National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration’s (NOAAs) National 

Weather Service (NWS) is working

along with the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), the Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), and other partners to evolve weather support and services to meet 

NextGen needs and requirements.

What exactly is NextGen?

NextGen is a Congressionally mandated initiative to modernize the U.S Air 

Transportation System in order to:

4 Increase capacity and reliability

4 Improve safety and security

4 Minimize the environmental impact of aviation

These improvements to the air transportation system will be achieved by applying:

4 Space-based navigation and integrated surveillance

4 Digital communications

4 Layered adaptive security

4 Weather integrated into decision-making

4 Advanced automation of Air Traffic Management

4 Net-centric information access for operations

For more details concerning the NWS aviation products and services and the future of 

aviation services, please visit us online at http://www.weather.gov/aviation

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Weather Service

Next Generation Air Transportation System 

(NextGen)

NOAA/PA 201054
THE National Weather Service (NWS) issues aviation products and 

services for the National Airspace System (NAS). These offices 

include the Aviation Weather Center (AWC), the Alaska Aviation 

Weather Unit (AAWU), Center Weather Service Units (CWSUs) and Weather Forecast 

Offices (WFOs). AWC, AAWU, and the WFO in Honolulu, HI (HFO) are also Meteorological 

Watch Offices (MWOs). MWOs are designated by the International Civil Aviation 

Organization to maintain a continuous watch over weather conditions that affect flight 

operations, and to issue necessary warnings and forecasts for the aviation community. 

This brochure outlines roles and responsibilities of these NWS aviation offices.

AWC is one of three U.S. MWOs providing weather information to 

the NAS, and one of two World Area Forecast Centers providing 

global forecasts. AWC issues a number of domestic and 

international forecasts. In addition, AWC maintains the Aviation Digital Data Service 

(ADDS). ADDS was created in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

administration (NOAA) 

and the FAA. It is much 

more than just a web site; 

it is an online weather 

information database. 

ADDS is FAA certified as 

a Qualified Internet 

Communications 

Provider (QICP). QICP 

guarantees reliable and 

secure weather information delivery, assuring 

pilots and other operators 

have the most up-to-date 

weather observations and 

forecasts when planning 

flights and making flightrelated weather decisions. 

AAWU is a MWO providing Alaska aviation weather products and 

services to the flying community. The AAWU is responsible 

for issuing Area Forecasts (FAs), AIRMETs, and SIGMETs 

for the Anchorage Flight Information Region (FIR). In addition, the AAWU serves as the 

Anchorage Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC). The Anchorage VAAC is one of nine 

international offices providing forecasts and analyses of volcanic ash plumes for 

eastern Russia and Alaska. There are over 100 historically active volcanoes along the 

North Pacific “ring of fire” that are monitored by the Anchorage VAAC. 

 

HFOis one of the three MWOs in the U. S. and maintains a 

meteorological watch across more than eight million square miles of 

the central and western Pacific. This area of responsibility covers 

the portion of the Oakland Oceanic FIR south of 30° N and west of 140° W. HFO issues 

many aviation forecasts for domestic and international travel.

CWSU meteorologists 

provide decision 

support and weather 

briefing services to the 21 FAA Air Route Traffic 

Control Centers (ARTCCs) throughout the United 

States. CWSU meteorologists issue the Center 

Weather Advisory (CWA) and Meteorological 

Impact Statement (MIS), among other products, to 

address stakeholder concerns within and outside 

of the ARTCC.

CWAs are short-term weather warnings, issued 

for periods of two hours or less. They describe 

hazardous conditions not contained within 

national in-flight advisories (AIRMETs, SIGMETs or 

Convective SIGMETs). For instance, a CWA may 

highlight local areas of aviation concern too small 

for the AWC to include in a national advisory. 

The MIS details weather conditions expected to 

adversely impact air traffic flow. The MIS is a freeform product and can contain a variety of forecast 

information pertinent to en route air traffic control 

out to 12 hours and beyond.

ONEhundred and twenty two NWS WFOs provide local expertise, 

forecasts, and warnings to their local aviation communities.

WFOs are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The primary aviation responsibility of the WFO is the issuance of Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts 

(TAFs), a coded forecast consisting of the expected meteorological conditions significant to aviation interests within five statute miles of a given airport. TAFs are valid for 24 

hours or 30 hours for selected international airports. TAFs are issued four times daily at 

00Z, 06Z, 12Z, and 18Z, and updated as conditions warrant. TAFs include information 

about wind speed and direction, visibility, present weather, ceilings, and low-level wind 

shear. Additionally, WFOs issue an aviation discussion, highlighting forecast uncertainty 

and possible aviation hazards that may not be explicitly mentioned in the TAF. 

Aviation Weather Services

Aviation Weather Center (AWC)

Alaska Aviation Weather Unit (AAWU)

Weather Forecast Office Honolulu (HFO)

Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU)

Weather Forecast Office (WFO)

Collaborative Convective Forecast Product

Collaborative Convective Forecast Product (CCFP) is produced by the AWC after collaboration with CWSUs, WFOs, and industry. The CCFP is a strategic convective forecast 

used for air traffic operations

www.aviationweather.gov

CWSUs provide hazardous weather information in 

center weather advisories.

Center Weather Service Unit Products