May 16). Weather-Ready Nation. 

Retrieved October 6, 2015, from About: 

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/about.html#.VhPn1flViko

National Weather Service. (n.d.). Regional Headquarters. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from 

National Weather Service Organization: http://www.weather.gov/organization/regional

Sorensen, J. H. (2000, May). Hazard Warning Systems: Review of 20 Years of Progress. Natural 

Hazards Review, 1(2), 119-125.

79




U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Highway Administration

Office of Operations

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

Office of Operations Web Site

www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov

December 2016

FHWA-HOP-16-086