OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL COORDINATOR

FOR METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES OFCMAND SUPPORTING RESEARCH

FCM-P1-2010

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Federal Plan

for Meteorological Services

and Supporting Research

Fiscal Year 2011
 

THE FEDERAL COMMITTEE FOR 

 METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH (FCMSSR) 

DR. JANE LUBCHENCO 

Chairman, Department of Commerce 

MS. SHERE ABBOTT 

Office of Science and Technology Policy 

DR. RAYMOND MOTHA 

Department of Agriculture 

DR. JOHN (JACK) L. HAYES 

Department of Commerce 

MR. ALAN SHAFFER 

Department of Defense 

DR. GARY GEERNAERT (Acting) 

Department of Energy 

MR. KEVIN (SPANKY) KIRSCH 

Science and Technology Directorate 

Department of Homeland Security 

DR. HERBERT FROST 

Department of the Interior 

MR. KENNETH HODGKINS 

Department of State 

MS. VICTORIA COX 

Department of Transportation 

MR. EDWARD CONNOR (Acting) 

Federal Emergency Management Agency 

Department of Homeland Security 

DR. EDWARD WEILER 

National Aeronautics and Space 

 Administration 

DR. TIM KILLEEN 

National Science Foundation 

MR. PAUL MISENCIK 

National Transportation Safety Board 

MR. JAMES LYONS 

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

DR. LAWRENCE REITER 

Environmental Protection Agency 

MR. SAMUEL P. WILLIAMSON 

Federal Coordinator 

 MR. MICHAEL BABCOCK, Secretariat 

 Office of the Federal Coordinator for 

 Meteorological Services and Supporting Research 

 THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR 

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH (ICMSSR) 

 

MR. SAMUEL P. WILLIAMSON, Chairman 

Federal Coordinator 

MR. THOMAS PUTERBAUGH 

Department of Agriculture 

DR. JOHN (JACK) L. HAYES 

Department of Commerce 

RADM DAVID TITLEY, USN 

United States Navy 

Department of Defense 

DR. FRED P. LEWIS 

United States Air Force 

Department of Defense 

MR. RICKEY PETTY 

Department of Energy 

MR. KEVIN (SPANKY) KIRSCH 

Science and Technology Directorate 

Department of Homeland Security 

MR. JOHN VIMONT 

Department of the Interior 

MR. MARK KEHRLI 

Federal Highway Administration 

Department of Transportation 

MR. BARRY SCOTT 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Department of Transportation 

DR. JONATHAN M. BERKSON 

United States Coast Guard 

Department of Homeland Security 

DR. DAVID LEA 

Department of State 

DR. S. T. RAO 

Environmental Protection Agency 

MR. DANIEL CATLETT 

Federal Emergency Management Agency 

Department of Homeland Security 

DR. RAMESH KAKAR 

National Aeronautics and Space 

 Administration 

DR. MICHAEL MORGAN 

National Science Foundation 

MR. DONALD E. EICK 

National Transportation Safety Board 

MS. JENNIFER UHLE (Acting) 

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

 MR. MICHAEL BABCOCK, Secretariat 

 Office of the Federal Coordinator for 

 Meteorological Services and Supporting Research 

 
The Federal Plan for 

Meteorological Services 

and Supporting Research 

FISCAL YEAR 2011 

FEDERAL COORDINATOR FOR METEOROLOGICAL 

SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH 

8455 Colesville Road, Suite 1500 Silver Spring, MD 20910 

301-427-2002 

FCM-P1-2010 Editors: Robert Dumont

October 2010 Robert Katt

WASHINGTON, D.C. Anthony Ramirez

Kenneth Barnett 

 Federal Plan for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research: Fiscal Year 2011 

 iii 

PREFACE 

Since 1965, the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting 

Research (OFCM) has prepared an annual Federal Plan that articulates the provision of 

meteorological services and supporting research by agencies of the Federal government. The 

2011 Federal Plan provides Congress and the Executive Branch with a comprehensive 

compilation of proposed programs for fiscal year (FY) 2011 and a review of agency programs 

from FY 2010. The Federal Plan's narratives, timelines, and schedules are current as of October 

2010. 

We have reorganized the Federal Plan this year to more clearly present a horizontal view of 

activities and plans across the Federal enterprise. Section 1 summarizes the resources 

appropriated by Congress for FY 2010 and the resources requested in the FY 2011 President's 

Budget. Please note that actual FY 2011 funding under continuing resolutions or eventual final 

appropriations bills are not described here. Section 2 contains narratives on operations and 

programs for providing meteorological services and supporting research and development, 

organized by service category rather than by department or agency as in preceding years. The 

service categories in Section 2 are the same as those used in Tables 1.4 and 1.5 of Section 1. This 

reorganization more closely follows the original intent when this annual plan was requested by 

Congress and the Executive Office of the President in 1963. Also new this year is an 

introductory segment for Section 2 that describes the Federal coordination and planning process. 

This segment replaces and expands on Appendix A found in recent past Federal Plans. 

Reorganizing the Federal Plan to emphasize and clarify the horizontal integration that exists 

across departmental and agency structures is a work in progress. In subsequent years, we will 

continue to refine and improve this horizontal view of services, products, and supporting 

research by service category. 

Samuel P. Williamson 

 Federal Coordinator for Meteorological 

 Services and Supporting Research 

 Federal Plan for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research: Fiscal Year 2011 

 v 

THE FEDERAL PLAN FOR METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES 

AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH, FISCAL YEAR 2010 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Preface .......................................................................................................................................... iii 

Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research ........... 1 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) ............................................................................................... 1 

Department of Commerce (DOC)/National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) ............................................................................................................ 3 

Department of Defense (DOD) ....................................................................................................... 7 

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)................................................................................... 13 

Department of the Interior (DOI) ................................................................................................. 14 

Department of Transportation (DOT) .......................................................................................... 14 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ................................................................................... 17 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ........................................................... 18 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) .................................................................................... 18 

Agency Funding by Budget Category ........................................................................................... 19 

Agency Funding by Service Category .......................................................................................... 19 

Personnel Engaged in Meteorological Operations ................................................................... 24 

Interagency Fund Transfers ....................................................................................................... 26 

Facilities/Locations for Taking Meteorological Observations ................................................. 27 

Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs .................. 31 

Federal Coordination and Planning for Meteorological Services and Supporting 

Research ................................................................................................................................ 33 

Basic Services .............................................................................................................................. 53 

Agricultural and Land Management Meteorological Services .................................................. 75 

Aviation Services .......................................................................................................................... 81 

Climate Services ........................................................................................................................ 107 

Emergency Response and Homeland Security Services ......................................................... 137 

Hydrometeorology and Water Resources Services .................................................................. 147 

Military Services ......................................................................................................................... 153 

Space Weather Services ............................................................................................................ 183 

Surface Transportation Services ............................................................................................... 191 
 Federal Plan for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research: Fiscal Year 2011 

 vi

Wildland Fire Weather Services ................................................................................................ 201 

Other Specialized Services ........................................................................................................ 209 

Appendices 

A. Acronyms .................................................................................................................................. A-1 

LIST OF TABLES 

1.1 Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research Costs, by Agency ............................2 

1.2 Agency Operational Costs, by Budget Category .............................................................20 

1.3 Agency Supporting Research Costs, by Budget Category .................................................21 

1.4 Agency Operational Costs, by Service. .............................................................................22 

1.5 Agency Supporting Research Costs, by Service. ...............................................................22 

1.6 Personnel Engaged in Meteorological Operations ...........................................................25 

1.7 Interagency Fund Transfers for Meteorological Operations and 

Supporting Research ..................................................................................................26 

1.8 Facilities/Locations for Taking Meteorological Observations. .........................................27 
SECTION 1 

AGENCY FUNDING FOR METEOROLOGICAL OPERATIONS 

AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH 

Table 1.1 contains fiscal information, by agency, for meteorological operations and supporting 

research. The table shows the funding level for FY 2010 based on Congressional appropriations, 

the budget request for FY 2011, the percent change, and the individual agencies' percent of the 

total Federal funding for FY 2010 and FY 2011. 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) 

The USDA budget request for FY 2011 is $92.4 million for operations and supporting research, 

up 21 percent from the FY 2010 funding level. An increase in funding for research and 

development programs more than offset a slight decrease in funding requested for meteorological 

operations. USDA has requested $75.9 million for research and development programs, a $16.2 

million increase from 2010. Most of the funding increase is for the National Institute for Food 

and Agriculture (NIFA), representing increases in funding for weather and climate due to 

increases in the Hatch Act, McIntire-Stennis, Evans-Allen, and Animal Health formula 

programs, as well as other research projects. USDA funds research projects through NIFA that 

study the impact of climate and weather on food and fiber production. The goal of supporting 

research is to develop and disseminate information and techniques to ensure an abundance of 

high-quality agricultural commodities and products while minimizing the adverse effects of 

agriculture on the environment. The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the USDA’s chief 

scientific research agency. ARS conducts research on how annual variation in weather adversely 

effects crop and animal production, hydrologic processes, the availability of water from 

watersheds, and the environmental and economic sustainability of agricultural enterprises. 

Research at the USDA Forest Service includes studies of the long-term effects of air pollution on 

forests of the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem, Cascade and coastal forests in the Pacific Northwest, 

Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Mountains, and the northeastern U.S. 

RESOURCE INFORMATION AND AGENCY PROGRAM UPDATES 

The tables in this section summarize budgetary information of the Federal government for fiscal years 

2010 and 2011. The funds shown are used to provide meteorological services and associated 

supporting research that has as its immediate objective service improvement. Fiscal data are current as 

of the end of September 2010 and are subject to later changes. The data for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 do 

not have legislative approval and do not constitute a commitment by the United States Government. 

The budget data are prepared in compliance with Section 304 of Public Law 87-843, in which 

Congress directed that an annual horizontal budget be prepared for meteorological programs 

conducted by the Federal agencies. 

1
 TABLE 1.1 METEOROLOGICAL OPERATIONS AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH COSTS*, BY AGENCY

 (Thousands of Dollars)

% of % of % of % of

Operations FY2011 Supporting Research FY2011 Total FY2010 FY2011

AGENCY FY2010 FY2011 %CHG TOTAL FY2010 FY2011 %CHG TOTAL FY2010 FY2011 %CHG TOTAL TOTALAgriculture 16665 16481 -1.1 0.4 59761 75924 27.0 3.2 76426 92405 20.9 1.5 1.5Commerce/NOAA(Subtot) 2431392 3280712 34.9 82.3 137492 133904 -2.6 5.6 2568884 3414616 32.9 49.7 53.6 NWS 963880 1003193 4.1 25.2 36525 27000 -26.1 1.1 1000405 1030193 3.0 19.3 16.2 NESDIS 1398522 2209019 58.0 55.4 27970 28352 1.4 1.2 1426492 2237371 56.8 27.6 35.2 OAR 0 0 0 0 69997 75552 7.9 3.2 69997 75552 7.9 1.4 1.2 NOS 33078 29715 -10.2 0.7 0 0 0 0 33078 29715 -10.2 0.6 0.5 OMAO 35912 38785 8.0 1.0 3000 3000 0.0 0.1 38912 41785 7.4 0.8 0.7Defense(Subtot) 272933 267926 -1.8 6.7 57606 54199 -5.9 2.3 330539 322125 -2.5 6.4 5.1 Air Force 180105 175381 -2.6 4.4 32744 32373 -1.1 1.4 212849 207754 -2.4 4.1 3.3 Navy 72307 73246 1.3 1.8 9926 10055 1.3 0.4 82233 83301 1.3 1.6 1.3 Army 20521 19299 -6.0 0.5 14936 11771 -21.2 0.5 35457 31070 -12.4 0.7 0.5Homeland Security (Subtot) 24710 26430 7.0 0.7 0 0 0 0 24710 26430 7.0 0.5 0.4 USCG 24710 26430 7.0 0.7 0 0 0 0 24710 26430 7.0 0.5 0.4Interior/BLM 4450 4105 -7.8 0.1 0 0 0 0 4450 4105 -7.8 0.1 0.1Transportation(Subtot) 376664 384360 2.0 9.6 40680 39834 -2.1 1.7 417344 424194 1.6 8.1 6.7 FAA 376664 384360 2.0 9.6 36180 35334 -2.3 1.5 412844 419694 1.7 8.0 6.6 FHWA 0 0 0 0 4500 4500 0.0 0.2 4500 4500 0.0 0.1 0.1EPA 0 0 0 0 9000 9000 0.0 0.4 9000 9000 0.0 0.2 0.1NASA 7506 5979 -20.3 0.1 1730998 2065652 19.3 86.8 1738504 2071631 19.2 33.6 32.5NRC 225 140 -37.8 0.0 275 175 -36.4 0.0 500 315 -37.0 0.0 0.0DOE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0TOTAL 3134545 3986133 27.2 100.0 2035812 2378688 16.8 100.0 5170357 6364821 23.1 100.0 100.0% of FY TOTAL 60.6% 62.6% 39.4% 37.4% 100.0% 100.0%*The FY 2010 funding reflects Congressionally appropriated funds; the FY 2011 funding reflects the amount requested in the President's FY 2011 budgetsubmission to Congress.

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Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

The FY 2011 amount requested for meteorological operations is $16.5 million, down from $16.7 

million in FY 2010. Operational activities include specialized weather observing networks such 

as the SNOTEL (SNOw pack TELemetry) system operated by the Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS) and the remote automated weather stations (RAWS) network 

managed by the Forest Service. The SNOTEL and RAWS networks provide cooperative data for 

NOAA’s river forecast activities, irrigation water supply estimates, and Bureau of Land 

Management operations. The Forest Service is also the world leader in developing emissions 

factors from fires and modeling its dispersion. The World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) 

operates the Joint Agricultural Weather Facility (JAWF), a global agricultural weather and 

information center located in Washington, D.C. JAWF agricultural meteorologists operationally 

monitor global weather conditions and assess the impacts of growing season weather on crop and 

livestock production prospects. This information keeps crop and livestock producers, farm 

organizations, agribusinesses, state and national farm policy-makers, government agencies, and 

foreign buyers of agricultural products apprised of worldwide weather-related developments and 

their effects on crops and livestock. USDA is also actively involved in drought monitoring 

efforts in concert with the National Drought Mitigation Center. 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (DOC)/NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 

ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) 

National Weather Service (NWS) 

The NWS funding request for the FY 2011 President’s Budget totals $1,030,193,000 and 4649 

full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. Requested increases in funding over the FY 2010 

program include the following: 

 Aviation Weather. NWS requests an increase of $15.136 million and 4 additional FTEs 

to fund the planned second year Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) 

development activities for this multi-year, multi-agency effort to improve the Nation’s air 

transportation system. The demand for air transportation is expected to more than double 

by 2025. The current National Airspace System (NAS) simply cannot accommodate the 

increased demand and will be saturated by 2015. The Joint Planning and Development 

Office (JPDO) developed a plan for accommodating the expected growth in demand. A 

critical component of the NextGen plan is a weather forecast process, with meteorologist 

intervention, that generates rapidly updated, high-resolution probabilistic weather 

information, consistent across space and time. This 4-Dimensional Weather Single 

Authoritative Source (4-D Weather SAS) will be stored in a Weather Information 

Database (WIDB) where it can be accessed by all NAS users. This funding increase 

supports the NOAA-led effort to develop a WIDB that will provide the aviation 

community an authoritative and timely source of weather information for decision 

support. This WIDB will integrate observed and forecast weather information and enable 

its use within an automated, multi-agency coordinated, air traffic management system. In 

its May 2008 report on the cost of flight delays to passengers, the airline industry and the 

economy, the Congressional Joint Economic Committee quantified the total cost of air 

traffic delays for 2007 at $41 billion. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records 

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Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

indicate that on average, weather is a factor in 70 percent of these delays, or roughly $29 

billion. The FAA estimates that two-thirds of these delays can be avoided with enhanced 

weather information fully integrated into its operational decision-making process, thus 

saving approximately $19 billion annually. This capability does not presently exist within 

the federal government, and the JPDO partner agencies are depending on NOAA, as the 

federal weather information experts, to deliver it. 

 Space Weather. NWS requests an increase of $2 million to make required information 

technology (IT) security improvements to the Nation’s National Critical Space Weather 

System required to maintain its authority to operate prior to the upcoming solar max. 

NOAA’s Space Weather Program depends on the National Critical Space Weather 

System to: monitor the space environment and provide timely and accurate operational 

space weather forecasts, warnings, and alerts. The program is the sole civilian entity that 

(1) operates and maintains the US National Critical Space Weather System, (2) ingests 

and processes data from NOAA, NASA and other sources, (3) supports research to 

understand the processes that cause severe space weather, (4) transitions research into 

operations to improve services, and (4) archives data from NOAA and the Department of 

Defense (DOD) and makes it accessible to customers. Without the Authorization to 

Operate, all of the above activities will cease and the space weather products and services 

critical to our Nation’s infrastructure and defense will be lost. 

 Next-Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) Product Improvement (PI). NWS requests 

an increase of $3.150 million to fund projected costs associated with the fourth year of a 

five-year contract for the acquisition and deployment of dual-polarization technology to 

122 NWS operational NEXRADs. Currently, NEXRAD only transmits and receives a 

horizontal signal. Dual polarization adds a vertical component. The addition of a vertical 

component greatly improves accuracy in estimation (quantity) and differentiation (rain, 

hail, snow, freezing rain, etc) of precipitation. The outcome will be an improvement in 

warnings to the public for flash flood warnings; improved identification of and warnings 

for tornados, severe hail, dangerous freezing rain, snow, and water management 

capability. 

 Complete and Sustain NOAA Weather Radio (NWR). NWS requests an increase of 

$1.614 million to continue the modernization of the NOAA Weather Radio system via 

the Weather Radio Improvement Project (WRIP). The most critical component of WRIP 

is the replacement of the obsolete/unsupportable broadcast recoding equipment, the 

Console Replacement System (CRS), at each of the 122 Weather Forecast Offices 

(WFO). NWS will deploy the NWR Broadcast Management System (BMS) as a 

replacement for the CRS. The CRS is a main component of NOAA Weather Radio that 

converts text warning messages into digital voice which gives the NWS the ability to 

quickly disseminate Severe and High Impact Weather Warnings, Watches and forecasts 

and Non-Weather Emergency Messages to the public. This increase is required to keep 

the project on schedule for completion in FY 2012. 

 Weather Forecast Office (WFO) Construction. NWS requests an increase of $3.150 

million for modernization projects in the Alaska and Pacific Regions and replacement of 

end of life heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems at six (6) WFOs 

with modern, high-efficiency (green) units. Specifically, increased funding completes 

Barrow, Alaska employee housing and the upper-air inflatable shelter, Weather Service 

4
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

Office Koror renovations, and six HVAC replacements at WFOs with newer energy 

efficient models. 

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Services (NESDIS) 

For FY 2011, NOAA/NESDIS requests an increase of $847,585,000 and four FTEs over the FY 

2011 base program for a total of $2,209,019,000 and 835 FTEs. NESDIS is responsible for 

managing all aspects of remotely gathered environmental data. This includes procurement, 

launch, operation, product development, and product distribution of the Nation’s civil 

operational environmental satellites and corresponding data. In addition, NESDIS manages the 

NOAA environmental data collections, provides assessments that describe climate, and 

disseminates data and information to meet the needs of users in commerce, industry, agriculture, 

science and engineering, as well as Federal, state, and local governments. 

Modifications to major systems acquisition programs for FY 2011 include the following: 

 Polar Orbiting Systems—Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES).

NESDIS requests a decrease of $2.261 million for a total of $40.874 million and 22 FTEs 

for the continuation of the POES (NOAA K-N’) program, and continued support for the 

MetOp program. This is a planned decrease that was reflected in the FY 2010 President’s 

Budget, resulting from the successful launch of the last POES satellite, NOAA-19, in 

February 2009. 

 Polar Orbiting Systems—Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS; formerly National Polarorbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). NESDIS requests an 

increase $678.6 million for a total of $1.0608 billion and 61 FTEs to continue 

development of instruments and acquire the spacecraft for the afternoon orbit under the 

restructured JPSS. The restructured JPSS will address NOAA’s requirements to provide 

global environmental data such as cloud imagery, sea surface temperature, atmospheric 

profiles of temperature and moisture, atmospheric ozone concentrations, space weather 

observations, search and rescue, direct read-out, and data collection services. These data 

are used in numerical weather prediction models for near term (1-3 day) and mid-term (3-

5 day) forecasts. 

 Altimetry Mission—Jason-3. NESDIS requests an increase of $30 million for a total of 

$50 million to provide continuity of precise measurement of sea surface heights by 

continuing the development of the Jason-3 satellite in partnership with our European 

partners, which started in FY 2010. 

 Geostationary Systems—Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 

GOES-R Series. NESDIS requests an increase of $62.5 million for a total of $730 million 

and 46 FTEs to provide continued satellite engineering development and production 

activities for the instruments, satellite, and ground system development under contract in 

order to meet the planned launch readiness dates. 

 Restoration of Climate Sensors. NESDIS requests new funding of $49.4 million to 

continue the development and acquisition of six NPOESS climate sensors that were demanifested as a result of Nunn-McCurdy certification process. These critical sensors will 

continue to be developed for use on the JPSS and will address two climate-related 

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Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

objectives within the context of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program. These 

objectives are (1) to fly critical climate sensors that had been planned for NPOESS, 

which represent the continuation of NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) capabilities 

and (2) to fly those sensors that represent a fundamental contribution to NOAA’s Climate 

Mission, which includes both heritage satellite and in situ observing systems. 

 Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate-2 

(COSMIC-2). NESDIS requests $3.7 million to collaborate with the Taiwan National 

Space Organization (NSPO) for the launch of 12 satellites to provide replenishment and 

operational upgrade for the current COSMIC constellation. 

 Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR)—Space Weather Observations. NESDIS 

requests $9.5 million and a total life-cycle cost of $85.1 million to initiate refurbishment 

of the DSCOVR satellite, formerly known as Triana, and the development of a Coronal 

Mass Imager to maintain continuity of solar wind data used for geomagnetic storm 

warnings. 

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) 

The requested FY 2011 funding for Weather and Air Quality Research (W&AQR) is $75.6 

million—a net increase of $5.6 million or 0.8 percent from the FY 2010 appropriation. Increases 

of $14.7 million consist of funds to: partially cover inflationary cost increases within base 

programs ($1.0 million), fund the Water Resources Research to Operations Initiative ($7.7 

million), and enhance the Multi-Function Phased Array Radar (MPAR) Program ($6.0 million). 

Proposed decreases of $8.5 million result from a reduction to the Unmanned Aircraft Systems 

Program(-$3.0 million) and from terminating unrequested funding added by Congress to 

W&AQR in FY 2010, including funds for: Atmospheric Investigation, Regional Modeling, 

Analysis and Prediction (AIRMAP) ($0.5 million); Redstone Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) 

Development, AL ($0.3 million); National Weather Radar Test bed, OK ($2.0 million); 

Atmospheric Science Research (U. of TN) ($1.0 million), Boise Center Aerospace Laboratory 

(BCAL) Watershed Modeling, ID ($0.5 million); Southeastern Mercury Consortium, FL ($0.5 

million); Aviation and Hurricane Research Utilizing UAS ($0.3 million); Observations, 

Modeling, and Visualizing Storm-Surge Inundation in Florida ($0.1 million); and New England 

Weather Technology and Research Initiative ($ 0.3 million). 

National Ocean Service (NOS) 

The $29 million provided through the FY 2011 budget will allow for continued operation of the 

National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON), the expansion of the Physical 

Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®) program, further implementation of an advanced 

data quality control program known as the Continuous Operational Real-time Monitoring System 

(CORMS AI), and ongoing operation of the Ocean Systems Test and Evaluation Program 

(OSTEP), which is a development program for bringing new sensor technology into operations. 

Both the NWLON and PORTS® programs have subsets of operational water-level stations with 

meteorological sensors installed for various partners and users, including the NWS. 

6
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) 

OMAO supports meteorological activities by collection of related data from ships and aircraft. 

The FY 2011 President’s Budget request of $41,785,000, which represents a 7.4 percent increase 

over the FY 2010 appropriation, maintains OMAO’s ship and aircraft support of meteorological 

data collection. 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) 

United States Air Force (USAF)/Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) 

USAF resources for meteorological support fall into four categories: general operations, 

investment and research, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, and National Polar-orbiting 

Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) supporting research, development, test 

and evaluation efforts. The total Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) weather operations and 

research funding for FY 11 is $207.7 million. 

Operations 

The operations support portion of AFWA’s FY 11 budget is $175.4 million and funds day-to-day 

environmental support to the DOD, the Active and Reserve Components of the Air Force and 

Army, ten unified commands, and other agencies as directed by the Chief of Staff of the Air 

Force. Over 1,228 AFWA military and civilian personnel conduct these activities at more than 

22 locations worldwide. Approximately 68 percent of personnel specialize in weather. The 

remainder includes communications, computer, administrative, and logistics specialists. 

Supporting Research 

The total AFWA budget for meteorological-related research during FY 11 is $32.4 million. As 

part of AF Smart Operations 21st Century, Air Force weather is investing in modernized 

environmental prediction technologies and global information grid technologies that enhance 

automation and save labor. In addition, Air Force weather is investing in the following efforts in 

FY 11 and beyond: 

 Joint Environmental Toolkit (JET). Specifically, JET will eliminate redundancies and 

inefficiencies in current systems by extending, consolidating, and/or replacing the 

Operational Weather Squadron Production System, Phase II; the Joint Weather Impacts 

System; the New-Tactical Forecast System; and the weather effects decision aids portion 

of the Integrated Meteorological System (IMETS). Weather Research and Forecast 

(WRF) model. WRF advances, such as with the Land Information System (a 

collaborative effort with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and WRF 

coupling, will improve forecasting performance in the low levels of the atmosphere. This 

will allow AF weather forces to provide better forecasts for low-level aircraft operations, 

7
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

the dispersion of aerosol contaminants, and the employment of precision-guided 

munitions. It also allows for assessment of trafficability for ground forces. 

 Modernizing space weather capabilities. Collaboration with U.S. and allied government 

and civilian agencies, along with ground-based sensing modernization, will result in a 

robust space-sensing capability. 

 Cloud Depiction and Forecasting System (CDFS) II improvements. Improving CDFS 

techniques by doubling the resolution, integrating geosynchronous meteorological 

satellites into the cloud analysis, using a new cloud interpretation scheme, and blending 

numerical weather prediction with forecast cloud advection techniques will ensure the AF 

continues as a center of excellence in cloud forecasting. MARK IVB data integration into 

cloud models will be expanded. 

 Tactical Decision Aids (TDAs). TDAs provide warfighters an automated way to 

“visualize” environmental impacts on operations. These tools continue to be integrated 

into AF and joint service command and control (C2) systems (e.g., mission planning 

systems) including Target Acquisition Weapons Software, Infrared Target Scene 

Simulation, and Tri-Service Integrated Weather Effects Decision Aid (T-IWEDA). 

 Weather Data Analysis (WDA). WDA will provide many of the behind-the-scene tools at 

the weather production centers necessary for enabling JET to provide decision-quality 

products and information to warfighters. 

 Ensemble Prediction System (EPS). EPS output will help AF weather personnel to 

provide better forecasts for the warfighter with increased confidence, particularly at the 

tactical level. 

The goals of these efforts are to provide accurate and relevant weather information to warfighters 

at all levels of operations quicker and more consistently than ever before, within the decision 

cycle and in a manner that facilitates exploiting the current and forecasted weather conditions. 

While these all work synergistically to provide warfighters a quantum leap in capability, JET is 

the most visible piece to decision makers. JET will exploit data contained in the Virtual Joint 

Meteorological and Oceanographic (METOC) database via common-user communications, 

integrate with joint and coalition command and control and mission planning systems, and 

provide the machine-to-machine data exchange for assimilating METOC and C4 Intelligence, 

Surveillance, and Reconnaissance data to meet operational and tactical mission planning and 

execution requirements. 

United States Navy (USN) 

The USN FY 2011 budget request for meteorological programs is $83.3 million, $73.2 million to 

support operations and $10.1 million to support enabling research. 

8
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

Naval Oceanography Program (NOP) 

The NOP remains a unique, world-class program. It focuses support in the environmentally 

complex coastal/littoral regions around the globe. Naval METOC personnel (Navy and Marine 

Corps) are required to provide intelligence preparation of the environment (IPE) for operational 

decision makers by assessing the impact of atmospheric and ocean phenomena on platforms, 

sensors, and weapon systems. Additionally, Navy and Marine Corps METOC personnel provide 

for safe flight and navigation in support of naval, joint, and combined forces operating 

throughout the world’s oceans. This is done with a cadre of highly trained military and civilian 

personnel, educated in both sciences and warfighting applications. By teaming with and 

leveraging the efforts of other agencies and activities, the NOP meets these challenges in a cost 

effective manner, providing a full spectrum of products and services to provide decision makers 

in the field with environmental decision superiority using only a small percentage of the federal 

weather budget. The NOP is required to provide comprehensive and integrated weather and 

ocean support worldwide. The Oceanographer/Navigator of the Navy (CNO OPNAV N2/N6F5) 

sponsors programs in four closely related disciplines: meteorology, oceanography, geospatial 

information and services, and precise time and astrometry. All are used to protect ships, aircraft, 

fighting personnel, and shore establishments from adverse ocean and weather conditions, and to 

provide a decisive tactical or strategic edge by exploiting the physical environment to optimize 

the performance and efficiency of platforms, sensors, and weapons. 

Battlespace On Demand (BonD). Naval Oceanography is about generating competitive 

advantage across the warfighting and shaping spectrum by linking forecasts to decisions. Our 

strategy, BonD, consists of overlapping tiers that build on the previous tiers to ultimately 

produce enhanced decision-making capabilities for the warfighter. The end result is decision 

superiority—making better decisions faster than the adversary. 

 Tier 0. Data from various sources are collected, assimilated and fused to provide initial 

and boundary conditions that accurately describe the “as is” ocean and atmosphere 

environment, as well as the celestial and temporal reference frames. 

 Tier 1. Data from satellites, altimetry, gliders, buoys and other collection methods are 

incorporated to initialize computations. Then, our high performance supercomputers run 

complex models to continually forecast and verify the future state of the ocean and 

atmosphere. 

 Tier 2. The environment modeled in Tier 1 will impact sensors, weapons, platforms, and 

people, providing opportunities and restrictions for successful operations and 

warfighting. We define the influences on planning, force structure, targeting, timing, 

maneuver, tactics, techniques and procedures. The result is a “performance surface” that 

accounts for both the predicted environment and the capabilities and behaviors of the 

force – both allies and adversaries. 

 Tier 3. Applications that run across the performance surface quantify risk at strategic, 

operational, and tactical levels. We provide actionable recommendations on force 

allocation and employment that directly enhance safety and warfighting effectiveness. 

9
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

Littoral Battlespace Sensing, Fusion, and Integration (LBSF&I). LBSF&I is the Navy’s 

principal Intelligence Preparation of the Environment approach for atmospheric and 

oceanographic data collection, processing, and data/product dissemination to users. LBSF&I 

facilitates better tactical decision making by enabling a system of networked sensors to allow 

information sharing through interoperability with naval and joint networks and information 

systems. It addresses critical gaps with respect to environmental data fidelity (in time and space) 

shown to play a critical role in force disposition and force posture in current and future naval 

missions. LBSF&I is a critical persistent IPE technology, a key component of the Naval 

Oceanography BonD framework, and supports the Battlespace Awareness Joint Capability Area 

through 2025. 

Operational Support 

Naval meteorological and oceanographic (METOC) support starts with sensing the battlespace 

without being adversely affected by physical environmental and culminates with weapons 

arriving on target and enabling personnel to operate in the battlespace without being adversely 

affected by physical environmental phenomena. Operational support for the Navy and Marine 

Corps includes the day-to-day provision of METOC products and services. As naval operations 

in the littoral increase, Naval METOC support is directed towards providing on-scene 

capabilities to personnel that directly furnish environmental data for sensor, weapon system, and 

personnel planning and employment. These on-scene capabilities are key elements for enabling 

the war-fighters to take advantage of the natural environment as part of battlespace management. 

Owing to the crucial interrelationship of the ocean and the atmosphere, Naval METOC requires 

various oceanographic products to provide the requisite meteorological services. In addition to 

aviation and maritime METOC support, Navy and Marine Corps METOC teams provide a 

variety of unique services on demand, such as electro-optical, electro-magnetic, and acoustic 

propagation models and products; METOC-sensitive tactical decision aids; and global sea-ice 

analyses and forecasts. 

Systems Acquisition 

Naval METOC systems acquisition is accomplished through the Program Executive Office for 

Command, Control, Communication, Computers, and Intelligence and Space (C4I and Space) in 

San Diego, California. 

Navy Integrated Tactical Environmental System (NITES). The Navy operates a distributed 

model in support of tactical weather prediction. Each NITES is a set of meteorology and 

oceanography forecast, database, and decision aid tools tailored for specific platforms and users. 

Five variants exist to support a variety of operators and platforms. Tactical environmental 

support system a DOD acquisition system category IV-T program refers collectively to all five 

variants of NITES. The Distributed Atmospheric Modeling Prediction System (DAMPS) allows 

users to ingest high-resolution data and on-scene observations into regional and global model 

information received from the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center. The 

result is an on-scene weather model that provides accurate weather predictions for an operating 

area within a 24-hour timeframe. 

10
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

The Navy will field a follow-on system, called “NITES – Next,” to increase the capabilities for 

ashore, afloat and mobile METOC support to naval tactical operations and be net-centric and 

interoperable with the other services. NITES – Next will be a software only solution and 

compliant with the DOD Global Information Grid and Navy FORCEnet architectures. The Navy 

is coordinating with the Air Force to efficiently and effectively leverage the Air Force’s Joint 

Environmental Toolkit (JET) Program to eliminate unnecessary duplication of METOC 

capabilities. 

Through-the-Sensor (TTS) Capabilities. The Hazardous Weather Detection and Display 

Capability (HWDDC) and Tactical Environmental Processor (TEP) are TTS technologies which 

will passively tap Navy air search radars to obtain and display hazardous weather information. 

The TEP and HWDDC systems will be based off common modular weather processing 

algorithms and will have similar data product and display capabilities. Essentially, they are one 

common set of processing applied to two different radars. The differences in capabilities 

supported by the systems are driven by the differences in the radars, themselves. 

Research and Development (R&D) 

Naval METOC R&D is cooperatively sponsored by the Oceanographer/Navigator of the Navy 

and the Chief of Naval Research. Naval R&D efforts typically have applications to 

meteorological, oceanographic, and/or tactical systems. Navy’s tabulation of budget data 

includes R&D funding for basic research, applied research, demonstration and validation, and 

engineering and manufacturing development. Projects initiated by the Navy and Marine Corps, 

under sponsorship of the Oceanographer/Navigator of the Navy, transition from engineering 

development to operational naval systems. Such efforts include advances in Naval METOC 

forecasting capabilities, enhancements to communications, and data-compression techniques, 

further development and improvement of models to better predict METOC parameters in littoral 

regions, and an improved understanding of the impact these parameters have on sensors, 

weapons systems, and platform performance. To realize the opportunities and navigate the 

challenges ahead, the Department of Navy must have a clear vision of how they will organize, 

integrate, and transform. The Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower and the Naval 

Operations Concept 2010 provides that vision. It will align our efforts, accelerate our progress, 

and realize the potential of our people. Support to naval operations is provided under the 

direction of the Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC) 

located at the Stennis Space Center, MS, and the Marine Corps advocate for METOC, the 

Deputy Commandant for Aviation, at Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. With the 

addition of the Naval Oceanography Operations Command, the NOP optimizes warfighting 

resources, supports safe operations, and enhances dominance of the battlespace through superior 

understanding and exploitation of the environment. The Naval METOC community works 

closely with research developers and operational forces to ensure that naval and joint force 

commanders will always have the most accurate, timely, and geo-referenced METOC 

information available for successful operations. 

11
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

United States Army (USA) 

The U.S. Army has a requirement for $19.3 million for operational support and $11.8 million for 

research and development in FY 2011. Funding for operational support will decrease 6 percent 

while funding for research decreases 21 percent from FY 2010 to FY 2011. Staffing levels 

remain stable for FY 2011. Army monies for meteorology are spent on research and 

development related to the Army mission; the development, production, and maintenance of 

Army meteorological systems; and weather-related training at the Training and Doctrine 

Command (TRADOC) schools and centers. 

Headquarters, Department of the Army, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2, employs two full-time 

meteorologists for development of meteorology policy; coordination of meteorological support 

within the Department of the Army and with other DOD and Federal agencies and organizations; 

Department of the Army policy, concerning weather, environmental services, and oceanographic 

support to the Army (not to include those environmental services functions assigned to the Corps 

of Engineers); and Department of the Army policy, concerning peacetime weather support. The 

USAF provides one full-time staff weather officer to serve as a liaison between the Air Force and 

the Army Staff. 

The development and fielding of Army weather technologies are funded by the Program Manger 

(PM) Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A). FY 2009 procurement funds 

(OPA) from DCGS-A were used for the integrated logistics support and sustainment of the 

Program of Record Integrated Meteorological System (IMETS) and new development for 

DCGS-A Weather Services. Northrop Grumman Technical Services (Tacoma/Lakewood, WA) 

and Physical Science Laboratory, New Mexico State University are the primary contractors 

supporting the OPA effort. OPA funding supports the testing and integration of weather 

capabilities such as the Air Force JET into DCGS-A. The IMETS Project Office transitioned to 

PM DCGS-A on 30 September 2007 to become DCGS-A Weather Services. Future funding for 

DCGS-A Weather Services will come from DCGS-A program office and CommunicationsElectronics Command Software Engineering Center (CECOM SEC). Until the systems are 

replaced by DCGS-A, maintenance and support for the fielded IMETS hardware will be 

transitioned to the DCGS-A Fort Hood Field Office. CECOM SEC provides the sustainment of 

IMETS software. DCGS-A weather services on both the Mobile Basic system and the V3.1 

series of builds feature web applications and portal-based access to weather applications and 

products. An improved IWEDA on both versions of DCGS-A features a mission-oriented 

approach where multiple users contribute to building weather effects on selected sub-tasks, 

contributing to the overall mission. Rules for thousands of Army, Air Force, and Navy 

systems/sub-munitions and operations will be stored in a web-accessible centralized rules 

database at Fort Huachuca, AZ. 

The Profiler program successfully executed a development and testing program, culminating in 

an Initial Operational Test and Evaluation 1QFY2005. Seventeen low-rate production (LRP) 

configuration systems were produced, including four System Design and Development models 

subsequently converted to an LRP configuration and 13 additional LRP systems. Full-rate 

production (FRP) was approved at a FRP Decision Review in FY 2005. The Profiler Block I 

system reached its Army Acquisition Objective of 108 systems with its FY 2008 contract award. 

Final production concluded with delivery of system number 108 in May 2010. As Block I 

12
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

systems continue to be fielded in FY 2010, the development of next generation Profiler Block III 

system will begin. Profiler Block III is currently envisioned to be a hosted on a laptop computer, 

eliminating the need for dedicated vehicles and personnel, and potentially saving money for the 

Army in operations and support costs. 

TRADOC transferred $109K in FY 2010 to the Air Combat Command for the maintenance and 

service of five Army automated surface observing sensor systems and two Army pole-mounted 

Tactical Meteorological Observing Systems at Fort Rucker, AL. Contract maintenance and 

service for these systems will be terminated by Air Combat Command in FY 2011 due to 

elimination of the contract vehicle per Resource Management Decision 802. Maintenance and 

service of Army-owned observing systems at Fort Rucker, AL, will become the sole 

responsibility of the Army in accordance with Army Regulation 115-10/Air Force Instruction 15-

157, Weather Support for U.S. Army, 6 February 2010. 

The Army Research Laboratory continued its research and development efforts in basic 

meteorology but will see a nearly $2.5 million reduction in funding from FY 2010 to FY 2011. 

The Army Test and Evaluation Command’s meteorology program budget will be substantially 

reduced in FY 2011. This is the same year the large computers used in the 4DWX system will 

reach the end of their life cycles. In anticipation, the budget alignment in FY 2010 shifted funds 

from instrumentation and program management funding lines to increase the amount provided to 

the 4DWX budget line. This shift provided funds for new computers, with a new system concept. 

Rather than running the 4DWX weather models at each range, the model execution for all the 

ranges will be accomplished at Dugway Proving Ground, using a very large computer with a 

backup computer at another range. The consolidated computer system began operations in 

September 2010. This approach saves funds in acquisition and maintenance, and provides more 

operational flexibility. The hardware, software, and system development costs for the 

consolidated system will be paid entirely with FY 2010 funds. The cost of the consolidated 

system is nearly as large as the budget reduction from FY 2010 to FY 2011; therefore, the 

instrumentation, program management, and other budget lines will remain nearly equivalent 

from FY 2010 to FY 2011. 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) 

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 

All of the USCG’s funding for meteorological programs is for operations support. For FY 2011, 

the requested funding level is $26.4 million. The Coast Guard does not have a specific program 

and budget for meteorology--all meteorological activities are accomplished as part of general 

operations. The Coast Guard’s activities include the collection and dissemination of 

meteorological and iceberg warning information for the benefit of the marine community. The 

Coast Guard also collects coastal and marine observations from its shore stations and cutters, and 

transmits these observations daily to the Navy’s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and 

Oceanography Center and NOAA’s National Weather Service. These observations are used by 

both the Navy and NOAA in generating weather forecasts. 

13
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

The Coast Guard also disseminates a variety of weather forecast products and warnings to the 

marine community via radio transmissions. Coast Guard shore stations often serve as sites for 

NWS automated coastal weather stations, and the National Data Buoy Center provides logistics 

support in deploying and maintaining NOAA offshore weather buoys. 

The International Ice Patrol conducts iceberg surveillance operations and provides warnings to 

mariners on the presence of icebergs in the North Atlantic shipping lanes. Coast Guard efforts in 

meteorological operations and services have not changed significantly during recent years. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (DOI) 

Within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Department of Interior (DOI) funds two 

principal programs—the soil, water, and air (SWA) program and the fire weather activities of the 

Office of Fire and Aviation (OFA). For FY 2011, funding for the SWA program is $1.143 

million, down from $1.475 million in FY 2010. OFA funding for FY 2011 is $2.962 million and 

represents the DOI share of operations and the support of the Interagency Remote Automatic 

Weather Station (RAWS) network. An additional $1.2 million is recovered through reimbursable 

accounts with non-DOI participating agencies. Funded activities include maintenance, travel, 

transportation, services, supplies, equipment, and miscellaneous support costs. Some agencies 

also incur additional costs in support of this network through commercially contracted 

maintenance services. 

The interagency RAWS network is an important tool for wildland fire management and directly 

supports the protection of life and property. All affected Federal agencies from within DOI 

participate in its acquisition, operation, and support. The BLM, in particular, has a unique role in 

the maintenance of the RAWS network, both through information technology (IT) data 

distribution services and technical equipment support. Participating agencies address common 

issues on a regular, interagency basis and coordinate efforts to ensure the collection of accurate 

and useful fire weather data. 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (DOT) 

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

For 2011, FAA requested a total of $402.0 million for the Aviation Weather Programs, including 

acquisition of new systems, operations and support, and supporting research. The actual funding 

for aviation weather in FY 2010 was $391.0 million. For FY 2011, FAA requested an additional 

$11.2 million, representing a 2.8 percent increase in total funding. 

The changes include a $1.4 million increase to $105.8 million for systems acquisition costs for 

new and increased programs for NextGen (see below); an increase in operations support from 

$285.5 million to $295.3 million; and an increase $1.5 million to $36.5 million for aviation 

weather research (Table 2.5). 

14
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

The funding changes reflect major initiatives in the aviation weather programs in support of the 

Next Generation (NextGen) National Air Transport System to bring increased and enhanced 

automation to the collection of weather observations from remote sensors and to the 

dissemination of weather products, graphics, and decision-making information to air traffic 

facilities, pilots, the aviation industry, and general aviation users. 

The Aviation Weather Research Program will continue research into understanding the 

geophysical phenomena in the atmosphere and around airports that present hazardous conditions 

for aircraft operations. Among these hazards are in-flight icing, turbulence, visibility, ceiling, 

summer and winter storm activity, etc. Additional work is being done to improve models and to 

develop advanced weather radar techniques. 

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 

The total FHWA request for surface transportation weather programs in FY 2011 is $4.5 million, 

all of which will be used for supporting research and special programs. 

In 1999, the FHWA began documenting road weather data requirements, and this has served as 

the basis for the majority of work and research in this area. This work, some of which is 

described below, includes addressing the technical aspects of the road transportation system 

(including environmental data collection, processing, and dissemination), as well as the 

institutional challenges associated with system implementation. 

Addressing these institutional challenges has helped foster coordination within state and local 

Departments of Transportation (DOT), as well as across the transportation and meteorological 

communities. With regard to technical areas of interest, data collection efforts have included 

increased coverage of atmospheric and road condition observations, as well as incorporation of 

road weather data (e.g., pavement and subsurface observations) into broader meteorological 

observation networks. Better processing includes the application of higher resolution weather 

models and the development of road condition prediction models (e.g., heat balance models) that 

are needed to develop the appropriate road weather information. This road weather information 

will enable more effective decision making, leading to a safer and more efficient surface 

transportation system. 

A U.S. DOT initiative entitled Clarus has developed, demonstrated, and supported the 

deployment of a nationwide surface transportation weather observing and forecasting system, 

and is fostering nationwide data-sharing capabilities. The Clarus System allows agencies to 

share quality-checked environmental data, ultimately improving forecasts and value-added 

weather information products, as well as supporting anytime, anywhere road weather 

information for all road and transit users and operators. 

A multiyear effort was undertaken by the FHWA in cooperation with six national laboratories to 

prototype and field test advanced decision support tools for winter maintenance managers. The 

Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) prototype is a decision support tool that 

integrates relevant road weather forecasts, coded rules of practice for winter maintenance 

operations, and maintenance resource data to provide managers with customized road treatment 

recommendations. The first functional MDSS prototype was demonstrated in Iowa in early 2003 

15
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

and during the winter season of 2003-2004. During the winter season of 2004-2005, the MDSS 

prototype was successfully deployed in a third demonstration in Colorado and in early 2006; this 

product was declared a “market ready technology.” By 2007, 21 state transportation agencies 

were using or developing MDSS tools. The current focus of the MDSS project is to continue to 

promote deployment by the private sector, and provide assistance to public agencies in procuring 

the MDSS services from the private sector. Over the past four years multiple benefit/cost 

analyses have been conducted, all of which document that the benefits of deploying MDSS 

always outweigh the costs, sometimes quite significantly. 

In 2006, the FHWA completed a study on how Traffic Management Centers (TMC) around the 

country integrate road weather information into their operations. The FHWA documented the 

types of road weather information received by TMCs, the means of information delivery, how 

information needs change as the severity of a weather event increases, and how that information 

impacts traffic management decisions. Investigators found very limited integration and 

application of weather information for TMC operations. To advance the state of the practice, the 

Road Weather Management Program initiated a project to develop a self-assessment guide 

(http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/30000/30400/30471/14437.pdf) to help TMCs evaluate their weather 

information integration needs and assist them in creating a plan to meet those needs. The guide is 

currently being promoted and deployed around the country. The FHWA is also conducting 

analyses and developing models to quantify the impacts of various weather events on driver 

behavior and highway traffic, working to incorporate weather and pavement condition data into 

traffic analysis tools, as well as investigating a variety of weather-responsive traffic management 

strategies; such as, changing traffic signal timing in response to weather and posting weatherrelated messages on variable message signs. These efforts will help FHWA advance the state-ofthe-practice in weather-responsive traffic management. 

The efforts described above, as well as ongoing and future projects were shaped by three critical 

program development activities. In 2002, the FHWA asked the National Research Council 

(NRC) Board of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate to examine what needs to be done from the 

research, development, and technology transfer perspectives to improve the production and 

delivery of weather-related information for the nation’s roadways. In March 2004, the NRC 

released a report, Where the Weather Meets the Road: A Research Agenda for Improving Road 

Weather Services, which recommended the creation of a focused, national road weather research 

program led by FHWA that brings together the transportation and meteorological communities, 

identifies research priorities, and implements new scientific and technological advances. 

Then, to strengthen relationships between the meteorological and surface transportation 

communities, the FHWA Road Weather Management Program and the American Meteorological 

Society (AMS) co-sponsored a Policy Forum on Weather and Highways in November 2003. 

In 2010, the AMS, with the support of FHWA, conducted a second Road Weather Policy Forum. 

The forum provided an opportunity to assess what has been accomplished since the first forum, 

as well as to shape future investments. While much had been accomplished, it was recognized 

that much more needed to be done. The results of the forum were captured in a summary report, 

identifying three primary areas in need of study: documenting the wide range of transportation 

users’ needs, better monitoring of weather and road conditions through fixed and mobile 

16
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

observation networks, and further developing such science challenges as boundary layer 

modeling and integrated decision support systems. 

These three activities have been instrumental in shaping FHWA’s program plan and will 

continue to support the agency’s investment decisions. In addition, they have helped strengthen 

the working relationship between the FHWA and NOAA. In July 2005, the two agencies signed 

a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which has enabled the two agencies to work together 

to achieve shared goals for a safer and more efficient surface transportation system. In November 

2010, a second MOU was signed, which extended this collaboration. By working together, these 

two agencies are able to take advantage of each other’s investments and expertise, as well as 

promote improved surface transportation weather training, products, and services. 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) 

All of the EPA’s funding of meteorological and air quality programs is for supporting basic and 

applied research. The anticipated funding level in FY 2011 for directed meteorological research 

is about $9 million. 

Continued attention is being paid to the effects of airborne toxins and fine particulate matter on 

human health, on the effect of climate change on air quality, and the impact on human health and 

sensitive ecosystems. In addition, to promote excellence in environmental science and 

engineering, EPA established a national fellowship program and substantially increased its 

support for investigator-initiated research grants. The funding for grants (with reliance on quality 

science and peer review) and for graduate fellowships (to support the education and careers of 

future scientists) will provide for a more balanced, long-term capital investment in improved 

environmental research and development. The funding for the grants program will remain about 

the same in FY 2011 as in FY 2010. 

EPA’s Research Grants Program will fund research in areas including ecological assessment, air 

quality, environmental fate and treatment of toxins and hazardous wastes, effects of global 

climate change on air quality, and exploratory research. The portion of these grants that will be 

awarded for meteorological research during FY 2011 cannot be foreseen, but it is probable that 

the grant awards will increase the base amount of $9 million listed above for directed 

meteorological research. 

EPA is continuing its development and evaluation of air quality models for air pollutants on all 

temporal and spatial scales as mandated by the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990. Research will 

focus on urban, mesoscale, regional, and multimedia models, which will be used to develop air 

pollution control strategies, human and ecosystem exposure assessments, and air quality 

forecasting. There will be increased emphasis placed on meteorological research into global-toregional-to-urban-local formation and transport of air contaminants in support of the revisions to 

the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and ecosystem protection strategies. Increased 

efficiency of computation and interpretation of results are being made possible by means of 

supercomputing and scientific visualization techniques. 

17
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) 

In FY 2010, NASA spent a total of $1.739 billion on meteorological operations ($7.506 million) 

and supporting research ($1.731 billion). NASA supports meteorological operations through the 

Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), weather and climate research through the 

Science Mission Directorate’s (SMD) Earth Science Division, and space weather research 

through SMD’s Heliophysics Division. The SOMD objective is weather-related safety of 

manned spacecraft, satellites, scientific instruments, and launch vehicles. The greatest challenge 

is to accurately measure and forecast mesoscale weather events that strongly impact launch and 

landing operations. 

The SMD objective in weather and climate research is to improve accuracy of severe weather 

forecasts and global climate predictions through understanding of the atmosphere, land and 

oceans, including ecosystems, and their mutual interactions. The greatest challenge is to observe 

the continuum of weather-to-climate processes and produce models of future conditions 

verifiable with observations. The SMD objective in space weather research is to develop the 

scientific foundation that will enable space weather forecasters to predict the extreme and 

dynamic conditions in space in order to maximize the safety and productivity of human and 

robotic explorers. 

For FY 2011, a 19 percent increase in NASA’s research budget request to $2.066 billion funds a 

Climate Change Initiative that will greatly accelerate NASA’s formulation, development, and 

launch of all fifteen Decadal Survey missions assigned to NASA; all Decadal Survey missions 

are relevant to research on global and regional climate change. The budget increase also 

recognizes and supports the need for continuity in critical climate observations and data records. 

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) 

For FY 2011, the NRC’s total planned expenditure of $315,000 ($140,000 for operations and 

$175,000 for supporting research) is for meteorological operations to continue technical 

assistance for the analysis of atmospheric dispersion for routine and postulated accidental 

releases from nuclear facilities; for conducting meteorological research in support of licensing 

activities; for preparation of guidance on meteorological issues in licensing actions; and for the 

review of proposed sites for possible construction of new nuclear power plants. 

The meteorological support program in the NRC is focused primarily on analyzing and utilizing 

meteorological data in atmospheric transport and dispersion models. These models provide 

insight on plume pathways in the near- and far-fields for building wake and dispersion 

characteristics to perform dose calculations on postulated releases into the environment. 

Meteorological information is used as input to the probabilistic safety assessment, the assessment 

of the radiological impacts of routine releases from normal operations, the assessment of other 

(non-radiological) hazards that may impact safe operation of the facility, and the assessment of 

design or operational changes proposed for the facility. Current research activities include 

quantifying the storm surge from severe weather events and updating the hydrometeorological 

reports (HMRs) and methods used to estimate the effects of extreme precipitation events. This 

18
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

work is prioritized for those areas of the United States where new nuclear power plants are 

proposed and will provide the design basis for flood protection systems. 

Additionally, after a hiatus of some 25 years, the nuclear power industry has expressed an 

interest in seeking approvals for new nuclear power plants. Numerous early site permit, 

combined license, and design certification applications have been received and are currently 

under review. These reviews will also consider regional climatology and local meteorology. In 

addition to its internal review activities, the NRC may seek assistance from other Federal 

agencies to support its safety reviews. 

AGENCY FUNDING BY BUDGET CATEGORY 

Table 1.2 depicts how the agencies plan to obligate their funds for meteorological operations 

broken down by “budget category.” The two major categories are “Operations Support” and 

“Systems Acquisition.” To a large degree, these categories correspond to non-hardware costs 

(Operations Support) and hardware costs (Systems Acquisition). For agency convenience in 

identifying small components that do not fit into these two major categories, a third category is 

added called “Special Programs.” In FY 2011, total Operational Costs requested are $3.99 billion 

with a total of $1.70 billion for Operations Support, $2.67 billion for Systems Acquisition, and 

$19.5 million for Special Programs. 

Table 1.3 describes how the agencies plan to obligate their funds for meteorological supporting 

research also broken down by budget categories. The agencies’ supporting research budgets are 

subdivided along similar lines of operational funding--Research and Development (nonhardware), Systems Development (hardware), and Special Programs (for those items that do not 

easily fit into the two major categories). For FY 2011, agencies will obligate a total of $2.38 

billion in supporting research funds in the following manner: $1.30 billion to research and 

development and $1.08 billion to systems development. 

AGENCY FUNDING BY SERVICE CATEGORY 

Tables 1.4 and 1.5 summarize how the agencies plan to obligate FY 2011 funds for 

meteorological services and supporting research, respectively, by service category. Table 1.4 

details the distribution of FY 2011 operational funds with basic services receiving 77.9 percent, 

aviation 10.3 percent, surface transportation 2.2 percent; agricultural and land management 0.3 

percent, military 6.4 percent, wildland fire weather 0.2 percent, climate 0.6 percent, space 

weather 0.6 percent, emergency response and homeland security 0.7 percent, hydrometeorology 

and water resources 0.3 percent, and other specialized services 0.5 percent. 

Table 1.5 shows the distribution of supporting research funds among the service categories with 

basic services receiving 5.2 percent, aviation 2.0 percent, surface transportation, 0.2 percent; 

agricultural and land management 2.9 percent, military 2.1 percent, wildland fire weather 0.2 

percent, climate 60.2 percent, space weather 26.8 percent, emergency response and homeland 

security 0.0 percent, hydrometeorology and water resources 0.0 percent, and other specialized 

services 0.4 percent. The service category definitions are described below: 

19
TABLE 1.2 AGENCY OPERATIONAL COSTS, BY BUDGET CATEGORY

 (Thousands of Dollars)

 Operations Systems Special % of Support Acquisition Programs Total FY2010

AGENCY FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 %CHG TOTALAgriculture 15600 15462 635 587 430 432 16665 16481 -1.1 0.4Commerce/NOAA(Subtot) 1124245 1150947.4 1292531.6 2116377 14615 13388 2431392 3280712 34.9 82.3 NWS 867222 902462 93154 97581 3504 3150 963880 1003193 4.1 25.2 NESDIS 199165 190223 1199357 2018796 0 0 1398522 2209019 58.0 55.4 OAR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NOS 33078 29715 0 0 0 0 33078 29715 -10.2 0.7 OMAO 24780 28547 21 0 11111 10238 35912 38785 8.0 1.0Defense(Subtot) 224698 221033 48000 46658 235 235 272933 267926 -1.8 6.7 Air Force 141158 137638 38947 37743 0 0 180105 175381 -2.6 4.4 Navy 70862 71782 1445 1464 0 0 72307 73246 1.3 1.8 Army 12678 11613 7608 7451 235 235 20521 19299 -6.0 0.5Homeland Security (Subtot) 24710 26430 0 0 0 0 24710 26430 7.0 0.7 USCG 24710 26430 0 0 0 0 24710 26430 7.0 0.7Interior/BLM 993 993 332 0 3125 3112 4450 4105 -7.8 0.1Transportation(Subtot) 288353 279280 85947 102716 2364 2364 376664 384360 2.0 9.6 FAA 288353 279280 85947 102716 2364 2364 376664 384360 2.0 9.6 FHWA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0EPA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0NASA 7506 5979 0 0 0 0 7506 5979 -20.3 0.1NRC 225 140 0 0 0 0 225 140 -37.8 0.0DOE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0TOTAL 1686330 1700264 1427446 2266338 20769 19531 3134545 3986133 27.2 100.0% of FY TOTAL 53.8% 42.7% 45.5% 56.9% 0.7% 0.5% 100.0% 100.0%

20
TABLE 1.3 AGENCY SUPPORTING RESEARCH COSTS, BY BUDGET CATEGORY

 (Thousands of Dollars)

 Research & Systems Special % of Development Development Programs Total FY2010

AGENCY FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 %CHG TOTALAgriculture 59761 75924 59761 75924 27.0 3.2Commerce/NOAA(Subtot) 127622 128359 9870 5545 0 0 137492 133904 -2.6 5.6 NWS 29525 24325 7000 2675 0 0 36525 27000 -26.1 1.1 NESDIS 27970 28352 0 0 0 0 27970 28352 1.4 1.2 OAR 68127 73682 1870 1870 0 0 69997 75552 7.9 3.2 NOS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 OMAO 2000 2000 1000 1000 0 0 3000 3000 0.0 0.1Defense(Subtot) 33461 31554 24145 22645 0 0 57606 54199 -5.9 2.3 Air Force 8599 9728 24145 22645 0 0 32744 32373 -1.1 1.4 Navy 9926 10055 0 0 0 0 9926 10055 1.3 0.4 Army 14936 11771 0 0 0 0 14936 11771 -21.2 0.5Homeland Security (Subtot) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 USCG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Interior/BLM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Transportation(Subtot) 40680 39834 0 0 0 0 40680 39834 -2.1 1.7 FAA 36180 35334 0 0 0 0 36180 35334 -2.3 1.5 FHWA 4500 4500 0 0 0 0 4500 4500 0.0 0.2EPA 9000 9000 0 0 0 0 9000 9000 0.0 0.4NASA 847683 1011549 883315 1054103 0 0 1730998 2065652 19.3 86.8NRC 275 175 0 0 0 0 275 175 -36.4 0.0DOE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0TOTAL 1118482 1296395 917330 1082293 0 0 2035812 2378688 16.8 100.0% of FY TOTAL 54.9% 54.5% 45.1% 45.5% 0 0 100.0% 100.0%

21
 Total

AGENCY FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011Agriculture 231 0 0 0 0 0 12551 12597 0 0 3883 3884 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16665 16481Commerce/NOAA(Subtot) 2258540 3103323 23499 26676 87919 86201 0 0 0 0 1433 1433 22535 24813 11014 13014 1298 1333 10518 10531 14636 13388 2431392 3280712 NWS 843,399 876,082 23,499 26,676 54,841 56,486 0 0 0 0 1,433 1,433 16,153 16,315 11,014 13,014 0 0 10,037 10,037 3,504 3,150 963880 1003193 NESDIS 1,398,522 2,209,019 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1398522 2209019 OAR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NOS 0 0 0 0 33078 29715 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 33078 29715 OMAO 16619 18222 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6382 8498 0 0 1298 1333 481 494 11132 10238 35912 38785Defense(Subtot) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 258499 255909 0 0 0 0 14434 12017 0 0 0 0 0 0 272933 267926 Air Force 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 165671 163364 0 0 0 0 14434 12017 0 0 0 0 0 0 180105 175381 Navy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 72307 73246 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 72307 73246 Army 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20521 19299 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20521 19299Homeland Security (Subtot) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24710 26430 0 0 0 0 24710 26430 USCG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24710 26430 0 0 0 0 24710 26430Interior/BLM 0 0 0 0 0 0 1475 1143 0 0 2975 2962 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4450 4105Transportation(Subtot) 0 0 376664 384360 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 376664 384360 FAA 0 0 376664 384360 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 376664 384360 FHWA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0EPA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0NASA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7506 5979 7506 5979NRC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 225 140 0 0 0 0 225 140DOE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0TOTAL 2258771 3103323 400163 411036 87919 86201 14026 13740 258499 255909 8291 8279 22535 24813 25448 25031 26233 27903 10518 10531 22142 19367 3134545 3986133% of FY TOTAL 72.1% 77.9% 12.8% 10.3% 2.8% 2.2% 0.4% 0.3% 8.2% 6.4% 0.3% 0.2% 0.7% 0.6% 0.8% 0.6% 0.8% 0.7% 0.3% 0.3% 0.7% 0.5% 100.0% 100.0%

Meteorology Aviation WIST Military

 TABLE 1.4 AGENCY OPERATIONAL COSTS, BY SERVICE CATEGORIES

 (Thousands of Dollars)

Basic Agriculture & Land General

Management Homeland Security Wildland Fire Climate Space Weather Hydrometeorology Other

 Total

AGENCY FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011 FY2010 FY2011Agriculture 2595 2595 0 0 0 0 51877 68040 0 0 5289 5289 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 59761 75924Commerce/NOAA(Subtot) 134767 120929 2125 12375 0 0 0 0 0 0 600 600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 137492 133904 NWS 35,425 15,650 500 10,750 0 0 0 0 0 0 600 600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 36525 27000 NESDIS 27,970 28,352 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 27970 28352 OAR 68372 73927 1625 1625 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 69997 75552 NOS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 OMAO 3000 3000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3000 3000Defense(Subtot) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 54027 50242 0 0 0 0 3579 3957 0 0 0 0 0 0 57606 54199 Air Force 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 29165 28416 0 0 0 0 3579 3957 0 0 0 0 0 0 32744 32373 Navy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9926 10055 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9926 10055 Army 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14936 11771 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14936 11771Homeland Security (Subtot) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 USCG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Interior/BLM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Transportation(Subtot) 0 0 36180 35334 4500 4500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 40680 39834 FAA 0 0 36180 35334 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 36180 35334 FHWA 0 0 0 0 4500 4500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4500 4500EPA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9000 9000 9000 9000NASA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1123000 1431000 607998 634652 0 0 0 0 0 0 1730998 2065652NRC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 275 175 0 0 0 0 275 175DOE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0TOTAL 137362 123524 38305 47709 4500 4500 51877 68040 54027 50242 5889 5889 1123000 1431000 611577 638609 275 175 0 0 9000 9000 2035812 2378688% of FY TOTAL 6.7% 5.2% 1.9% 2.0% 0.2% 0.2% 2.5% 2.9% 2.7% 2.1% 0.3% 0.2% 55.2% 60.2% 30.0% 26.8% 0.0% 0.0% 0 0 0.4% 0.4% 100.0% 100.0%

 TABLE 1.5 AGENCY SUPPORTING RESEARCH COSTS, BY SERVICE CATEGORIES

 (Thousands of Dollars)

Basic

Meteorology Aviation WIST

Agriculture & Land General

Military Other Space Weather Homeland Security Hydrometeorology Management Wildland Fire Climate

22
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

 Basic Services. Basic services include the basic meteorological service system, to include 

observations, public weather forecasts, severe weather warnings and advisories, and the 

meteorological satellite activities of NOAA. Basic services also include the operations 

and supporting research of other Federal agencies that have been identified as 

contributing to basic meteorological services. 

 Aviation Services. Aviation services are those specialized meteorological services and 

facilities established to meet the requirements of general, commercial, and military 

aviation. Civil programs that are directly related to services solely for aviation and 

military programs in support of land-based aviation and medium- or long-range missile 

operations are included. Detailed aviation services/products for specific areas include, but 

are not limited to, ceiling and visibility, convective hazards, en route winds and 

temperatures, ground de-icing, in-flight icing, terminal winds and temperatures, 

turbulence, volcanic ash, and other airborne hazardous materials. 

 Surface Transportation. Surface transportation services are those specialized 

meteorological services and facilities established to meet the weather information needs 

of the following surface transportation sectors: roadways, long-haul railways, the marine 

transportation system, rural and urban transit, pipeline systems, and airport ground 

operations. The roadway sector includes state and Federal highways and all state and 

local roads and streets. The marine transportation system includes coastal and inland 

waterways, ports and harbors, and the intermodal terminals serving them. Rural and 

urban transit includes bus and van service on roadways and rail lines for metropolitan 

subway and surface “light-rail” systems.

 Agriculture and Land Management Meteorological Services. Agricultural and land 

management meteorological services are those services and facilities established to meet 

the requirements of the agricultural industries and Federal, state, and local agencies 

charged with the protection and maintenance of the Nation's land areas. Meteorological 

services specifically tailored for wildland fire management are reported under the 

wildland fire weather service category. 

 Military Services. Military services are those meteorological operations, services, and 

capabilities established to meet the unique requirements of military user commands and 

their component elements. Programs and services that are not uniquely military in nature 

are reported under another service category (e.g., Basic Services, Aviation Services 

[civilian], Surface transportation Services, or Emergency Response and Homeland 

Security Services). 

 Wildland Fire Weather Services. Wildland fire weather services are those specialized 

meteorological services and facilities established to meet the requirements of the wildfire 

management community at the Federal, state, tribal, and local levels. The primary areas 

of service are to support the reduction of wildfire initiation potential and the mitigation of 

both human and environmental impacts once initiation does occur. Services can include 

support to first responders and land managers and climate services tailored to wildland 

fire management. 

 Climate Services. Climate services are those specialized meteorological services and 

facilities established to meet the requirements of Federal, state, and local agencies for 

23
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

information about trends in seasonal, interseasonal, or longer aspects of the atmospherehydrosphere-land surface system. Climate services include information on both 

oscillatory patterns (cycles varying over periods of several years to several decades) and 

longer-term secular trends in climate. 

 Space Weather Services. Space weather services are those specialized meteorological 

services and facilities established to meet the needs of users for information on extreme 

space weather events, also known as solar storms, which can affect terrestrial systems, 

the Earth’s atmosphere, and the near-Earth space environment. Space weather services 

include monitoring and reporting of solar storms and their effects on the Earth’s 

atmosphere and geomagnetic fields. Early warning of an approaching solar storm, so that 

timely protective response is possible, is an important part of space weather services. 

 Emergency Response and Homeland Security Services. Emergency response and 

homeland security services are those specialized meteorological services and facilities 

established to meet the requirements of Federal, state, and local agencies responding to 

natural disasters and security incidents. This category includes the use of atmospheric 

transport and diffusion (ATD) models for predicting the dispersion of airborne toxic 

substances; it also includes natural disaster monitoring and prediction services and the 

transport of water-borne toxic substances not included in basic services. 

 Hydrometeorology and Water Resources Services. Hydrometeorology and water 

resources services are those specialized meteorological services and facilities that 

combine atmospheric science, hydrology, and water resources in order to meet the 

requirements of Federal, state, and local agencies for information on the effects of 

precipitation events on infrastructure, water supplies, and waterways. These products and 

services also meet the needs of the general public in the conduct of everyday activities 

and for the protection of lives and property. 

 Other Specialized Services. Other specialized services include weather and climate 

information services and facilities established to meet the special needs of user agencies 

or constituencies not included in basic services or the preceding service categories. This 

service category includes any efforts to integrate the social sciences into meteorological 

operations, applications, and services not already described in the preceding sections. 

PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN METEOROGICAL OPERATIONS 

Table 1.6 depicts agency staff resources engaged in meteorological operations. The total agency 

staff resources requested for FY 2011 is 8,898. This total represents a modest 1.4 percent 

increase from FY 2010. 

24
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

TABLE 1.6 PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN METEOROLOGICAL OPERATIONS

(Units are Full time Equivalent Staff Years) 

 

 

% of FY 

2011

AGENCY FY 2010 FY 2011 %CHG TOTAL

Agriculture 135 132 -2.2 1.5

Commerce/NOAA (sub-total) 5547 5569 0.4 62.6

 NWS 4645 4649 0.1 52.2

 NESDIS (sub-total) 682 682 0.0 7.7

 NESDIS 682 682 0.0 7.7

 Reimbursed 0 0 0 0

 OAR 0 0 0 0

 NOS 114 119 4.4 1.3

 OMAO 106 119 12.0 1.3

Defense(Subtotal) 2028 2124 4.7 23.9

 Air Force 1133 1228 8.4 13.8

 Navy 415 415 0.0 4.7

 Marine Corps 369 370 0.3 4.2

 Army 111 111 0.0 1.2

Homeland Security-USCG 108 108 0.0 1.2

Interior/BLM(Subtotal) 38 36 -5.3 0.4

 BLM Soil/Water/Air Program 6 6 0.0 0.1

 BLM Fire Weather Program 32 30 -6.3 0.3

Transportation(Subtotal) 875 893 2.1 10.0

 FHWA 4 4 0.0 0.0

 FAA 871 889 2.1 10.0

EPA 0 0 0 0

NASA 41 34 -17.5 0.4

NRC 2 2 0.0 0.0

DOE 0 0 0 0

 TOTAL 8774 8898 1.4 100.0

25
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

INTERAGENCY FUND TRANSFERS 

Table 1.7 summarizes the reimbursement of funds from one agency to another during FY 2010. 

Agencies routinely enter into reimbursable agreements when they determine that one agency can 

provide the activity more effectively than the other. While specific amounts may vary from earto-year, the pattern shown is essentially stable and reflects a significant level of interagency 

cooperation. 

TABLE 1.7 INTERAGENCY FUND TRANSFERS FOR METEOROLOGICAL 

OPERATIONS AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH 

 

FY 2010 Funds ($K) 

 Estimated or Planned 

Agency Funds Agency Funds Supporting 

Transferred from: Transferred to: Operations Research 

USDA/USFS DOI/BLM 620 RAWS maintenance 

 101 Lightning contract 

Air Force NOAA 

Air Force Weather DOC/NOAA/NWS 2706 120 NEXRAD 

Air Force Weather DOC/NOAA/NWS 50 ASOS 

Air Force Weather OFCM 150 OFCM cost share 

Air Force Weather OFCM 30 Aircraft data 

Air Force Weather USGS (Dept of Interior) 525 Magnetometer 

Air Force Weather NASA 837 Land Info System 

Air Force Weather NASA 366 JPL tech data 

Air Force Weather NSF/UCAR/NCAR 2056 WRF 

Air Force Weather NSF/UCAR/NCAR 1220 Data Assimilation 

Air Force Weather NSF/UCAR/NCAR 250 Ensembles 

Air Force Weather GSA 117 Data admin 

Air Force Weather NOAA 155 

Shared Processing 

Program 

Corps of Engineers National Weather Service 553 

Corps of Engineers US Geological Survey 17265 

TRADOC Air Combat Command 109 

FAA(Contract 

Weather) NWS APAIDS in Alaska 128 

FAA(Contract 

Weather) NWS Cascade Locks 13 

FAA(NEXRAD) NWS 2711 

FAA(ASOS) NWS 7423 

NASA DOD/USAF/45th SW 1780 

 DOD/USAF/Edwards AFB 110 

 DOC/NOAA/NDBC 103 

 DOC/NOAA/SMG 1800 

DOI/BLM SWA USDA-NRCS 222 

DOI/BLM OFA NOAA 10 

26
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

FACILITIES/LOCATIONS FOR TAKING METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

Table 1.8 shows the number of facilities/locations or platforms at which the Federal agencies 

carry out or supervise the taking of various types of meteorological observations. As of August 

2008, the Army does not use upper-air rocket sensors any longer. 

TABLE 1.8 FACILITIES/LOCATIONS FOR TAKING METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 

 No. of 2010 

TYPE OF OBSERVATION by AGENCY Locations 

Surface, land 

Commerce (all types) 841 

Air Force (U.S. & Overseas) 265 

Navy (U.S. & Overseas) 68 

Marine Corps (U.S. & Overseas) 13 

Army (U.S. & Overseas) 67 

Transportation (FAA Contract Wx Obsg Stn)* 148 

Transportation (FAA Auto Wx Obsg Stn - AWOS) 180 

Transportation (FAA Auto Wx Sensor Sys - AWSS) 44 

Transportation (FAA Auto Sfc Obsg Sys - ASOS)** 571 

Transportation (FHWA-Road Wx Obsg Stn) 2127 

Homeland Security (USCG Coastal) 50 

Interior (BLM Soil/Water/Air Program) 250 

Interior (BLM Office of Fire and Aviation) 971 

 Agriculture 979 

Agriculture (NRCS active manual snow courses) 950 

Agriculture (NRCS automated SNOTEL stations) 790 

NASA (all types) 46 

 Total 8360 

*Note: All 148 FAA Contract Wx Obsg Stations are colocated with a FAA or Commerce (NWS) ASOS 

**Note: Transportation (FAA oversight Auto Sfc Obsg Sys, non-Fed inspected) 1200 

 

Surface, marine 

Commerce (SEAS-equipped ships) 622 

Commerce (Coastal-Marine Autom Network) 56 

Commerce (NOS/PORTS - only stations with met sensors) 61 

 Commerce (Buoys--moored) 98 

 Commerce (Buoys--drifting) 21 

Commerce (NOS/NWLON - only stations with met sensors) 176 

Navy (Ships with met personnel) 29 

Navy (Ships without met personnel) 255 

Homeland Security (USCG Cutters) 250 

NASA (Buoys - moored) 2 

 Total 1570 

27
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

TABLE 1.8 FACILITIES/LOCATIONS FOR TAKING METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 

 No. of 2010 

TYPE OF OBSERVATION by AGENCY Locations 

Upper air, balloon 

 Commerce (U.S.) 102 

Commerce (Foreign, Cooperative) 22 

Air Force, Mobile 29 

Army, Fixed (U.S. & Overseas) 12 

Army, Mobile (U.S. and Overseas) 13 

Navy, Fixed (U.S. & Overseas) 0 

Navy, Mobile(U.S. & Overseas) 10 

 Navy, Ships 29 

Marine Corps, Mobile 10 

NASA (U.S. and Overseas) 4 

 Total 231 

Atmospheric Profilers 

Air Force (Eastern Range) (915 MHz) 5 

Air Force (Eastern Range) (SODARS) 5 

Air Force (Western Range) (915 MHz) 5 

Air Force (Western Range) (50 MHz) 1 

Air Force (Western Range SODARS) 2 

 Army 9 

NASA (50 MHz) 1 

 Total 28 

 

Doppler weather radar (WSR-88D) sites 

 Commerce (NWS) 121 

Air Force (U.S. & Overseas) 26 

Transportation (Off CONUS) 12 

 Sub-total 159 

Doppler weather radar (Not WSR-88D) sites 

Air Force (Fixed) 11 

 Army 6 

 Navy (Fixed) 9 

 Sub-total 26 

Airport Terminal Doppler weather radars 

 Transportation (Commissioned) 45 

 Sub-total 45 

Conventional radar (non-Doppler) sites 

 Commerce (NWS) 2 

Air Force, Mobile Units 35 

Army (U.S. and Overseas) 3 

Transportation (FAA (WSP)) 34 

 Sub-total 74 

 304 

28
Section 1. Agency Funding for Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research

TABLE 1.8 FACILITIES/LOCATIONS FOR TAKING METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 

 No. of 2010 

TYPE OF OBSERVATION by AGENCY Locations 

Off-site WSR-88D Principle User Processors (PUPs) 

Air Force (OPUPs only) 99 

Marine Corps (U.S. & Overseas) 9 

 Army 2 

NASA (Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Applied Meteorology Unit) 1 

 Total 111 

Weather reconnaissance Aircraft 

 Commerce (OMAO) 3 

Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) - WC-130J 10 

 Total 13 

Geostationary meteorological satellites (No. operating) 

Commerce (2 primary, 1 standby, 1 servicing South America) 5 

 

Polar meteorological satellites (No. operating) 

Commerce (2 primary - one US; one European, 3 standby) 6 

Air Force (2 primary, 3 standby) 5 

Navy (WINDSAT and GFO) 1 

 Total 12 

Electric Field Mills (Surface) 

 NASA (KSC) 31 

 Total 31 

Lightning Detection Systems 

Air Force (ER&WR - Cloud - Ground) 2 

Air Force (ER&WR - NLDN) 2 

 Army 2 

 NASA KSC (4D Total Lightning) 1 

 Total 7 

 

29
30
SECTION 2 

FEDERAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND 

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS 

31
32
FEDERAL COORDINATION AND PLANNING 

FOR METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH 

STATUTORY BASIS FOR THE FEDERAL COORDINATION PROCESS 

In 1963, Congress and the Executive Office of the President expressed concern about the 

adequacy of the coordination of Federal meteorological activities. In response, Congress directed 

in Section 304 of Public Law 87-843—the Appropriations Act for State, Justice, Commerce, and 

Related Agencies—that the Bureau of the Budget prepare an annual horizontal budget for all 

meteorological programs in the Federal agencies. The Bureau of the Budget (now the Office of 

Management and Budget, OMB) issued a report in 1963 entitled “Survey of Federal 

Meteorological Activities.” That report described each agency’s program for meteorological 

services and products and detailed the relationships among the programs of the various agencies. 

The report revealed close cooperation but little evidence of systematic coordination. Based on its 

survey, the Bureau of the Budget issued a set of ground rules to be followed in the coordination 

process. It established a permanent general philosophy for assignment and assessment of agency 

roles in the field of meteorology and set certain goals to be achieved by the coordination process. 

The Bureau of the Budget tasked the Department of Commerce (DOC) to establish the 

coordinating mechanism in concert with the other Federal agencies. It also reaffirmed the 

concept of having a central agency—the DOC—responsible for providing common 

meteorological facilities and services and clarified the responsibilities of other agencies for 

providing meteorological services specific to their mandated missions. 

The implementation of these directives by DOC led to the creation of OFCM and the 

appointment of the first Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting 

Research (“the Federal Coordinator”). The Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and 

Supporting Research (FCMSSR) was established in 1964 to provide policy-level agency 

representation and guidance to the Federal Coordinator in addressing agency priorities, 

requirements, and issues related to services, operations, and supporting research. The FCMSSR 

The mission of the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting 

Research (OFCM) is to ensure the effective use of Federal meteorological resources by leading the 

systematic coordination of operational weather requirements, services, and supporting research among 

the Federal agencies. Its high-level focus includes cross-agency needs and requirements, issues and 

problems, studies, reports, plans, handbooks, and crosscut reviews, assessments, and analyses. 

OFCM operates with policy guidance from the Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and 

Supporting Research (FCMSSR). The principal work in coordinating meteorological activities and in 

the preparation and maintenance of OFCM reports, plans, and other documents is accomplished by the 

OFCM staff with the advice and assistance of the Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological 

Services and Supporting Research (ICMSSR) and more than 30 program councils, committees, 

working groups, and joint action groups, all of whose members are Federal agency representatives. 

33
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

also resolves agency differences that arise during the coordination of meteorological activities 

and the preparation of Federal plans. 

The FCMSSR comprises representatives of the 15 Federal agencies that engage in 

meteorological activities or supporting research, have a major need for meteorological services, 

or set policy and direction for such services and research. These 15 agencies are the Departments 

of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, the Interior, State, and 

Transportation; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Transportation Safety 

Board, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and OMB and the Office of Science and 

Technology Policy (OSTP). The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, 

who is also the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA), serves as the FCMSSR Chairperson. The full membership of the FCMSSR is shown on 

the inside cover of this Federal Plan. 

OFCM COORDINATING INFRASTRUCTURE 

Figure 2-OFCM-1 shows the current infrastructure of advisory committees, program councils, 

working groups, and joint action groups through which OFCM carries out its mission of ensuring 

the effective use of Federal meteorological resources by coordinating operational weather 

requirements, services, and supporting research among the Federal agencies. The FCMSSR is 

shown at the top of the chart, as the policy guidance advisor to the Federal Coordinator. 

 The Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting 

Research (ICMSSR), which is chaired by the Federal Coordinator, is the primary 

program management body of the Federal coordinating structure. ICMSSR provides 

advice to OFCM, implements FCMSSR policies, and oversees the committees and 

working groups that address observing systems, weather operations and services, 

operational processing centers, and automated weather information systems. The full 

membership of ICMSSR is shown on the inside cover of this Federal Plan.

 The Program Councils, which are directly under the FCMSSR and are each chaired by 

the Federal Coordinator, coordinate key programs at the highest interagency policy 

decision-making level, and ensure that the programs meet joint requirements. In addition 

to establishing policy, the program councils coordinate development and oversee the 

preparation and implementation of national program plans, which include research and 

development (R&D), systems development, validation and integration, acquisition 

strategy, operational concepts, agency roles, and management. 

 The Committees and their Working Groups and Joint Action Groups operate at the 

program and working levels to provide: (1) a forum for each agency to report activities, 

difficulties, and achievements; (2) a mechanism for coordinated change and problem 

solving; (3) a medium for collection, documentation, and consolidation of agency 

requirements and inventories; (4) oversight for coordinated system development; (5) a 

vehicle for coordinating with other groups; and (6) a mechanism for the preparation of 

studies, agreements, standards, protocols, reports, and national plans. 

34
Federal Coordination and Planning 

FEDERAL COMMITTEE FOR METEOROLOGICAL 

SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH (FCMSSR)

INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR METEOROLOGICAL 

SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH (ICMSSR)

FEDERAL COORDINATOR FOR METEOROLOGY

STANDING COMMITTEES

PROGRAM COUNCILS

Figure 2-OFCM-1. Federal Meteorological

Coordinating Infrastructure

NATIONAL SPACE 

WEATHER

Committee for Space Weather

NATIONAL AVIATION 

WEATHER

Committee for Aviation Services 

and Research

Volcanic Ash

NATIONAL OPERATIONAL 

PROCESSING CENTERS

Committee for Operational 

Processing Centers

Cooperative Support and 

Backup

 Operational Community 

Modeling

 Centralized 

Communications 

Management

 Operational Data 

Acquisition for 

Assimilation

MULTIFUNCTION PHASED 

ARRAY RADAR

Multifunction Phased Array 

Radar (aft Pgm Council conv.)

ENVIRONMENTAL 

SERVICES, OPERATIONS 

AND RESEARCH NEEDS

Social Science Results

Severe Local Storms 

Operations

Hurricane and Winter Storm 

Operations

Disaster Impact Assessment 

and Plans: Weather and 

Water

Wildland Fire Weather

Urban Meteorology

 Joint Urban Test Bed

Satellite Telemetry

Test Bed Coordination

CLIMATE ANALYSIS, 

MONITORING AND 

SERVICES

COOPERATIVE 

RESEARCH

Tropical Cyclone Research

Planetary Boundary Layer

 Environmental Modeling

Weather Information for 

Surface Transportation

Multifunction Phased Array 

Radar (transition to MPAR 

Pgm Council on standup)

INTEGRATED OBSERVING 

SYSTEMS

 Metadata

 Architecture and Data Mgt

Unmanned Aerial Systems

Remote Sensing

ENVIRONMENTAL 

INFORMATION SYSTEMS 

AND COMMUNICATIONS

Meteorological Codes

Frequency Management

Legend

Working Group

Joint Action Group

Blue denotes new or proposed groups

35
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Using these multiagency entities, the OFCM pursues the following objectives as the means for 

achieving its mission: 

 Document agency programs and activities in a series of national plans and reports that 

enable agencies to adjust their individual ongoing programs and provide a means for 

communicating new ideas and approaches to fulfill requirements. 

 Provide structure and programs to promote continuity in the development and 

coordination of interagency plans and procedures for meteorological services and 

supporting research activities. 

 Prepare analyses, summaries, or evaluations of agency meteorological programs and 

plans that provide a factual basis for the executive and legislative branches to make 

appropriate decisions related to the allocation of funds. 

 Review Federal weather programs and Federal requirements for meteorological services 

and supporting research. This review may suggest additions or revisions to current or 

proposed programs, or identify opportunities for improved efficiency, reliability, or cost 

avoidance through coordinated actions or integrated programs. 

OFCM HIGHLIGHTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010 AND PLANS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011 

Federal coordination activities during FY 2010 and plans for FY 2011 are discussed here under 

the Program Council or ICMSSR standing committee that provided oversight of the associated 

working group or joint action group. During FY 2010, the OFCM staff provided executive 

secretary and related staff support for more than 25 of these interagency groups, which held more 

60 meetings during the year. 

National Aviation Weather Program Council 

The OFCM continues to participate in the Next Generation Air Transportation System 

(NextGen) Weather Working Group and the Friends/Partners in Aviation Weather (FPAW). The 

OFCM also continues to implement the National Aviation Weather Program, and is working 

with the agencies to advance meteorological standards, improve products, enhance services, and 

participate in research that contributes to the overall goal of providing the best state-of-the-art 

information to aviation end users where and when they need it. During FY 2011, the OFCM will 

be participating in two activities under the Joint Program Development Office (JPDO) for 

NextGen: the Weather Working Group Executive Committee and the Integrated Surveillance 

activity. 

The Air Domain Awareness (ADA) program is an interagency homeland defense, security, and 

air transportation initiative that has grown out of the Federal interest in Multifunction Phased 

Array Radar (MPAR, see discussion below). The Federal Coordinator represented the DOC 

Deputy Secretary at the ADA Summit in July 2010 and continues to represent DOC in ADA 

working groups, fostering synergism between ADA and the DOC and NOAA roles supporting 

environmental awareness and frequency management. 

In FY 2010, the OFCM published the National Aviation Weather Program 10-Year Accident 

Reduction Initiative Final Report on the interagency effort, under the National Aviation Weather 

Program Council, to reduce weather-related fatal accidents. The report describes the goals set for 

36
Federal Coordination and Planning 

the initiative, the framework for coordinating plans and programs across multiple agencies, and 

the actions that marshaled efforts by the Federal agencies, the private sector, academia, and nongovernmental organizations to lower the general aviation weather-related accident rate by 49% 

and air taxi weather-related accident rates by 37%. The report also informed the agencies on 

areas still needing improvement to further reduce weather-related accidents. 

During FY 2011, OFCM will establish a maintenance plan, as appropriate, for weather-related 

accident reduction gains. 

In response to the volcanic ash airspace closure in Europe during 2010, the OFCM and the 

Working Group on Volcanic Ash coordinated interagency and international assistance to Europe 

and worked with the NOAA National Weather Service on actions to improve U.S. preparations 

for a similar event. The Working Group on Volcanic Ash has developed a clear action plan to 

focus research for improved volcanic ash products and services, primarily for aviation, but 

exportable to all applications. 

During FY 2011 the Committee for Aviation Services and Research will develop an interagency 

long-term research strategy for volcanic ash observing and plume forecasting. This committee’s 

Working Group on Volcanic Ash will update and maintain the National Volcanic Ash 

Operations Plan for Aviation, complete a needs assessment review, conduct a crosscut analysis 

and review of products and services that respond to volcanic ash observation and prediction 

needs, and support the committee in developing a long-term research strategy 

National Operational Processing Centers Program Council (NOPC) 

During FY 2010, the OFCM completed transition of the expiring Shared Processing Program to 

NOPC management. On October 7, 2009, the NOPC implemented the Environmental Satellite 

Data Annex to the interagency Data Acquisition, Processing, and Exchange (DAPE) 

Memorandum of Agreement, superseding the Shared Processing Program before its expiration in 

November 2009. The new annex establishes satellite data management and exchange processes 

among the five operational processing centers to optimize the Federal investment in 

environmental satellite data acquisition. 

The OFCM continues to host the Committee for Operational Processing Centers (COPC) to 

facilitate improved processing and backup capabilities for NOAA’s National Centers for 

Environmental Prediction and Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution, the Air Force 

Weather Agency, and the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center 

and Naval Oceanographic Office. In FY 2010, the agencies with operational processing centers 

moved to new high-bandwidth communications network to eliminate outdated and unsupportable 

asynchronous transfer mode channels. The COPC network backbone that interconnects the 

operational processing centers was upgraded in FY 2010 from the Defense Information Switched 

Network Asynchronous Transfer Mode System (DATMS) to the Defense Information Systems 

Agency Optical Transport Network (OTN). The new connection increases throughput and link 

utilization and provides more robust network survivability in catastrophic events like Hurricane 

Katrina. This upgrade improved the operational processing centers’ data communications by up 

to 250% and established a foundation to meet future needs. 

37
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

During FY 2011, activities under COPC’s Working Group for Cooperative Support and Backup 

will include three joint action groups. The Joint Action Group for Operational Community 

Modeling (JAG/OCM) will be enhancing and extending community modeling opportunities. The 

Joint Action Group for Centralized Communications Management (JAG/CCM) will monitor 

communications among the operational processing centers in order to project future 

infrastructure needs and plan capacity increases to meet those needs. The JAG/CCM is working 

with the Defense Information Systems Agency to clarify the centers’ communications 

investment and operations planning to meet rapidly expanding needs by overseeing network 

sizing, cost estimates, and analysis across all five centers. The Joint Action Group for 

Operational Data Acquisition for Assimilation (JAG/ODAA) is developing additional annexes to 

supplement the DAPE Memorandum of Agreement. It will also organize and conduct the first 

NOPC Observational Data Conference. 

National Space Weather Program Council 

Based on a request in August 2008 to the National Space Weather Program Council from OSTP, 

the OFCM sponsored and formed the Committee for Space Environmental Sensor Mitigation 

Options (CSESMO) and its four supporting joint action groups. The overall study included 75 

experts from 19 different Federal offices or agencies. The tasks assigned to the CSESMO 

included developing options and recommendations to continue solar wind monitoring and 

mitigate the loss of most space environmental sensing capability from the reconfigured National 

Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). During FY 2009, the 

CSESMO delivered an interagency-coordinated set of options and a recommended approach to 

sustain solar wind observations critical to averting adverse space weather effects. The CSESMO 

also delivered a coordinated mitigation strategy to provide robust space weather observing 

capabilities to replace those lost from NPOESS. This capability can be used to protect the 

reliability and effectiveness of the Global Positioning System (GPS), all satellite 

communications, U.S. ballistic missile defense, and satellite and manned spaceflight safety. The 

committee briefed its findings and recommendations to OSTP, OMB, and National Security 

Council staff, and OFCM prepared written reports based on both presentations. 

In November 2009, the CESMO delivered the last of five deliverables to OSTP, completing all 

its assigned tasks on time. Overall, the CESMO reports have given OSTP a coordinated, 

interagency consensus set of options, recommendations, and preliminary cost estimates. These 

constitute solid steps toward resolving the significant risk to the electric power grid and 

potentially trillions of dollars in losses from lack of timely warning of a major geomagnetic 

storm. The CESMO deliverables led to a provision in the FY 2011 President’s Budget for 

satellite programs to support solar wind monitoring vital to timely geomagnetic storm warnings. 

Specifically, the FY2011 President’s Budget includes $128M for two critical space-based 

observing systems. 

In June 2010, the National Space Weather Program Council, through the OFCM, sponsored, 

planned, and hosted the annual Space Weather Enterprise Forum (SWEF) to share information 

among Federal agency stakeholders and extend education and outreach to a wider community. 

The 2010 SWEF brought together more than 230 experts and stakeholders from government, 

science, and industry, including international participants. Media coverage and outreach 

surpassed that of the preceding three annual forums combined and dramatically raised awareness 

38
Federal Coordination and Planning 

of space weather and its effects—the first step in creating a more resilient society and economy. 

The OFCM report on the forum documents the key outcomes, which highlight needs for more 

education and outreach, improved planning and exercises, improvements in transitioning 

research results to operations, and expanded international collaboration. 

Also during FY 2010, the OFCM completed, obtained OMB clearance, and published an updated 

National Space Weather Program (NSWP) Strategic Plan. This new plan sets directions for the 

next decade and will help the Nation prepare for the next solar cycle maximum. The Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) became a member of the NSWP in FY 2010, building 

on ties of FEMA’s Region VIII office with NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. FEMA’s 

participation will strengthen overall NSWP and homeland security efforts to prepare for and 

mitigate the risks from solar storms. 

NSWP activities planned for FY 2011 include the next SWEF in June 2011. The Committee for 

Space Weather has the following activities planned: (1) develop and implement a Strategic 

Communications Plan with focus on preparation for and mitigation of risks associated with the 

upcoming solar-cycle maximum, (2) develop and implement an action plan (near-term actions 

pending results from the National Research Council’s Decadal Survey in heliophysics, still in 

progress), (3) initiate development of the new NSWP Implementation Plan, and (4) continue as 

executive agent for implementing the recommendations from the 2006 independent assessment 

report on the NSWP and for actions approved by the National Space Weather Program Council. 

Executive Council for Multifunction Phased Array Radar 

With the growing Federal interest in and potential for significant Federal resource commitments 

to MPAR, the OFCM in FY 2009 established the Executive Council for MPAR as a vehicle for 

senior leadership from NOAA, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation 

Administration, Air Force, Navy, and the Department of Defense Research and Engineering 

office to coordinate agency activities and provide guidance for the Working Group for MPAR 

(WG/MPAR). The Council met for the first time in December 2008. 

In November 2009, OFCM sponsored MPAR Symposium II, which had the theme “Moving 

Forward with Risk Reduction for Cost Effective Service Improvements.” Held in Norman, 

Oklahoma, the symposium was attended by 230 experts from the Federal government, academia, 

and the private sector. The symposium delivered an effective exchange of technical information 

on MPAR, providing a wide community update on phased array radar technology, technical 

challenges, programmatic challenges, and development of a reasonable way to move forward on 

risk reduction. All of the symposium objectives were achieved. Featured speakers included 

representatives from OMB and the Joint Program Development Office for NextGen. Significant 

action items from the symposium included the following: 

 Complete a preliminary cost-benefit analysis 

 Complete a mission needs assessment 

 Identify technical challenges and develop a unified R&D plan 

 Investigate the MPAR relationship to the JPDO-coordinated Integrated Surveillance 

CONOPS 

39
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

 Determine an appropriate MPAR management approach and its tie to JPDOrecommended, integrated surveillance governance process 

 Exploit leveraging opportunities 

 Address radio frequency spectrum allocation issues 

After the MPAR Symposium II, the MPAR Executive Council met in December 2009 to review 

the symposium results and action items and map out near-term interagency actions in response. 

During FY 2011, activities planned for the MPAR Executive Council and the Working Group on 

MPAR (WG/MPAR) include (1) coordinating and publishing the Unified R&D Plan 

recommended by the symposium, (2) establishing an MPAR Risk Reduction Office and pursuing 

coordinated risk reduction activities, (3) planning an MPAR Symposium III for November 2011, 

(4) working with the NOAA Joint Radar Planning Team, and (5) converting the Executive 

Council to an OFCM Program Council and realigning the WG/MPAR to report to that council, 

rather than to the ICMSSR’s Standing Committee on Cooperative Research. 

Crosscutting Activities under the ICMSSR 

OFCM activities described under this heading are relevant to two or more of ICMSSR standing 

committees (see Figure 2-OFCM-1) or are overseen directly by ICMSSR. 

Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference and Tropical Cyclone/Winter Storm 

R&D 

The ICMSSR Standing Committee on Environmental Services, Operations, and Research Needs 

(CESORN) oversees the Working Group on Hurricane and Winter Storms Operations. The 

Committee on Cooperative Research coordinates hurricane-related R&D through the Working 

Group on Tropical Cyclone Research. 

The Working Group on Hurricane and Winter Storms Operations completed changes and 

coordination for the 2010 National Hurricane Operations Plan, which was published ahead of 

schedule on April 21. The updated plan was therefore ready well in advance of the 2010 

hurricane season, enabling agencies to prepare for a potentially active season. The FEMA 

Lessons Learned Information Sharing electronic newsletter cited the plan, thereby reaching 

55,300 subscribers directly as part of an aggressive campaign to prepare the nation for what was 

predicted to be an active hurricane season. Activities planned for FY 2011 include publishing an 

updated National Winter Storms Operations Plan, publishing the 2011 National Hurricane 

Operations Plan, and planning and executing an Interderpartmental Winter Storms Workshop. 

During 2011, the Working Group on Tropical Cyclone Research will focus on assessing its 2010 

snapshot of interagency R&D activities and publishing the results. The working group will also 

participate in NOAA’s Hurricane Forecasting Improvement Project. 

Each year, OFCM hosts an Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference (IHC) to provide a forum 

for the Federal agencies responsible for hurricane operations and/or supporting R&D, together 

with representatives of the user communities such as emergency management. IHC participants 

review the Nation’s tropical cyclone forecasting and warning program and make 

recommendations to improve the program. The 64th IHC was held in Savannah, Georgia, on 

40
Federal Coordination and Planning 

March 1-4, 2010. This year’s theme was Meeting Operational Needs through Comprehensive 

Tropical Cyclone R&D. For the 11th consecutive year, about 200 personnel attended, including 

representatives from eight Federal agencies: DOC/NOAA, Department of Defense (Navy, Air 

Force, Army Corps of Engineers), NASA, NSF, Department of Homeland Security 

(Headquarters Science and Technology, FEMA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 

Department of the Interior (U.S. Geological Survey and the Minerals Management Service), and 

Department of Agriculture. Attendees also included representatives from academia, industry, and 

the emergency management community. Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator, provided opening 

remarks to focus the conference on the ultimate goal of saving lives and protecting property. All 

conference objectives were achieved, and the participants identified action items to strengthen 

the linkages between tropical cyclone research and the needs of the operational centers. Another 

action item is to integrate the expertise of social scientists to improve the hurricane warning 

program. The 64th IHC provided a highly effective interagency update and technical exchange 

on improving the hurricane warning system, strengthening partnership approaches for improving 

services, and sharpening the focus on research-to-operations linkages. The action item from the 

social sciences panel provided additional impetus for the OFCM mini-workshop on social 

science, held in early May, 2010. An indirect outcome of this IHC was raising hurricane 

awareness in the Savannah region, which has a local media audience of more than 250,000. The 

IHC participants produced an analysis of tropical cyclone R&D activities linked to operational 

priorities, such as improving storm intensity forecasts and continuing to improve the 48-hour 

track forecast accuracy. (Hurricane track accuracy has improved by 46%—more than 60 nautical 

miles—over the past 10 years.) 

Scientific/Technical Skill Shortages 

During FY 2010, OFCM staff analyzed the results from two 2009 mini-workshops on existing 

and anticipated science and technology skill shortages. The first workshop was held in April 

2009 and engaged agency subject matter experts in the areas of radar meteorology, space 

weather, atmospheric transport and diffusion, boundary layer meteorology, satellite remote sensing global, and regional numerical weather prediction modeling and data assimilation. The 

second workshop, in September 2009, engaged experts from the fields of agricultural 

meteorology and climatology, wildland fire weather, marine meteorology, and tropical cyclone 

operations and research. 

The resulting report, An Initial Inquiry into Meteorological Data Assimilation and Numerical 

Modeling Skills within the Federal Government, summarized the arguments and evidence that 

the decline in personnel with data assimilation and numerical modeling skills is likely to 

continue, even while the demand is expected to increase. To meet the anticipated shortfall in 

supply, improvements in academic training are necessary. The report also recommends 

management process improvements to maintain necessary skill sets. 

Requirements for the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) 

The JPSS program is intended to replace the canceled NPOESS program. During FY 2010, the 

OFCM staff supported development of the JPSS Level 1 Requirements Document, delivering a 

coordinated document in time to keep this new $12 billion program with high congressional 

visibility moving forward. 

41
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Committee on Environmental Services, Operations, and Research Needs 

As illustrated by the list of working groups and joint action groups that fall under this committee 

in Figure 2-OFCM-1, OFCM’s CESORN covers a wide range of basic meteorological services 

and supporting research. 

Disaster Impact Assessments and Plans: Weather and Water Data 

NOAA National Weather Service flood forecasting operations save thousands of lives and 

reduce injuries and property damage by billions of dollars annually. But this process, which 

depends on data from thousands of USGS streamgages and NOAA meteorological stations, 

usually does not provide data coverage sufficient to adequately document the extensive impacts 

of a major storm or flood or enable understanding of small-scale, localized processes. As a result, 

network observations have for many years been supplemented by post-storm surveys and studies

of rainfall, flood marks, and wind damage to fill in observational gaps and obtain a more 

complete spatial coverage. These efforts contribute to the determination of the intensity and 

magnitude of storms and, in many cases, help to determine the extent of damage for use in 

Presidential disaster declarations. The additional data collected after hurricane landfall is also 

used in validating modeling efforts with both emergency management models (e.g., FEMA’s 

HAZUS) and hurricane storm surge models (e.g., NOAA’s SLOSH). These models are used in 

real time to assist decision makers in evacuation decisions and procedures. Post-storm data are 

also used to update FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps, revise building materials and 

construction standards, and improve forecasting models. The National Institute of Science and 

Technology and various State agencies use the data for purposes such as improving building 

codes and construction practices. 

Today, post-storm surveys and traditional observing networks can be greatly augmented by preevent deployment of small, self-contained instruments in spatially dense, temporary networks to 

monitor the event directly and continuously. Clusters of self-logging pressure transducers and 

real-time rapid-deployment gages monitor waves and water-levels and anemometers and truckmounted Doppler radars monitor wind speed and direction at rapid intervals. These data describe 

the evolution of storms and floods with unprecedented spatial and temporal detail, particularly 

floods of coastal waters and wetlands. The resulting data can be used to (1) develop more 

accurate and robust wind, storm-surge, and flood models; (2) derive better structure design 

criteria and building codes; and (3) improve warning systems. 

The need for a national plan for disaster impact assessments stems from recognition by several 

Federal agencies that they were gathering complementary and, in some cases, overlapping and 

duplicate weather and water data for significant storm events. These agencies desired to improve 

the efficiency of their individual data collection efforts, leverage the efforts of others, and share 

these data through an organized, inter-agency disaster impact assessment process. In 2010 the 

Federal Coordinator established the Working Group for Disaster Impact Assessments and Plans: 

Weather and Water Data (WG/DIAP) to update and expand on the 2003 National Post-Storm 

Data Acquisition Plan by addressing not only post-storm activities but also these new 

technologies to pre-deploy, increase the density of, and harden observation systems, thereby 

providing the capability to collect and disseminate real-time data of relevance to those who 

forecast the events and manage Federal, State, and local response and recovery. In October 2010, 

42
Federal Coordination and Planning 

OFCM published the report from the WG/DIAP, the National Plan for Disaster Impact 

Assessments: Weather and Water Data (NPDIA). The new plan documents the types of data 

required, the acquisition processes, and the coordinating procedures to be used leading up to, 

during, and following a significant storm event. The storm events addressed in the NPDIA 

include land-falling tropical cyclones (hurricanes/typhoons and tropical storms), coastal extratropical storms (Nor'easters), severe convective outbreaks (tornadoes and windstorms), riverine 

and flash flooding, tsunamis, coastal and lake waves, and wind waves. The plan includes data 

requirements and acquisition capabilities of participating agencies, event response procedures 

and initiation criteria, coordination procedures, contact information, and data archival 

procedures. An agency response to a particular event is the responsibility of the individual 

agency according to its mission requirements, data needs, and available resources. 

During FY 2010 and continuing in FY 2011, the OFCM continues to coordinate, as required, 

timely post-storm data acquisition surveys in response to natural disasters and other agency 

requirements, including aerial support from the Civil Air Patrol. Under the five-year Umbrella 

Agreement and an FY 2010 funding agreement between the OFCM and the U.S. Air Force for up 

to $21,000 in reimbursable support, the Civil Air Patrol flew 3 missions in support of glacial lake 

damming assessments in Alaska. Civil Air Patrol support for data acquisition surveys will 

continue in FY 2011 at a planned level of $21,000. During FY 2011, the OFCM will work with 

the Air Force to develop a new umbrella agreement for Civil Air Patrol support for FY 2012-

2016. 

Hydrometeorological Needs Assessment 

In September and December 2008, the OFCM conducted two mini-workshops on 

hydrometeorological needs. These workshops brought together the relevant Federal agencies to 

discuss: (1) programs and initiatives in the agencies; (2) product suites and services, both current 

and experimental; (3) needs and requirements; (4) potential benefits from improved products and 

services; (5) challenges and gaps in products and services; (6) research underway, opportunities, 

and plans to meet identified gaps; (7) processes for transitioning research into operational 

applications; and (8) related education and outreach activities. The second workshop produced 

73 operational and research needs and requirements in six categories: (1) observations, (2) 

modeling and forecasts, (3) education, (4) data access, (5) climate, and (6) analysis. During FY 

2010, OFCM published the report, Crosscutting Assessment of Hydrometeorological Needs—

Summary Report of Two Mini-Workshops, (FCM-R30-2010) to document the results of the 

workshops. 

Joint Action Group on Lightning Detection Systems (JAG/LDS) 

The JAG/LDS completed its tasks with publication of the report, Federal Lightning Capabilities 

Requirements. This report documents the interagency collection and prioritization of lightning 

data and the research needed to support a consolidated NOAA/NWS contracting effort, which 

can provide significant cost savings over individual agency purchases of this safety-critical 

information. 

43
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Wildland Fire Weather 

Wildland fires have both direct and indirect effects on the urban environment. Indirect effects 

include degraded air quality and consequent health effects, as well as reduced visibility for both 

air and surface transportation. In FY 2008, the Joint Action Group for the National Wildland Fire 

Weather Needs Assessment, responding to a request from the Western Governors’ Association, 

completed a needs assessment report. The needs assessment identified 47 specific needs in nine 

functional areas: (1) data collection, integrity, processing, and archival; (2) fire weather research 

and development; (3) forecast products and services; (4) modeling, prediction, and data 

assimilation; (5) information dissemination and technologies; (6) education, training, outreach, 

partnering, and collaboration; (7) user response, decision support, and resulting user impacts; (8) 

funding and human resources (crosscutting); and (9) socioeconomic factors. 

The OFCM subsequently began developing a compilation of existing and planned Federal 

capabilities to meet these needs, as a first step toward identifying gaps in such capabilities. Work 

on this portfolio of Federal and associated governmental and fire weather capabilities, covering 

all nine functional areas used in the needs assessment, continued during FY 2010. Plans for FY 

2011 include publishing a report on the portfolio of capabilities and establishing a working group 

whose fire weather-related activities will complement and support the existing interagency 

wildland fire management coordination infrastructure. 

Workshop on the Social Sciences in Meteorological Services Delivery 

In response to an action item from the 64th IHC, subsequently approved by ICMSSR, the OFCM 

organized an interagency exploratory mini-workshop on ways that the social sciences could 

contribute to more effective delivery of meteorological services. The workshop, which was held 

on May 3-4, 2010, was titled "Framing the Questions, Addressing the Needs: Moving to 

Incorporate Social Science into Meteorological Operations." Speakers included representatives 

from the NOAA National Weather Service, Air Force, Navy, Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, 

USGS, Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Federal Highway 

Administration, FAA, and NSF. 

The OFCM assessed the results of the very informative and fruitful discussions from this 

workshop, presented the results to the ICMSSR in June 2010, and documented the outcome in a 

summary report, Framing the Questions, Addressing the Needs: Moving to Incorporate Social 

Science into Meteorological Operations/Services. Plans for FY 2011 include establishing a new 

Working Group for Social Science, under the CESORN, to address the recommendations from 

the mini-workshop and facilitate integration of social science results into meteorological 

products and services. 

Urban Meteorology and Atmospheric Transport and Diffusion R&D 

Based on the September 2004 OFCM report, Federal Research Needs and Priorities for 

Atmospheric Transport and Diffusion Modeling, the OFCM developed an atmospheric transport 

and diffusion (ATD) implementation strategy for those recommendations in the report for which 

OFCM had primary responsibility. This implementation strategy has three parts: (1) working 

with the agencies to identify and improve a baseline set of national ATD modeling capabilities, 

44
Federal Coordination and Planning 

(2) helping the agencies implement a common framework for model development and 

evaluation, and (3) recommending criteria for multifunctional joint urban test beds. To 

implement this strategy, the OFCM formed the Joint Action Group for Joint Urban Test Beds 

(JAG/JUTB) under the Working Group for Urban Meteorology (WG/UM). 

During FY 2010, the JAG/JUTB continued work on an operational concept document for 

multifunctional joint urban test beds intended to provide services and data to model developers, 

test and evaluation personnel, and other users and stakeholders. The operational concept 

document includes capabilities and benefits, management structure, infrastructure requirements, 

selection process, implementation framework, definitions, and characteristics of urban scales. 

Joint urban test beds will support the following functional areas: severe weather (e.g., hurricanes, 

tornadoes, heat waves and cold spells, and drought), wildland fire weather, emergency 

response/homeland security (dispersion of hazardous materials), climate, air quality (e.g., 

particulate matter aerosols), and water quality (e.g., deposition of airborne contaminants on water 

sources and waterborne transport of contaminants). 

For FY 2011, the goals of the JAG/JUTB are to finalize criteria for establishing urban test beds 

and establish a JUTB Prototype Model Site in National Capital Region. This model site will 

provide a proof of concept for the operational concepts and criteria. The experience gained 

through its operation will provide for further refinement of the operational concept document. 

On July 13-15, 2010, the OFCM cosponsored the annual George Mason University ATD 

Modeling Conference. The theme of this conference was enhancing model capabilities and 

improving the understanding of how hazardous airborne materials disperse in urban 

environments. In a panel session organized by the OFCM, the panel moderator and five panel 

members gave presentations, from both scientific and operational perspectives, on quantifying 

the uncertainty in ATD modeling results and predictions based on such models. 

FY 2011 plans for the WG/UM include work to facilitate ATD model development, evaluation, 

and application. The series of ATD workshops and forums will be continued. In light of the 

Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the WG/UM will begin advocating for and advancing capabilities 

for coupled ocean-atmosphere dispersion modeling. 

Working Group for Test Bed Coordination (WG/TBC) 

Among CESORN plans for FY 2011 is establishing of a new working group to bring together 

representatives from current and emerging test bed activities, such as the Joint Urban Test Bed, 

Joint Hurricane Test Bed, Developmental Test Bed Center, Aviation Test Bed, Space Weather 

Test Bed, and Hydrometeorology Test Bed. The objectives for this WG/TBC are to facilitate 

exchange of science, technology, and best practices including verification, validation, and 

evaluation techniques; identify common problem areas and potential solutions, and facilitate 

common frameworks to the greatest extent possible, with the goal of fostering transition to an 

eventual Earth System framework. 

Exploration of Products and Services Innovations 

CESORN plans for FY 2011 also include exploration of innovations in two areas: a “5D 

Environmental Data Cloud” and new approaches for representing forecast uncertainty. 

45
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

The five dimensions of the 5D Environmental Data Cloud are the three spatial dimensions, one 

time dimension, and one dimension for enumerating multiple variables. The planned effort will 

explore the 5D data concept and assess its relevance for a range of environmental/meteorological 

products and services in applications including aviation weather, weather information for surface 

transportation, wildland fire weather, observing systems, and end-user decision-support systems. 

Objectives include assessing applicability across the agencies involved in these application areas 

and developing a framework for pursuing 5D data cloud implementation. 

The objectives for innovative representation of forecast uncertainty include exploring concepts 

for the use, presentation, and understanding of forecast uncertainty in meteorological modeling 

and prediction systems and in end-users’ decision-making processes. 

Committee for Integrated Observing Systems (CIOS) 

National Network of Weather and Climate Observing Networks 

The Federal meteorological community embarked on a significant new initiative for climate 

observing networks in FY 2009 in response to growing interest in climate trends and the 2009 

publication of a National Research Council (NRC) report, cosponsored by the OFCM, entitled 

Observing Weather and Climate from the Ground Up—A Nationwide Network of Networks. In 

brief, the theme of this report was that the United States enjoys an effective synoptic-scale 

weather observing network, but society demands increasingly finer-scale weather and climate 

information to meet urgent needs such as predictions of atmospheric dispersion of chemical, 

biological, and radiological hazards from accidental releases or terrorist acts and severe weather 

warnings and nowcasts for urban communities. At the same time, spurred by inexpensive 

electronics and increasingly higher-bandwidth communications, State and local governments, 

corporations, academic institutions, and individuals have deployed a rapidly growing array of 

individual sensors and sensor networks in patchwork fashion across the country. Much of the 

data from these systems remain unknown or inaccessible to a wider audience of potential users. 

In response to the recommendations of the NRC report, the OFCM crafted an initial framework 

for Federal action and gathered the stakeholder agencies in two foundational meetings held in 

May and July, 2009, to share information and begin developing a coordinated way forward. A 

refocused OFCM-sponsored Committee for Integrated Observing Systems (CIOS) provided the 

venue for these meetings and now oversees refinement and implementation of an overarching 

national strategy to integrate observational networks and systems and increase the effectiveness 

of current and planned capabilities. 

As a result of the foundational and subsequent meetings of the CIOS, the community established 

the Network of Weather and Climate Observing Networks (NOWCON) initiative. In August, 

2009, the Committee reported its activities to the ICMSSR and proposed NOWCON as the way 

ahead. The ICMSSR concurred, supported the NOWCON initiative, and approved a cochair 

arrangement with NOAA, DOD, DOT, and EPA representatives. 

The CIOS met on November 30, 2009, and agreed on a general division of responsibility among 

various sectors (Federal agencies, academia, industry, individuals, State and local government, 

46
Federal Coordination and Planning 

nongovernmental organizations, and others) for each of the 15 recommendations in the NRC 

report. The following goals and priorities were established: 

 Within 2 years, develop an inventory of observing systems, facilitate standards for 

observing systems to participate in the national network, develop an approach for quality 

assurance, explore opportunities for an integration pilot project, and develop approaches 

for cooperation with non-Federal stakeholders. 

 Within 3 years, explore gaps, opportunities, and technologies for improving mesoscale 

monitoring and prediction. 

 Within 4 years, develop the justification and a practical framework for cooperation, 

collaboration, and investment in observing systems. 

At this meeting, the CIOS also approved establishment of two joint action groups and developed 

tasks and deliverables for them: 

 The Joint Action Group on Architecture and Data Management (JAG/ADM) was tasked 

to survey current constructs, investigate options, and develop a concept for a flexible, 

extensible infrastructure of observing networks. The JAG/ADM is continuing to work on 

these tasks. 

 The Joint Action Group on Metadata (JAG/MD) was tasked to survey existing practices 

and develop a flexible metadata specification or family of specifications. Near the end of 

FY 2010, the JAG/MD recommended a metadata standard, and the CIOS agreed in 

principle to work in that direction. 

CIOS activities planned for FY 2011 include the following: 

 Continue to address the recommendations of the NRC report and facilitate the 

implementation of actions that respond to the challenges in that report. 

 Develop a national strategy to implement a NOWCON that is driven by validated needs 

and requirements. 

 Working with the JAG/MD, develop a standardized, coordinated approach to metadata 

for the NOWCON. 

 Working with the JAG/ADM, develop a coordinated architecture and data management 

approach for NOWCON. 

 Coordinate as appropriate with the U.S. Group on Earth Observations and the NOAA 

Observing Systems Council. 

 Interact with the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Ad hoc Network of Networks 

Study Group as appropriate to synchronize Federal and private sector planning and 

activities related to NOWCON implementation. 

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) 

Another area of CIOS activity during FY 2011 will be to plan and execute an exploratory miniworkshop on the utilization of UAS in environmental monitoring and research. The purpose of 

47
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

the mini-workshop will be to exchange information, review lessons learned from agencies 

operating UAS, and identify roadblocks as well as opportunities for future collaboration and 

coordination. The work is expected to complement the activities of the Task Force for 

Unmanned Systems under the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology, which is part of 

the National Science and Technology Council structure. The outcome of the mini-workshop will 

help determine whether a new Working Group for Unmanned Aerial Systems is needed within 

the coordinating infrastructure. 

Working Group for Remote Sensing 

This new working group, which will also be overseen by CIOS, will have the following tasks: 

 Facilitate information exchange and coordinated development of agency needs, 

requirements, and priorities for remote sensing capability, including environmental 

satellites, suborbital systems, GPSMet, radars (excluding MPAR), and other systems 

 Plan and execute an exploratory mini-workshop to develop recommendations and 

potential courses of action to identify and address remote sensing capability gaps. 

Committee on Climate Analysis, Monitoring, and Services 

The OFCM supported the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP), now the U.S. Global 

Change Research Program (USGCRP), and actively served on the CCSP Education Interagency 

Working Group (EdIWG) which developed the Climate Literacy Framework. The framework 

was lauded by the CCSP Acting Director as “essential principles that should be included in 

climate science education efforts” and was then sent to OSTP for its consideration and attention. 

The EdIWG also authored the “Education, Training, and Public Awareness Chapter” in the UN 

Framework Convention on Climate Change Climate Action Report #5. 

During FY 2010, the Committee for Climate Analysis, Monitoring, and Services continued work 

on its project examining the impact of climate-related extreme events and the observation and 

modeling capability available to understand and predict these events. Planned activities for FY 

2011 include further development, as required, of needs and requirements for climate-related 

products and services. 

Committee on Cooperative Research 

Working Group on Tropical Cyclone Research 

See heading above for Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference and Tropical Cyclone R&D, 

under Crosscutting Activities under the ICMMSR. 

Working Group on Weather Information for Surface Transportation (WG/WIST) 

The OFCM continued to advance weather services and research and development (R&D) activities supporting the surface transportation community, building on its December 2002 

publication, Weather Information for Surface Transportation--National Needs Assessment 

Report. During FY 2010, the OFCM participated in the Transportation Research Board’s annual 

meeting and continued to support the agencies’ activities related to weather information and 

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Federal Coordination and Planning 

intelligent transportation systems. Activities planned for the WG/WIST in FY 2011 include (1) 

integrating planetary boundary layer activities and advances to improve road weather capability. 

(2) coordinating with CIOS on observing systems and activities, and (3) balancing road/highway 

observation system efforts with additional focus on products and services for transportation 

system managers and users. 

Planetary Boundary Layer 

A new focus area for the Committee on Cooperative Research during FY 2011 will be on 

research needed to improve scientific understanding of the planetary boundary layer, in order to 

improve products and services for a range of applications (i.e., OFCM service categories) 

including weather information for surface transportation, wildland fire smoke management, and 

atmospheric dispersion modeling for airborne chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and 

explosive materials. The environmental modeling aspect of this activity will not include 

numerical weather prediction models such as the global and mesoscale models used by the 

operational processing centers (see section above on NOPC) but will instead focus on facilitating 

information exchange and coordinated development of agency needs, requirements, and 

priorities to improve modeling capabilities for dispersion, including coupled ocean-atmosphere 

dispersion models, fire weather and smoke, and volcanic ash. 

Committee on Environmental Information Systems and Communications (CEISC) 

FY 2011 activities planned for the CEISC include exploring development of a solution for PKI 

/certificate security needs, exploring and developing a coordinated and unified approach to Open 

Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards for meteorological information services, exploring the 

communications and information systems issues related to the 5D Environmental Data Cloud 

(see discussion above under “Exploration of Products and Services Innovations”), and support 

the CIOS on the information services and communications aspects of the NOWCON initiative. 

Working Group on Frequency Management 

During FY 2011, this CEISC working group will review radio spectrum requirements for 

meteorological operations and services of Federal agencies, then update its white paper 

documenting current issues in spectrum management and proposing resolutions for them. 

Working Group on Meteorological Codes 

FY 2010 activities for this working group, which will continue in FY 2011, focused on 

coordinating standardization efforts and improvements in meteorological codes and data formats 

as required, e.g., XML and GRIB2 data formats. 

OFCM EXTERNAL COLLABORATIONS 

NAS/NRC Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate 

The OFCM continued its mutually beneficial interactions with the National Academies’ National 

Research Council (NRC). The Federal Coordinator continued to participate in NRC Board on 

49
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC) strategic planning workshops and regularly 

scheduled meetings. The OFCM expects to continue to participate in BASC meetings and 

workshops in FY 2011. 

Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) 

CENR Principals. The Federal Coordinator served as a member of CENR, a committee of the 

National Science and Technology Council, during FY 2010 and will continue to serve in FY 

2011. This committee has been renamed the “Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, 

and Sustainability” (CENRS). 

Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction. The OFCM has been an active participant in the work of 

the CENR Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction (SDR). SDR has developed Grand Challenges 

for Disaster Reduction, a set of implementation plans to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent 

and recover from disasters. Space weather was identified as one of the SDR’s Grand Challenges 

and, in FY 2007, SDR requested that the OFCM, through the National Space Weather Program, 

lead the effort to develop the Space Weather Implementation Plan, discussed above under 

activities of the National Space Weather Program Council. 

American Meteorological Society (AMS) 

The OFCM supports AMS activities by participating in AMS conferences and workshops and 

other environmental science education and outreach programs. In FY 2010, the OFCM presented 

two papers at the 90th AMS Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, and continued its scholarship 

support and collaboration with the ad hoc group on NOWCON and with the AMS public-private 

partnership initiative. 

International Collaboration 

OFCM international collaborations during FY 2010 included the 64th IHC and the 2010 Space 

Weather Enterprise Forum. Plans for international collaboration during FY 2011 include the 65th

IHC and the 2011 Space Weather Enterprise Forum. The WG/Volcanic Ash will be supporting 

FAA participation in the International Volcanic Ash Task Force, which was established after the 

Iceland volcano eruption in summer of 2010 disrupted European air traffic. 

FY 2010 OFCM PUBLICATIONS 

The following publications were prepared in hard copy and/or were added to OFCM’s web site 

(www.ofcm.gov) during FY 2010. 

 

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Federal Coordination and Planning 

OFCM Publication Date Number 

PLANS 

National Severe Local Storms Operations Plan November 2010 FCM-P11-2010 

National Hurricane Operations Plan May 2010 FCM-P12-2010 

National Winter Storms Operations Plan November 2010 FCM-P13-2010 

The National Space Weather Program: Strategic Plan June 2010 FCM-P30-2010 

National Plan for Disaster Impact Assessments: Weather and 

Water Data 

November 2010 FCM-P33-2010 

REPORTS 

Exploratory Mini-Workshop Summary Report (Framing the 

Questions—Addressing the Needs: Moving to Incorporate Social 

Science Results into Meteorological Operations/Services) 

August 2010 FCM-R28-2010 

An Initial Inquiry into Meteorological Data Assimilation and 

Numerical Modeling Skills within the Federal Government 

September 2010 FCM-R29-2010 

Crosscutting Assessment of Hydrometeorological Needs—

Summary Report of Two Mini-Workshops 

September 2010 FCM-R30-2010 

National Aviation Weather Program 10-Year Accident Reduction 

Initiative —Final Report 

September 2010 FCM-R31-2010 

51
52
BASIC SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

NOAA/NWS 

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

(NWS) provides climate, water, and weather warnings and forecasts for the United States, its 

territories, adjacent waters, and ocean areas to help protect life and property and enhance the 

national economy. These services are provided through 122 Weather Forecast Offices (WFO), 13 

River Forecast Centers (RFC), and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). 

These offices collect data, prepare local warnings and forecasts, and disseminate information to 

the public, both nationally and internationally, through NOAA Weather Radio (NWR), satellitebased telecommunication systems, radiofacsimile, the media, and the internet. NWS forecasters 

issue short-duration watches and warnings for severe weather, such as tornadoes and severe 

thunderstorms, as well as long-duration watches, warnings, and advisories for hazardous winter 

weather conditions, high wind events, dense fog, and temperature extremes. 

The NWS uses data collection technologies 

such as Doppler weather radars, satellites 

operated by NOAA’s National 

Environmental Satellite, Data, and 

Information Service (NESDIS), data buoys 

for marine observations, surface observing 

systems, and instruments for monitoring air 

quality. Some observations are obtained 

through the Cooperative Observer Program, 

which is a nationwide network of volunteeroperated weather observing sites. These data 

feed sophisticated environmental prediction 

models running on high-speed 

supercomputers. The NWS’ highly trained 

and skilled workforce uses powerful 

workstations to analyze all of these data to 

issue forecasts and warnings around the 

clock. A high-speed communications hub allows for the efficient exchange of these data and 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Basic Services include the basic meteorological service system, to 

include observations, public weather forecasts, severe weather warnings and advisories, and the 

meteorological satellite activities of NOAA. Basic services also include the operations and supporting 

research of other Federal agencies that have been identified as contributing to basic meteorological 

services. 

 NWS AWIPS operational workstations are used to 

 prepare forecasts and warnings. (NOAA Image)

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

products between NWS components, partners, and other users. NWS forecasts and warnings are 

rapidly distributed via a diverse dissemination infrastructure including NOAA Weather Radio. 

The NWS creates forecasts in digital formats and makes them readily available. Forecasters use 

their expertise to maintain an up-to-date digital forecast database of weather elements. This 

information is stored in the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD). Output from NDFD is 

publicly available in the form of web graphics on the Internet and in several other digital 

formats. Outreach, education, and feedback are also critical elements to effective public response 

and improvements to NWS services. 

The NCEP Storm Prediction Center (SPC) provides timely and accurate forecasts and watches 

for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes over the contiguous United States. The SPC also 

monitors heavy rain, heavy snow, and fire weather events across the U.S. and issues specific 

products for those hazards. The forecast products cover time scales ranging from a few hours out 

to eight days. Products issued from the SPC supply specific guidance to WFOs about the 

probability and intensity of hazardous weather occurrences. The NCEP experts in the area of 

tropical meteorology are concentrated at the Tropical Prediction Center (TPC)/National 

Hurricane Center (NHC). Services provided by the TPC/NHC include advisories, watches, and 

warnings for tropical cyclones in the north Atlantic and eastern north Pacific oceans, the 

Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico, including the portions of the U.S. coastline threatened 

by such storms. The TPC/NHC functions both to provide guidance, coordination, and tropical 

weather expertise to WFO forecasters and to serve users of centrally generated products. The 

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) and the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center 

(WC/ATWC) use data from 39 deep water buoys located throughout the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic 

Ocean, and Caribbean to conduct tsunami watches and issue warnings for all U.S. communities 

at risk. These watches and warnings are disseminated to WFOs, Federal and state disaster 

agencies, military organizations, private broadcast media, and other facilities that can furnish 

warning information to the public. 

NWS forecasters support several health related programs such as Air Quality, Heat Health, and 

the Ultraviolet Index. The NWS Air Quality Forecast Services capability is an integrated, end-toend forecast system that provides timely, reliable forecast guidance to accurately predict the 

onset, severity and duration of poor air quality. Forecast guidance consists of next-day groundlevel ozone and smoke predictions. NOAA’s partner agency, the Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA), provides health-based interpretations of the forecast guidance. NOAA’s products 

also assist state and local air quality forecasters who issue health-based air quality alerts. Heat 

Health Watch Warning Systems (HHWWS) have been developed for select cities to provide 

advance notice of excessive heat events that produce the greatest number of weather-related 

deaths. These guidance systems will be expanded to other cities as resources are made available. 

Also, in partnership with the EPA, a climatologically based ultraviolet alert is being produced for 

the entire Nation. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

In FY 2001, Congress appropriated $4.989 million in funds for the USDA Weather Radio 

Transmitter Grant Program to facilitate the expansion of the NOAA Weather Radio into rural 

areas that are not covered or are poorly covered. NOAA Weather Radio alerts residents of 

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Basic Services 

approaching hazardous weather and other emergencies so they may seek appropriate shelter. 

Available funds have been carried over each year. Through the end of FY 2009, the USDA 

Rural Development Telecommunication Program awarded 97 grants covering 105 sites in 27 

states and Puerto Rico to 16 electric cooperatives and nonprofits, 5 telecommunications 

cooperatives, and 72 local and state governments from the original appropriation and residual 

(recovered de-obligated) funds from grant projects that were completed under budget. No funds 

were appropriated beyond FY 2001. Authorization of the program was reauthorized in the 2008 

Farm Bill; however, no additional funding was requested. 

NOAA/NESDIS 

NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) operates 

the Nation’s civil operational environmental satellite system, making constant observations of 

the Earth and its oceans and atmosphere. Satellite observations are collected, processed, and used 

to develop weather, climate, ocean, and other environmental products, services, and long-term 

data records that benefit the American public. 

NOAA’s satellites include Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) and 

Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES). These two systems provide the U.S. 

component of a joint environmental monitoring system in partnership with the European 

Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). On behalf of the 

Department of Defense (DOD), NESDIS also operates the Defense Meteorological Satellite 

Program (DMSP) spacecraft, part of the military’s sixth generation of weather satellites. In 

addition, on behalf of the Department of Commerce, NESDIS licenses the operation of 

commercial remote-sensing land-imaging satellites. NESDIS also provides long-term 

stewardship of environmental data, managing the world’s largest collection of climatic, 

geophysical, and oceanographic data derived from both in situ and space-based systems. 

Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) 

POES circle the Earth in a nearly north-south orbit, passing close to both poles. These satellites 

ensure data for any region of the Earth are no more than six hours old. Data from POES support 

global weather forecasting models, long-term global climate change research, and hazard 

detection and mitigation. NESDIS operates five polar orbiters. The NOAA-15, NOAA-16, 

NOAA-17, and NOAA-18 satellites continue to transmit data as back up and secondary 

satellites. Metop-A, a European environmental satellite with three instruments provided by 

NOAA, is the primary morning orbit satellite. Launched on February 6, 2009, NOAA-19 is the 

primary afternoon orbit satellite. NESDIS also manages the command, control, and 

communications functions of DOD’s DMSP. 

In addition, NOAA operates Jason-2, a joint U.S./European specialized polar-orbiting satellite. 

This spacecraft’s mission is to provide physical data of the ocean surface, including ocean 

surface altimetry, sea wave height, sea wave period, surface roughness, and others. This family 

of products is called the Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM), and is a follow on to the 

successful Jason-1 mission developed by the French Space Agency Centre National d’Etudes 

Spatiales (CNES) and NASA. 

55
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

From the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System to 

the NOAA Joint Polar Satellite System 

The President’s FY 2011 budget contains a major restructuring of the National Polar-orbiting 

Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) in order to put the critical program on a 

more sustainable pathway toward success. The satellite system is a National priority—essential 

to meeting both civil and military weather-forecasting, storm-tracking, and climate-monitoring 

requirements. As currently structured, the NPOESS program is behind schedule, over budget, 

and underperforming. Independent reports and an administration task force have concluded that 

the current program cannot be successfully executed with the current management structure and 

with the current budget structure. 

After reviewing options, including those suggested by an Independent Review Team (IRT) and 

Congressional Committees, the President’s FY 2011 budget takes significant new steps. In 

February 2010, the White House announced that NOAA and the Air Force will no longer 

continue to jointly procure NPOESS. This decision is in the best interest of the American public 

to preserve critical operational weather and climate observations into the future. NOAA, NASA, 

and DOD will continue to partner in those aspects of the NPOESS program where the 

partnership was successful in the past, such as a shared ground system and NOAA’s operation of 

both the early morning and afternoon platforms. The restructured program eliminates the 

NPOESS tri-agency administrative structure and creates two programs: NOAA’s Joint Polar 

Satellite System (JPSS) and DOD’s Defense Weather Satellite System (DWSS). 

NOAA and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) have already begun to move into a transition period, 

during which the current joint procurement will end by January 1, 2011. NASA is serving as 

NOAA’s acquisition agent for the JPSS program and has developed a transition strategy for 

JPSS. While the USAF continues to have remaining DMSP polar-orbiting satellites available for 

launch for the next few years, NOAA launched its final polar-orbiting satellite in February 2009. 

Given that weather forecasters and climate scientists rely on data from NOAA’s current on-orbit 

assets, efforts to develop the first of the JPSS platforms will focus on ensuring both short- and 

long-term continuity in crucial climate and weather data. In addition, these agencies have a 

strong partnership with Europe through EUMETSAT that will continue to be a cornerstone of 

our polar-orbiting constellation, and will ensure our ability to provide continuous measurements. 

These changes to the NPOESS program will better ensure continuity of crucial civil climate and 

weather data in the future. Decisions on future satellite programs will be made to ensure the best 

plan for continuity of data. 

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) 

The GOES spacecraft, in contrast to the POES spacecraft, orbit the Earth in a geosynchronous 

orbit, which means they orbit the equatorial plane of the Earth at a speed matching the Earth’s 

rotation. There are two operational geostationary satellites—GOES-East, at 75°W, and GOESWest, at 135°W—plus an on-orbit spare satellite at 105°W. Each operational satellite 

continuously views nearly one third of the Earth’s surface. GOES-P was launched on March 4, 

2010, and was renamed GOES-15 once it was successfully on orbit. GOES-15 is the third and 

last in the current series of NOAA geostationary satellites. GOES-15 joins the current 

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Basic Services 

constellation of GOES-11 (West), GOES-13 (East), and GOES-14 on-orbit spare. GOES-12 

provides for South American coverage. GOES provides continuous observations of 

environmental conditions of North, Central, and South America and the surrounding oceans. 

They provide data critical for fast, accurate weather forecasts and warnings, detecting solar storm 

activity, and relaying distress signals from emergency beacons. These satellites provide nearly 

continuous monitoring necessary for effective, detailed, and extensive weather forecasting, 

prediction, and environmental monitoring. 

GOES Series R 

Geostationary satellites remain the weather sentinels for NOAA—tracking hurricanes, severe 

storms, clouds, land, and ocean features. The next-generation geostationary satellite series, called 

Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite Series R (GOES-R), will scan the Earth nearly 

five times faster, more than three times the spectral coverage and four times the spatial resolution 

than the current GOES. GOES-R will provide users such as meteorologists and government 

agencies around the world with approximately 60 times the amount of data currently provided. 

GOES-R is a collaborative development and acquisition effort between NOAA and NASA. In 

FY 2011, the GOES-R program plans to continue instrument development to meet phased 

instrument delivery milestones in 2012. Both the Spacecraft Preliminary Design Review and the 

Ground Systems Critical Design Review are planned in order to meet the 2015 launch date. 

NOAA/NESDIS Data Centers 

National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) 

 The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) is the largest climate data center in the world. See 

Climate Services for additional details. 

National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) 

NOAA’s National Geophysical Date Center (NGDC) provides scientific stewardship, products, 

and services for geophysical data describing the solid earth, marine, and solar-terrestrial 

environments, as well as Earth observations from space. NGDC’s data holdings contain more 

than 400 digital and analog databases. Digital databases at NGDC include more than 20 million 

data records. As technology advances, so does the search for more efficient ways of preserving 

these data. NGDC works closely with contributors of scientific data to prepare documented, 

reliable data sets, and continually develops data management programs that reflect the changing 

world of geophysics. Recent examples of NGDC’s work include the creation of digital elevation 

models of U.S. coastal communities for prediction of potential tsunami impacts, estimation of 

global emissions of natural gas associated with petroleum production, and support of a future 

submission for extended continental shelf boundaries under the United Nations Convention on 

the Law of the Sea. 

Natural Hazards Coastal Inundation Modeling and Mapping. Tsunamis are low-frequency, but 

high-impact, events that can cause a considerable number of fatalities, inflict major damage, and 

cause significant economic loss to large sections of the Nation’s coastline. Since 1900 more 200 

tsunami events have affected the coasts of the United States and its territories causing more than 

500 deaths. To improve the tsunami forecast capability and mitigate the impacts of tsunami and 

57
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

other coastal flooding hazards, NGDC continues to develop high-resolution coastal digital 

elevation models (DEM) for inundation modeling and mapping. NGDC is also researching how 

variations in the DEM methodology affect the inundation model results and comparing these 

results to past tsunami event data. The purpose of the research is to better understand how 

different data processing methods affect DEM development and to use this knowledge to 

develop the most accurate coastal DEM generating inundation results validated by historical 

data. Emergency managers in coastal communities around the United States and its territories use 

DEMs and the inundation modeling to guide evacuation planning. Improving DEMs will result 

in improved forecasts and improved inundation products supporting local community emergency 

managers and planners, thereby saving lives and money. 

Geomagnetic Field Modeling For Improved Navigation. The NGDC geomagnetism group 

develops and produces magnetic field models for navigation and pointing, which are used in a 

multitude of defense and civilian applications. Production of the World Magnetic Model, the 

standard magnetic model for DOD and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is sponsored by 

the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The geomagnetism group also leads the production 

and distribution of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field. These main magnetic field 

models represent approximately 90 percent of the magnetic field, influencing a compass on or 

near the surface of the Earth. NGDC continues to develop improved magnetic models, 

addressing the additional magnetic influences affecting navigation by land, sea, and air. Making 

use of its extensive holdings of satellite, airborne, and marine magnetic data, NGDC is 

developing new high-resolution magnetic field models. Recent products include animations of 

the model results for the change in the magnetic field from 1590 to 2010, a three-arc-minute 

World Digital Magnetic Anomaly Map and the extended magnetic reference model to spherical 

harmonic degree 720 as shown in the figure below. The NGDC-720 model corresponds to a 15-

arc-minute model resolution. 

 National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) 

The NODC maintains the largest collection of publicly available oceanographic data and 

information in the world, including hundreds of millions of records gathered from ocean 

observation programs conducted over the past 150 years. These data document the physical, 

chemical, and biological properties of the oceans, currents, weather, and biota, as observed from 

ships, buoys, and satellites. NODC provides access to these data to more than 270,000 users each 

year, including ocean researchers within NOAA, other agencies, academia, environmental 

program managers, educators, maritime industries, and foreign communities. Examples of these 

products and special-topic data sets include the World Ocean Database, the Global Argo Data 

Repository, the Coral Reef Information System, and the Global Ocean Data Assimilation 

Experiment High-Resolution Sea-Surface Temperature Project. NODC’s National Coastal Data 

Development Center at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi provides central access to coastal 

environmental data from a wide variety of sources. 

NOAA/OMAO 

The NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) operates a fleet of survey ships 

and aircraft to support NOAA’s mission goals. NOAA’s ship fleet includes oceanographic and 

atmospheric research vessels. The NOAA aircraft fleet includes aircraft that collect 

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Basic Services 

environmental and geographic data essential to NOAA hurricane and other severe weather and 

atmospheric research; and aircraft that conduct aerial surveys for hydrologic research for 

forecasting flooding potential from snow melt. 

NOAA vessels make weather and ocean observations in the marine environment. Over 50,000 

automated observations are submitted per year through the World Meteorological Organization’s 

(WMO) Voluntary Observing Ships scheme. NOAA vessels also support NOAA’s National Data 

Buoy Center (NDBC) in recovery of buoys that have been disabled or gone adrift. 

NOAA aircraft support a broad range of meteorological activities and projects with its fleet of 

aircraft based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. Three of its 12 aircraft are dedicated 

to this purpose throughout the year, providing valuable information to NOAA and the Nation. 

The NOAA Gulfstream, G-IV (SP) (N49RF), provides scientists with a platform for the 

investigation of processes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. With an operating 

ceiling of 45,000 ft, the G-IV is a critical tool for obtaining the data necessary to improve 

hurricane and winter storm track forecasts and for research leading to improvements in hurricane 

intensity forecasts. It also supports the Hurricane Research Division (HRD) of NOAA’s Atlantic 

Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory in its Intensity Forecast Experiment (IFEX), an 

ongoing program studying hurricane genesis, rapid intensification, and other related experiments. 

The G-IV is also used for winter storm surveillance in the Pacific, operating from Yokota Air 

Force Base, Japan; Honolulu, HI; and Anchorage, AK. Flights are in support of NCEP’s ongoing 

program to improve winter storm forecasts in the U.S. 

The NOAA G-IV annually supports Hurricane Synoptic Surveillance missions; the aircraft flies 

in the environment surrounding the storm at a high altitude, releasing global positioning system 

(GPS) dropsondes at pre-selected locations. The data from these vertical atmospheric soundings 

are transmitted from the aircraft to the NCEP computer site where they are incorporated into the 

hurricane computer models to improve hurricane track forecasts. The dropsondes directly 

measure temperature, pressure, and humidity as they fall through the atmosphere to the surface, 

and computes wind speed and wind direction, using a full-up GPS receiver. Recent estimates of 

the improvement in hurricane track predictions utilizing this technology are between 20 and 30 

percent, resulting in a savings of $10 million or more per hurricane in warning and preparedness 

costs. 

Two NOAA WP-3D Lockheed Orion aircraft (N42RF and N43RF) support NOAA's 

atmospheric and oceanographic research, as well as its reconnaissance operations. They are 

equipped with a full array of state-of-the-art environmental research instrumentation. The aircraft 

research and navigation systems provide detailed spatial and temporal observations of a wide 

range of atmospheric and oceanic parameters. NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) 

develops and calibrates specialized instruments, integrates user-supplied instrumentation into its 

automated data recording systems, and processes and analyzes data sets collected during various 

field programs. 

The NOAA WP-3D aircraft, while executing the complex patterns for hurricane research, also 

provided storm data to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in real-time, transmitting flight 

level data, GPS dropsonde messages, as well as radar images transmitted via its multiple aircraft59
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

satellite data links. The stepped frequency microwave radiometers (SFMR) on the NOAA WP3D are used to map the surface wind fields in and around hurricanes and tropical storms. Realtime surface wind speed maps are critical to providing more accurate forecasts of the extent of 

hurricane and tropical storm force winds. The NOAA WP-3D aircraft also augment the Air 

Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft during particularly active storm periods when tasking 

requirements exceed their available resources. 

Each year, one of the NOAA WP-3Ds participates in a Hurricane Awareness Tour targeting, 

alternately, the Gulf and East coast regions of the U.S., those areas that are most vulnerable to 

land-falling storms. This educational outreach effort is directed at middle-grade school children, 

the age group most likely to see, learn, and convey a message home, as well as the general 

public. These tours are operated in concert with the participation of officials from NHC, the Red 

Cross, FEMA, and other local and state emergency management personnel. This is becoming an 

increasingly more popular and successful venture as coastal populations grow and the threat of 

an increasing number of storms place more people in harm’s way. 

During each hurricane season, the two NOAA WP-3Ds support several major research 

experiments in support of NOAA’s Hurricane Research Division. They also support HRD and 

EMC’s program to obtain 3-dimensional horizontal wind fields in developing tropical systems 

and hurricanes, utilizing their tail Doppler radars (TDR). The objective of this effort is to obtain 

data that can be assimilated into the HWRF hurricane forecast model for the purpose of 

improving intensity forecasts. 

The NOAA WP-3D’s annually support both a summer and winter operation of a NESDIS 

satellite validation program. Operating in regions of high winds and heavy precipitation, one of 

the WP-3D’s, equipped with microwave scatterometers and radiometers, provide under-flight 

validation of European ASCAT and Indian OceanWind2 sensed ocean surface wind vectors. 

Traditional venues for these operations are Alaska or Newfoundland in the winter and the 

Atlantic and Caribbean regions during the summer hurricane season. 

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

National Science Foundation (NSF) 

To improve weather forecasts and public safety, the NSF supports basic research on 

observational systems, analysis techniques, and understanding of phenomena. Ongoing research 

on new observational systems includes techniques for using cosmic ray data to derive soil 

moisture and using distributed, short-wavelength radar systems for small-scale severe weather 

observations. Major efforts to understand tornadoes and hurricane genesis are ongoing, and aim 

to improve the ability of weather forecasters to relay high-impact weather information to the 

public. 

NOAA/NWS 

Continually improving the accuracy, timeliness, and accessibility to prediction services is largely 

a result of research and development both within the NWS and externally from universities and 

private corporations. NCEP's Environmental Modeling Center (EMC) develops, enhances, and 

maintains complex data assimilation and numerical modeling software systems that span the 

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globe. The computer models and other numerical forecast products developed by the EMC 

provide the basic guidance that NCEP and WFO meteorologists use in making weather and 

climate predictions. The EMC uses advanced modeling methods developed both internally and 

cooperatively with universities, the international scientific community, NESDIS, NOAA 

laboratories, and other government agencies. As an example, EMC is a partner in the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/NOAA Joint Center for Satellite Data 

Assimilation (JCSDA), designed to accelerate the use of research and operational satellite data in 

NCEP operational models. The EMC integrates research and technology through collaborative 

model development projects. These interactions serve as an efficient and effective interface 

between NCEP and the scientific community that develop ideas, numerical models, and forecast 

techniques to implement model improvements and improve NWS products. The EMC conducts 

applied research and technology transfers and publishes research results in various media for 

dissemination to the world meteorological, oceanographic, and climate community. EMC also 

participates in ongoing interactive research programs such as NOAA’s Hurricane Forecast 

Improvement Project (HFIP) and the community Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model. 

Furthermore, EMC is participating in the Winter Storm Reconnaissance Program in the Pacific 

through targeted observations aimed at improving forecasts across the country. In addition, at 

NCEP, led by the EMC, the ensemble approach has been applied operationally at the short, 

medium and extended range. EMC efforts with collaborative development resulted in 

improvements to mesoscale and global models, as well as advancements in hurricane track 

forecasts, climate forecasts, and air quality forecasts. 

NOAA/NESDIS 

Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) 

STAR is the science arm of NESDIS. Its mission is to create satellite data products using 

observations of the land, atmosphere, and ocean and transfer those products from research into 

routine operations. In addition, STAR supports the assimilation of the data from new satellite 

instruments into NOAA’s numerical prediction models. STAR also calibrates the Earthobserving instruments of all NOAA satellites to provide reliable measurements for assessing the 

current conditions on Earth in a timely manner, predicting changes in conditions and studying 

long-term trends in the environment. 

STAR investigates how to develop satellite datasets that can be used to assess conditions on the 

Earth in a timely manner, predict changes, and study long-term trends in the environment. STAR 

works to create products that monitor atmospheric, oceanic, and environmental hazards; enhance 

NOAA’s infrastructure for remote sensing; reduce the risk of launching new, untested, and very 

expensive satellites and sensors; and expand its support to users. 

Satellite Research Projects 

Hurricane Applications of Lightning Measurements. The next-generation NOAA geostationary 

satellites, starting with the GOES-R, will be capable of measuring total lightning. Lightning 

causes between $4 and $5 billion in losses each year in the civilian sector with about 47 deaths 

and 303 injuries per year. Although ground-based lightning measurements have been available 

for several years, this will be the first time that these data are available with high time resolution 

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over the open oceans where hurricanes form and grow. The improvements in the prediction of 

hurricane genesis and intensification have not kept pace with those for track forecasting. The 

lightning observations have the potential to provide a new source of information for tropical 

cyclone forecasting. 

Research in FY 2011 will continue to focus on the continued use of a new ground-based 

lightning network that can provide some information of lightning activity over the tropical 

oceans. The World Wide Lightning Locator Network (WWLLN) provides estimates of only 

about 25 percent of the lightning activity compared to what will be available from GOES-R, but 

it provides a first look at the forecast potential of this new data source. The WWLLN data is 

being used to examine the relationship between lightning distributions and hurricane formation 

and intensification in combination with other factors known to be important such as sea surface 

temperature and atmospheric vertical wind shear. Preliminary results for the Atlantic are very 

encouraging and show the potential to use lightning information to improve the prediction of 

rapid intensity change, which is an especially challenging forecast problem. Ongoing research 

will generalize this study to tropical cyclones in other ocean basins outside of the Atlantic and 

the development of experimental rapid intensification forecast algorithms that utilize the 

WWLLN data. 

This work has the potential to help improve hurricane forecasts. The ability to better forecast 

how strong a storm will be when it reaches the coast will help to improve the reliability of 

hurricane watches and warnings, which are important for evacuations and other mitigation 

activities. 

Precipitation Estimation from Satellites. Precipitation estimation data from satellites provide a 

critical supplement to other sources of rainfall information for flood and flash flood forecasting, 

water resources applications, and myriad other uses—in many parts of the world, satellites 

represent the only reliable source of rainfall information. Infrared and visible data from 

geostationary weather satellites provide high-resolution, rapidly updated rainfall information for 

hazardous weather applications. More accurate estimates of rainfall can be derived from 

microwave-frequency data onboard polar-orbiting satellites, but their less-frequent updating 

makes them more suitable for longer-term water monitoring. 

In FY 2010 and into FY 2011, NOAA expects to complete the transition of three research 

products to operational status and will develop the algorithms for the next generation of NOAA’s 

GOES. The three products are current rainfall rate, which will build on a nearly 20-year legacy 

of automated satellite rain rate products; three-hour rainfall potential, which will be a brand new 

product predicting rainfall from satellite data; and three-hour rainfall probability—the probability 

of measurable rainfall during the next three hours. In addition, modifications to the currentgenerational algorithms will be explored in order to better serve the users of these data. 

Microburst Assessment from Satellites. A suite of products was developed and evaluated to 

assess hazards presented by convective storms and associated high winds to aircraft in flight 

derived from the current generation of GOES. The existing suite of GOES microburst products 

employs the GOES sounder to calculate risk based on conceptual models of favorable 

environmental profiles for convective wind generation. Large output values of the microburst 

index algorithms indicate that the ambient thermodynamic structure of the troposphere fits the 

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prototypical environment for each respective microburst type (i.e. Wet, Hybrid, Dry, etc.). In 

accordance with new diagnostic nowcasting products, the Microburst Windspeed Potential Index 

(MWPI), and a multichannel GOES imager microburst risk product were recently developed and 

experimentally implemented. These products are designed to infer attributes of a favorable 

microburst environment that include large temperature and moisture changes with height in the 

atmosphere. These conditions foster intense convective downdrafts due to evaporational cooling 

as precipitation descends in the sub-cloud layer. 

The GOES imager microburst risk product is based on a multichannel algorithm in which output 

brightness temperature difference is proportional to microburst potential. This product provides a 

higher spatial (4 km) and temporal (30 minutes) resolution than is currently offered by the GOES 

sounder microburst products (10 km, 60 minutes) and thus, provides useful information to 

supplement the sounder products in the convective storm nowcasting process. In addition, this 

imager product provides microburst risk guidance in high latitude regions, especially north of 

latitude 50°N, where existing sounder coverage is not available. FY 2011 research will continue 

to focus on intercomparison, validation, and refinement of the GOES microburst products as well 

as training in the operational use of the products. 

NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) Laboratories 

Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) 

ARL conducts research and development in the fields of air quality, atmospheric dispersion, and 

climate. Key activities include the development, evaluation, and application of air quality 

models; improvement of approaches for predicting atmospheric dispersion of hazardous 

materials; and the generation of new insights into air-surface exchange and climate variability 

and trends. The goal of ARL’s work is to conduct research that can improve the Nation's ability 

to protect human and ecosystem health. (see Emergency Response and Homeland Security 

Services) 

Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) 

ESRL is taking a lead role in implementing the International Earth Observation System, 

including the development and testing of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for providing global 

weather and climate observations. ESRL is one of several NOAA research organizations 

collaborating with NASA and many external partners in support of this project. The goal of these 

missions is to evaluate the utilization of UAS’s for improved U.S. and global observing in areas 

too remote or dangerous for lengthy manned flights, e.g., the polar regions and hurricanes. High 

and medium altitude, long-endurance UAS’s (HALE and MALE-class) can fly at remote 

locations in dangerous flying conditions for long periods. This technology provides many 

scientific benefits such as sustained global high quality all-weather profiles of atmospheric 

composition (water vapor, aerosols, cloud water, and trace gases), and high altitude vertical 

resolution and profiling. It also offers a rapid response platform for improved high impact 

weather forecasts at 1-day to 2-week lead times, and better climate change detection, attribution, 

and prediction in support of policy decisions. ESRL's Global Systems Division (GSD) is 

conducting global and regional Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE) to evaluate 

the potential benefits of UAS sampling of hurricanes and their environment. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Scientists at GSD have developed GPS-Meteorology, a ground-based research system (GPSMet) that uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) to measure atmospheric water vapor in realtime, increasing the accuracy of precipitation forecasts in the hourly updated numerical weather 

prediction model used by the NWS for high impact weather events. This system collects and 

processes observations from over 250 GPS-Met stations, owned and operated by NOAA and 

other government agencies across the U.S., and the data is distributed by GSD using a web 

interface. When funds are available, this system will be transferred to NWS operations so that 

system reliability and maintainability can be ensured and sites expanded for use by NWS 

forecasters, the research community, and the private sector, and so that the system can be 

incorporated into weather prediction models. In the process of developing this capability, NOAA 

research discovered that GPS can be used to calibrate satellite-based observations of total 

precipitable water in the atmosphere, thereby increasing the usefulness of the space-borne 

sensors. In addition, the GPS-Met observations for water vapor, an important greenhouse gas, 

were discovered to be both sensor and model independent providing the consistency necessary to 

support long-term monitoring of water vapor for climate applications and a reproducible climate 

quality data record to verify and confirm climate model predictions. 

ESRL will continue development of new sensors and innovative techniques for combining 

observing systems synergistically and economically. Efforts include developing tools and 

techniques to integrate the data from surface-based and satellite-borne profiling systems for more 

effective use of these data in forecasts. In support of this effort, ESRL’s Physical Science 

Division (PSD) has an active satellite remote sensing group that uses data from various 

environmental satellites to study air-sea interaction processes; the global hydrological cycle, 

including water vapor and precipitation; and the Earth's radiation budget. 

Other important areas of research within ESRL include tropical atmospheric research, numerical 

analysis and prediction modeling, and atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric boundary layer 

processes. 

National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) 

NSSL seeks to improve the accuracy and timeliness of forecasts and warnings of hazardous 

weather events such as blizzards, ice storms, flash floods, tornadoes, and lightning. NSSL 

accomplishes this goal through a balanced research program, which aims to: (1) advance the 

understanding of weather processes; (2) improve forecasting and warning techniques; (3) 

develop new forecast and warning techniques and applications and evaluate them for operational 

use; (4) transfer knowledge, techniques, and applications to the NWS and other agencies; (5) 

develop enhancements for the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D), the 

cornerstone of the radar network now operated across the United States; (6) develop new radar 

technologies (e.g., dual-polarization and phased-array radar); and (7) conduct field programs that 

use mobile, in situ, and remote observational capabilities to collect data that support theoretical 

research. NSSL performs research in three primary areas: weather radars, high-impact hazardous 

weather, and storm-scale hydrometeorology. 

Weather Radar Research. The NSSL is known for research leading to better understanding of 

severe weather and the development of related observational capability, both remote and in situ, 

and in particular for its role in the development of the WSR-88D radar. NSSL continues to 

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improve the WSR-88D software algorithms used by the NWS forecasters. NSSL is assisting in 

the NWS deployment of the dual polarization upgrade to the WSR-88D and is engaged in a risk 

reduction activity for the Multifunction Phased Array Radar (MPAR) technology. In FY 2011, 

NSSL, in collaboration with the FAA, is planning a Technology Assessment Program (TAP) to 

engage industry in helping design a polarized phased array radar to be tested in FY 2011-2013 as 

part of the TAP risk reduction plan. Over the next 10 to 15 years, a network of MPAR units 

could provide the next-generation expansion of our current weather radar surveillance network, 

replace the Nation’s aging air traffic surveillance radars, and meet homeland security and 

defense requirements for identifying and tracking non-cooperative craft operating over the U.S. 

homeland. 

In the spring of 2011, forecasters from the NWS Eastern, Central, and Southern Regions will 

bring their warning decision making expertise to Norman, OK, to participate in the Phased 

Array Radar Innovative Sensing Experiment (PARISE). One question driving research with the 

Phased Array Radar (PAR) Program is whether faster data updates will increase warning lead 

time. NSSL is conducting experiments to directly compare warnings based on data provided at 

current radar update rates with warnings issued based on faster data update rates provided by 

PAR technology. Teams of forecasters will use two different PAR data sets. One with the faster 

data update rate typical of the PAR and the other with PAR data, but updated at the WSR-88D 

rate. This provides a basis from which warning lead times can be compared with no differences 

in data, just update time and the warning decision process used by each team. In addition to 

learning about impact of temporal sampling on warning decision making, PARISE will evaluate 

data processing and collection techniques unique to the NSSL's PAR Program, such as electronic 

adaptive scanning and scheduled scanning, that are adapted to the user's needs. 

The MPAR technology is a promising option for meeting the Nation’s future domestic radar 

surveillance needs. Using multiple beams and frequencies that are controlled electronically, 

NSSL has demonstrated that phased array radar reduces the scan time for severe weather from 

six minutes for WSR-88D radar to less than one minute, producing quicker updates of data and 

thereby potentially increasing the lead time for tornado warnings well beyond the current 

average of 13 minutes. 

High Impact Hazardous Weather Research. The NSSL focuses on research to better understand 

such hazards as tornadoes, hail, high winds, heavy rain and snow, lightning, and ice storms with 

the goal of helping the NWS improve forecasts and warnings. The parameters of storm 

development and intensification are identified and studied by incorporating observations from 

Doppler weather radar, satellites, remote-sensing wind profilers, instrumented aircraft, and 

lightning-location networks. 

In FY 2010, NSSL helped lead the Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes 

Experiment 2 (VORTEX2)—the largest and most ambitious field experiment in history to 

explore tornadoes. VORTEX2 was a $14 million field program supported by NOAA and the 

National Science Foundation (NSF). Nearly 100 scientists and students from 16 different 

universities and various other academic organizations in the U.S. took part in the experiment. 

VORTEX2 also involved forecasters from the NOAA NWS forecast offices, the NOAA Storm 

Prediction Center, Environment Canada, the Australia Bureau of Meteorology, and Finland. The 

VORTEX2 teams were looking to understand how, when, and why tornadoes form. Answers to 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

these questions will give researchers a better understanding of tornadoes and should help 

increase warning time for those in the path of these deadly storms. In 2009, data was collected on 

11 supercells, with probably 4 cases worthwhile for scientific exploration. In 2010, data was 

collected on many more storms, including tornadic storms in and around central Oklahoma that 

produced a rich data set that included MPAR radar data and data from the smaller scale 

Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) radars, funded by NSF. 

NSSL is working with the NWS to develop a vision for the warning decision process, which 

continues to evolve as scientists and engineers work toward integrating the next generation radar 

(e.g., rapid scanning phased array radar) and storm-scale numerical models to create a stormscale prediction capability for the NWS. Beginning in FY 2010, NSSL received funding to 

support the “Warn on Forecast (WoF)” program. Within the next decade, NSSL envisions 

operational units using a WoF methodology, e.g., a forecaster will use thunderstorm-resolving 

computer models for severe weather warnings in the same way as he/she does today with the 

current Doppler radar systems. NSSL believes that these enhancements to the operational 

weather capability will lead to a more accurate warning system which increases lead time and 

provides probabilistic information that enables the public to take the best reasonable action 

during a severe weather event. The WoF program is being conducting in collaboration with the 

Earth Systems Research Laboratory Global Systems Division (ESRL/GSD), the NWS Storm 

Prediction Center, and the NWS Norman Forecast Office. 

Storm-scale Hydrometeorology Research. The Coastal-Inland Flood Observation and Warning 

(CI-FLOW) project uses NSSL’s multi-sensor rainfall estimates to drive an NWS distributed 

hydrologic model that predicts streamflow to help NWS improve flash flood warnings. CIFLOW is a major component of NOAA’s Integrated Water Forecasting program called Coastal, 

Estuary Resource Information System (CERIS). In addition to the streamflow prediction, 

streamflow data from predictive models are used to drive storm surge models from North 

Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina. We believe this system of 

coupled models, tested during the 2010 hurricane season, can be used not only for inundation 

studies of landfalling tropical systems, but also for land-use studies, algal bloom studies, and 

water quality assessments studies. 

Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) 

Ocean Observing Technologies. In addition to the many weather-related observing systems, 

OAR is dedicated to improving the development, deployment, and monitoring of oceanographicrelated observing technologies and related data. As part of this effort, AOML manages the 

deployment of drifting buoys around the world, deploying some 900 new drifters annually and 

tracking approximately 1250 as part of the Global Drifter Program. Using research ships, ships 

of the Ship of Opportunity Program (SOOP), and U.S. Navy aircraft, Global Lagrangian Drifters 

(GLD) are placed in areas of interest. Once verified as operational, they are reported to AOML's 

Data Assembly Center (DAC). Incoming data from the drifter are then placed on the Global 

Telecommunications System (GTS) for distribution in real time to meteorological services 

everywhere. The primary goal of this project is to assemble and provide uniform quality control 

of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and surface velocity measurements. These measurements are 

obtained as part of an international program to improve climate prediction. Climate prediction 

models require accurate estimates of SST to initialize their ocean component. Drifting buoys 

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provide essential ground truth SST data for this purpose. The models also require validation by 

comparison with independent data sets. Surface velocity measurements are used for this 

validation. Approximately 100 meteorological drifting buoys are maintained in the Southern 

Hemisphere as part of the Southern Hemisphere Drifting Buoy Program—a subset of the Global 

Drifter Program. 

NOAA supports measurements from thermosalinographs (TSG) which are mounted close to the 

water intake of research and cargo ships and continuously measure the sea surface salinity and 

temperature along the track of the ship. NOAA operates and maintains AMVER SEAS 2K, a 

Windows based real-time ship and environmental data acquisition and transmission system. The 

AMVER software creates a series of reports that describe point of departure, route, and arrival of 

a ship. The SEAS 2K software acquires atmospheric and oceanographic data and transmits the 

data in real-time to the GTS and to operational databases to be used by scientists. SEAS 2K is 

employed on ships of the Volunteer Observing System (VOS), SOOP, NOAA, UniversityNational Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS), and U.S. Coast Guard vessels. SEAS 2K 

is now installed on more than 400 ships of the VOS and SOOP, and over 200,000 AMVER 

SEAS meteorological messages are transmitted per year and inserted into the GTS. 

AOML operates a global Expendable BathyThermograph (XBT) Program that utilizes 

approximately 30 ships of the SOOP and collaborates with international institutions that operate 

another 30 ships to monitor the global upper ocean thermal structure. TSG and XBT data are 

placed in real-time onto the GTS and are being used to initialize weather and climate forecast 

models. 

Tropical Cyclone Research. The capabilities of AOML’s Hurricane Research Division (HRD) 

are based on the use of in situ and remotely sensed data collected by aircraft, satellites, and 

buoys, and computer model simulations of the inner core of tropical cyclones and their 

surrounding environment to improve track and intensity forecast guidance. These observations 

are primarily collected during the hurricane season using two NOAA turboprop aircraft and a 

Gulfstream-IV jet operated by NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center (AOC). An aircraft field 

program is used to gather data sets gathered at all stages of the storm’s lifecycle, which are used 

to support operational needs and form the cornerstone of HRD’s research. Because of this 

extensive field experience, HRD scientists are recognized internationally for their knowledge of 

tropical cyclones, as well as their expertise in technological areas such as airborne Doppler radar, 

dropsondes, cloud microphysics, and air-sea interaction, to name a few. These assets make HRD 

unique worldwide, and provide NOAA a unique capability. 

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On the left is an image of the flight patterns for five consecutive back-to-back WP-3D Doppler mission around from 

00Z 19 August 2009 in Hurricane Bill. On the right is a depiction of the real-time Doppler analyses for three legs on 

the first of the five missions showing the flight track and Doppler analyses superposed over an IR satellite image 

centered on the mission time. The Doppler radar data collected on these three legs were used to generate superobs 

for assimilation into the ARW model running on TACC 

Much of the research at HRD is focused on improving forecasts of hurricane intensity change; 

however, HRD scientists are also actively engaged with scientists in the other AOML divisions 

in projects related to seasonal hurricane forecasts, the impact climate change has on hurricanes, 

and the impacts hurricanes have on life and property. HRD also coordinates its programs with 

other NOAA organizations, e.g., AOC, NESDIS, and NCEP, in particular with EMC and NHC. 

A high priority since 2005 is the NOAA Intensity Forecast Experiment (IFEX) developed 

through a partnership involving HRD, TPC, EMC, and NESDIS. The goals of IFEX are the 

collection of data to directly aid the development and evaluation of the next-generation 

operational tropical cyclone forecasting model system—the Hurricane Weather Research and 

Forecasting (HWRF) model. HRD also maintains active research programs with, and receives 

funding from other governmental agencies, and arranges cooperative programs with scientists at 

NCAR and numerous universities. HRD’s strengths provide NOAA with the capability to 

address the Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project (HFIP). 

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Real-time maximum surface wind swath produced by the HWRFx model for Hurricane Bill on 0000 UTC 19 

August 2098. The track is depicted in magentat with dots long the track every 3 h. 

Researchers at HRD, together with 1-2 researchers at the GFDL, 6-7 researchers at ESRL, and 3-

4 researchers at NESDIS/ORA make up the NOAA core capability for hurricane research and 

development and is a major part of the NOAA HFIP. HFIP is built upon, and draws much of its 

NOAA expertise from these core research and development capabilities, and is driven by the 

operational needs of the NWS. Within the NWS, the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the 

Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the hurricane-modeling group at the Environmental 

Modeling Center (EMC) comprise the NOAA core operational hurricane capability. 

The HFIP is a unified 10-year NOAA plan to improve one to five day tropical cyclone forecasts, 

with a focus on rapid intensity change. HFIP is only feasible because of the core research and 

development capabilities at HRD, AOML, GFDL, and ESRL. The objectives of the HFIP are to 

coordinate hurricane-related research and development within NOAA (such as those mentioned 

above), and to broaden the interaction of the outside research community in addressing NOAA’s 

operational hurricane forecast needs. The goals of the HFIP are to improve the accuracy and 

reliability of hurricane forecasts; to extend lead-time for hurricane forecasts with increased 

certainty; and to increase confidence in hurricane forecasts. These efforts will require major 

investments in enhanced observational strategies, improved data assimilation, numerical model 

systems, and expanded forecast applications based on the high resolution and ensemble based 

numerical prediction systems. The expected outcomes of the HFIP are high quality information 

with associated probabilities on high impact variables such as wind speed, precipitation, and 

storm surge. This will be achieved by reducing the average errors of hurricane track and intensity 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

forecasts by 50 percent, improving the skill in forecasting rapid intensity changes (both increases 

and decreases), and by improved storm surge forecasting. The benefits of HFIP will significantly 

improve NOAA’s forecast services through improved hurricane forecast science and technology. 

Specific metrics include: 

 Reduce average track error by 50 percent for Days 1 through 5. 

 Reduce average intensity error by 50 percent for Days 1 through 5. 

 Increase the probability of detection (POD) for rapid intensity change to 90 percent at 

Day 1 decreasing linearly to 60 percent at Day 5, and decrease the false alarm ratio 

(FAR) for rapid intensity change to 10 percent for Day 1 increasing linearly to 30 percent 

at Day 5. 

 Extend the lead time for hurricane forecasts out to Day 7. 

Although improving the POD and FAR for rapid intensity change within 1 day of landfall is a 

high priority, given the uncertainty in track forecasts of landfall, these improvements are needed 

at all lead times over the entire life span of the storm system. 

While the vast majority of HRD’s research efforts are directed through HFIP toward improving 

observations, analysis, and model guidance and transitioning those improvements into operation, 

a number of research areas are not as well developed and require more basic research, often in 

collaboration with university collaborators. HRD is pursuing three such efforts: (1) improved 

understanding of the air-sea energy transfer processes related to waves, spray, and upper-ocean 

mixed layer in partnership with collaborators from UM/RSMAS, URI, and NRL; (2) improved 

understanding of the role of aerosol and microphysical processes in collaboration with URI and 

University of Tel Aviv; and (3) improved understanding of land surface impacts on rainfall and 

flooding through collaboration with Purdue. 

Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) 

The Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) conducts long lead-time research to 

understand the predictability of weather on both large and small scales, and to translate this 

understanding into improved numerical weather and climate prediction models. Three groups at 

GFDL are engaged in weather research activities: Climate Dynamics and Prediction, Weather 

and Atmospheric Dynamics, and Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry. 

The Weather and Atmospheric Dynamics Group at GFDL improves our understanding of 

atmospheric circulations, ranging in scale from hurricanes to extratropical storms and the general 

circulation, with an emphasis on extreme weather events and the interplay between weather 

phenomena and climate variability and change, using high resolution atmospheric modeling as 

the central tool. Recent research using these models has exposed a potential breakthrough in 

predicting seasonal hurricane activity: atmospheric models forced with observed sea-surface 

temperature can skillfully predict the interannual variability of the number of hurricanes in the 

Atlantic, showing that the random part of this annual Atlantic hurricane frequency (the part not 

predictable given the SSTs) is relatively small. 

This effort is augmented by the Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry group, which performs 

research to improve our understanding of the interactive three-dimensional radiative-dynamical70
Basic Services 

chemical-hydrological structure of the climate system from the surface and troposphere to the 

upper stratosphere and mesosphere on various time and space scales. This is achieved by 

employing meteorological observations in conjunction with models for diagnostic analyses of 

atmospheric processes, and evaluating and improving parameterizations employed in weather 

and climate models; modeling the interactions between clouds, convection, radiation and largescale dynamics to understand their roles in climate and climate change; and modeling the 

physics, chemistry and transport of atmospheric trace gases and aerosols to investigate the 

impact of future emissions on regional and global air quality, and to investigate the regional and 

global climatic effects due to changes in natural and anthropogenic radiatively-active species. 

To prepare for and confront these effects, an understanding of the regional impacts, the role of 

extreme events and abrupt change, and their interactions with natural variability are being 

developed so that decisions can be made with the best possible scientific information. Over the 

last half century in general, and the last few years in particular, NOAA’s GFDL has 

demonstrated world leadership in pushing the boundaries of climate prediction. Through direct 

participation in producing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007 Assessment and 

the Administration’s Climate Change Science Program Synthesis and Assessment Reports, 

GFDL’s premier climate science capacity and recent investment in computer model 

infrastructure allow NOAA deliver essential climate prediction information at the regional and 

local level and provide an invaluable and unique opportunity for the Nation to make critical 

progress in global change science. 

Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) 

In FY 2011, GLERL’s planned research programs in coastal hydrodynamic modeling, 

hydrology, coastal buoy technology, regional climate modeling, and ice forecasting will directly 

support NOAA's meteorology mission through improved marine forecasts, more accurate 

watershed models, augmented real-time marine observations, better estimates of regional climate 

impacts on weather in the Great Lakes, and a whole new approach to ice forecasting. 

Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) 

Meteorological research at PMEL focuses on air-sea interaction research in the Gulf of Alaska 

and Bering Sea, as part of PMEL’s Ecosystem-Fisheries Oceanography Coordinated 

Investigations (EcoFOCI) project, conducted jointly with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS)/Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Financial support for the research is provided 

by NOAA, NSF, and the North Pacific Research Board (NPRB). 

PMEL also collaborates with ESRL/CSD on the Health of the Atmosphere air quality research 

effort. In 2010, PMEL led the CALNEX marine sampling program aboard the R/V Atlantis off 

the southern and central California coasts. PMEL’s ocean climate research programs collect 

surface meteorological data from moored buoys and report in near-real time for ingest into global 

models. Data from PMEL’s PIRATA and RAMA tropical observing systems in the Atlantic and 

Indian Oceans, and from PMEL’s ocean climate stations at Ocean Weather Station Papa (Gulf of 

Alaska) and the Kuroshio Extension Observatory (KEO) in the Northwest Pacific report surface 

meteorological data. A third ocean climate station is scheduled to be established early in 2011 in 

the Aghulas Current off the southeast coast of Africa. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Interagency Research Programs 

The United States Weather Research Program (USWRP) 

The USWRP is an interagency weather research and transition of research to application 

program. The member agencies include: NOAA (lead), the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Navy, and the Air Force. 

The NOAA component of USWRP has been quite active although the funding levels have been 

flat. NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), through OAR’s Office of 

Weather and Air Quality, helps plan NOAA USWRP priorities, implements the program, and 

monitors progress. 

The Developmental Test Center (DTC). The DTC (http://www.dtcenter.org/index.php) is a joint 

operation between NOAA/Earth System Research Laboratory/Global Systems Division and the 

National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, CO, funded by NOAA. It serves as the 

test bed for the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) community model (http://wrfmodel.org/index.php), which is a cooperative venture between NOAA, NSF, the Air Force, and 

the Navy. In FY 2011, the DTC will continue to develop the Hurricane Weather Research and 

Forecasting (HWRF) community model. 

Collaborative Program on the Societal Impacts and Economic Benefits of Weather 

Information (Societal Impacts Program or SIP). The USWRP provides most of the support for 

SIP (http://www.sip.ucar.edu/) and will continue to do so in FY 2011. Its mission is to be a 

clearing house for socioeconomic information on weather, to increase knowledge among the 

weather community concerning the human and economic impacts of weather, to better determine 

the value of weather information, and to improve our ability to communicate weather 

information to all public and private sectors. In FY 2011, the SIP will continue work to 

determine the public understanding of forecast uncertainty and to research the communication of 

hurricane forecast information from the National Hurricane Center, through the various 

communications outlets, to the public and to emergency managers. They will also be looking at 

what information the public uses for hurricane evacuation decisions. The SIP also provides the 

bulk of the U.S. support for the societal and economic research and applications component of 

THORPEX (see below). 

The Joint Hurricane Testbed (JHT). The NOAA USWRP provides total support for the JHT 

(http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/jht/index.shtml) which transitions mature research products from the 

hurricane research community into operations through improvements in hurricane landfall 

decision support systems. This project is located at the NWS’s National Centers for 

Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Tropical Prediction Center in Miami, FL. The USWRP will 

continue to fully support the JHT in FY 2011. Recently, the JHT has been emphasizing 

improving forecasts of hurricane intensity at landfall. In FY 2011, the JHT will be beyond the 

middle of its fifth cycle of two-year awards. This cycle has 11 awards. 

The Hydrometeorological Testbed (HMT). NOAA USWRP has invested in research and 

transition of research to applications to improve quantitative precipitation forecasts through 

NOAA’s HMT (http://hmt.noaa.gov/), led by OAR’s Environmental Systems Research 

Laboratory’s (ESRL) Physical Sciences Division (PSD). The HMT seeks to improve regional 

72
Basic Services 

precipitation forecasts, particularly for heavy, flooding rains. This support will continue as the 

HMT moves to set up a field program in the southeast U.S. as it moves from the west coast. This 

project also collaborates with OAR’s National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL). 

THORPEX: A Global Atmospheric Research Program 

THORPEX is a 10-year international research program under the World Meteorological 

Organization that focuses on accelerating improvements in one to 14-day global numerical 

prediction of high impact weather. THORPEX began in 2004. THORPEX is the weather 

component of the Global Earth Observing Systems of Systems (GEOSS). The U.S. 

representative to the THORPEX international management committee resides in NOAA and 

NOAA is the lead U.S. agency for THORPEX, providing the U.S. funding contribution to the 

THORPEX international management. Key U.S. agencies that are participating in THORPEX, in 

addition to NOAA, are NSF, NASA, and the Navy. The main thrusts of U.S. THORPEX are: 

 Understanding global scale atmospheric processes and phenomena. 

 Improving the science of prediction. 

 Providing socioeconomic research and applications. 

NSF, the Navy, and NASA provide the bulk of support for the first bullet. All agencies support 

the second bullet, and NOAA USWRP and NCAR support activities within the third bullet. 

NCEP has developed a North American Ensemble Forecasting system (NAEFS, 

http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/gmb/ens/NAEFS.html) which is operational as an experimental 

product and includes the U.S., Canada, and Mexico (as a user). NAEFS is an important 

component of the THORPEX Interactive Forecast System (GIFS), and a fully implemented GIFS 

will be available by the end of the THORPEX program period in about 2014. NCEP is one of the 

ten operational centers contributing to the THORPEX Integrated Grand Global Ensemble 

(TIGGE) that provides global ensembles to the weather community. The NOAA USWRP-funded 

SIP provides U.S. support for the socioeconomic component of THORPEX. THORPEX is a key 

component of ensemble, probabilistic atmospheric modeling in NOAA. It is the program in 

which key advances are made in ensemble techniques and atmospheric data assimilation with a 

significant portion of the applied research being done at OAR’s Earth Systems Research 

Laboratory (ESRL). It also provides the connection on the weather side to climate prediction at 

the intraseasonal scales that will eventually lead to a seamless weather-climate prediction 

system. 

In FY 2011, progress will be made on the GIFS by continuing international agreements on data 

access, types of model data to be made available, and how the data will be disseminated. NAEFS 

may add some members to the ensemble with the US Navy having joined NAEFS in FY 2009. 

The current internal NOAA awards for THORPEX research will be reviewed and priorities for 

such research will be adjusted as THORPEX begins to focus partially on shorter term mesoscale 

and local ensembles. 

Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation 

Effective environmental prediction requires several elements. One of these is accurate, welldistributed observations of the Earth’s environment and numerical models that embody the 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

physical and chemical laws governing the behavior of the Earth’s land surface, oceans, and 

atmosphere. Data assimilation is the mortar that binds these elements into successful prediction 

systems for weather, oceans, climatology, and ecosystems. JCSDA is a partnership between 

NOAA, NASA, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Air Force dedicated to developing and improving 

our ability to exploit satellite data more effectively in the U.S. JCSDA is a collaborative effort 

that allows the work required to assimilate the billions of satellite observations available daily to 

be shared by several agencies. This effort would otherwise be duplicated across the agencies. 

The goals of JCSDA are to: 

 Reduce the average time for operational implementation of new satellite technology from 

two years to one year. 

 Increase the use of current satellite data in numerical weather prediction models. 

 Advance the common numerical models and data assimilation infrastructure. 

 Assess the impacts of data from advanced satellite sensors on weather and climate 

predictions. 

74
AGRICULTURAL AND LAND MANAGEMENT 

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Services 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) World 

Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) serves as the USDA’s focal point for economic 

intelligence and commodity outlook for U.S. and world agriculture. The WAOB coordinates the 

official USDA domestic and international commodity estimates each month. One of the primary 

responsibilities of the WAOB is to coordinate, review, and approve the World Agricultural 

Supply and Demand Estimates report. The WAOB maintains the integrity of this report by 

ensuring all information used to prepare the report is consistent, objective, and reliable. The 

WAOB also coordinates all weather and climate information and monitoring activities within the 

USDA. Because weather and climate have a significant impact on agricultural production, the 

WAOB employs meteorologists who specialize in preparing agricultural weather assessments. 

This activity is conducted at the Joint Agricultural Weather Facility (JAWF) which is located 

within the OCE/WAOB and serves as the USDA’s focal point for weather and climate 

information. 

The JAWF was created in 1978 as an operational unit and is a cooperative effort between the 

WAOB and the Department of Commerce (DOC)/National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA)/National Weather Service (NWS)/National Centers for Environmental 

Prediction (NCEP)/Climate Prediction Center (CPC). The primary mission of the JAWF is to 

routinely collect global weather data and agricultural information to assess the impact of growing 

season weather conditions on crop and livestock production prospects. The JAWF receives a full 

suite of data and products from the NWS, and JAWF meteorologists combine and carefully 

analyze these agrometeorological data daily, preparing real-time agricultural weather 

assessments in the process. Some of the meteorological information that the JAWF 

meteorologists utilize include surface weather observations, radar data, satellite imagery, and 

model output. These meteorological data are regularly imported into a geographic information 

system (GIS) along with agricultural data to facilitate global agrometeorological analyses and to 

help identify regions of concern. These assessments keep USDA commodity analysts, the OCE, 

and the Secretary of Agriculture and top staff well informed of weather impacts on crops and 

livestock worldwide. In addition to providing routine agricultural weather assessments, JAWF 

meteorologists prepare special assessments when extreme weather (e.g., droughts, heat waves, 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Agricultural and Land Management Meteorological Services are 

those services and facilities established to meet the requirements of the agricultural industries and 

Federal, state, and local agencies charged with the protection and maintenance of the Nation's land 

areas. Meteorological services specifically tailored for wildland fire management are reported under 

the Wildland Fire Weather service category.

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

freezes, floods, and hurricanes) has been observed or is imminent. Many of these special 

assessments are also prepared using GIS to overlay agricultural and meteorological data. In 

recent years, the NWS, National Hurricane Center (NHC), CPC, and the Hydrometeorological 

Prediction Center have supported the JAWF by providing an increasing number of their 

operational products in GIS-compatible formats. This effort has significantly increased the speed 

and efficiency with which agricultural weather assessments can be prepared and has enabled 

JAWF meteorologists to more accurately assess the impacts of weather on agriculture. When 

integrated with other data, these routine and special crop-weather assessments and analyses 

provide critical information to USDA decision makers, preparing crop production forecasts, 

formulating trade policy, and coordinating disaster relief. 

The JAWF serves as the USDA focal point for weather data received from the Global Observing 

System, a worldwide network of nearly 8,000 meteorological reporting stations managed by the 

World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Additionally, the JAWF obtains data from the 

NWS Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) to support domestic agricultural weather 

applications. The WMO and COOP data are archived at WAOB using an Oracle database 

management system. This sophisticated data warehouse helps JAWF meteorologists to manage 

the numerous agrometeorological data sets used for agricultural weather assessments. 

The JAWF’s flagship 

publication is the Weekly 

Weather and Crop 

Bulletin (WWCB). The 

WWCB is jointly 

produced by the WAOB, 

the National Agricultural 

Statistics Service 

(NASS), and the CPC. 

First published in 1872 as 

the Weekly Weather 

Chronicle, the 

publication has evolved 

over the past 138 years to 

become a vital source of 

information on weather, 

climate, and agricultural 

developments worldwide. 

The WWBC highlights 

weekly meteorological 

and agricultural 

developments on national 

and international scales, 

via numerous maps, 

charts, tables, and text products. 

These products combined provide a comprehensive illustration of the weather and climate 

conditions affecting agriculture, benefiting USDA decision makers and the agricultural 

community. The WWCB also provides timely weather and crop information relevant to the 

A JAWF Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin cover

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Agricultural and Land Management Services 

monthly Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports, issued 

by USDA/NASS and USDA/OCE/WAOB, respectively. 

Knowledge of historical weather and climate patterns and past agricultural production in major 

agricultural regions worldwide is critical to the success of the JAWF’s agro-meteorological 

assessments. In September 1994, OCE/WAOB/JAWF published the Major World Crop Areas 

and Climatic Profiles (Agricultural Handbook No.664) book. This reference handbook provides 

the framework for assessing the weather’s impact on world crop production by providing 

information on climate and crop data for key producing regions and countries. An electronic 

version of the handbook was developed to provide periodic updates to the printed version as 

additional data become available. Coverage includes major agricultural regions and crops, 

including coarse grains, winter and spring wheat, rice, major oilseeds, sugar, and cotton. World 

maps show the normal developmental stage of regional crops by month. The Weekly Weather 

and Crop Bulletin and Major World Crop Areas and Climatic Profiles book and other JAWF 

publications are available online at http://www.usda.gov/oce/weather. 

Drought is one of the most costly natural disasters affecting the United States. In the summer of 

1999, the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) was developed to help improve drought assessments in 

the United States. The USDM is a collaborative effort between Federal and academic partners, 

including the University of Nebraska-Lincoln National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), 

JAWF, CPC, the NOAA/NESDIS/National Climatic Data Center, and the Desert Research 

Institute. Approximately 11 lead authors, two of whom work for the JAWF, rotate the 

responsibility of preparing the USDM. Produced weekly, the USDM is a synthesis of multiple 

indices and impacts depicted on a map and in narrative form. The NDMC hosts the USDM on its 

web site at http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html. The USDM is released each Thursday 

at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. Because the USDM is prepared in GIS format, it is often overlaid on 

agricultural data to illustrate and quantify the spatial extent of drought, affecting various 

agricultural commodities. These agricultural weather products, along with the USDM, serve as 

the main source of information for briefing USDA top staff on U.S. drought developments. 

Similarly, the North American Drought Monitor (NADM) is a cooperative drought monitoring 

effort among drought experts in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The NADM was 

initiated at a workshop in April 2002 and is part of a larger effort to improve the monitoring of 

North American climate extremes. Issued monthly since March 2003, the NADM is based on the 

end-of-month USDM analysis and input from scientists in Canada and Mexico. Major 

participants in the NADM program include the USDM collaborators, as well as Agriculture and 

Agrifood Canada, the Meteorological Service of Canada, and the National Meteorological 

Service of Mexico. The NADM Web site is 

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/monitoring/drought/nadm/index.html. 

The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) builds upon existing drought 

monitoring tools and experiences, such as the USDM, to develop an early warning system that 

aids in drought preparation and mitigation. The recommendations for such an early warning 

system were outlined in a 2004 report from the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) entitled, 

Creating a Drought Early Warning System for the 21st Century: The National Integrated 

Drought Information System. The OCE is one of several USDA agencies that have taken a lead 

role in the development of NIDIS, working closely with NOAA—the lead Federal agency—and 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

the WGA, to address the specific needs of the agricultural community. Specifically, WAOB 

represented USDA on the NIDIS program implementation team, which is comprised of Federal 

and state agencies, academia, and the private sector and was established to develop a NIDIS 

implementation plan. The NIDIS implementation plan was released in June 2007, describing the 

NIDIS implementation strategy and governance structure. One of the early deliverables of NIDIS 

is the Drought Portal (http://www.drought.gov), which serves as the government’s multi-agency 

drought interface. The WAOB is working with other USDA agencies to provide relevant drought 

information to the public via the Drought Portal. 

The USDA’s Chief Meteorologist is currently serving as past-president on the Management 

Group of World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) Commission for Agricultural 

Meteorology. In this position, he advises the president on projects related to impacts of natural 

disasters and extreme events on agriculture, and the adaptation of climate change/variability to 

agriculture. The Chief Meteorologist promotes the development of new technology and 

information services for agriculture. One major accomplishment is the World AgroMeteorological Information Service (WAMIS), which is a dedicated web server that hosts agrometeorological bulletins and advisories issued by WMO members for the global agricultural 

community, and also provides training modules to aid members in improving their 

agrometeorological products. The WAMIS web site is: http://www.wamis.net. 

Bureau of Land Management, Land Management Services 

The Department of Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) utilizes air-resourcerelated (air quality, weather, and climate) information in order to manage public lands in a 

manner consistent with Congressional direction as expressed in the Federal Land Policy 

Management Act (FLPMA). FLPMA directs the BLM to periodically and systematically 

inventory resources through a land-use planning process and to manage public lands in a manner 

that protects the quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological, environmental, air and 

atmospheric, water resources, and archaeological values. The BLM also requires air-resourcerelated information to conduct environmental analyses under the National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) for agency-initiated activities and land-use authorizations and ensure compliance 

with pollution laws such as the Clean Air Act. The BLM must therefore obtain, collect, and 

analyze air-resource-related information to (1) determine baseline conditions of air and 

atmospheric values on the public lands; (2) evaluate changes in baseline conditions (trends); (3) 

understand the extent to which other natural resources (vegetation, hydrology, wildlife, range, 

minerals, etc.) are influenced by atmospheric conditions so that informed management decisions 

can be made; and (4) to assist in developing models to predict future conditions; such as, 

atmospheric dispersion models to assess air quality impacts. The BLM obtains information of 

acceptable quality collected from existing monitoring networks operated by other agencies and 

programs whenever possible to promote efficiency and avoid duplication of efforts. Examples of 

these networks include the National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Network, Natural 

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) SNOTEL and SCAN networks, the National 

Interagency Fire Center Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS) network, the Bureau of 

Reclamation Agricultural Weather (AgriMet) networks, the Community Collaborative Rain, 

Hail, and Snow (CoCoRaHS) network, the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), 

U.S. Geological Survey National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP), and individual state 

climate offices. 

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Agricultural and Land Management Services 

When existing monitoring networks are 

not sufficient to meet the needs for airresource- related information, the BLM 

initiates efforts to collect additional data 

through cooperative efforts with other 

agencies or with resource management 

staff in state and field offices. The BLM 

will expend an estimated total of 

$1,475,000 on such efforts in FY 2010. 

This total includes $121,000 to operate a 

series of RAWS stations equipped with 

additional instruments to measure soil 

moisture and winter precipitation not 

required for fire monitoring, and $110,000 

to upgrade satellite communications 

modules; $222,000 to establish eight new 

stations in the NRCS SCAN network; 

$62,000 to operate six NADP sites; $100,000 on other efforts such as downscaling climate 

models and using wildlife water guzzlers to measure precipitation in remote catchments; and 

$860,000 for labor and logistics to support climate and weather data collection efforts by BLM 

resource management staff. 

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

USDA 

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)—the former Cooperative State 

Research, Education, and Extension Service—was created by Congress through the Food, 

Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. NIFA’s unique mission is to advance knowledge for 

agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting 

research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other 

partner organizations. NIFA doesn’t perform actual research, education, and extension, but rather 

helps fund it at the state and local level and provides program leadership in these areas. 

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is NIFA’s flagship competitive grant 

program. AFRI has funded projects on a wide variety of weather- and climate-related research in 

collaboration with other U.S. Federal agencies. AFRI’s Climate Change Challenge Area is 

currently focused on the following research areas: regional climate studies in agriculture and 

forestry, plant breeding, animal health impacts, and mitigation and adaptation in agriculture and 

forestry. Other AFRI areas of research related to weather and climate change include organic 

agriculture, carbon cycling, agro-ecosystem modeling, and economic consequences of adaptation 

and mitigation strategies. Emerging areas of research include the impact of climate on biofuel 

production, carbon cap-and-trade, and environmental markets. 

Weather and climate research is conducted by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) 

across many different programs. Patterns of temperature, precipitation, and wind are important 

elements of risk management systems, ranging from crop and animal production to erosion 

A Remote Automated Weather Station 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

prediction. Climate change research is conducted from the perspectives of mitigation of the 

impacts of climate change on agriculture, and from the perspective of adapting agricultural 

systems for resilience to the impacts of changing climate. 

ARS scientists are developing genetic resources to adapt crop production to increased drought, 

flooding, high temperature conditions, and wide swings of temperature over short periods of 

time. This effort includes the development of new varieties that will reduce susceptibility to 

losses from insect and disease that are exacerbated by the impacts of changing climate on 

habitats. New rangeland management systems are being developed to incorporate drought, 

higher temperatures and changes of snowpack into decision-making. New animal production 

systems are being developed to compensate for higher air temperature and humidity effects 

impacting animal health. ARS scientists also conduct research to understand and manage 

emissions of particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, greenhouse gases, and other 

materials from agricultural systems that affect air quality. Further, research to mitigate the effects 

of ozone on crop production is conducted. Identification, development, and distribution of 

genetic material that offers resistance to ozone damage is continuing. 

ARS is working with scientists at NOAA, NASA, OCE/WAOB/JAWF, and land grant 

universities to improve observations, prediction, and impact assessments of drought across the 

U.S. A satellite data-based algorithm developed by ARS for mapping drought that delivers daily 

updates to users via the internet is currently being tested for operational use in the U.S. by the 

National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and is being tested for application to 

parts of northern Africa. ARS scientists are also key contributors to the development of future 

soil-moisture mapping satellites under development by NASA and international collaborators. 

New technologies to mitigate the impact of drought via more efficient water management 

strategies such as irrigation scheduling with thermal remote sensing information and the use of 

non-potable water (“grey-water”) to augment irrigation water supplies during times of drought 

are being developed by ARS. Crop management strategies such as alternate tillage and residue 

management are being explored as means to conserve soil moisture. 

Weather and climate information needed to develop strategies for reduction of soil loss and 

sedimentation of water bodies and for prediction of flooding occurrence are being investigated. 

A combined wind and water erosion model for nation-wide conservation management practice 

planning that incorporates an ARS-developed wind erosion model is being further developed and 

refined for operational use by NRCS. 

The ARS experimental watershed program actively participates in the NWS effort to modernize 

the Cooperative Observer (COOP) Network to ensure information needs of agriculture are 

addressed by the national surface observation network. Data from the ARS experimental 

watershed program is being used in the development of weather generators needed for models 

used to simulate weather events for research and decision-support systems. 

80
AVIATION SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

NOAA National Weather Service 

NOAA is legislatively mandated by Title 49 of the U.S. Code to provide weather information to 

the FAA. NWS aviation weather projects support increasing and improving observation 

capabilities, forecast products and techniques, outreach and training, operational adaptation of 

applied research, and verification of forecast products. These projects have the goal of improving 

the safe and efficient flow of air traffic in the National Airspace System (NAS). In response to 

requirements of the international community and the FAA, aviation weather products issued by 

NWS span the globe. 

Under an international agreement through the International Civil Aviation Organization, the 

Aviation Weather Center (AWC), one of the NWS National Centers for Environmental 

Prediction (NCEP), is the mechanism by which the United States meets its weather forecasting 

obligations to the aviation community. The AWC prepares forecasts four times a day of globally 

significant thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, severe squall lines, moderate or severe turbulence 

and icing, and cumulonimbus clouds associated with the above. The forecast charts also include 

information on volcanoes, radiological releases, jet streams, and tropopause heights. This 

information is transmitted by the International Satellite Communications System with coverage 

in the Americas, Caribbean, Atlantic, western portions of Europe, the Pacific, and Eastern Asia. 

The AWC, along with the Alaska Region’s Alaska Aviation Weather Unit (AAWU), and the 

NWS Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Honolulu, Hawaii, provides wind, temperature, and 

flight hazard (e.g., icing, and turbulence) forecasts for flight planning and en route aircraft 

operations for the United States, the north Atlantic and north Pacific routes, and some routes in 

the southern hemisphere. 

Under an agreement with NOAA, NWS meteorologists are assigned to Center Weather Service 

Units (CWSUs) located in each of the 21 FAA Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs). 

The CWSUs are currently supported by 84 NWS meteorologists (4 at each of the 21 ARTCCs) to 

provide real-time support and decision assistance concerning weather impacts on air traffic. In 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Aviation Services are those specialized meteorological services and 

facilities established to meet the requirements of general, commercial, and military aviation. Civil 

programs that are directly related to services solely for aviation and military programs in support of 

land-based aviation and medium- or long-range missile operations are included. Detailed aviation 

services/products for specific areas include, but are not limited to, ceiling and visibility, convective 

hazards, en route winds and temperatures, ground de-icing, in-flight icing, terminal winds and 

temperatures, turbulence, volcanic ash, and other airborne hazardous materials. 

81
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

addition to supporting the ARTCCs, the CWSUs provide meteorological support to en route 

centers, Terminal Radar Approach Control facilities, and airport towers. 

The AWC also produces guidance products for use by WFOs in support of the airport terminal 

forecast function. To operationally support the needs of aviation users today, the NWS WFOs 

prepare Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs) eight times a day, with amendments as needed, 

for more than 630 public-use airports in the United States and its territories in the Caribbean and 

Pacific. Thus, the AWC discharges large-scale, global aviation functions that can be sensibly 

centralized, while the WFOs discharge local aviation functions based on centralized guidance 

provided by the AWC. Additionally, NCEP’s Environmental Modeling Center supplies global 

gridded model data of temperature, winds, and humidity twice daily for flight levels from 5,000 

to 45,000 feet. 

NWS’s Aviation Weather 

Services Program funds a 

broad range of initiatives 

designed to improve the 

delivery of aviation 

weather information to 

NAS users. These 

initiatives include the 

acquisition of aircraftmounted water vapor 

sensors; development of 

software, tools, and 

training programs to 

enhance forecaster 

effectiveness; and 

development of products 

to improve weather 

information availability to 

the aviation community. 

The Aviation Weather 

Services Program also 

serves as NOAA’s focal 

point for development of 

NextGen (see “Research 

Programs and Projects,” below). 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Weather is the single most disruptive factor affecting the NAS. Today’s legacy meteorological 

assessment systems that support travel on the Nation’s airways include the Advanced Weather 

Interactive Processing System (AWIPS); the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS); the 

Weather and Radar Processor (WARP); the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSRThe Aviation Weather Center (AWC) has the responsibility, as part of the 

World Area Forecast Center, Washington, to provide global weather forecasts 

of significant weather phenomena. Presently, the AWC produces these High 

Level Significant Weather charts covering two thirds of the globe, both northern 

and southern hemispheres that are issued four times per day.

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8D), also known as the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD); the Terminal Doppler 

Weather Radar (TDWR); the Air Route Surveillance Radar (ARSR) systems ARSR-1, ARSR-2, 

ARSR-3, and ARSR-4; and the Air Surveillance Radar (ASR) systems ASR-8, ASR-9, and 

ASR-11. The objective of the FAA’s Service Life Extension Program (SLEF) is to sustain these 

legacy systems until 2025, and the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) is working to 

ensure that there is no interruption in service or significant degradation of mission capability 

from the current ground-based long-range radar systems until such time that the NextGen 

detection/surveillance system is operationally deployed. 

Aviation Weather Observations, Levels of Service 

The FAA has taken responsibility for aviation weather observations at many airports across the 

country. To provide the appropriate observational service, FAA is using automated systems, 

human observers, or a mix of the two. It has been necessary to place airports into four categories 

according to the number of operations per year, any special designation for the airport, and the 

frequency with which airport operations are affected by weather. 

1. ASOS Level D Service. Level D Service is provided by a stand-alone ASOS. Level D 

service is available at 458 airports. 

2. ASOS Level C Service. Level C service includes the ASOS plus augmentation by tower 

personnel. Tower personnel add to the report their observations of thunderstorms, 

tornadoes, hail, tower visibility, volcanic ash, and virga when the tower is in operation. 

Level C service is available at 300 airports. 

3. ASOS Level B Service. Level B service includes all of the weather parameters in Level 

C service plus runway visual range (RVR) and the following parameters when observed: 

freezing drizzle versus freezing rain, ice pellets, snow depth, snow increasing rapidly 

remarks, thunderstorm/lightning location remarks, and remarks for observed significant 

weather not at the station. Level B service is available at 57 airports. 

4. ASOS Level A Service. Level A service includes all of the weather parameters in Level 

B service plus 10-minute averaged RVR for long-line transmission or additional visibility 

increments of 1/8, 1/16, and 0 miles. Level A service is available at 69 airports. 

The Automated Surface Weather Observation Network 

The FAA’s Automated Surface Weather Observation Network (ASWON) includes eight separate 

programs: (1) the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS), (2) ASOS, (3) ASOS PrePlanned Product Improvement (P3I) project, (4) Automated Weather Sensors Systems (AWSS), 

(5) Stand Alone Weather Sensors (SAWS), (6) AWOS Data Acquisition System (ADAS), (7) F420 Wind System, and (8) Digital Altimeter Setting Indicator (DASI). ASWON provides 

automated surface weather observations to meet the needs of pilots, operators, and air traffic 

personnel. It supports the agency goal to Provide Weather Program Services, which includes 

objectives of maintaining current weather data collection, processing distribution capabilities, 

system capabilities, and interfaces, while conducting coordination with service units and external 

agencies to ensure weather information development efforts area consistent with the NextGen 

Concept of Operations. 

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AWOS provides basic aviation weather observations directly to pilots approaching the airport. 

The majority of these systems were installed at non-towered airports to enhance aviation safety 

and the efficiency of flight operations by providing real-time weather data at airports that 

previously did not have local weather reporting capability. AWOS units are built to the standards 

of quality necessary to ensure the safety of flight operations. 182 AWOSs are currently fielded. 

ASOS. The ASOS program has been a joint effort of NWS, FAA, and the Department of 

Defense (DOD). The installed network of 884 ASOS sites nationwide serves as the primary 

surface weather observing network for the United States. ASOS is designed to support aviation 

operations directly, as well as providing basic weather observations for NWS forecast activities 

and for the meteorological, hydrological, and climatological research communities. About 426 

ASOS are installed at towered airports where the FAA provides augmentation/backup of the 

observations. The remaining ASOS are installed at non-towered airports where the automated 

observation provides Service Level D weather reporting capabilities. 

The NWS hourly wind fields, which are important to aviation users, are created by spatially and 

temporally interpolating wind forecast guidance from the latest run of the NWS's operational 

North American Mesoscale (NAM) weather forecast model with the ASOS data. 

ASOS P3I. Whereas the other ASWON elements are all in service, this is the only remaining 

active program within the ASWON development portfolio. ASOS P3I consists of five efforts: (1) 

ASOS Processor Rehost, (2) Dewpoint Sensor Replacement, (3) Ice-Free Wind Sensor, (4) 

Enhanced Precipitation Identification (EPI) sensor, and (5) Ceilometer Replacement. Of these 

five, only the EPI sensor and Ceilometer Replacement remain in development. The ASOS P3I 

program is managed by the NWS under an interagency agreement. 

AWSS. The AWSS has capabilities similar to ASOS. However, AWSS units were a direct FAA 

acquisition, rather than an acquisition through the joint ASOS program. The commissioning of 

the 19 AWSS was completed in 2005. Level C service is available at 7 airports and Level D 

service is available at 12 airports. An additional 25 AWSS units have been installed at airports in 

Alaska as part of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)/Capstone program. 

SAWS. This ASWON project was initiated in 1998 to provide temperature, dew point, wind 

speed and direction, and barometric pressure for altimeter settings. The systems were installed 

primarily as a back-up for AWSS/ASOS sensors at ASOS Level C airports where no other backup capability is available. SAWS has also been certified for operational use and may, at the local 

Air Traffic Manager’s discretion, be used to replace F-420 wind speed/direction indicators and 

DASI. SAWS capability has been demonstrated, production is complete, and the FAA has 131 

SAWS systems installed and commissioned. 

ADAS functions primarily as a message concentrator. It collects weather messages from AWOS, 

ASOS, and AWSS equipment located at controlled and noncontrolled airports within the area of 

responsibility of each ARTCC. ADAS distributes 1-minute AWOS/ASOS observations to 

WARP and to the Integrated Terminal Weather System (ITWS). ADAS forwards the 

AWOS/ASOS METAR, and SPECI observations to the Weather Message Switching Center 

Replacement (WMSCR) for further distribution. Field implementation of ADAS is complete, 

and a technology refresh effort is underway that will replace the ADAS in 2010-11. 

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AWOS for Non-Federal Applications 

Under the Airport Improvement Program, State and local jurisdictions may justify to the FAA 

the need to enhance their airport facilities. Upon approval, these improvements may be partially 

funded by the FAA using resources from the Airway Trust Fund. The local airport authority 

becomes responsible for the remainder of the funding necessary to complete the procurement, as 

well as the funding for regular maintenance. Addition of an AWOS is one of the improvements 

that qualify for funding assistance under the program. Airports can also use State, local, or 

private funds to purchase a non-Federal AWOS. Systems that qualify must meet certain 

standards, which are defined in the FAA Advisory Circular on Non-Federal Automated Weather 

Observing Systems. There are more than 1,085 non-Federal AWOS locations. Non-Federal 

AWOS may be AWOS-A, AWOS-A/V, or AWOS I, II, III or IV. Some of these, including 

AWOS III and AWOS IV, are capable of reporting through a geostationary communications 

satellite. These observations will be entered into the national network for use in support of the 

NAS and the national weather network. 

New Generation Runway Visual Range (NG RVR) System 

The NG RVR system provides RVR information to controllers and users in support of precision 

landing and take-off operations. This element of the NAS infrastructure incorporates state-of-theart sensor technology and embedded remote maintenance monitoring. It provides near real-time 

measurement of visibility conditions along a runway (up to three points along the runway can be 

measured: touchdown, midpoint, and rollout). The system automatically collects and formats 

data from three sensors. A runway light intensity monitor reports on both runway edge and 

center-line lights. An ambient light sensor controls computer calculations using a day or night 

algorithm. Forward-scatter meters will replace the transmissometers currently in use. The data 

processing unit calculates runway visibility products and distributes the products to controllers 

and other users. 

Delivery of NG RVR visibility sensors began in November 1998. To date, 242 NG RVR systems 

are operating in the NAS. At the current annual levels of funding and deployment, the FAA plans 

to complete delivery of all NG RVR systems by FY2010. The program goal is to replace all 

remaining RVV, Tasker 400 and Tasker 500 systems. At present, 36 of these older systems 

continue to operate in the NAS. At the current rate of 10 installations a year, the FAA plans to 

have these systems replaced by 2012. 

Personal Computer Based Runway Visual Range (PC RVR) System 

In December 2009, the FAA began deploying the PC RVR system into the NAS. The PC RVR 

provides increased RVR capabilities at additional airports while also replacing the remaining 

Tasker and earliest deployed NG RVR systems. 

Weather Camera Program 

The FAA has installed Aviation Weather Cameras as an aid to Visual Flight Rules pilots 

operating in Alaska. Through the cameras and the Internet, pilots get a current picture of the 

weather conditions to assist them in making flight decisions. There are over 100 camera sites 

installed and operating, with an additional 24 requested for FY 2011. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Low Level Windshear Alert System (LLWAS) 

To help protect aircraft from catastrophic wind shear, the FAA uses a network of sensors 

collectively called the Low-Level Windshear Alert System. The LLWAS has undergone several 

advances in both design and computational algorithms over the program’s life. The latest 

deployment, known as the LLWAS Phase III, adds sensors to the original LLWAS network, 

providing better coverage of the airfield. In addition, the LLWAS Phase III is capable of 

providing runway-oriented windshear and microburst alerts with loss and gain values. The 

LLWAS Phase III comprises hardware and software necessary to provide continuous real-time 

collection and analysis of wind data at and around an airport. It provides airport and runway 

wind speed and direction information and determines whether conditions exist that exhibit wind 

shear and/or microburst activity. If these conditions exist, the LLWAS produces alerts sent to 

Ribbon Display Terminals in the Air Traffic Control Tower and to Terminal Radar Approach 

Control. The system can support up to eight physical runways in all functions relating to wind 

analysis and runway-oriented messages and data. 

With one exception, the LLWAS provides information on hazardous wind shear events that 

create unsafe conditions for aircraft landing and take-off at selected airports without TDWR 

coverage. The exception is that high-performance LLWAS-NE (network expansion) systems 

supplement the microburst detection capabilities of the TDWRs at nine airports. 

The alerts from LLWAS-NE++ (FA-10387) will be integrated with alerts from the TDWR and 

the ITWS at most LLWAS NE++ locations. The LLWAS Relocation/Sustainment ((LLWAS-RS 

(FA-14100)) provides the same functionality and interfaces. 

Terminal Doppler Weather Radar 

The TDWR program consists of operational, dedicated aviation terminal weather radars based on 

Doppler techniques to detect wind and other weather conditions. TDWR units have been located 

to optimize the detection of microbursts and wind shear at selected airports with high operations 

and frequent weather impacts. Microbursts, which consist of an intense downdraft with strong 

surface wind outflows, are particularly dangerous to landing or departing aircraft. The radars are 

located near airport operating areas so as to provide the best scan of runways and the approach 

and departure corridors. The TDWR scanning strategy is optimized for microburst/wind shear 

detection. In addition, TDWR has the capability to identify areas of precipitation and the 

locations of thunderstorms. The FAA has 45 operational and 2 support TDWR systems. System 

displays are located in airport towers and at Terminal Radar Approach Control facilities. 

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The TDWRs provide wind shear alert conditions 

for airport approach and departure advisories. In 

addition, they provide supplementary wind 

information that allows airport managers to turn the 

airports around in time to accommodate wind shifts 

predicted by the TDWRs. This increases airport 

capacities by reducing the delays traditionally 

associated with major wind shifts. The highperformance LLWAS-NE (network expansion) 

systems supplement the microburst detection 

capabilities of the TDWRs at nine airports. 

TDWR supports the agency goal of Provide 

Weather Products: Provide program management 

for capital acquisitions aimed at increasing safety. 

A service life extension program is underway to 

maintain and improve TDWR system capability. 

FAA investments for FY 2011 include the TDWR 

service life extension program. 

Juneau Airport Wind System (JAWS) 

The JAWS provides terrain-induced wind and 

turbulence data important to safety of flight and 

decreases the probability of experiencing unnecessary weather-related delays in and out of 

Juneau International Airport, Alaska. JAWS data are provided to the aviation community as 

advisory because of the restrictive geographical features that affect approach and departure 

paths. The JAWS measures and displays wind information to the Juneau Automated Flight 

Service Station for use in preparing pilot briefings. Alaska Airlines uses JAWS data to comply 

with its Operations Specification. The NWS uses JAWS data for weather forecasting, and other 

Alaskan aviation users access JAWS data via the Internet. JAWS supports the agency goal to 

Provide Weather Products: Provide program management for capital acquisitions aimed at 

increasing safety. 

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) developed the prototype JAWS and has 

been operating and maintaining it since 1998. A December 2008 investment decision approved 

implementing a hardened prototype as the end-state JAWS, which will be operated and 

maintained by the FAA. NCAR will provide operations and maintenance history and technical 

support during the transition to the end-state JAWS, which is planned for completion in early 

2012. The investments for FY 2011 include JAWS-Hardened Prototype and Implementation. 

Air Route Surveillance Radar 

The ARSR-4 provides the ARTCCs with accurate multiple weather levels out to 250 nautical 

miles. The ARSR-4, which resulted from a project jointly funded by the FAA and the U.S. Air 

Force, greatly enhanced the ability to accurately report aircraft targets in weather for primary en 

A Terminal Doppler Weather Radar 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

route radar. The ARSR-4 can provide weather information to supplement other sources. Fortyone ARSR-4 joint radar sites were installed from 1993 to 1998. 

Weather Systems Processor (WSP) 

The WSP program provides an additional radar channel for processing weather returns and dealiasing returns from the other weather channel in the ASR-9 surveillance radar. The displays of 

convective weather, microburst, and other wind shear events from the WSP provide information 

for controllers and pilots to help aircraft avoid those hazards. All 34 WSP units planned for 

installation are in place and operating, with an additional 5 support units. A technology refresh 

program to refurbish and restock system parts to extend system operability was completed in 

2009. 

Next Generation Weather Radar 

Known operationally as the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D), NEXRAD 

is the product of a multi-agency program that defined, developed, and implemented this weather 

radar. Field implementation began in 1990 and was completed in 1996 with 161 WSR-88D 

systems deployed. The FAA sponsored 12 systems in Alaska, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. The 

other 149 WSR-88Ds, sponsored by NOAA/NWS and DOD, provide coverage for the 

continental United States. 

The three NEXRAD funding agencies jointly support the field sites through the WSR-88D Radar 

Operations Center at Norman, Oklahoma. This center provides software maintenance, 

operational troubleshooting, configuration control, and training. 

During WSR-88D development, the FAA emphasized the need for algorithms that take 

advantage of this radar’s improved detection capability for precipitation, wind velocity, and 

hazardous storms. The FAA also stressed that these algorithms provide new or improved 

aviation-oriented products. These improvements in detection of hazardous weather continue to 

reduce flight delays and improve flight planning services through aviation weather products 

related to wind, wind shear, thunderstorm detection, storm movement prediction, precipitation, 

hail, frontal activity, and mesocyclones and tornadoes. WSR-88D data provided to Air Traffic 

Control through the WARP increase aviation safety and fuel efficiency. 

NEXRAD supports the agency goal of providing program management for capital acquisitions 

aimed at increasing safety. Planned product improvements include a shift to an open architecture, 

new antenna design, dual polarization, and the development of more algorithms associated with 

specific weather events, such as in-flight icing and turbulence. FAA investments in NEXRAD 

for FY 2011 include NEXRAD Legacy, Icing, and Hail Algorithms. 

Turbulence Nowcasts and Forecasts 

FAA has had a research program focused on producing a system for real-time turbulence 

nowcasts and probabilistic forecasts of turbulence. The approach taken to meet these objectives 

includes a turbulence forecasting task in conjunction with two supporting sensor tasks: one for in 

situ detection of turbulence and the second for remote sensing of turbulence. The in situ task has 

resulted in the deployment of an aircraft-based turbulence detection algorithm on aircraft at 

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United Airlines and Delta Airlines. Current efforts include deployment at Southwest Airlines. 

The remote sensing task has targeted the use of data from the NEXRAD radar network. Data 

from the NEXRAD Turbulence Detection Algorithm, currently operational on WSR-88D 

installations, will be used as input in the production of the Graphical Turbulence Guidance 

Nowcast (GTGN) product. 

Turbulence forecast research efforts to date have resulted in the Graphical Turbulence Guidance 

Version 2 (GTG2), the current operational version, which provides deterministic clear-air 

turbulence forecasts from 0 to 12 hours for altitudes from 10,000 ft to Flight Level 450. GTG2 

incorporates in situ turbulence observations. The next version, GTG3, will include forecasts for 

mountain wave turbulence and extend the forecasts to cover the period from 0 to 18 hours. 

GTG3 will use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Rapid Refresh model as input. 

Future versions of the Graphical Turbulence Guidance will be expanded to include all flight 

levels, provide global coverage, include convective turbulence forecasts, and provide 

probabilistic guidance, rather than the deterministic output from the current version. 

Weather and Radar Processor 

The WARP system was designed to close the performance gap of providing accurate and timely 

weather information by replacing weather data from the long-range surveillance radars with 

more accurate information from the NEXRAD system. It is operational at the 21 ARTCCs and at 

the Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC). There are six primary WARP 

functions: (1) integrate timely and accurate weather onto air traffic controller displays; (2) 

support the Traffic Management Unit and to air traffic control specialists at the ARTCCs and the 

ATCSCC; (3) disseminate weather data to critical NAS subsystems; (4) provide current and 

forecast data to NWS CWSU meteorologists, who support air traffic personnel; (5) present 

accurate weather information in an integrated manner in the en route environment to give air 

traffic controllers a comprehensive picture of where aircraft can safely fly, while making the 

most efficient use of airspace. 

The WARP system will continue to be sustained until the equivalent functionality in the 

NextGen Weather Portfolio is deployed. A WARP technical refresh is addressing the aging 

infrastructure of the existing hardware and software systems. These activities include 

communications upgrades, implementation of mandatory security certification and accreditation 

package (SCAP) mitigation activities, and the design and development of interfaces to critical 

NAS systems that require weather data such as the En Route Automation Modernization and 

Advanced Technologies and Oceanic Procedures systems. For FY 2011, maintenance and 

sustainment activities will continue, including ongoing required information systems security 

activities. Efforts will be initiated to incorporate data format changes. 

WARP continues to support the FAA’s Strategic Flight Plan goal of Greater Capacity: Work 

with local governments and airspace users to provide increased capacity in the NAS that reduces 

congestion and meets projected demand in an environmentally sound manner. The WARP 

system also enhances safety, reduces weather-related delays, and improves collaborative 

decisionmaking. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Wind Shear Detection Services (WSDS) 

WSDS is a portfolio of ground-based wind shear technologies in the NAS. It consists of two 

work packages (WP). WP1 (Legacy) contains LLWAS, WSP, and TDWR. These legacy wind 

shear technologies are nearing the end of their life expectancy, and for this reason, they are in 

desperate need of a service life extension program or technology refresh until the NextGen 

replacement technology is available. WP2 consists of new wind shear technology such as Wind 

Hazard Detection Equipment (WHDE, formally LIDAR), and the expansion of wind shear 

service to unprotected and underprotected sites. 

The business case to be developed for WSDS will evaluate all of these systems together to 

determine how to maintain existing wind shear service while modernizing, improving, and rightsizing the component capabilities across the service. The output of this business case will be 

recommendations on how to sustain existing wind shear service, while improving wind shear 

system performance in a cost-effective and efficient manner. 

WSDS supports the agency goal of Provide Weather Products: Provide program management for 

capital acquisitions aimed at increasing safety. The investments for FY 2011 include WSDS 

Work Package 1. 

Integrated Terminal Weather System (ITWS) 

The FAA developed ITWS to provide new technology to help air traffic flow more efficiently 

during periods of bad weather. The ITWS receives and integrates weather data from a number of 

FAA and NWS radars and sensors. It uses highly sophisticated meteorological algorithms to 

display current and predicted weather and warnings of potentially hazardous weather events from 

the airport out to 200 nautical miles. ITWS provides accurate, easy-to-understand, and 

immediately usable weather information on full-color graphic displays. 

ITWS uses data from AWOS, ASOS, LLWAS, TDWR, and NEXRAD Models 9 and 11. Other 

inputs include the National Lightning Detection Network, data from the NWS Rapid Update 

Cycle forecast model, and the Meteorological Data Collection and Reporting System. ITWS 

products include such weather information as windshears, microbursts, gust fronts, storm cell 

motion and speed, terminal area winds aloft, lightning, hail, and tornadoes. A Terminal 

Convective Weather Forecast enhancement was added in 2006 to increase the forecast time of 

the predictive products from 20 to 60 minutes. This enhancement provides additional data to 

assist air traffic personnel in using forecast information more effectively. 

ITWS displays are located in air traffic control towers, terminal radar approach control facilities, 

and ARTCCs. Intranet web-based ITWS products are available to the ATCSCC, airline 

operations centers, and other approved users. Pilots can also receive ITWS information in the 

cockpit. Via an intra-agency agreement, the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems 

Center (Volpe Center) hosts the ITWS User II Web Site, which distributes ITWS data to external 

users. The availability of this enhanced weather information means that system users now will be 

able to employ these products in their flight planning and that FAA will be better equipped to 

manage the nation’s air traffic. 

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FAA traffic managers and controllers, the airlines, pilots, and other airspace users can use ITWS 

information to improve the efficiency and safety of air traffic flow during bad weather. ITWS 

provides the benefits of common situational awareness, collaborative decisionmaking, and 

tactical planning for its users. For example, the current and future predicted locations of weather 

around airports, which affects both airborne and ground operations, can be used to keep runways 

open longer as hazardous weather approaches and reopen runways sooner after the hazard 

passes, allowing more takeoffs and landings. These efficiencies increase capacity and reduce 

weather delays for airlines and the traveling public, saving time for the flying public and money 

for the airlines. FAA benefits studies have shown that ITWS is generating significant benefits for 

the FAA and airlines. 

The FAA and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory installed prototype 

versions of ITWS at four airports between 1993 and 1998. Based on the success of the 

prototypes, the FAA competitively selected the Raytheon Company to develop and deploy 33 

production ITWS systems. The first fully operational ITWS site was commissioned at Kansas 

City International Airport on April 10, 2003. 

As of February 2010, the FAA has installed and commissioned ITWS at 32 operational sites 

serving 51 airports, 28 of which are Operational Evolution Partnership (OEP) Level 1 airports. 

Two other systems, serving 8 airports (including one OEP airport), became operational in 2010. 

Four support systems have also been installed. ITWS Situation Displays will be installed in 15 

Secondary Reliever airports starting in 2010, and installations will continue in 2011. On July 27, 

2009, ITWS received Joint Resource Council approval for a replan to add another site to its 

program. The addition is at the Northern California Terminal Radar Approach Control facility 

and includes tower facilities at Oakland, Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose. In all, 

74 airports will be served by ITWS when currently planned installations are completed. 

ITWS continues to support the FAA’s Strategic Flight Plan goal of Greater Capacity: Work with 

local governments and airspace users to provide increased capacity in the NAS, thereby reducing 

congestion. ITWS meets projected demand in an environmentally sound manner. On February 

18, 2010, ITWS successfully completed a Post Implementation Review conducted by the FAA 

Joint Resources Council Investment Process Management Group, which concluded that: 

 ITWS achieved all of its performance goals, as documented in the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) Exhibit 300 FY 2011 submission. 

 The original ITWS business case, which defines ITWS functionality, cost, and benefits, 

continues to be valid. 

Operational and Supportability Implementation System (OASIS) 

The FAA acquired OASIS to integrate graphics weather products, flight planning, aeronautical 

data processing, and timeliness of data dissemination for Flight Service operations, thereby 

enhancing the safety and efficiency of the NAS. OASIS replaced the outdated Model-1 Full 

Capacity Flight Service Automation System and legacy graphic weather display systems. It 

incorporates automated flight service data handling capabilities that provide flight planning, 

weather briefings, Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), special use airspace, and search and rescue 

services. OASIS systems in the continental United States were de-installed in 2007, but OASIS 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

systems are currently operational at the FAA’s 14 Flight Service Stations and 3 Automated 

Flight Service Stations in Alaska. OASIS will continue to operate in Alaska until replaced by the 

Meteorological and Aeronautical Planning System (MAPS). 

Terminal Weather Information for Pilots (TWIP) Program 

The TWIP program provides text message descriptions and character graphic depiction of 

potentially hazardous weather conditions in the terminal area of airports. TWIP provides pilots 

with information on regions of moderate to heavy precipitation, gust fronts, and microburst 

conditions. Text messages or character graphic depictions are received in the cockpit through the 

Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) data link system. 

The TWIP functionality was initially incorporated in the TDWR software and deployed at 47 

commissioned TDWR sites. Following the installation of ITWS at the TDWR sites, TWIP 

weather data is now provided as an output product of ITWS. Thirty-one of the 33 ITWS sites 

were commissioned as of the end of FY 2009, with the remaining two systems scheduled for 

installation in FY 2010. TWIP weather data are also available as an output product from the 34 

commissioned WSP sites, but availability depends on National Airspace Data Interchange 

Network (NADIN) II connectivity and program funding. 

Direct User Access Terminal (DUAT)

The DUAT system has been operational since February 1990. DUAT is an Internet capability 

through which pilots are able to access weather and NOTAMs, as well as file their Instrument 

Flight Rules and/or Visual Flight Rules flight plans from their home or office personal computer. 

Aviation Weather Communications 

FAA Wide Area Networks (WANs) provide communications for all operational NAS systems 

and services. Weather data, products, and information constitute a large percentage of network 

traffic, as do NOTAMS, flight planning, flight movement, and other aeronautical data. The FAA 

Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) network is rapidly replacing legacy NAS network 

services because of its ability to provide contemporary protocols, enhanced security services, 

user specific service availability, and increased operational bandwidth for both present and future 

NAS users/systems. Legacy network users, such as those utilizing the NADIN Packet-Switched 

Network (PSN) (also called NADIN II) are being migrated to FTI for network service. This 

change is largely due to obsolescence and supportability issues with the legacy NADIN II 

network, which is scheduled to be decommissioned by December 2010. 

The NADIN II PSN was commissioned in 1995 to serve as the primary inter-facility data 

communications resource for a large community of NAS computer subsystems. The network 

design incorporates packet-switching technology into a meshed backbone network that provides 

high availability of services, at low to medium speeds, to the network’s users. NADIN II consists 

of operational nodes at all ARTCCs and at the two network control centers at the Network 

Enterprise Management Center (NEMC) facilities at Salt Lake City, Utah, and Atlanta, Georgia. 

NADIN II presently provides network services to WMSCR, WARP, ADAS, TMS, the 

Consolidated NOTAM System, and a number of other nodes in the aviation weather information 

system serving NAS users. 

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Weather Message Switching Center Replacement 

The WMSCR system, which is housed in the NEMC facilities, replaced the Weather Message 

Switching Center located at FAA’s National Communications Center (NATCOM), Kansas City, 

Missouri, with technology that was the state of the art when it was commissoned in 1995. 

WMSCR is the primary NAS interface with the National Weather Service Telecommunications 

Gateway (NWSTG) for the exchange of aviation alphanumeric and limited gridded weather 

products for NAS users. It collects, processes, and stores aviation weather products and 

disseminates them to major NAS systems, the airlines, and international and commercial users. 

WMSCR also provides storage and distribution of domestic NOTAMs and retrieval of 

international NOTAMs through the Consolidated NOTAM System. 

The WMSCR system operates in a Primary/Backup mode via geographically redundant systems 

at the NEMC facilities in Atlanta and Salt Lake City. Replication occurs between the redundant 

systems at the NEMC facilities to ensure database information is identical. In the event of a 

failure of the primary system, the surviving node assumes responsibility for collection and 

distribution of data for the entire NAS network user community. 

The WMSCR system has undergone a number of technology refreshes to ensure continued 

supportability and maintainability. Currently, the system software is being modified to 

incorporate a subset of System Wide Information Management (SWIM) products (See discussion 

below under NextGen programs.) The system hardware is due for technology refresh in 2011. 

Plans are presently underway for migration of the system to a common hardware platform with 

other like system functionality to reduce the number of disparate platforms and ensure 

supportability. It is expected that WMSCR functionality will eventually be subsumed into 

SWIM. 

World Area Forecast System (WAFS) 

The WAFS, which is compliant with ICAO Annex 3, produces flight planning products used in 

international air carrier operations. It incorporates product generation and satellite distribution 

functions. The data available via WAFS include flight winds, observations, forecasts, SIGMETs, 

AIRMETs, and hazards to aviation including volcanic ash clouds. The information and products 

are prepared at two World Area Forecast Centers (WAFCs) designated as WAFC Washington, 

and WAFC London. 

Distribution is accomplished through four geosynchronous satellite broadcasts operated by the 

two WAFCs. Three of the four satellites are funded by the United States. The first is located over 

the western Atlantic with a footprint covering western Europe and Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, 

South America, and North America (except for the West Coast and Alaska). The second U.S.-

funded satellite is positioned over the Pacific and covers the U.S. West Coast and Alaska, the 

Pacific Ocean, and the Pacific rim of Asia. The third U.S.-funded satellite is positioned over the 

Indian Ocean and primarily covers East Asia. A fourth satellite, operated by the United 

Kingdom, is stationed over the western Indian Ocean and covers the remaining areas of Europe, 

Asia, and Africa. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

National Volcanic Ash Operating Plan for Aviation 

Under the auspices of the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and 

Supporting Research (OFCM), the following agencies participate in the interagency Working 

Group for Volcanic Ash (WG/VA) and Committee for Aviation Services and Research (CASR): 

FAA, NOAA, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Through its Volcanic 

Hazards Program, the USGS is responsible for monitoring volcanoes in the United States and 

issuing eruption forecasts and notifications. The WG/VA has prepared a National Volcanic Ash 

Operating Plan for Aviation. The purpose of the plan is to provide operational guidance by 

documenting the required procedures and information products of the government agencies 

responsible for ensuring safety of flight operations when volcanic ash has erupted into the 

atmosphere. 

There are regional plans in addition to the national 

plan. The Regional Interagency Volcanic Ash 

Operating Plan for Alaska was updated in 2010 and 

the plan for the Pacific Northwest is expected to be 

completed in 2011. Regional plans typically also 

involve state and local agencies. 

Because of the proximity of Aleutian volcanoes to 

busy North Pacific air routes, the USGS’s Alaska 

Volcano Observatory (AVO) has been and 

continues to be a world leader in the integration of 

volcano observatory operations with efforts to 

mitigate the risk from airborne volcanic ash to en 

route aircraft. AVO monitors continuous real-time 

data from seismic networks at approximately 33 

volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands. It also uses data 

from various satellites to assess activity and track 

airborne ash. Data and information from AVO 

monitoring activities are supplied to FAA and DOD 

to provide warnings for pilots and aircraft operators 

in the Alaskan region and to NOAA/NWS to aid in 

its forecasting and tracking of ash clouds. USGS 

also monitors activity in the Northern Mariana 

Islands and has an interagency plan for that area. 

There is frequent activity in the Marianas; the most recent significant eruption occurred in May 

2010 when an underwater seamount erupted, sending ash to more than 40,000 ft. 

The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland in the spring of 2010 and ensuing shutdown of 

European airspace focused attention on the global economic disruption that a volcanic ash cloud 

can have on the transportation of people and goods. USGS experts on the issue of airborne 

volcanic ash have been working with FAA, NOAA, and DOD colleagues to improve capabilities 

in mitigating the impact of the presence of volcanic ash in busy flight routes, both domestic and 

international. In response to t—he heightened interest, USGS established a new project that 

Volcanic ash hazards can be catastrophic to 

aviation operations. 

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focuses exclusively on volcanic ash and brings together existing USGS efforts in research, 

development of new operational tools, and assisting policy makers. 

Recognizing that many potentially dangerous volcanoes have inadequate or no ground-based 

monitoring, the USGS recently evaluated volcano-monitoring capabilities and published “An 

Assessment of Volcanic Threat and Monitoring Capabilities in the United States: Framework for 

a National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS)” (online at 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1164/). Results of the NVEWS volcanic threat and monitoring 

assessment are being used to guide long-term improvements to the national volcano-monitoring 

infrastructure operated by the USGS and affiliated groups. The most threatening volcanoes—

those near communities and transportation infrastructure (ground and air) and with a history of 

frequent and violent eruptions—need to be well monitored in real time with an extensive suite of 

instrument types to detect the earliest symptoms of unrest and to reliably forecast behavior of the 

volcano. Waiting until unrest escalates to augment monitoring capabilities at these high-threat 

volcanoes puts people (including scientists in the field) and property at undue risk. Remote, 

isolated, or less frequently erupting volcanoes that nevertheless can pose hazards to air-traffic 

corridors require sufficient monitoring capability with ground-based instruments to detect and 

track unrest in real-time so that other agencies responsible for en route flight safety can be kept 

apprised of the potential for explosive, ash-cloud-forming eruptions. 

The Volcano Hazards Program has posted pages on its website devoted to practical guidance for 

dealing with ash hazards to transportation, communications, agriculture, water supplies, etc. See 

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ash. 

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

NextGen: For the NAS of the Future 

To address the growing demands on the NAS for the future, the 108th Congress and the George 

W. Bush Administration promulgated and signed into law the VISION 100 Act—Century of 

Aviation Reauthorization Act (P.L. 108-176). The Vision 100 Act calls for an integrated, multiagency plan to transform the Nation’s air transportation system to meet the needs of the year 

2025, while providing substantial near-term benefits. The resulting Next Generation Air 

Transportation System (NextGen) Initiative will address critical safety and economic needs in 

civil aviation while fully integrating national defense and homeland security improvements into 

the future NAS. The Vision 100 Act directs the Department of Transportation, FAA, Department 

of Commerce, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the JPDO to 

conduct integrated planning for research to operations to support the multi-agency NextGen 

system. 

Along with the private sector and academic community, the FAA, NASA, and the Departments 

of Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, and Transportation are working together with the 

Office of Science and Technology Policy to design and build NextGen. To coordinate this work, 

VISION 100 created the JPDO, which reports to the Senior Vice President for NextGen and 

Operations Planning within FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO). Within JPDO is the Weather 

Working Group (WWG), which facilitates integrating longer-term planning. 

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Collectively the effect of the NextGen R&D portfolio will result in aviation weather data no 

longer being just a stand-alone display, requiring cognitive interpretation and impact assessment, 

with limited ability to significantly reduce weather-related delays. Instead, weather information 

is being designed to integrate with and support NextGen’s decision-oriented automation 

capabilities and human decisionmaking processes. 

The programs in progress to develop tomorrow’s aviation weather systems to support NextGen 

capabilities include the NextGen Network Enabled Weather (NNEW) and the Reduced Weather 

Impact (RWI) programs. Research efforts are underway to demonstrate and evaluate the ability 

to integrate weather information from multiple Federal agencies through the use of an electronic 

catalog of aviation weather data. The goal is to establish weather-specific services design 

standards and weather data format standards to enable the operational delivery of six data sets 

through network-enabled mechanisms by 2014 and the dissemination of four-dimensional (4-D) 

Weather Data Cube capabilities. 

NextGen Integration and Implementation Office 

Within the FAA/ATO, two principal entities that report to ATO’s Senior Vice President for 

NextGen and Operations Planning are focused on implementation of NextGen, especially in the 

near and medium term: the NextGen Integration and Implementation Office and the Aviation 

Weather Group (AWG). The role of the NextGen Integration and Implementation Office is to 

ensure that the plans for the several NextGen strategic thrusts, called solution sets, are 

coordinated and integrated for efficient near- and medium-term implementation across the FAA. 

These sets include the NNEW and the RWI Solution Sets, which are focused on improving 

weather observations, weather forecasts, and operational decisions by integrating weather 

information. 

AWG and Aviation Weather Services Directorate Roles in NextGen Transition 

The Aviation Weather Services Directorate (AWSD) within FAA/ATO and the AWG have 

important roles in the transition from today’s aviation weather services to future NNEW, RWI 

Weather Forecast Improvements, and other NextGen Weather Processing capabilities, as the 

FAA moves from air traffic control to air traffic management (ATM). In the NextGen system, 

most communications will occur as digital data, much of it transferred directly from computer to 

computer. Relevant information will be shared easily among system users through networkenabled information access. 

One of the primary functions of the FAA ATO is development and management of requirements 

for the FAA Capital Investment Plan. Within the ATO, the AWG and the Operations Planning 

Service component co-manage the NAS Requirements Development program to align 

requirements, priorities, programs, and resources and to develop metrics to understand the 

impacts of weather on the NAS. This program develops strategic plans and defines weatherrelated requirements, policy, and standards. Recent weather projects have focused on weather 

detection and display systems for pilots and air traffic controllers to ensure that aircraft avoid 

hazardous weather. 

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NNEW and the 4D Weather Data Cube 

NNEW is a key FAA contribution to an interagency effort to provide quick, easy, and costeffective access to weather information. It will serve as the infrastructure core of NextGen 

aviation weather support services and provide access to a common weather picture across the 

national airspace system. NNEW is one of five NextGen Transformational Programs that will 

provide universal access to weather information, thereby enabling collaborative and dynamic 

NAS decisionmaking. In addition, the NNEW transformational program will address the weather 

dissemination infrastructure within the FAA. 

NNEW will identify, adapt, and utilize standards for system-wide weather data formatting and 

access. Using network-enabled operation capabilities, aviation weather information from multiagency sources will be developed that can be directly and commonly accessed by and integrated 

into user decision support tools. The virtual database will consolidate a vast array of ground-, 

airborne-, and space-based weather observations and forecasts, updated as needed in real time, 

into a single, national, eventually global, picture of the atmosphere. 

NNEW will define and provide the FAA’s portion of the interagency infrastructure known as the 

Four-Dimensional Weather Data Cube (4D Wx Data Cube). The 4-D Wx Data Cube will provide 

common, universal access to aviation weather data. All categories of weather users will have 

improved access to timely and accurate weather information to support improved 

decisionmaking, while enhancing safety. The 4D Wx Data Cube will consist of (1) weather data 

published in various databases within FAA, NOAA, and DOD, as well as commercial weather 

data providers that may participate; (2) registries/repositories needed to locate and retrieve 

published data; (3) the capability to translate among various standards that will be employed 

provide data in user required units and coordinate systems; and (4) the capability to support 

retrieval requests for selected data volumes (such as weather conditions along a flight trajectory). 

A subset of the data published to the 4D Wx Data Cube will be designated as the Single 

Authoritative Source (SAS). The SAS identifies the preferred data that should be used to support 

collaborative ATM decisions and ensure that such decisions are based on consistent data. 

The 4D Weather SAS will be an optimal representation of all Air Navigation Service Provider 

(ANSP) weather state information that is used directly or translated into operational impact by 

the ANSP and that is consistent in time, space, and among weather elements. The 4D Wx SAS 

will be specified by the ANSP and accessible to all users of the NAS. It will be the source of 

weather information for ANSP’s ATM decisions and will be supported by the same network 

services as the 4D Wx Data Cube. 

The ANSP will specify characteristics of weather state information needed to support its ATM 

decisionmaking and the corresponding decision support tools. As NextGen capabilities mature, 

the ANSP requirements will evolve. The NWS will, in coordination with Air Force and Navy 

weather services, determine what weather state information best meets the 4D Wx SAS 

requirements specified by the ANSP; information from any source, including commercial 

sources, can be used to meet SAS requirements as long as it can be freely distributed to all 

NNEW users. 

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With rare exceptions, the 4D Wx SAS will be the only source of weather information for the 

ANSP’s ATM decisions; however, it will not necessarily be the only source for other 

decisionmakers, such as pilots, dispatchers, and military operators. Making the 4D Wx SAS both 

a support tool for the ANSP’s ATM decisions and a NextGen resource provides transparency and 

predictability in these decisions and a shared situational awareness for all NextGen participants. 

NOAA’s role in the 4D Wx Data Cube 

NextGen was established by Congress to transform the NAS and accommodate the projected 

tripling of demand for air transportation. The NextGen plan will increase NAS capacity by 

utilizing highly automated systems to manage 4D aircraft trajectories to route air traffic around 

areas of hazardous weather. These systems, and related decision support tools, will require a 4D 

digital database of aviation-relevant weather information. This 4D Wx Data Cube, which NOAA 

is developing in close coordination with the FAA, must be continuously updated and internally 

consistent. It will utilize Network Enabled Operations to provide for common situational 

awareness. The 4D Wx Data Cube will give NOAA the ability to provide NAS users with the 

current and forecast weather conditions for any point in space, thereby providing for the safe and 

efficient movement of air traffic. This capability is required to have an initial operational 

capability by 2013. 

The Reduced Weather Impact (RWI) Solution Set 

RWI is a planning and development portfolio to ensure that NextGen operational weather 

capabilities utilize a broad range of weather improvements and technologies to mitigate the 

effects of weather in future NAS operations. It includes two programs: Weather Observation 

Improvements and Weather Forecast Improvements. RWI will also address integration of 

these improvements in weather observation quality and forecasting into user decision-support 

tools. 

Working with the AWG, the development team for the RWI Solution Set coordinates the 

investment analysis and acquisition of new weather systems and services with the AWSD in 

FAA/ATO/System Operations Services, which is responsible for ATCSCC system operations. 

The ATCSCC monitors and analyzes system components and weather patterns for potential 

system impact. 

RWI will address many weather hazard mitigation problems including, but not limited to, 

rightsizing the observations network, transition of weather research to operations, development 

of weather impact metrics, development of weather decision-support tools, integration of 

weather information into operations, weather processor architecture redesign and restructuring, 

and transition planning for legacy systems. RWI will conduct planning, prototyping, 

demonstrations, engineering evaluation, and investment readiness activities, leading to an 

implementation of operational capabilities throughout NextGen in the near, mid, and far terms. 

RWI will propose recommendations for the near, mid, and far time frames; these will include 

recommendations for transition of FAA legacy systems. 

A consistent and effective weather observation sensor network will be a cornerstone to improved 

NextGen weather capabilities. RWI Weather Observation Improvements will focus on 

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evaluating the current observation capability against that needed to support NextGen. This 

evaluation will include a gap analysis to determine the optimal quantity and quality of ground-, 

air-, and space-based sensors. The analysis will determine whether cost effective sensor densities 

and performance, redundancies, or inconsistencies impact aviation operations. Tasks to be 

performed include the evaluation of concepts for replacement of current weather radar with a 

single integrated radar technology or other new sensors. 

The RWI Weather Forecast Improvements program addresses the need to enable better 

weather decisionmaking and use of weather information in the transformed NAS. This includes 

(1) integrating weather information tailored for decision-support tools and systems into NextGen 

operations, (2) implementing improved forecasts by transitioning advanced forecast capabilities 

from aviation weather research, (3) developing and using metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of 

weather improvements in the NAS, (4) developing probabilistic forecasts that can be used 

effectively in air traffic and traffic flow management, and (5) determining the most effective 

solution for a processor architecture to support these capabilities. 

The acquisition strategy for the RWI Weather Forecast Improvements program will include 

implementing the NextGen Weather Processing capability by initiating migration of legacy 

capabilities to the new capability, transitioning advanced weather forecast applications into 

operations, evolving the NextGen Weather Processing architecture through continued migration 

of legacy capabilities, and continuing the transition of advanced forecast applications into 

operations. 

Weather Technology in the Cockpit (WTIC) Program 

One of the weather-related goals of NextGen is to reduce weather delays, allowing more efficient 

and flexible ATM. The objective of the WTIC Program is to meet minimum standards for flight 

deck weather information and communications management—while also meeting human factors 

requirements—that will provide flight crews with timely, comprehensive weather information 

from onboard sensors, crosslink communications from nearby aircraft, and uplink from groundbased processors to support flight replanning and weather hazard avoidance in flight. WTIC also 

includes airborne sensor observations of nearby aircraft for weather avoidance decisions and 

ground-based processors for direct and forecast use in ATM decision-support processes. 

To derive WTIC functional and performance requirements, initial research under the program 

will evaluate the overarching NextGen Concept of Operations (ConOps) and requirements for 

NextGen weather support on the flight deck. WTIC will then develop and execute a research 

program plan that includes identifying any current capabilities that meet the NextGen 

requirements; evaluating planned and funded development of new weather support capabilities; 

identifying gaps between NextGen requirements and current developing weather support 

capabilities; and allocating such capability gaps to the commercial sector, government, or both 

for development of NextGen Solution Sets. 

The WTIC program will identify global data link requirements and standards for transporting 

meteorological information to and from the flight deck. Data links are required to support uplink, 

downlink, and crosslink advisory and safety-critical meteorological information to NAS users 

who come under the three FAA service categories (corresponding to Parts 91, 121, or 135 of the 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Federal Aviation Regulations) and are operating in various coverage environments. 

Consequently, the WTIC program will define requirements and standards for bandwidth, 

security, quality of service, and reliability to the government- and nongovernment-operated 

datalinks, to implement NextGen meteorological data link information. 

WTIC human factors research will enable development of human performance, technology 

design, and human-computer interaction capabilities sufficient to meet requirements and 

standards aimed at providing safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations and training for 

hazardous weather on the flight deck and on the ground. Although technologically advanced 

graphical weather information products have entered the general aviation (Part 91) market in the 

past decade, the percentage of accidents that the National Transportation Safety Board has 

attributed to weather factors or to weather-related pilot error has remained fairly stable. The 

human factors research under WTIC will attempt to identify shortcomings in current capabilities 

and areas to focus weather technology advances to optimize safety and efficiency for Part 91, 

121, and 135 operators. 

The information management and human factors research deliverables under the WTIC program 

will (1) enable the development of Air Circulars and Orders for NextGen training, symbology, 

and information standards and (2) support development of aircraft certifications standards for 

Minimum Aviation Safety Performance Standards (MASPS), Minimum Operations Standards 

(MOPS), and Technical Standard Orders (TSO) to support development, operations, and 

procedures for weather technologies in the cockpit. In addition, WTIC program research will 

support development of communications information management to meet the storage and 

retrieval requirements and standards of NextGen for acquiring meteorological information from 

commercial and government-provided graphical and textual databases. 

For FY 2011, the WTIC program includes the following major activities and anticipated 

accomplishments: 

 Develop mid-term ConOps and obtain partner, stakeholder, and user concurrence for 

weather technology in the cockpit based on foundational elements identified in the 

NextGen ConOps, including integration of weather-in-flight-deck decision-support tools, 

weather dissemination management, and general aviation (Part 91) operations 

 Validate ARP 5740, Cockpit Display of Data Linked Weather Information 

 Determine the incremental weather information needed in cockpit operations for flight 

replanning and en route avoidance maneuvers, decision support, and situational 

awareness for Part 121, 135, and 91 aviation operators 

 Verify and validate datalink signal latency, bandwidth, and quality of service to 

disseminate icing and turbulence products to the flight deck within the NAS 

 For Pacific Ocean transoceanic flights between California and Australia, demonstrate the 

utility of an in-flight display of uplinked satellite-based product that outlines the 30,000-

ft. and 40,000-ft. convective cloud top heights in a 2-hour look-ahead display relative to 

aircraft position and flight direction 

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 Initiate demonstration and evaluation of the usefulness of uplinking turbulence eddy 

dissipation rates (EDR) to the flight deck for incorporation in aircrew mitigation 

procedures 

 Equip selected aircraft with certified electronic flight bags to accomplish flight crew 

operational evaluations of convective oceanic cloud top flight, graphical turbulence, and 

icing 

 In collaboration with NASA, investigate means for network-enabled airborne use of 

radar-derived weather data 

System-Wide Information Management 

SWIM is a new concept developed in conjunction with NextGen to support NAS operations 

starting in 2011 and eventually to support full deployment of NextGen. SWIM will provide 

corporate services, including the messaging structure, security aspects, and the FTI IT network, 

that are required for all NextGen Solution Sets. It thus provides the core services to move data 

around the network and to do information management and messaging. These connections will 

allow each processing node in the network to receive its intended raw data, process it, and make 

the processed output available to the 4-D Weather Data Cube again for integration into decision 

support tools and for viewing by end users. 

The NextGen Solution Sets and the weather solution sets will interface to all the weather systems 

through the NNEW. NNEW will use the SWIM core services to provide access to all weather 

data resident in the 4D Wx Data Cube. Having this single authoritative data source will ensure 

that collaborative decisionmaking in ATM benefits from a common situational awareness of 

current and forecast weather conditions. 

ITWS in NextGen 

See ITWS current operational status above, in the section on “Operational Programs, Including 

Products and Services.” ITWS is a “NextGen Contributor” program and directly supports the 

NNEW and RWI initiatives. On behalf of the FAA, via an Intra-Agency Agreement, the Volpe 

Center is leading the development effort for the Terminal Data Distribution System, hosting 

ITWS, and facilitating the exchange of critical flight information as part of the SWIM initiative. 

Using ITWS, the Volpe Center successfully developed and delivered the first SWIM-compliant 

weather data feed, enabling traffic managers to adjust flight patterns at ITWS-equipped airports 

to accommodate changes in weather conditions. This ITWS-SWIM prototype has been 

operational since the end of FY 2008. ITWS-SWIM Segment 1 operational capability is planned 

for FY 2011. ITWS-SWIM supports the FAA goal of Greater Capacity: Work with local 

governments and airspace users to provide increased capacity in the NAS that reduces 

congestion and meets projected demand in an environmentally sound manner. 

Corridor Integrated Weather System (CIWS) 

The CIWS is a fully automated weather analysis and forecasting system whose products provide 

airspace coverage over the continental United States and southern Canada. It combines data from 

U.S. and Canadian weather radars with satellite data, surface observations, and numerical 

weather models to produce automated high resolution 3D precipitation forecast products in the 

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tactical timeframe (zero 

to 2 hours in the future) 

with fast update rates. 

Studies have shown that 

CIWS provides 

significant savings in 

operational delays by 

keeping aviation routes 

open longer, re-opening 

weather-affected routes 

sooner, and re-routing 

aircraft around severe 

convective weather. 

CIWS thus helps to 

meet the Greater 

Capacity goals outlined 

in the FAA Flight Plan. 

A CIWS prototype is 

operated for the FAA by MIT Lincoln Laboratory through an interagency agreement with the 

U.S. Air Force. This prototype, performing under a Test NAS Change Proposal provides a 

dedicated display of CIWS products to traffic managers, area supervisors, and meteorologists in 

eight ARTCCs, six Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities, and the ATCSCC, as well as to 

personnel at participating airline operations centers. Users at other facilities have access to CIWS 

products via a web-based display on the Internet. 

In addition to being provided via dedicated and web-based prototype displays, the prototype 

CIWS products are provided to integrated ATM decision support systems. A dissemination 

capability is being developed in conjunction with the SWIM Program to enable CIWS data to be 

available to external users for integration into their own tools. An initial prototype is planned for 

completion in FY 2010. CIWS product generation will continue until it is functionally replaced 

as part of the NextGen Weather Processor in the 2015 timeframe. 

Meteorological and Aeronautical Planning System 

MAPS, which represents the next generation of flight service automation systems, is designed to 

increase flight planning and weather briefing functionality for the general aviation (Part 91) 

community through the use of performance planning tools and decision support tools. When 

combined with a single pilot database, MAPS will provide a common picture of weather and 

aeronautical information, including local area knowledge, to pilots and flight service specialists. 

It will provide information updates on a subscription basis relevant to the flight and based upon 

previously delivered information. It will allow pilots both independent access and interactive 

briefings though an integrated web portal. MAPS will provide flight progress monitoring that 

will lead to expedited search and rescue capabilities, more streamlined communications between 

responsible organizations, and reduced search areas. Initial operational capability is planned for 

2015. 

A Corridor Integrated Weather System Terminal 

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FAA Aviation Weather Research Program (AWRP) 

The goals of the AWRP are to provide timely and accurate deterministic and probabilistic 

aviation weather information. The AWRP sponsors applied research at National laboratories, 

Government agencies, and universities to minimize the impact of weather on the NAS. While 

this research is now primarily focused on supporting the NextGen weather operational 

improvements, it also supports the FAA Flight Plan goals of greater capacity and increased 

safety. FAA collaborations with the NWS and NASA increase the FAA’s ability to provide 

improved short-term and mid-term forecasts of naturally occurring atmospheric hazards such as 

turbulence, severe convective activity, icing, and restricted visibility. Improved forecasts 

enhance flight safety, reduce air traffic controller and pilot workload, enable better flight 

planning, increase productivity, and enhance common situational awareness. 

AWP activity in support of the 4D Wx SAS is included in the discussion above of NNEW and 

the 4D Weather Data Cube. 

In-Flight Icing 

This AWRP research is aimed at developing improvements to in-flight icing diagnosis, which 

includes detection and forecasting. The Current Icing Product and Forecast Icing Product have 

been developed to provide hourly updates of, respectively, current conditions and forecast 

conditions out to 12 hours. These products include severity and probability of icing conditions 

and potential for super-cooled large water-drop formation. Planned efforts include expanding 

both icing products to cover Alaska and global oceanic routes. 

Convective Weather 

AWRP efforts in convective weather are targeted to developing an advanced storm prediction 

algorithm over the continental United States to provide more accurate structure depiction 

(including growth and decay) with longer warning lead times for hazardous convection and 

winter storm activity. These improvements will enable ATM decisionmakers to make enhanced 

decisions relative to traffic flow and will improve aviation safety near thunderstorms. Fuzzy 

logic forecast technology, coupled with numerical weather prediction modeling and climatology, 

will be used to produce a blended forecast from 0 to 8 hours and beyond. These forecasts will 

enhance the capability to predict growth, real extent, and movement of convective storms, as 

well as type(s) of precipitation from them. Probabilistic forecasts are also being developed to 

enable more accurate traffic flow management decisions and more efficient use of the NAS. 

Model Development and Enhancement 

This AWRP research is targeted at developing or improving models to better characterize the 

state of the atmosphere, with the aim of providing superior aviation weather products to end 

users. The development of the WRF modeling framework has been a collaborative partnership of 

the FAA, NOAA, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the Center for the Analysis and 

Prediction of Storms, the Air Force Weather Agency, and the Naval Research Laboratory. A new 

higher-resolution (mesoscale) modeling system based on WRF has been under development to 

account for smaller scale processes that are important to aviation weather but can only be 

approximated in the current Meso Eta and Rapid Update Cycle models. WRF provides research103
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to-operations benefits: it offers operational forecasting a model that is flexible and efficient 

computationally with advances in numerical weather prediction modeling contributed by the 

research community. A WRF nonhydrostatic mesoscale model has been under development 

since 1998. A version of the WRF model was implemented within the North American 

Mesoscale (NAM) model application, and mature testing is now occurring for the WRF Rapid 

Refresh model (including a version of the WRF-ARW) to replace the current Rapid Update 

Cycle model. 

National Ceiling and Visibility Products 

The National Ceiling and Visibility (NCV) Product Development Team is developing automated 

ceiling and visibility products to support current needs and future NextGen requirements for 

improvements in general aviation (Part 91) safety and terminal area traffic flow efficiency. 

Current NCV work focuses on development of (a) a real-time deterministic nowcast presenting 

current ceiling, visibility and flight category fields (the NCV Nowcast, or NCVN) and (b) 

hourly-updated probabilistic forecasts, from 1 out to 12 hours in the future, of these same fields 

(the NCV Forecast, or NCVF). 

The NCVN Continental United States product makes use of real-time METAR (Meteorological 

Terminal Aviation Routine Weather Report) observations and satellite data from Geostationary 

Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-East and GOES-West to produce its automated 

nowcast on the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) 5-km grid. Nearest neighbor 

interpolation is used to populate grid points between METAR sites. The product is updated every 

5 minutes. Confidence values tailored to each field are produced to aid user interpretation. The 

product is available under the “METARS” tab on the Experimental Aviation Digital Data 

Service (ADDS) website, through the Experimental Helicopter Emergency Medical Service 

Low-Altitude Flight Tool on Experimental ADDS, and as a Gridded Binary Data (GRB2) file. 

Future work will develop NCVN capability for Alaska. 

Volcanic Ash Dispersion Forecasts 

AWRP efforts in this research area target the development of enhanced forecasts of volcanic ash 

transport and dispersion in support of FAA traffic flow management and airline operations 

centers for flight planning, as well as for issuing in-flight advisories to alert aircraft of potentially 

hazardous conditions. In addition, Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers and Meteorological Watch 

Offices will have this information available to support their efforts to provide improved and 

timely products that show the location of the ash cloud. Enhancements will come through 

evaluating the ash transport/dispersion model and developing and validating the current 

performance parameters and requirements for volcanic ash in the atmosphere. The output from 

requirements validation will be leveraged with other agencies to develop an ensemble 

modeling/forecast approach for improved volcanic ash dispersion forecasts for ATM. 

Quality Assessment 

This research team conducts verification and assessment activities to support all AWRP 

algorithm development activities and NextGen implementation. Quality Assessment evaluations 

of weather research capabilities use the Real-Time Verification System (RTVS). This system 

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supports real-time forecast operations, development, and case study assessments. RTVS provides 

a mechanism for monitoring and tracking improvements to weather forecast products with an 

independent assessment of forecast quality. Its outputs are thus valuable as support for decisions 

on whether to move weather research products into operations. 

The Network-Enabled Verification Service (NEVS) is under development to replace the RTVS 

and support the NextGen initial capability. NEVS will provide an automated network-enabled 

web-based verification capability that is compatible with the SWIM and NNEW architectures 

and with NextGen information delivery mechanisms. 

Advanced Weather Radar Techniques 

This research is aimed at developing techniques for using weather radar data to improve weather 

forecasting. Information developed by these efforts is used by the other AWRP weather research 

teams to improve their forecast and nowcast products. 

Multifunction Phased Array Radar (MPAR) 

The future conceptual approach to combined weather and airspace surveillance of MPAR will 

consolidate 510 radars of eight types, including weather radars and air surveillance radars, down 

to 334 radars of one type. MPAR addresses significant weather events (tornados, flooding, and 

aviation weather) that most directly affect people’s lives, livelihoods, and the national economy. 

The goal of MPAR is to replace mechanically steered legacy radars with high-performance, 

electronically scanning radars through a disciplined risk-reduction program. For additional 

discussion of MPAR, see the discussion of Weather Radar Research in the Basic Services 

section. 

NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research 

Within NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), the Global Systems 

Division of the Earth Science Research Laboratory (ESRL/GSD) develops and evaluates aviation 

weather impact variables such as icing, turbulence, ceiling and visibility, convective weather, 

and volcanic ash as part of its development of algorithms and decision tools for NWS forecast 

offices, FAA traffic managers, and commercial and civil aviation. Specifically, GSD has and will 

continue to develop capabilities to allow the forecaster to integrate, view, and manipulate 

observations from current and planned meteorological sensing systems using computer-assisted 

data display and synthesis techniques. 

FX-Collaborate is an AWIPS capability developed by GSD that allows forecasters in different 

geographical locations to interact in real-time to develop a forecast. FX-Collaborate is being used 

to support the following decision aids for aviation weather: Volcanic Ash Coordination Tool, 

FAA traffic management units coordination, and NWS CWSU coordination with the FAA. 

During FY 2010, GSD continued to support NWS aviation-support facilities in Ft. Worth, Texas; 

Anchorage, Alaska; and Leesburg, Virginia using FX-Collaborate applications. 

For NextGen, the FAA is supporting GSD in developing capability to move relevant observation 

and forecast information into and out of the 4D Wx Data Cube (see detailed description above, in 

the FAA section of Aviation Services/Supporting Research Programs and Projects). Data 

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quantity, update frequency, timeliness, and latency are important performance considerations for 

this capability, which will become part of NNEW and the 4D Wx SAS (see descriptions above). 

GSD is working with the NWS, with funding from NOAA, to determine the best ways to 

populate the 4D Wx Data Cube with accurate, timely, and consistent observations and forecasts. 

Key areas of this effort include assessing the human role in the forecast process, evaluating the 

accuracy of these forecasts, development of operational forecasting concepts for the aviation 

impact variables, and putting all of these efforts together by creating a prototype dynamic 4D Wx 

Data Cube and its SAS subset. 

The National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) is participating in the effort to help quantify 

NOAA’s support for the NextGen initiative. Planning with the FAA and the NWS began in FY 

2009 and is anticipated to continue for the next several years. NSSL is also working with the 

FAA’s AWRP to develop weather radar applications that enhance the safety and efficiency of the 

aviation community and the NAS. Work is focused on both convective weather and winter 

weather, with special attention to treating all WSR-88D radars within the continental United 

States as a single network. Such treatment allows NSSL to produce a single, authoritative 3D 

grid of radar data that is being considered for inclusion in the 4D Wx Data Cube. Intensive 

research is also directed to polarimetric radar applications unique to aviation needs. Examples 

include winter time quantitative precipitation estimation, detection of icing conditions, and data 

quality issues unique to FAA users. Work has also begun to bring in radar data from networks in 

other countries/regions to provide information in the 4D Wx Data Cube for regions outside the 

United States. 

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CLIMATE SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

NOAA National Weather Service 

Climate services are provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

(NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS), through the National Centers for Environmental 

Prediction’s (NCEP) Climate Prediction Center (CPC). CPC provides a broad range of products 

and services related to climate monitoring, short-term climate fluctuation forecasts, and 

information on the impacts of climate patterns on the Nation. Their product suite spans time 

scales from a week to seasons, extending into the future as far as technically feasible, and covers 

the land, the ocean, and the atmosphere. These services are available to government, public, and 

private industry users, both in this country and abroad. Applications include the mitigation of 

weather-related natural disasters and uses for social and economic good in agriculture, energy, 

transportation, water resources, and health. 

The climate services program provides the strategic vision for climate services at NWS, oversees 

the program including the expanded regional and local climate services programs, and serves as 

steward of the climate observing system. The program fosters ties with other countries, other 

NOAA offices, other federal agencies, the university community, and the private sector. It 

encourages collaborative arrangements among Regional Climate Centers (managed by 

NOAA/National Environmental Satellite, Date and Information Service (NESDIS)), State 

Climatologists, and NWS WFOs and regional headquarters to tailor climate forecasts for local 

users. Additionally, WFOs issue daily and monthly climate reports for their areas, providing 

localized information about temperature and precipitation records and extreme events such as 

droughts. WFOs serve as the local NOAA user interface for climate services, including outreach 

and education in this area. They are also responsible for the integrity and continuity of the 

historical climate record in their area of responsibility. 

Air Force Weather Agency, 14th Weather Squadron 

The mission of the 14th Weather Squadron (14 WS) is to rapidly disseminate customized applied 

climatological and historical weather information to maximize combat effectiveness of DOD 

personnel and weapon systems, through expert receipt, quality control, storage, and tailoring of 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Climate Services are those specialized meteorological services and 

facilities established to meet the requirements of Federal, state, and local agencies for information 

about trends in seasonal, interseasonal, or longer aspects of the atmosphere-hydrosphere-land surface 

system. Climate services include information on both oscillatory patterns (cycles varying over periods 

of several years to several decades) and longer-term secular trends in climate. 

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earth-space environmental data. Climate information is used to analyze the past to help 

anticipate/predict the future. The 14 WS is DOD's authoritative source of historical weather data 

and environmental technical information, providing decision-enabling products and allowing 

command authorities to anticipate and simulate environmental impacts on all aspects of military 

operations worldwide. It enhances the combat capability of the United States by delivering 

timely, accurate, and reliable environmental situational awareness worldwide to the Air Force, 

the Army, Unified Combatant Commands, and the intelligence community. The squadron 

produces a suite of both standard and tailored products such as the Operational Climatic Data 

Summaries, Engineering Weather Data, Wind Roses, Wind Stratified Conditional Climatologies, 

among others, providing frequency of occurrence and duration for mission-limiting factors. The 

14 WS employs the Point Analysis Intelligence System (PAIS) to produce historical, real-time, 

and forecast vertical profiles for any worldwide location in support of the intelligence 

community. The 14 WS also has a 6-month long range outlook capability that is computed using 

statistical methods, with an ensemble of global climate model forecasts, considering El 

Nino/Southern Oscillation, North Atlantic Oscillation, Southern Annular Mode, etc. The 14 WS' 

collocation with the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in Asheville, NC allows for data 

exchange as well as joint collaboration in areas such as data quality techniques, product 

development, and technology exploitation to facilitate and complement the mission of both 

organizations. The 14 WS also collaborates the Fleet Numerical Meteorological and 

Oceanographic Detachment-Asheville (FNMOD-A) and is a subordinate unit of the 2nd Weather 

Group (2 WXG), which is located at Offutt Air Force Base (AFB), Nebraska. 

NOAA/NESDIS National Climatic Data Center 

The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) receives, processes, archives, and disseminates 

surface, marine, upper-air, radar, satellite, and model output data. NCDC serves a large and 

diverse community, responding to more than one million requests per year. It makes 

environmental data and information available through both the Internet and physical delivery of 

products and services. NCDC’s climate data products support decision making in many sectors 

of the economy, including energy, transportation, agriculture, insurance, engineering, health 

care, and manufacturing. 

NCDC also develops climatic applications for other government agencies, including the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 

and the Departments of Defense (DOD) and Energy (DOE). In addition, NCDC scientists are key 

participants in numerous national and international climate assessments, including the 

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports, the U.S. Climate Change Science 

Program’s Synthesis and Assessment Products, and the landmark 2009 Global Climate Change 

Impacts in the United States report. Through its participation in these assessments and dialog 

with users, NCDC actively identifies the needs of NOAA data users in addressing climate 

change. 

Climate Data Records. In order to accurately detect subtle climate changes and variations, it is 

vital that the measurements from different satellites be merged together and analyzed using 

proven scientific techniques. The succession of prior satellites, with different designs and 

changing performance qualities, makes combining all past and current observations into 

consistent long-term records a major challenge. The Climate Data Records (CDR) Project, led by 

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NCDC addresses that challenge. The CDR Project will produce two important types of data 

records: 

 CDRs are created from the initial data collected by satellites. Examples include 

atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, snow and ice conditions, and atmospheric 

greenhouse gas concentrations. CDRs reveal Earth’s short and longer-term environmental 

changes and variations, allowing scientists to better understand the climate system; assess 

the state of the climate on regional, national, and global scales; and project future climate 

states. 

 Climate Information Records are created from CDRs and provide specific information 

about environmental phenomena of particular importance to science and society. 

Examples include hurricane trends, Arctic sea ice coverage, and drought patterns. This 

information allows businesses, resource managers, decision makers, and the public to 

better understand and adapt to climate changes and variability, develop strategies to 

minimize risks, and mitigate possible impacts on society. 

Environmental satellites remotely measure different Earth system properties from space. Over 

time, satellite sensors degrade and new satellites—sometimes with improved designs—are 

launched to continue the measurements. Without proper corrections, false trends in the data may 

be observed, caused by the observing system rather than the environment. These data can be 

accurately calibrated by measuring a well understood and slowly changing target, such as a 

barren desert, or by comparing these measurements with those made at the same time by other 

observing systems, including other satellites. These scientific corrections help create consistent 

and complete data records. 

NOAA’s CDR Project is: systematic because it progressively develops CDR using a consistent 

and well-defined set of improvement milestones; comprehensive because it encompasses a wide 

variety of both current and potential Climate Data Records and fully addresses management and 

preservation of these records; and sustainable because it supports continuous record updates and 

can incorporate improved techniques as they become available. In FY 2011, major CDR 

development and production actions include: 

 Algorithm Development, Processing and Re-Processing of POES/GOES/NPP Data 

Series. 

 Calibration, Validation and Characterization of Data. 

 Science and Climate Information Records. 

 Long-term Stewardship (ensure CDRs are easily understood, accessible and of highest 

quality possible). 

 Applications for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. 

Climate Database Modernization Program (KY, MD, WV, and NC). The Climate Database 

Modernization Program (CDMP) is a partnership between NCDC and private industry to image 

and digitize key paper and microfilm records and to make them available via the Internet. There 

are more than 52 million images and over seven terabytes (1012) of data available online using 

Web Search Store Retrieve Display software. CDMP supports the NOAA mission to collect, 

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integrate, assimilate, and effectively manage Earth observations on a global scale ranging from 

atmospheric, weather, and climate observations to oceanic, coastal, and marine life observations. 

Many of these records, part of the U.S. National Archives, were originally recorded on paper, 

film, and other fragile media, and stored at various NOAA Centers. Prior to CDMP, these 

valuable data sources were not readily available to users and the paper and film media were 

deteriorating threatening their loss. Hourly weather records keyed through CDMP continue to be 

integrated into NCDC’s long term historical climate records digital database holdings, extending 

the period of record for many stations into the latter 1800s. Daily paper data records collected 

mainly by the Smithsonian Institution and U.S. Army Signal Service from stations across the 

country keyed through the CDMP “Forts” project will extend climate records back to the early 

1800s. Another major data integration task, the Surface Airways Observations project, will 

capture and key Weather Bureau and NWS data from major city offices and airports dating back 

to 1893. 

The CDMP enables the digitizing of important environmental data ranging from below the 

oceans to the top of the ionosphere. Projects range from historic sunspot images, ocean core 

research, and extending time series data of ocean tides and sea level. CDMP is also coordinating 

several international projects, such as imaging and digitizing data from Uruguay and Mexico and 

upper air data from several countries in Africa. 

In addition, collaboration with the British government will rescue observations from European 

ship logs. Increased easy and convenient storage, and access to increased volumes of digitized 

higher quality historical data improves NOAA’s and others ability to monitor, assess, forecast, 

and predict environmental, solar, and geophysical events, and improve climate change 

projections. CDMP typically supports on average 77 ongoing Data Rescue Projects. Funding for 

projects are provided through a proposal process, which culminates each November at CDMP’s 

Data Access Workshop. The imaging and digitizing is done under contract with the private 

sector. 

Comprehensive Large Array-Data Stewardship System. The Comprehensive Large Array-Data 

Stewardship System (CLASS) stores the large volumes of NOAA’s complex data and 

information such as satellite, radar, and other data and derived products. This system helps 

NOAA more efficiently preserve the volumes and diversity of valuable environmental data and 

information being acquired by improved observations and technology. CLASS also supports 

convenient access to this data to users worldwide. In FY 2011, CLASS will address the 

anticipated increase in data volume of greater than 3,000 percent over the next several years and 

ensure environmental observations remain useful and accessible to the widest range of current 

and future users. It will ensure that environmental observations collected at great expense remain 

useful and understandable to the widest range of current and future generations. Users will be 

able to search for and acquire archived data by seamlessly connecting CLASS ingest, storage, 

and access capabilities with the NOAA Data Center archive management system. This increase 

also meets emerging requirements associated with implementing NOAA’s climate services that 

include the long-term preservation of the Nation’s climate record. 

Global Observing System Information Center. The Global Observing System Information 

Center (GOSIC) provides access to data, metadata, and information from the Global Climate 

Observing System, the Global Ocean Observing System, and the Global Terrestrial Observing 

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System. This system provides efficient access to data and information and unique tools for 

searching and accessing data, such as matrices and portals. This system allows users to search for 

specific data, such as data located at NCDC and other global data centers. GOSIC serves the 

global observing system community and is a great tool for coordinating the various climate 

observing activities across NCDC and NOAA. GOSIC continues to play an important role in 

international and regional data access activities. As a formally registered service of the Global 

Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) data access project, this will expand in 2010. 

GEOSS is a comprehensive effort to focus on the societal benefits of earth observations. 

Furthermore, as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) moves toward a modernized 

and comprehensive WMO Information Service (WIS), GOSIC will play an important role in FY 

2010 in the overall WIS architecture. From a regional perspective, GOSIC continues to play a 

significant role in aiding various Pacific Island National Meteorological and Hydrological 

Services in a number of critical data access and communication functions related to 

meteorological and climatology data in the region. It serves as a capacity building utility by 

providing Internet-based Web services in concert with the Asia Pacific Data Research Center, 

which is a NOAA/NCDC funded activity at the University of Hawaii. 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE (DOS) 

Stratospheric ozone depletion has been recognized as a critical health and environmental 

problem for more than two decades. Under DOS leadership, the United States worked to 

negotiate international agreements to phase out ozone-depleting substances, which should lead to 

a recovery of the ozone layer in this middle of this century. To date, these treaties have been 

signed and ratified by more than 193 countries, including the United States. These countries 

represent 99 percent of the world’s production of ozone depleting substances. The State 

Department makes annual contributions to the Vienna Convention’s efforts on scientific 

monitoring of the ozone layer. 

The IPCC, which was established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the 

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), held its first session in 1988. This organization 

serves as a government forum to assess scientific, technical, and socioeconomic information 

relevant for the understanding of climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation 

and mitigation. In doing so, the Panel draws on the expertise of thousands of scientists and 

technical experts. The IPCC is currently organized into three working groups, which examine 

(1) the state of the science, (2) impacts and adaptation, and (3) mitigation. In addition to 

preparing assessment reports, the IPCC also contributes to international negotiations through 

preparation and review of special reports and development of methodologies requested by the 

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 

The UNFCCC was negotiated beginning in February 1991 and the Convention was open for 

signature in Rio de Janeiro at the Earth Summit in June 1992. As of May 2004, it had been 

ratified by 189 countries, including the United States. The ultimate objective of the Framework 

Convention is to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions at a level that would prevent dangerous 

anthropogenic (human induced) interference with the climate system. It states that such a level 

should be achieved within a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to 

climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened, and to enable economic 

development to proceed in a sustainable manner. DOS leads U.S. participation in the UNFCCC 

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negotiations, and is currently working towards an anticipated global agreement in Copenhagen in 

December 2009. 

In December 2007 at the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC, the United States 

agreed to the Bali Action Plan which was the start of a two-year negotiation toward a new long 

term climate arrangement for the post 2012 era. As an adjunct to the UN process, the United 

States and 16 other major economies responsible for roughly 80 percent of the world’s economic 

activity and 80 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions founded the Major Economies 

Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF). MEF Leaders’ representative meetings were held in 

Washington, Paris, and Mexico, and at the Leaders’ meeting at the L’Aquila G8 in Italy, a MEF 

Leader’s declaration was issued. Another multilateral effort is the Asia-Pacific Partnership on 

Clean Development and Climate (APP). The seven countries that make up the Partnership—

Australia, Canada, China, India, Republic of Korea, Japan, and the United States—are focused 

on clean development projects in partner countries. To date, over 115 projects have been 

endorsed by the APP since January 2006. The US APP Program office in DOS has funded 

roughly $13 million worth of clean development projects in India and China to date. 

In the context of meteorological and climate monitoring of greenhouse gases and other related 

impacts, DOS, together with strong participation from USDA, DOE, and other US government 

(USG) agencies, organized the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference 

(WIREC) in March, 2008. As the third international ministerial-level event on renewable 

energy, the conference drew over 3000 participants, with an additional 6000 attending the trade 

show and related events. Notably, the Ministerial Meeting at WIREC brought together 103 

ministers representing energy, economic, and scientific sectors of governments. In response to 

the call issued by the conference organizers, participants submitted over 140 pledge 

commitments related to implementation of renewable energy on behalf of organizations, ranging 

from governments to civil society to the private sector. USG contributions include a total of 31 

pledges made by 14 agencies, including DOS commitments anchored in the Asia-Pacific 

Partnership initiative. Together these initiatives help our global capability to understand and 

address issues associated with climate change in a manner that supports broader sustainable 

development goals. In addition to its primary role in the organizations and events listed above, 

DOS is active in several relevant interagency processes, including the Committee on 

Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) of the National Science and Technology Council, 

the Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) and its Interagency Working Group on Climate 

Change Science and Technology (IWGCCST). The CENR was established in 1993 to 

coordinate scientific domestic programs. CCSP was created in 2001 to “integrate federal 

research on global change and climate change” across 13 Federal agencies and is the umbrella to 

the IWGCCST which was founded in 2002 and is a sub-cabinet level group that reviews all 

programs that contribute to climate change science and technology. In addition to the above, 

DOS responsibilities include, but are not limited to, international aspects of food policy, disaster 

warnings and assistance, WMO and UNEP activities, and international meteorological programs. 

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SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

National Science Foundation (NSF) 

In addition to ongoing efforts in basic climate research, modeling, and process studies, in FY 

2011, the National Science Foundation (NSF) will be funding a major new effort in 

understanding the natural drivers that result in the oscillatory patterns of regional and global 

climate. The NSF-wide Investment: Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability 

(SEES) includes a program that will fund work that seeks to: 1) achieve comprehensive, reliable 

global and regional predictions of decadal climate variability and change through advanced 

understanding of the coupled interactive physical, chemical, biological and human processes that 

drive the climate system; 2) quantify the impacts of climate variability and change on ecological, 

agricultural and other human systems, and identify and quantify feedback loops through which 

human systems help determine environmental outcomes; 3) maximize the utility of available 

observational and model data for impact and vulnerability/resilience assessments through 

up/downscaling activities; and 4) effectively translate model results and associated uncertainties 

into the scientific basis for well-informed human adaptation to and management decisions for 

climate change. 

NOAA/NESDIS National Climatic Data Center 

Climate Change Impacts Assessment. NCDC will continue to research observed changes in 

extreme events in the NCDC climate record. This will include investigations of changes in 

droughts, heat waves, and heavy precipitation. Observed changes will be compared to climate 

model results in an effort to look at climate change detection and attribution issues. Society 

recognizes the need to plan for the protection of communities and infrastructure from extreme 

events of various kinds and engages in risk management. More broadly, responding to the threat 

of climate change is quintessentially a risk management problem. Structural measures (such as 

engineering works), governance measures (such as zoning and building codes), financial 

instruments (such as insurance and contingency funds), and emergency measures practices are all 

risk management measures that are used to lessen the impacts of historical extremes. To the 

extent that changes in extremes can be anticipated, society can engage in additional risk 

management practices that would encourage proactive adaptation to limit future impacts. 

NOAA’s contributions to the recent Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States serve as 

a foundation for forthcoming assessment activities, See: 

http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessments/us-impacts. 

Renewable Energy. Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources, including 

wind power and solar radiation, and energy from other naturally and constantly replenished 

sources (sunlight, rain, tides, geothermal heat, etc.). NCDC and National Renewable Energy 

Laboratory (NREL) have collaborated on applied research to develop a variety of products in 

support of renewable energy efforts. Such efforts focus on two areas: 

 Solar Data: The National Solar Radiation Data Base (NSRDB) and NCDC’s Integrated 

Surface Data (ISD) have been cataloged for advanced use in renewable energy research. 

In FY 2011, NOAA will continue to work to provide climate summaries useful in 

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estimating solar energy potential across the United States and in estimating 

heating/cooling requirements for buildings based on heat-gain from solar radiation. 

 Wind Energy Data: There are several wind-related products available to the energy 

industry. The most comprehensive is a collection of gridded maps. The maps are based 

on hourly surface observational data, with the wind speed/direction data being used to 

then estimate the wind energy at various heights above ground. ISD were a key source of 

data for this effort. These data are extremely useful in estimating wind energy potential 

across the United States to determine locations where wind turbines and wind farms 

would be most practical, and NOAA will continue to develop these data sets in FY 2011. 

Coastal Climatology Research. Information on coastal inundation risks are paramount as sea 

levels continue to rise. NCDC works to advance research leading to the development of products 

that have actionable operational use. The Pacific Region Integrated Climatology Information 

Products (PRICIP) project will improve understanding of patterns and trends of storm frequency 

and intensity (“storminess”) within the Pacific Region. It will also develop a suite of integrated 

information products that can be used by emergency managers, mitigation planners, government 

agencies, and decision-makers in key sectors including water and natural resource management, 

agriculture and fisheries, transportation and communication, and recreation and tourism. PRICIP 

is exploring how the climate-related processes that govern extreme storm events are expressed 

within and between three, interacting theme areas: strong winds, heavy rains, and high seas. The 

PRICIP portal can be found at http://www.pricip.org/. 

Global Tropical Cyclone Database Development. In FY 2009, NOAA unveiled the International 

Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS). IB-TrACS overcame data availability 

issues and freely disseminated this new and popular global data set. This was achieved by 

working directly with all the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers and other 

international centers and individuals to create a global best track dataset, merging storm 

information from multiple centers into one product and archiving the data for public use. The 

IBTrACS project portal (http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ibtracs/): 

 Contains the most complete global set of historical tropical cyclones available. 

 Combines information from numerous tropical cyclone datasets. 

 Simplifies inter-agency comparisons by providing storm data from multiple sources in 

one place. 

 Provides data in popular formats to facilitate analysis. 

 Checks the quality of storm inventories, positions, pressures, and wind speeds, passing 

the information on to the user. 

Paleoclimatology Reconstructions Network. NOAA Paleoclimatology has released the first 

product of its Paleoclimate Network (PCN), including 92 high-resolution temperature records 

over the past 2+ millennia in its archive. These records include global, hemispheric, regional, and 

local reconstructions, generally with annual time-step resolution. The records come with many 

categories of metadata. Each record is available as a separate ASCII file with fixed header and 

data formats, allowing machine reading of the data and time-step information. All the records 

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together are also available in netCDF, ASCII, and Excel formats, including the complete 

metadata within the files themselves. 

Cryospheric Research. The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC, http://nsidc.org/), a 

center within the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University 

of Colorado at Boulder, receives funding from NOAA and other Federal agencies. NSIDC’s 

research covers a broad spectrum of climate-cryosphere interactions, using a variety of observing 

techniques with special emphasis on Arctic sea ice, Antarctic ice shelves, and satellite-borne 

measurements. NSIDC has a valuable collection of analog archives, including many thousands of 

glacier photographs that are being scanned and made available online through CDMP. In 

addition, algorithms to detect snow, frozen ground, and sea ice in passive microwave images 

from DMSP and NASA satellites were developed at NSIDC. Current work includes “succession 

planning” or cross-calibration to continue the climate record as the current Special Sensor 

Microwave Imager (SSM/I) instrument becomes unstable and a new one comes into use. Other 

work at NSIDC includes developing models of the physical and mechanical properties of snow 

and ice in glaciers and the freeze-thaw cycles of soils in polar regions—the latter is an important 

component of hydrological modeling. Other areas of special interest and study are the 

interactions between sea ice, the ocean, and the atmosphere and the discipline of data 

management for scientific enterprise. 

NOAA/OAR Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) 

In an effort to better understand and forecast climate, OAR/AOML has been deploying a global 

array of profiling floats since 2000. The broad-scale global array of temperature/salinity profiling 

floats, known as Argo, has already grown to be a major component of the ocean observing 

system with a deployment of 3000 floats. Argo floats are free-drifting profiling floats that spend 

most of their life “parked” at 1,000 or 2,000 meters depth in the ocean, regularly surfacing to 

make temperature and salinity profile measurements and providing those observations in realtime. AOML is the U.S. Argo Data Assembly Center and the South Atlantic Argo Regional 

Center, in charge of all U.S. Argo deployments in the Atlantic. The Argo array is part of the 

GCOS/ GOOS and is a major contributor to the WCRP's Climate Variability and Predictability 

Experiment (CLIVAR) and the Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE). 

Combined with satellites, Argo data provides a quantitative description of the changing state of 

the upper ocean and the patterns of ocean climate variability from months to decades, including 

heat and freshwater storage and transport. 

The Tropical Atmosphere Ocean/TRIangle Trans-Ocean buoy Network (TAO/TRITON) array 

consists of approximately 70 Autonomous Temperature Line Acquisition System (ATLAS) and 

TRITON moorings in the tropical Pacific Ocean, telemetering oceanographic and meteorological 

data to shore in real-time via the ARGOS satellite system. Designed to improve detection, 

understanding, and prediction of El Niño, TAO/TRITON is a major component of the El 

Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Observing System, the GCOS, and the GOOS. 

Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science 

The Office of Science (SC) manages fundamental research programs in basic energy sciences, 

biological and environmental sciences, and computational science. In addition, the Office of 

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Science is the Federal Government’s largest single funder of materials and chemical sciences, 

and it supports unique and vital parts of U.S. research in climate change, geophysics, genomics, 

life sciences, and science education. SC Climate Change Research is described in detail in the 

latest interagency report: Our Changing Planet, under the U.S. Global Change Research 

Program. 

Climate and Evironmental Sciences Division 

Within the SC Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER), the Climate and 

Environmental Sciences Division (CESD) focuses on a predictive, systems-level understanding 

of the fundamental science associated with climate change and DOE’s environmental 

challenges—both key to supporting the DOE mission. CESD supports an integrated portfolio of 

research ranging from molecular to field scale studies, with emphasis on the use of advanced 

computer models and multidisciplinary experimentation. CESD supports three research activities 

and two national scientific user facilities. 

Atmospheric System Research (ASR) Program. The ASR program seeks to resolve the two 

major areas of uncertainty in climate change projections: the role of clouds and the effects of 

aerosol emissions on the atmospheric radiation balance. In partnership with the Atmospheric 

Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility (ACRF), the goal of the ASR is to quantify 

the interactions among aerosols, clouds, precipitation, radiation, dynamics, and thermodynamics 

to improve fundamental process-level understanding, with the ultimate goal to reduce the 

uncertainty in global and regional climate simulations and projections. To accomplish this 

mission, ASR utilizes continuous long-term datasets that provide measurements of radiation, 

aerosols, clouds, precipitation, dynamics, and thermodynamics over a range of environmental 

conditions at several fixed and mobile ACRF sites situated in climatically diverse locations. 

These datasets are supplemented with laboratory studies and shorter-duration ground-based and 

airborne field campaigns to target specific atmospheric processes under a diversity of locations 

and atmospheric conditions. The long- and short-term data, together with model data, are 

employed to understand and parameterize the processes that govern the atmospheric components 

and their interactions over all pertinent scales. 

Finally, ASR seeks to develop integrated, scale-bridging test beds for model parameterizations 

that incorporate this process-level understanding of the life cycles of aerosols, clouds, and 

precipitation in numerical models. To promote efficient implementation of improved 

atmospheric process understanding into DOE-supported coupled climate models, ASR 

participates in model activities with the division’s modeling programs. 

Climate and Earth System Modeling. Climate and Earth system modeling focuses on 

development, evaluation, and use of regional and global models, the development of Earth 

system models, and integrated assessment models to determine the impacts and possible 

mitigation, of climate change. 

Environmental System Science. The Environmental System Science activity provides scientific 

understanding of the effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems, the role of terrestrial 

ecosystems in global carbon cycling, the basic understanding of terrestrial carbon sequestration, 

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and the role of subsurface biogeochemical processes on the fate and transport of DOE-relevant 

contaminants including heavy metals and radionuclides. 

Two scientific user facilities—the ACRF and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory—provide the broad scientific community with technical capabilities, scientific expertise, 

and unique information to facilitate science in areas of importance to DOE. 

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility (ACRF) 

The ACRF is a multiplatform national scientific user facility, with instruments at fixed and 

varying locations around the globe for obtaining continuous field measurements of climate data. 

It promotes the advancement of atmospheric process understanding and climate models through 

precise observations of atmospheric phenomena. The ACRF was the first climate change field 

research facility to operate cutting-edge instrumentation on a long-term continuous basis. With 

its fixed research sites in three diverse climate regimes, representing mid-latitude, polar, and 

tropical environs (i.e., the southern Great Plains of the United States, the North Slope of Alaska, 

and the Tropical Western Pacific), and with an aerial (airborne) measurement capability and two 

mobile ground facilities, the ACRF provides the world’s most comprehensive around-the-clock 

observational capabilities for obtaining atmospheric data specifically for climate change 

research. 

Each ACRF site uses an array of cloud- and aerosol-observing instruments to record long-term 

continuous atmospheric and surface properties that affect cloud formation and radiation transport 

through the atmosphere. The ARCF also provides shorter-term (months rather than years) 

measurements with its two mobile facilities and aerial measurement capability. This approach of 

combining long-term, fixed-site measurements with short-term mobile measurements allows 

unique examination of the behavior of fundamental atmospheric processes—and the evaluation 

of climate model performance with respect to those processes—over a wide range of climatic 

and meteorological conditions. Data from the sites are available through the data archive 

established at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These data are used as a resource for over 100 

journal articles per year. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 

Earth Science Division 

Climate services, whether global or national, will require development and delivery of data, 

tools, and information that are science-based, user-responsive, understandable, credible, and 

relevant to decision makers. Climate services will be an integrated system that links essential 

observations, data, research and analysis, and predictions to the iterative development of serviceoriented information for societal benefits. According to the U.S. Government Report to the 

World Meteorological Organization High-level Taskforce for the Global Framework for Climate 

Services, core climate service elements should include: new scientific knowledge to improve 

climate services; balanced, credible, cutting-edge scientific and technical information; long-term 

changes in trends in climate and changes in natural variability; multi-disciplinary approaches that 

address economic, social, and cultural issues; development of science-based products and 

services to minimize climate-related risks; regional and local projections of climate change; 

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observing systems and linkages between systems, standards, and data stewardship; data 

distribution with minimum time delay and minimum cost; timely assessments; and climate 

literacy and workforce development. 

The 2010 National Space Policy stated that NASA plays a crucial role in global climate change 

research and sustained monitoring capabilities, and advances research into and scientific 

knowledge of the global integrated Earth system by accelerating development of new Earth 

observing satellites. The NASA program on global climate change research is comprehensive, 

encompassing continuous interactions between satellite mission development and formulation, 

satellite data analyses, Earth system modeling, new technology, and state-of-the-art scientific 

knowledge for applications. Scientific research and data analysis are conducted through the open, 

transparent proposal peer-review Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES). 

More than 30 years ago, NASA pioneered the interdisciplinary field of Earth system science, 

which is the study of Earth as a global integrated system. Global climate change is an essential 

component of Earth system science. NASA climate activities encompass the global atmosphere; 

the global oceans, including sea ice; land surfaces, including snow and ice; ecosystems; and 

interactions between the atmosphere, oceans, land, and ecosystems, including humans. NASA’s 

goal is to understand the changing global climate, its interaction with life, and how human 

activities affect the environment. In association with national and international agencies, NASA 

applies this understanding for the benefit of society. 

NASA’s climate program is unique throughout the world because it is an end-to-end one that 

encompasses the development of observational techniques and the instrument technologies 

needed to implement them; laboratory testing and demonstrations from an appropriate set of 

surface-, balloon-, aircraft-, and space-based platforms; development and operation of satellite 

missions and production and dissemination of resulting data products; research to increase basic 

process knowledge; incorporation of results into complex computational models that can be used 

to more fully characterize the present state of the environment and predict the future evolution of 

the Earth system; and development of partnerships with other national and international 

organizations that can use the generated information in environmental forecasting and in policy, 

business, and management decisions. 

Satellite Missions. Satellites provide critical climate change measurements via global coverage, 

frequent sampling in both space and time, and near-uniform accuracy and stability. NASA 

initiated, and in selected cases sustained for more than a decade, many global, high accuracy, 

well-calibrated data records; such as, total solar irradiance at the top of the atmosphere; Arctic 

Ocean sea ice extent and thickness; Antarctic and Greenland ice-sheet thicknesses, global sea 

level, global ocean surface vector wind; global ocean near-surface chlorophyll-a concentration; 

global land use and land cover; ozone in the stratosphere; and global precipitation, including 

water vapor, rainfall, and snow. These critical climate data records are a foundation for national 

and international studies of global and regional climate change. 

At the beginning of FY 2010, NASA operated 15 on-orbit satellites that produce climate relevant 

data. On October 11, 2009, and November 23, 2009, respectively, the ICESat and QuikSCAT 

satellites ceased their primary geophysical missions after many years of extended service. 

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The daunting challenge of the complexity of global and regional climate change science is the 

huge number of biological, chemical, and physical variables that must be measured 

simultaneously at all locations. To approximate a solution, NASA engineered constellations of 

satellites flying in close formation. NASA’s Aura, CALIPSO, CloudSat, and Aqua satellites, 

together with the French PARASOL satellite, are called the “A-Train” constellation and produce 

an unprecedented quantity of data for atmospheric chemistry and composition. The time 

separation between the front and rear of the A-Train is 7 minutes, less than the lifetime of most 

clouds; this important feature allows researchers to utilize multi-satellite observations to examine 

specific processes related to cirrus cloud formation in large-scale models. In December 2009, 

PARASOL’s limited fuel supply caused it to be placed at an orbit lower than the 705-km orbit of 

the A-Train. 

Every two years, NASA evaluates the extension of missions that have completed their primary 

mission or will complete the primary mission in the two years following the evaluation review. 

In April-May 2009, 13 missions were reviewed for continued relevance of their science 

objectives and the routine use of their near-real-time data products to advance the objectives of 

operational agencies, which ranked the operational utility of each mission as “very high,” “high,” 

“some,” or “none.” A “very high” utility meant that the data were routinely used and loss of data 

would have significant negative impact on operational objectives. A “high” utility meant data 

were routinely used data and loss of data would measurably impact the operational agency’s 

mission. Data from all NASA satellites were utilized by other agencies. Satellites with “very 

high” utility were Aqua, Aura, CALIPSO, GRACE, ICESat, Jason-1, QuikSCAT, SORCE, Terra 

and TRMM. The satellite with “high” utility is CloudSat. The next Senior Review for mission 

extension will occur in 2011. 

NASA has 7 missions in 

development for launch 

from 2010 to 2015. Five 

missions (Glory, Aquarius, 

NPP, LDCM, and GPM 

Core) are foundational 

missions, which the 

Decadal Survey assumed 

would be precursors to 

Decadal Survey missions. 

Two missions, SMAP and 

ICESat-II, are Tier I 

Decadal Survey missions. 

 Artist’s rendition of Glory in orbit. Credit:NASA 

The President’s FY 2011 Budget Request funds a Climate Change Initiative that will greatly 

accelerate NASA’s formulation, development, and launch of all 15 Decadal Survey missions

assigned to NASA; all Decadal Survey are relevant to research on global and regional climate 

change. Launch readiness dates of the remaining Tier 1 Decadal Survey missions, CLARREO 

and DESDynI, were moved up to 2017. The Initiative will make possible a larger number of 

Decadal Survey missions in the coming decade. For example, the budget enhancement advances 

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the average launch readiness date of each Tier 1 mission, two Tier 2 missions (ASCENDS and 

SWOT), and a Venture-class satellite mission by about 30 months. 

The President’s FY 2011 Budget Request also recognizes the need for continuity in critical 

climate observations and data records and continues funding to develop an Orbiting Carbon 

Observatory (OCO-2) mission to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide to replace the mission that 

failed to reach orbit in 2009, with a target launch readiness date of early 2013. NASA will also 

begin development of a GRACE-Continuity mission working towards a launch readiness date in 

2016; refurbish a SAGE-III instrument to measure aerosols, ozone water vapor, and other trace 

gases in the upper troposphere and stratosphere as early as 2014; and a Pre-ACE (called PACE) 

mission to measure ocean color, clouds, and aerosols as early as 2018. 

The Decadal Survey recommended creation of a Venture-class program of small, frequent, 

predictably scheduled science mission opportunities to spur innovation and enable the training of 

future Earth science leaders. In 2009, NASA released the Earth Venture-1 (EV-1) call for 

extended airborne science observing campaigns. Selections of five EV-1 airborne investigations 

were announced in May 2010, with field campaigns to run from 2011 through 2015. The selected 

EV-1 missions will investigate: soil moisture in major ecosystems as it relates to the uptake or 

emission of carbonaceous gases (e.g., carbon dioxide and methane); the exchange of water vapor 

and other chemical constituents between the stratosphere and troposphere along with cirrus cloud 

properties and chemical processes with a variety of instruments on NASA’s Global Hawk 

unattended airborne system (UAS) in widely separated areas in the tropical Pacific; the emission 

of carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases from Arctic permafrost with a variety of instruments 

deployed on aircraft and on the ground; the air quality impact of aerosols, ozone, and other gases 

over a number of major North American urban areas utilizing NASA’s B-200 and P-3B aircraft 

to improve the use of satellite remote sensing in air quality assessment and forecasting; and 

tropical storm development with instruments deployed on two NASA Global Hawk UASs which 

can remain aloft for up to 30 hours. NASA plans to release the first call for a complete space 

flight mission, EV-2, in 2011, with selections to be made in 2012. The solicitations for suborbital and orbital missions will continue in alternate years. The President’s FY 2011 Budget 

Request also provides funding for an annual solicitation to develop satellite instruments for a 

mission of opportunity; the first solicitation, called EV-3, will occur in 2011. 

Technology Development. Technology investments are aligned primarily with Decadal Survey 

activities, but may also support the foundational and climate continuity missions. Such 

investments focus on maturation of technologies to enable advanced space-based observations 

and modeling to improve understanding of the global integrated Earth system including global 

and regional climate change. The Earth Science Technology Program provides funding for 

instrument, component, and information technologies prior to mission formulation. Developing 

and validating technologies well in advance of a flight project help to improve acceptance and 

reduce costs. Projects are initiated each year through the ROSES open, peer-review, competitive 

proposal process; duration of each project is typically three years. In 2007, 57 projects were 

started. In 2009, approximately 53 percent of projects achieved quantifiable improvements in 

technology readiness. Four examples are described. The Far Infrared Spectroscopy of the 

Troposphere project successfully obtained measurements in the far-infrared region of the Earth’s 

infrared emission spectrum critical to understanding radiative feedbacks associated with global 

warming. The Pathfinder Advanced Radar Sounder instrument successfully measured basal 

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topography and internal layering of ice sheets in Greenland that will enhance our understanding 

of ice-sheet mass changes. Field tests of the Tropospheric Infrared Mapping Spectrometer

instrument demonstrated a low-risk, no-moving-parts design for improved column carbon 

monoxide measurements. A proof-of-concept Glacier and Land Ice Surface Topography 

Interferometer Ka-band radar instrument generated both imagery and high-precision topographic 

maps of glaciers and ice sheets. New project solicitations will be released in 2011 through 

ROSES. 

Airborne Platforms. NASA supports a wide range of piloted and unattended airborne systems to 

enable more effective utilization of satellite missions, including calibration and validation of 

satellite measurements, including algorithms; observations that fill satellite measurement gaps, 

e.g., airborne measurement of vertical distribution of an atmospheric variable which a satellite 

measures as a column average; fundamental research on processes within the global integrated 

Earth system that satellite measurements have yet to observe; continuity of satellite 

measurements in selected geographical regions to mitigate a data gap that occurs between the 

end of a satellite mission and the start of the next mission; and, test of new sensor technologies in 

space-like environments. Three NASA airborne assets, the ER-2 (operates with a pilot at 22-km 

altitude), WB-57 (operates with 2 pilots at 20-km altitude), and Global Hawk (operates 

unattended at 20-km altitude with an 11,000 nautical-mile range and 31-hour duration), are 

world-unique flying laboratories for global integrated Earth system science. 

In FY 2009, the UAVSAR instrument on the Gulfstream-III became operational with data 

acquisition for terrestrial ecology and hydrology sciences during the International Polar Year. 

The multi-year IceBridge campaign was inaugurated with more than 400 hours of P-3B and DC8 flight time for measurements of sea ice thickness and extent and glacier elevation. Also in 

FY2009, a superpod nacelle was mated to the WB-57 wings, and the aircraft was certified for a 

higher gross weight. The SIERRA UAS flew its inaugural science mission when it characterized 

Arctic sea ice. The Global Hawk UAS flew its first NASA flights using a totally redesigned 

ground operations center. 

In FY 2009, NASA established the Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) for students to 

acquire hands-on research experience in all aspects of a scientific campaign onboard the DC-8, 

which is a major NASA resource for study of global integrated Earth system processes and 

calibration/validation of space-borne observations. Students operated the Whole Air Sampler and 

the MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator instruments onboard the DC-8 to sample atmospheric 

chemicals and to image land and water surfaces in multiple spectral bands. Twenty-two 

undergraduate and graduate students were selected through an open application process. Three 

students presented their results at the American Geophysical Union Meeting in San Francisco 

during December 2009. SARP continued for a second year in summer 2010 when 27 students 

conducted airborne research using the same airborne facilities as in the previous year but with 

different scientific aims over different areas of California. 

Computing Capacity and Capability. Global climate change modeling requires extensive stateof-the-art computing capability and capacity. In June 2010, NASA established the NASA Center 

for Climate Simulation (NCCS) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. The 

NCCS provides an integrated set of supercomputing, visualization, and data interaction 

technologies that doubled the processing speed with peak performance of 159 trillion operations 

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per second; substantially reduced the horizontal resolution of climate models to 3.5 kilometers, 

equaling the highest resolution for a global climate model and adequate to capture a snowstorm 

and the eye of a hurricane; offered a larger memory of 35 terabytes distributed over 15,000 

processing cores, and the number is expected to double in FY 2011; increased disk storage to 3 

petabytes; and included an Earth System Grid for distributing simulation data from NASA’s 

contribution to the forthcoming Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on 

Climate Change. The NCCS climate model produces 8 terabytes of model output per day. To 

enable study of climate model results, the NCCS designed and installed its Data Exploration 

Theatre, a 17-by-6 foot visualization wall combining fifteen 46-inch high-definition screens into 

a display system totaling 14 million pixels. 

Data Information and Systems. NASA promotes the full and open sharing of all data with the 

research and applications communities, private industry, academia, and the general public. This 

includes observations, metadata, high-level data products, images, science results and many 

other types of information. NASA promotes the sharing of models and other analysis tools along 

with related documentation and source code. NASA adheres to the principle of nondiscriminatory data access so that all users are treated equally; there is no period of exclusive 

access to NASA data. 

NASA records more than 4 terabytes of data every day and maintains the world’s largest 

scientific data and information system to process, archive, and distribute data and information 

products created from satellite data. NASA’s 12 specialized data centers process, archive, 

document, and distribute data products, and provide services and data-handling tools for NASA’s 

past and current satellite missions and field measurement programs. 

NASA is using advances in information technology to expand its capabilities to support societal 

benefits, many of which require rapid utilization of satellite data. Operational agencies and 

others sometimes require data having a latency less than 3 hours (compared to about 40 hours for 

science-quality data) for a wide range of activities, including mitigating effects to natural hazards 

and forecasting air quality, invasive species, and weather. Compared to standard science-quality 

data, near-real-time data have less accurate ancillary data, such as geolocation. The Land 

Atmosphere Near-real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) provides access to data within 3 hours 

from the time of observation for data recorded from the AIRS, AMSR-E, MLS, MODIS and 

OMI instruments on the Aqua and Aura satellites. Science instrument teams validate near-realtime data. Near-real-time data are available from a 7-day rolling archive and are provided on a 

best-effort basis. LANCE is supported during normal working hours and is monitored for system 

failures and unexpected data outages. The one-stop-shop LANCE website was inaugurated in 

March 2010, and MODIS land surface temperature was added in May 2010. A MODIS rapid 

response system was integrated into LANCE in August 2010 and a LANCE User Working 

Group was established in September 2010. Plans for LANCE in FY 2011 include the integration 

of a fire information management system and a flood mapping capability. 

The Americas ALOS Data Node (AADN) is located at the Alaska Satellite Facility, a NASA 

Distributed Active Archive Center, and, in association with the Japan Aerospace Exploration 

Agency (JAXA), distributes JAXA ALOS data recorded from the AVNIR-2, PRISM, and 

PALSAR instruments to users in Central, North, and South America; special conditions apply for 

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Brazil and Canada. In April 2010, the acquisition of ALOS data through the NASA TDRSS was 

declared operational in a ceremony in Japan. 

Fundamental Research 

The current suite of 13 operating satellites missions, as well as numerous previous missions, 

provides unprecedented data for new discoveries about how the Earth system works and how it 

changes on various time scales. NASA’s Earth Science Division supports researchers through the 

ROSES open, peer-review, competitive, proposal process. In FY 2009 and FY 2010, 906 and 

861 projects were funded, respectively. Representative research results achieved in 2009 and 

2010 and relevant to OFCM guidelines are described below in four major scientific themes of the 

global integrated Earth system: Atmospheric Composition, Climate Variability and Change, 

Global Water Cycle, and Global Carbon Cycle. 

Atmospheric Composition. Atmospheric composition changes affect air quality, weather, 

climate, and critical constituents such as ozone. Atmospheric exchange links terrestrial and 

oceanic reservoirs within the carbon cycle and water cycle. Solar radiation affects atmospheric 

chemistry and is thus a critical factor in atmospheric composition. Atmospheric composition is 

central to Earth system dynamics because the atmosphere integrates surface emissions globally 

on time scales from weeks to years. NASA research on atmospheric composition furthers our 

understanding and capability for prediction of the recovery of stratospheric ozone and its impacts 

on surface ultraviolet radiation, of the evolution of greenhouse gases and their impacts on 

climate, of the evolution of tropospheric ozone and aerosols and their impacts on climate and air 

quality, and of other issues. 

NASA atmospheric composition research addresses the following questions: how is atmospheric 

composition changing; what trends in atmospheric composition and solar radiation are driving 

global climate change; how does atmospheric composition respond to and affect global 

environmental change; what are the effects of global atmospheric composition and climate 

changes on regional air quality; and how will future changes in atmospheric composition affect 

ozone, climate, and global air quality? 

A new research investment is the unattended airborne system Global Hawk, which can stay aloft 

at an altitude of 65,000 feet for 30 hours with a 12,000-mile range. Global Hawk completed its 

inaugural science mission (called Global Hawk Pacific or GloPac) in April 2010. On the second 

flight of five, the Global Hawk, fitted with 11 instruments, flew from California to Hawaii to 

near the equator and then to 85°N over the Arctic Ocean, spending 8 hours over sea ice, before 

landing in California. GloPac measured greenhouse gases, ozone-depleting substances, aerosols, 

and constituents of air quality in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. During the long 

southbound journey over the Pacific, the Global Hawk flew under the tracks of the Aura and 

CALIPSO satellites for calibration of satellite data. 

NASA’s innovative techniques in analyses of satellite measurements continually finds new 

measurement capabilities hidden in data that were primarily recorded for other purposes. 

Atmospheric carbon dioxide is such an example. In addition to achieving success its primary 

objective, enhancing weather forecasting, the AIRS instrument on Aqua has produced mid-level 

atmospheric carbon dioxide data. The TES instrument on Aura was not originally designed to 

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measure atmospheric carbon dioxide, but a validated TES carbon dioxide data product now 

exists. NASA’s OCO-2 mission, scheduled for launch in 2013, will provide CO2 measurements 

with significant sensitivity to the lower troposphere over land and ocean. 

Aerosols can harm human health and are a large source of uncertainty in predicting the future 

behavior of climate because some aerosols, such as soot (known as black carbon), absorb 

incoming solar radiation to heat the atmosphere while other aerosols; e.g., dust, reflect incoming 

solar radiation to cool the atmosphere. Analysis of airborne aerosol measurements collected 

throughout the Pacific Ocean basin revealed that increased aerosols from combustion are directly 

and indirectly influencing climate. Aerosols over the pristine Amazon rainforest approximate 

pre-industrial conditions, and aerosol-cloud interactions in this environment are distinctly 

different from those in polluted regions. 

Satellite measurements of aerosols, including aerosol injection generated by fires, are sufficiently 

long for global climatologies to be established, which is a necessary precursor for studies of 

spatial and temporal characteristics of global climate change. Maximum injection height of firegenerated aerosols in boreal and temperate regions of North America occurred in June-July. High 

aerosol loading from anthropogenic black carbon over the Indian subcontinent in March-May 

would elevate the natural heat pump for the southwest monsoon. 

Global observations of aerosols and other variables from A-Train satellite sensors allow climaterelated studies on aerosols that are not possible from single sensors alone. In a first study of its 

kind, NASA satellite data (OMI on Aura; MISR on Terra; CERES on Aqua and Terra; and 

MODIS on Aqua and Terra) and in-situ measurements (AERONET) revealed, that within the net 

radiative effect of dust, the long-wave effect dominates over a desert and the short-wave effect 

dominates over the ocean. Not all aerosols absorb solar radiation equally because of aerosol 

composition variations, an important variable for climate modeling. AERONET optical 

measurements revealed that the aerosol absorption optical depth was near unity (theoretical limit 

for black carbon) for industrial aerosols, about 10 percent larger for aerosols from biomass 

burning, and twice as large for desert dust. The NASA Glory mission, scheduled for launch in 

2011, will use this feature to detect aerosol composition. 

Carbon monoxide (CO), a weak greenhouse gas, is an ozone precursor gas and a pollutant. CO is 

a product of incomplete combustion, and its main global sources are biomass burning, fossil fuel 

combustion (including passenger vehicles), agricultural waste burning, biofuel combustion, and 

industrial production. NASA satellite data (AIRS on Aqua; TES on Aura; and MOPITT on 

Terra), non-U.S. satellite data (SCIAMACHY on Envisat), and a NASA chemical transport 

model (GEOS-Chem) showed that CO sources had been underestimated in winter at northern 

mid-latitudes. CO emissions in winter were 50 percent higher than in summer in the U.S. and 

Europe and 100 percent higher in eastern Asia, presumably from residential heating and vehicle 

cold starts. These results indicate an underestimation of biomass burning measurements in the 

Global Fire Emission Database. For a regional CO emissions, such as industrial production in the 

northeast U.S. and biomass burning in Brazil, the characteristic zonal and meridional scales of 

the surface temperature response caused by radiative forcing would be 12,000 and 35,000 km, 

respectively, extending the climate impacts of CO and other radiatively active pollutants 

thousands of km beyond the source. The world’s megacities’ emission of methane, a more potent 

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greenhouse gas than CO, could contribute 7-15 percent of the total global anthropogenic quantity 

of methane, which is substantially higher than currently estimated. 

One factor missing from climate models of Arctic warming is proper representation of the size, 

composition, and distribution of aerosols in the Arctic, which is a major receptor for mid-latitude 

pollution. Springtime airborne measurements in the Arctic revealed a large amount of midtroposphere aerosols (so-called Arctic haze), which had been produced in middle latitudes. 

Aerosols from fires and urban pollution penetrated the Arctic from all three Arctic continents, 

and mid-latitude Asian pollution was the strongest source of Arctic aerosols except near the 

surface, where European anthropogenic emissions were dominant. AIRS carbon monoxide data 

demonstrated a correlation between the El Nino and Asian pollution transport to the Arctic, 

apparently through teleconnections between tropical Pacific sea surface temperature and the 

strength of the Aleutian Low. Over the past 30 years, the Arctic surface air temperature has risen 

faster than any other large-scale region on Earth and apparently aerosols, especially Asian black 

carbon emissions, contributed nearly 75 percent of the 1.5 °C increase. Northern Hemisphere 

pollutants from power generation, industry, and on-road transportation contribute substantially to 

the warming in the Arctic. 

The eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull Volcano in April-May 2010 enabled an outstanding 

display of NASA science and technology for immediate societal benefit. While many satellites 

measured the presence of ash plumes during daylight, CALIPSO’s lidar instrument revealed the 

altitude of ash clouds, which greatly assisted advisory centers issuing warnings to pilots. The 

MODIS instrument on Aqua captured a nighttime image of the ash plume because of differences 

in heat radiated by the ash and the surrounding ocean and clouds. OMI and MISR instruments on 

Aura and Terra, respectively, and the ground-based AERONET also monitored the volcanic ash 

plume which, had it penetrated the stratosphere and contained a much larger mass, may have had 

a short-term climate impact. The MISR Plume Height Climatology Project was expanded to 

include volcanic plumes beginning with Eyjafjallajokull data. 

While the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano did not emit a great quantity of sulfur dioxide (SO2), other 

volcanoes do. Volcanic SO2 produces sulfate aerosols in the atmosphere. These sulfates, if 

injected into the upper troposphere and stratosphere, would remain in the atmosphere for months 

to years, affecting the global radiation budget and cloud microphysics. A new technique has been 

developed for direct retrieval of the vertical abundance of SO2 with NASA satellite 

measurements. 

The global extent of wildfires has a profound impact on global climate and air quality through 

emissions of CO, CO2, nitrogen oxides, methane, and aerosols. A first-ever global fire model 

validated on a global scale with satellite data, the only source of consistent information on fires 

on a global scale, has been developed. Hydrogen cyanide, a fire-produced pollutant, found in the 

lower stratosphere over India and Tibet had apparently originated from Indonesian fires and was 

then transported by the southwest monsoon circulation over the Indian Ocean and then 

convectively uplifted into the stratosphere with potential for global distribution. 

Pyrocumulonimbus, a fire-started or augmented thunderstorm that injects large amounts of 

smoke and other biomass burning emissions into the lower stratosphere, was discovered through 

innovative analyses of NASA MLS, SAGE-II and TOMS data. 

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Tropospheric ozone, an air pollutant produced by the chemical reaction of sunlight with nitrogen 

oxides and volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere, lowered the value of the soybean crop 

in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa by 10 percent (or $1 billion) by reducing membrane permeability, 

which leads to early desiccation and necrosis. With a 1 parts-per-billion increase in tropospheric 

ozone, soybean yields decreased by 1.5 bushels per acre. In the temperate forests of the eastern 

U.S., tropospheric ozone reduced net primary production about 8 percent over the past century, 

when nitrogen deposition had a greater influence on increasing net primary production than 

elevated carbon dioxide. 

Evidence of the success of the Montreal Protocol is shown from ground-based measurements of 

stratospheric chlorofluorocarbon 12 (CCL2F2) at Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, 

where CCL2F2 was increasing at the rate of 1.5 percent per year at the beginning of the data 

record in 1977 compared to 2009 when the trend decreased at 1.5 percent per year. 

Climate Variability and Change. Variations of oceans, ice-sheets, and sea ice and their mutual 

interactions represent major impacts of global atmospheric warming and a substantial portion of 

global climate change models, although climate models are now incorporating ocean and 

terrestrial biospheres. Sustained observations are required to isolate long-term trends from largeamplitude, shorter-period fluctuations. To develop improved models of future climate evolution, 

greater knowledge is needed of ice-sheet mass balance and dynamics, including ice-sheet flow 

and ice shelves; sea ice extent and thickness; and global ocean general circulation, including heat 

transport and air-sea interactions. 

NASA’s IceBridge mission collects data in the Arctic and Antarctic to extend the record of ice 

observations begun by ICESat, which ceased operation in October of 2009. Notable activities in 

2010 included an Antarctic flight that crossed every ICESat orbit and thousands of kilometers of 

flights over ICESat tracks in the Arctic and Antarctica. During these flights, critical data were 

also collected by radar and gravity methods to map the ice bed as well as the sea floor underlying 

floating ice shelves. In Antarctica, these maps revealed structures that allow warm Antarctic 

deep water to penetrate the far reaches of these ice shelves and destabilize them. NASA also 

established a data archive for IceBridge data at the National Snow and Ice Data Center. 

NASA’s precision satellite altimetry measurements of global sea level began in 1992 and have 

revealed a rise in sea level of about 3.3 mm/yr from January 1993 to September 2009. The rise is 

primarily caused by ocean thermal expansion and inflow of melt water from land, such as from 

Greenland where warm ocean waters melt a considerable amount of the calving fronts of glaciers 

and where surface melt accounts for roughly half the mass loss from the ice sheet. The rapidity 

of ice-sheet movement in Greenland and Antarctica has affirmed the need for more realistic icesheet models that incorporate bed topography and basal conditions; NASA is supporting this 

enterprise to generate a more accurate estimate of ice-sheet contribution to sea level rise. 

Because in-situ measurements of ocean warming do not have the consistency of satellite data, 

efforts continue to narrow uncertainties of upper-ocean warming estimates to improve 

assessments of the sea level budget, global radiation imbalance, and climate models. Satellite 

altimetry measurements in the North Atlantic Ocean showed a 15 percent increase in the mean 

northward-flowing upper portion of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation from 1993 

to 2009. 

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Meandering frontal zones, which occur throughout the ocean, have traditionally been observed 

with sea surface temperature, which restricted detection to regions of adequate sea surface 

gradient to define the frontal region. Patterns of skewness and kurtosis of precision satellite sea 

surface topography measurements offer an alternate approach to finding frontal zones, including 

newly discovered fronts in the Southern Ocean. 

The El Nino phenomenon, which reoccurs at irregular intervals of 3 to 7 years in the uppermost 

300-500 m in the tropical Pacific Ocean where an operational ocean observing system exists, is 

an excellent test bed to refine ocean data assimilation techniques for analyses of seasonal-tointerannual coupled ocean-atmosphere interactions. Observations indicate that the intensity of El 

Nino events in the central Pacific has almost doubled over the past 30 years, causing a long-term 

warming trend of sea surface temperature in the central Pacific. This could influence modelgenerated forecasts of the onset of El Nino. NASA’s GMAO global coupled ocean-atmosphereland general circulation model produced improved simulations of the 2006 El Nino event 

through assimilation of the vertical distribution of salinity. In the El Nino region, estimating airsea freshwater fluxes; i.e., evaporation minus precipitation, from sea surface salinity 

measurements recorded by the Aquarius mission will be challenging because of ocean dynamics. 

Aquarius is expected to launch in mid-2011. 

Global Water Cycle. One of the most significant effects of global warming is an alteration of the 

global water cycle. NASA’s global water cycle studies are enabling improved predictions of 

water cycle consequences of global integrated Earth system variability and change. This 

challenge requires knowledge of the Earth’s water cycle related to global climate variability and 

change, which alter the frequency, geographical distribution, and intensity of natural 

meteorological and hydrological events. Interpretations of water cycle trends, extreme events, 

and abrupt changes, which are estimated through assimilation of satellite and in-situ observations 

into global prediction models, are emphasized. The global water cycle has obvious and 

significant implications for the health and prosperity of society. 

Consistently processed satellite data now have durations sufficiently long for water cycle trend 

analyses. A 10-year climatology of TRMM vertical radiative heating profiles showed the strong 

influence of clouds, water vapor, and large-scale dynamics on regional radiation budgets. The 

mean annual maximum areal extent of surface water (non-ice) reservoirs, such as rivers, lakes, 

wetlands, and irrigated regions, decreased approximately 6 percent from 1993 to 2004, with the 

largest impact in the tropics from 1993 to 2000. Variations in surface height of lakes and 

reservoirs as small as 150 km2 with a width as small as 800 m can be measured with a root-meansquare accuracy of 3-33 cm, depending on the size of the lake or reservoir. The Decadal Survey 

Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission is expected to dramatically reduce this 

uncertainty. 

Developing climatology of gale-force ocean winds is challenging because of the scarcity of 

observations: ships generally avoid high winds. A 10-year QuikSCAT climatology of Gulf of 

Tehuantepec high-wind-speed events revealed nearly 12 gale-force (wind speed >34 knots) 

events and 6 storm-force (> 48 knots) events during November-March, with most gales and 

storms occurring in December and January, respectively. 

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The amount of water vapor in the stratosphere influences the temperature of the troposphere 

through radiative effects: increases (decreases) in stratospheric water vapor warm (cool) the 

troposphere. Stratospheric water vapor measurements from a sequence of NASA instruments 

(HALOE, SAGE-II, and MLS) showed a decrease of about 10 percent after 2000, which 

modeling studies indicated would slow the rate of increase in global warming from 2000-2009 

by 25 percent. 

Precipitation, whether as solid or liquid, is not well observed throughout the world and 

estimating global precipitation is a challenge. NASA’s multi-satellite microwave precipitation 

data product, which is independent of the occurrence of clouds, combines measurements from 

the TMI, SSMI, AMSR, and AMSU instruments. Many evaluation tests showed the reliability of 

the data product, including 1-day rainfall totals during the extreme flooding around Atlanta, GA, 

in September 2009. For geostationary satellite data, a multi-spectral technique (6.5 and 10.7 mm) 

was 20 percent and 50 percent more accurate in rain rate and rain/no-rain detection, respectively, 

than a single thermal infrared spectral channel (~11 m). An improved rainfall algorithm 

estimates cloud development and dispersal streamlines through successive geostationary images 

and then locally collocates rainfall to the clouds with polar-orbiting microwave rainfall 

measurements. Merging satellite rainfall measurements with in-situ rain gauge data reduced 

satellite rainfall measurement bias. Integrating cloud and multispectral information improves rain 

estimation in summer over the United States. 

A causative factor in generating precipitation is upward motion in the lower atmosphere 

associated with surface wind convergence, which has a strong diurnal periodicity and which over 

the global ocean is a challenge to observe because of the absence of surface wind vector 

measurements. In a one-time occurrence lasting six months in 2003, two identical SeaWinds 

instruments on two different satellites (QuikSCAT and ADEOS-II) revealed a rich diurnal 

variability pattern, which influenced cloudiness, cloud liquid-water content, and precipitation, 

over a large fraction of the global ocean within 20-30° of the equator. 

The accurate portrayal of the presence or absence of clouds in weather and climate models has 

long been recognized as a source of large uncertainty in weather forecasts and climate 

predictions. Progress is being made on classification of clouds in geostationary satellite data. The 

vertical profile of clouds influences the estimation of the radiative flux divergence within and at 

the top of the atmosphere. Cloud-base height influences the surface radiation budget, particularly 

in polar regions. A new method using geostationary satellite measurements has been developed 

to derive ice water content for the top portion of deep convective clouds and anvils. Observations 

of multi-layer clouds and cloud thicknesses were especially challenging until the CALIPSO and 

CloudSat missions were launched in 2006; these satellites measure nearly the same volumes of 

the atmosphere within 15 seconds of each other. The annual cycle of global cloud cover derived 

from these satellites’ data had a minimum of 74 percent in March and maximum of 78 percent in 

October. An improved CALIPSO cloud phase determination algorithm has been developed using 

the spatial correlation of layer-integrated attenuated backscatter and layer-integrated particulate 

depolarization ratio. 

An obstacle to developing accurate cloud parameterizations for the stratosphere is incomplete 

knowledge about the presence of clouds. NASA satellite measurements (CALIPSO, MLS on 

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Aura) showed that convection is an important water source for clouds in the lower stratosphere 

in mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, especially over North America. 

The latent heat released during phase changes of water is the dominant component in the 

atmospheric energy budget in the tropics. The atmospheric response to heating is sensitive to its 

vertical distribution. TRMM data have sufficient fidelity to show that latent heating profiles over 

the west Pacific warm pool simulated with a 2-dimensional cloud-resolving model were more 

representative than those computed with a 3-dimensional cloud-resolving model. TRMM 

precipitation radar data were instrumental in developing an improved method to estimate very 

high vertical resolution latent heating profiles. TRMM-derived vertical latent heating profiles 

determined rain-rate intensity within the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), which is a 

fundamental mode of the tropical atmospheric circulation and is poorly represented in global 

models. For the MJO water cycle, precipitation and moisture convergences were nearly balanced 

throughout the atmosphere column, with surface evaporation being much smaller. 

Knowledge of extreme deep convection with cloud-top heights exceeding 10 km has been 

revolutionized with TRMM Precipitation Radar data. This phenomenon occurs infrequently 

throughout the globe but is relatively common in the evening in the pre-monsoon (March-May) 

and monsoon (June-September) periods in India’s east coast and western Himalayan foothills, 

respectively. 

Global warming produces a wetter atmosphere, and how much wetter is a subject of debate. 

Theoretical considerations indicate the amount of water in the atmosphere should increase 7 

percent for a 1 °C rise in surface temperature. AIRS data in summer over northern Eurasia 

showed that the total precipitable water increased 3 percent per 1 °C, indicating that climate 

models may be overestimating the strength of the moisture-driven greenhouse warming at middle 

latitudes during summer. 

Quantifying the components of the terrestrial water cycle is key to understanding availability of 

water resources and to predicting extremes such as droughts and floods. For large scales and 

especially in less-developed regions the paucity of in-situ observations severely limits balancing 

the water budget. Satellite data have the potential to quantify the water budget with spatially 

consistent data. However, the task is very challenging. Precipitation was highly overestimated 

and large uncertainties occurred in other individual budget components over the Mississippi 

River basin. Irrigation, a form of agricultural management practices, has a substantial impact on 

the water cycle by increasing evapotranspiration 100 W m-2 and reducing an equivalent amount 

of sensible heat flux over many regions in the continental United States. In areas of forest 

canopy, evapotranspiration is difficult to estimate from satellite data. Initialization of coupled 

land-atmosphere models with soil moisture markedly improved the skill of predicting 

precipitation over North America up to 45 days in advance, indicating a strong rationale for 

NASA’s SMAP mission planned for launch in 2014. NASA supports development of global soil 

moisture algorithms using microwave measurements. 

NASA is developing estimates of surface and subsurface (or aquifer) water storage variations, 

which are important components of the terrestrial water budget and which heretofore have large 

uncertainty because of the absence of adequate measurements. For northwest India, including 

New Delhi, 18 km3

/yr of groundwater was depleted from 2002 to 2008 for a net loss of 109 km3

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of water, which was double the capacity of India’s largest surface reservoir. In the northeast 

Indian subcontinent, from Dhaka to New Delhi to Kabul, the groundwater depletion rate was 54 

km3

/yr from 2002 to 2008, which could have contributed 0.16 mm/yr to global sea-level rise. 

The observed intensity of the 2005 extreme drought in the Amazon River basin, which was 

called a “public calamity,” was much greater than that estimated by data-assimilating climate and 

land-surface models. For regional scales of about 650 km x 650 km, a new method for estimating 

variations of groundwater storage was successfully tested for the U.S. High Plains Aquifer. 

Sea surface temperature (SST) is a critical precursor of weather because of the important 

exchange of heat between the atmosphere and ocean. Several satellites carrying infrared- and 

microwave-sensing instruments record SST; microwave instruments “see” through clouds while 

infrared instruments do not, but data from infrared instruments have a smaller footprint yielding 

additional information of SST gradients. An innovative uniform SST data product with 

consistent estimates of measurement error has been developed that integrates SST measurements 

from nine satellites, each with its own instrument errors and sampling characteristics; the 

technique is used operationally for weather forecasts and warnings. 

The SST is a leading indicator, sometimes 12 months in advance, of wet (potential for flood) and 

dry (potential for drought) conditions in the continental United States. A cold (warm) Pacific 

reduces (enhances) precipitation over the continental United States, and this pattern is intensified 

when the Atlantic and Pacific SST variations are opposite; i.e., a cold Pacific and a warm 

Atlantic. For dry summers over the continental United States, a cold Pacific produces increased 

surface air temperature compared to a warm Pacific. El Nino, a warm eastern equatorial Pacific, 

produces drought conditions in Washington, Oregon, and northern California and flood 

conditions in southern California and the northern Great Plains. El Nino and La Nina influence 

the preferred cyclone-track latitudes with El Nino (La Nina) inducing an equatorward and 

eastward (poleward and westward) shift of the Pacific storm track. 

Land snow is an important element of the global water cycle and the occurrence or nonoccurrence of land snow cover is a significant ingredient in climate models because the surface 

reflectivity of incoming solar radiation is very different for snow and land surfaces. A new daily 

global snow cover data product, including information on the onset of melting, has been 

developed with a combination of AMSR-E measurements, which are not influenced by clouds 

and darkness, and MODIS measurements, which have a higher spatial resolution than AMSR-E 

data but are degraded by clouds. MODIS snow-cover data are useful to predict stream discharge. 

High-spatial resolution airborne scatterometer backscatter measurements enabled confirmation of 

coarse-resolution QuikSCAT measurements of snow-water equivalent accumulation in areas of 

short vegetation, e.g., pasture and sagebrush. 

Occurrences of large hail (~20 mm in diameter) are correlated with satellite measurements of 

very low passive microwave brightness temperatures, which is the foundation for developing a 

quantitative large-hail forecast method. Over the central and eastern United States, large hail was 

common when TMI brightness temperatures were below 70°K at 85 GHz, 180°K at 37 GHz and 

230°K at 19 GHz. 

Lightning is a significant source of concern for public safety and a wide range of weather 

sensitive operations, including launch and landing of the Space Shuttle. New lightning forecast 

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methodologies were produced from strong relationships between lightning flash rates and 

hydrometer microphysical properties observed by the LIS and PR instruments on TRMM. 

Clear-sky data from NASA’s AIRS instrument have been shown to improve the operational 

numerical weather prediction (NWP) forecast skill of global weather, including hurricanes. Use 

of data only in regions unaffected by clouds limits the skill of an NWP system because of 

discontinuous coverage and because cloudy regions are likely to be more dynamically active. 

Now, AIRS data in partial cloudy conditions can be used to significantly improve the forecast 

skill of a tropical cyclone path. 

The dynamics of the atmosphere and processes causing rapid (less than 24 hours) intensification 

of a tropical depression to tropical storm to hurricanes are not well understood. In AugustSeptember 2010, NASA conducted the Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) field 

campaign in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico to learn why a tropical storm forms and strengthen 

into a hurricane. Innovative instruments will, for the first time, record detailed atmospheric 

measurements through the tropical storm or hurricane for 20 hours by NASA’s Global Hawk 

UAS flying above the disturbance while additional atmospheric measurements will be taken at 

different heights for 4-5 hours within the disturbance with NASA’s DC-8 and WB-57 aircraft. 

The TRMM, CloudSat, and Aura satellites will provide complementary measurements over a 

wide region. GRIP is coordinated with the National Science Foundation’s Pre-Depression 

Investigation of Cloud-systems in the Tropics (PREDICT) mission with one aircraft and 

NOAA’s Intensity Forecast Experiment (IFEX) field campaign with two aircraft. A single storm 

could be observed simultaneously by as many as six airborne systems. 

Downscaling global models with mesoscale models is a technique to produce regional results. 

AIRS data improved the skill of 6-hour mesoscale precipitation forecasts by 7 percent compared 

to a model-forecast system without AIRS measurements. Downscaling is achieved with 

convection-allowing, 4-km grid-spacing models that explicitly discriminate between different 

mesoscale modes of convective overturning. The CloudSat CALIPSO Validation Project in 

January 2007 along the United States – Canada border yielded an abundance of excellent data to 

improve the parameterization schemes for snow crystals and profiles of ice and water content in 

weather research and forecast models. 

Global Carbon Cycle. The distribution of natural carbon among atmosphere, land, ocean, and 

ecosystems is a daunting challenge because carbon reservoirs are large and carbon fluxes or 

exchanges between reservoirs, while not large, are extremely important and difficult to measure. 

The challenge is made more complicated by emission of anthropogenic carbon by human 

intervention and environmental changes that affect the carbon cycle on an unprecedented scale. 

NASA’s goal is to quantify changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane concentrations 

and terrestrial and aquatic carbon storage in response to fossil fuel combustion, land-use, and 

land-cover changes, and other human activities and natural events. Improved understanding of 

the interwoven spatial and temporal scales of a myriad of processes occurring within the 

atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic carbon reservoirs and among their interactions will lead to 

more accurate predictions of phenomena; such as, harmful algal blooms, invasions by exotic 

species, and production changes in forest and agricultural systems. Potentially, climate 

projections of carbon throughout the global integrated Earth system could extend 50 to 100 years 

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into the future. Carbon in the atmosphere was described above; carbon in terrestrial and aquatic 

regimes is described below. 

NASA observations contribute to detection and quantification of environmental, social, 

economic, and human health consequences of current and potential land-use and land-cover 

change (LULCC) in the Arctic, tropics, boreal forests, drylands, coastal zone, mountains, and 

temperate forests. LULCC research addresses the following questions: where are land cover and 

land use changing, what is the extent, and over what time scale; what are the causes and what are 

the consequences of LULCC; what are the projected changes of LULCC and their potential 

impacts; and, what are the impacts of climate variability and changes on LULCC and what is the 

potential feedback? 

Global forest cover, which is an important ingredient in carbon monitoring, is declining. MODIS 

and Landsat data indicated that the global forest cover in 2005 was 3.1 percent smaller compared 

to 2000; the boreal biome experienced the largest loss (4 percent) of four biomes and the United 

States had the largest single-country loss of 6.0 percent. 

Agricultural lands have potential to sequester carbon, although emissions of carbon dioxide 

through use of fossil fuels in planting, harvesting, weed and pest control, and manufacture and 

transport of soil amendments; e.g., fertilizers, pesticides, and lime, may alter the net soil 

absorption or release of carbon dioxide. Adoption of conservation tillage practices in the United 

States from 1990 to 2004 yielded an annual net reduction in fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions 

when agricultural policy decisions, weather events, and commodity prices influenced energy 

usage and cropland production; e.g., the 1993 flood and the 1996 Farm Bill. The high-spatial 

resolution of NASA’s MODIS instruments on the Aqua and Terra satellites provides 

opportunities to develop carbon accounting methods from field- to national-scales. In 2004, 

many 1-km x 1-km cropland areas in the United States had agricultural fossil fuel emission 

greater than the amount of carbon accumulated in the soil; i.e., cropland was a net source of 

carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The MODIS 250-m median crop probability data product has 

proved a sensitive global indicator of broadleaf crops; such as, corn and soybeans, and less 

sensitive for wheat and rice. 

National and state parks and other protected areas are valuable locations to test satellite 

instrument algorithms and to study natural variations in landscape ecology because these areas 

are, to a large extent, not impacted by society. In the northeastern United States, increased 

urbanization of areas connected to parks and protected areas complicate efforts to preserve intact 

functional ecosystems in existing parks and protected areas because of the important loss of 

habitat areas, which would further isolate habitat islands and increase the likelihood of local 

species extinctions and loss of biodiversity. The 4-6°C warming and no change in precipitation 

predicted at Yosemite National Park by 2100 are expected to produce reduced winter snowpack 

and an earlier onset of the growing season, resulting in prolonged drought and reduced 

vegetation productivity. In contrast to parks and protected areas, the influence of human 

activities on natural landscapes is rapidly expanding throughout the conterminous United States, 

increasing from 9 percent from 1992 to 2001 to a projected 12 percent from 2001 to 2030. 

The collapse of the Soviet Union and allied countries in 1989-1991 triggered the most 

widespread and abrupt episode of land change in the twentieth century, with large tracts of 

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cultivated land being abandoned and reverting gradually to grassland. Landsat data showed the 

substantial increase in private-forest use; e.g., logging and cultivation, compared to nationalpark-forest use. Aqua and Terra MODIS data recorded over Kazakhstan, where an extreme 

government-enforced LULCC occurred in the middle of the 20th century, when 13 million 

hectares of native steppe were converted to wheat production in a dozen years, showed that the 

decreasing trend in vegetation was due to both agricultural abandonment and drought. 

LULCC influences the global carbon and nitrogen cycles. For example, nitrogen dynamics 

impact the re-growth of secondary forests, and nitrogen deposition influences terrestrial carbon 

uptake. A modeling study of the global carbon-nitrogen cycle showed that LULCC over the 

1900-2000 period produced constant annual soil carbon stocks and a substantial decrease in 

annual vegetation carbon stocks. Nitrogen limitation substantially reduces the global amount of 

secondary forest carbon sink, perhaps by 150 percent of estimates made without nitrogen 

limitation. 

Forests cover 40 percent of Earth’s ice-free land surface and are the focus of intense research in 

global environmental change; tropical forests contain 40 percent of Earth’s forested biomass. A 

major source of error in estimates of land surface carbon and other biogeochemical fluxes arises 

from uncertainty in prescribing initial forest carbon stocks, and subsequent changes to these from 

growth, degradation, and deforestation. New remote sensing technologies have the potential to 

quantify stocks, sources, and sinks of land surface carbon. In preparation for the Decadal Survey 

DESDynI and ICESat-II missions, which have the potential to provide unprecedented global data 

on vegetation structure, airborne measurements were made of vegetation’s 3-dimensional 

structure, biomass, and disturbance. Airborne lidar measurements over the La Selva tropical 

forest in Costa Rica in 1998 and 2005 showed that the height of old-growth forests decreased by 

0.3 m while the height of secondary forests increased by 2.1 m; the old-growth and secondary 

forest biomasses remained constant within 2 Mg/ha and increased significantly by 25 Mg/ha, 

respectively. Airborne interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) and lidar measurements 

produced comparable results at La Selva for the canopy height mean and spatial variations. 

ICESat lidar forest-height measurements in 2003, combined with Landsat forest-disturbance data 

since 1984, revealed that young, recovering forest heights in Mississippi, Virginia, and Maine 

increased about 1.2, 1.0 and 0.63 m yr-1, respectively. 

DESDynI’s integrated InSAR and lidar measurements will represent a breakthrough for 

advancing forecast models for terrestrial carbon stocks and fluxes. Present large-scale global 

carbon models do not have the level of detail and resolution to capture relevant terrestrial 

heterogeneity and, thus, are deficient on the role of disturbance/recovery in the global carbon 

balance; i.e., errors in initialization lead to prediction error. A robust model-data framework will 

require both models and data on vegetation structure to resolve 1-ha environmental gradients and 

tree-level heterogeneity in forest structure globally. 

Terrestrial ecosystems sequester carbon dioxide and are a major sink in the global carbon cycle, 

slowing the rate of increasing carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. From 1982 to 

1999, the increasing temperature and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere provided excellent 

conditions for an upward trend in the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide absorbed by 

terrestrial plants. However, this trend did not continue in 2000-2009, which was the warmest 

decade since instrumental observations began in the 1880’s. A warming climate lengthened the 

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growing season, promoting plant grow, but a warming climate also produced large-scale 

droughts that reduced regional uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide, weakening the terrestrial 

carbon sink. In high latitudes, the carbon cycle on long time scales is more complicated. On 

decadal time scales both carbon dioxide fertilization and warming-enhanced vegetation growth 

produced a sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide, but on centennial time scales under intense 

warming, increased decomposition of soil organic matter may release additional carbon dioxide, 

causing vegetation to be a net source. 

Wetlands are major sinks and sources of atmospheric greenhouse gases and can switch between 

atmospheric sink and source in response to climatic and anthropogenic forcings. Despite their 

importance in the global carbon cycle, the locations, types, and extents of wetlands is poorly 

known because of the absence of adequate observations. A first-ever high-resolution thematic 

map of wetlands throughout Alaska, developed with SAR data from the JAXA JERS-1 mission, 

proved 89 percent accurate, which can be used to estimate wetlands-atmosphere fluxes of carbon 

dioxide and methane. 

Marine phytoplankton abundance is the foundation of the oceanic food web and affects diversity 

of organisms, drives ecosystem functioning, impacts fishery yields, controls atmospheric carbon 

dioxide levels through photosynthetic carbon fixation, and impacts climate variability and 

change. NASA initiated satellite measurements of phytoplankton in 1978-1985 and has 

continued the measurements since 1997. Multi-decadal variations in global and regional 

phytoplankton abundances are related to basin-scale ocean oscillations; e.g., the Pacific Decadal 

Oscillation, El Nino, and La Nina. Estimating a long-term global trend with satellite data is a 

formidable challenge because of the relative shortness of the record coupled with high-amplitude 

daily-seasonal-to-interannual variations. In a hundred-year in-situ data record, global 

phytoplankton decreased about 1 percent of the median value per year because increasing 

stratification (caused by increasing sea surface temperature) limited the upwelling of nutrients to 

the euphotic zone. An abrupt centennial-scale biogeochemical regime shift occurred nearly 200 

years when an expansion of subsurface nutrient-rich water occurred off Peru resulting in presentday biological productivity, including pelagic fish. 

Satellites record oceanographic data independent of the fury of the ocean, which prevents 

oceanographic research vessels from taking observations in high winds and waves, such as 

during autumn and winter in middle latitudes. Nine years of satellite ocean color measurements 

of chlorophyll data upended the traditional critical-depth hypothesis of how and why a 

phytoplankton bloom occurs in the mid-latitude ocean. SeaWiFS observations revealed a surge 

in phytoplankton abundance during winter, which occurs long before increases in sunlight and 

mixed layer depth would have an influence on phytoplankton growth. The old theory was solely 

physically based, relying on sunlight and mixed layer dynamics, while the new idea incorporates 

both biology; i.e., zooplankton that eat phytoplankton and physics of mixed layer deepening with 

solar radiation to explain the observations. In eastern boundary wind-driven upwelling 

ecosystems, physical dynamics have a strong controlling influence on development of 

phytoplankton blooms. 

NASA conducted the ocean ICESCAPE (Impacts of Climate on Ecosystems and Chemistry of 

the Arctic Pacific Environment) expedition on the USCGC Healy in June-July 2010 to 

understand the biogeochemistry and ecology in the western Arctic Ocean. The Healy operated in 

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ice-free and ice-covered regions. Above- and in-water bio-optical measurements were made for 

vicarious calibration of data from SeaWiFS and MODIS instruments. Ice cores were taken to 

measure oxygen isotopes and the amount of algae growing on the bottom of sea ice. The vertical 

distribution of sunlight through the ice was measured for different ice surface, thicknesses, and 

surface-melt conditions. The interdisciplinary suite of biological, chemical, and physical 

oceanographic measurements revealed that ocean current horizontal advection of nutrient-rich 

water strongly contributed to the increase in primary production, which has been observed in 

NASA satellite data recorded on the continental shelf of the western Arctic when sea ice cover 

waned. Without a global-warming-produced ice-free summertime ocean, sunlight and nutrients 

would not produce phytoplankton. The source of the nutrient-rich water is a subject of 

continuing study. The second ICESCAPE expedition is planned for August-September 2011 in 

the same region with the USCGC Healy. 

Major elements of a U.S. carbon cycle observation system require observations from satellites; 

in-situ observations of land, ocean, and aquatic systems; and direct atmospheric measurements, 

all of which have gaps and are threatened with widening gaps. Another challenge is the shortness 

of the satellite time series, which, in the case of a greenness vegetation index, could be extended 

into the past. In FY 2010, NASA began developing a Carbon Monitoring System (CMS), which, 

in an initial pilot phase, would replicate state and national carbon and biomass inventory 

processes. Initially, in 2010-2011, CMS will have three foci: (1) quantify above-ground 

vegetation carbon stock in the United States, with subsequent plans for extension to a global 

product; (2) develop a global data product for integrated emission and uptake or flux of carbon 

dioxide between the atmosphere, land, and oceans; and (3) develop capabilities to enhance 

carbon-related information products from future research efforts and planned observation 

capabilities to aid decision makers. 

United States Geological Survey (USGS) 

The USGS carries out research in climate change, regional hydrology, the carbon cycle, coastal 

erosion, and glaciology. The Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) program is 

studying processes controlling water, energy, and biogeochemical fluxes at five small research 

watersheds in the U.S. This program includes research on the effects of atmospheric and climatic 

variables on watershed processes. There are also a number of ongoing studies to characterize 

trends in hydrologic data and to relate these trends to climatic variables. Researchers are also 

using global and regional climate models to enhance understanding of the potential effects of 

climate change and climate variability on U.S. land and water resources. 

Glacier Monitoring. As part of its glaciology program, the USGS maintains an observation 

program on three benchmark glaciers representative of different climatic zones of the western 

United States, one in Washington, one on the south coast of Alaska, and one in the interior of 

Alaska. At each glacier, the program measures the winter snow accumulation, summer snow and 

ice ablation, air temperature, and runoff in the glacier basin. Beginning in 1959, this is the 

longest such record in North America. Analysis of this record is providing a greater 

understanding of the climate variability and its effects on water resources of the western United 

States. The record clearly shows the effects of changing winter precipitation patterns associated 

with atmospheric conditions in the northeast Pacific Ocean, including El Niño - La Niña events 

and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

To augment its glacier monitoring efforts, the USGS is using National Systems data to measure 

fluctuations of glaciers in Alaska, Washington, and Montana. Mountain glaciers are ideal 

subjects for these systems because they are remote, have an appropriate space scale, and require 

infrequent, but repetitive observations. The observations have established a baseline of regional 

glacial conditions. The resulting and on-going archive of observations is being used to determine 

recent trends in glacier size and terminus location. In addition, techniques have been developed 

to generate derived products that provide critical glacial parameters, including DEMs, 

equilibrium line altitudes, and ablation rates. These products are being incorporated into a glacial 

runoff model of the South Cascade Glacier, Washington, where they are proving to be a valuable 

source of otherwise unavailable data. 

Snow and Ice Studies. The USGS, in cooperation with Bureau of Land Management (BLM), is 

using a variety of remote sensing data to monitor the rapid wastage of the piedmont lobe of 

Bering Glacier, Alaska. Landsat, Radarsat, ICESat, and Ikonos observations show that Bering 

Glacier is retreating rapidly and thinning in an accelerating retreat from an advanced position 

that resulted from a major glacial surge in 1993-95. The satellite data and ground-based 

observations have been combined to determine the surface flow velocities and calving rates of 

the glacier, and to monitor the expansion of Vitus Lake and Berg Lake—two large lakes whose 

boundaries include the glacier terminus. The rapid change in glaciation is having a large impact 

on nearby terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. 

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EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND 

HOMELAND SECURITY SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 

FEMA’s mission is to 

support U.S. citizens and 

first responders to ensure 

that as a Nation we work 

together to build, sustain, 

and improve our 

capability to prepare for, 

protect against, respond 

to, recover from, and 

mitigate all hazards. In 

carrying out its role, 

FEMA works with the 

Federal scientific 

community and agencies 

to ensure that appropriate 

risk information for 

hazards, vulnerabilities, 

and consequences is used 

to execute this mission. As 

administrator of the 

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), FEMA publishes Flood Insurance Rate Maps for all 

flood-prone communities, which serve as the official demarcation for flood risk. FEMA 

administers the National Hurricane Program, which among many things develops hurricane 

evacuation studies, including inundation maps based on surge model simulation results from the 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Emergency Response and Homeland Security Services are those 

specialized meteorological services and facilities established to meet the requirements of Federal, 

state, and local agencies responding to natural disasters and security incidents. This category includes 

the use of atmospheric transport and diffusion (ATD) models for predicting the dispersion of airborne 

toxic substances; it also includes natural disaster monitoring and prediction services and the transport 

of water-borne toxic substances not included in basic services. For example, numerical weather 

prediction models used to forecast the path, intensity, and storm surge of landfalling tropical cyclones 

are part of basic services. Downstream models of the effects of a landfalling tropical cyclone on the 

infrastructure and population of a particular populated area could be included in this service category. 

FEMA’s interagency collaboration and support is key to disaster impact 

assessments and plans. 

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National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center (NWS/NHC). These studies are used by 

state and local hurricane emergency management planners and decision makers to develop their 

hurricane evacuations plans. 

It is critical for FEMA to identify, develop, and/or utilize the most appropriate meteorological 

information to calibrate its preparedness, response, and recovery activities to build and deploy 

emergency management capability, and to design and implement mitigation measures which 

reduce the consequences from emergencies and disasters. These interests extend to national 

standards for geographic information systems (GIS) used for delivery of meteorological products 

and services by other agencies. FEMA actively supports the OFCM-sponsored Working Group 

for Disaster Impact Assessments and Plans: Weather and Water Data (WG/DIAP) and the 

WG/DIAP’s efforts to develop an implement the National Plan for Disaster Impact Assessments 

which outlines the interagency procedures to coordinate and support the collection of perishable 

data after major storms. These data have applications in post-disaster mitigation activities, the 

NFIP flood hazard analysis, the FEMA National Hurricane Program hurricane evacuation 

studies, and other FEMA risk analysis activities, such as the Multi-Hazard Loss Estimation 

Methodology (HAZUS). The National Hurricane Program division is the principal FEMA 

contact point for most meteorology-related matters, while the Risk Analysis Division is the 

primary contact for flood risk analysis. 

Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center 

Under the National Response Framework, the mission of the Interagency Modeling and 

Atmospheric Assessment Center (IMAAC) is to provide a single point for the coordination and 

dissemination of Federal dispersion modeling and hazard prediction products that represent the 

Federal position during an actual or potential incident. The IMAAC provides plume modeling 

analyses of the impacts of hazardous atmospheric releases to aid in protecting the public and the 

environment. 

The IMAAC is led by the Department of Homeland Security and supported by seven other 

Federal departments and agencies: Department of Defense, Department of Energy (DOE), 

Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency, National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA), and Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The DOE’s National Atmospheric Release 

Advisory Center at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory serves as the operations hub of the 

IMAAC. 

Decision makers and first responders need timely and accurate plume predictions to help guide 

emergency response decisions. The IMAAC provides a suite of plume modeling tools that 

incorporate meteorological, geographic, and demographic data, as well as hazardous material 

information, to predict the transport and potential downwind consequences of biological, 

chemical, radiological/nuclear, and natural releases. The IMAAC experts are available 24/7 to 

produce detailed quality-assured model predictions, utilize observations and field measurement 

data to refine analyses, and assist decision makers in product interpretation. 

The IMAAC produces both technical analyses and briefing products tailored for communications 

to non-technical decision makers. IMAAC plots and consequence reports show hazard areas, 

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affected populations, potential casualties and/or fatalities, and damage estimates, as well as 

levels of health effects, public protective action, and worker protection. The IMAAC utilizes 

NOAA National Weather Service’s (NWS) meteorological observations and designated 

preferred model forecasts for the plume models. The IMAAC may also use an in-house higherresolution forecast model if determined to be representative or if IMAAC does not have access to 

the preferred forecast data. 

The IMAAC has responded to numerous real-world events, including chemical fires and train 

derailments, in-situ burns from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and sulfur dioxide volcanic 

emissions in Hawaii. 

NOAA NWS 

National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (NTHMP). In FY 2004, NWS assumed 

operational responsibility for the NTHMP, the goal of which is to ensure adequate advance 

warning of tsunamis along all U.S. coastal areas and appropriate community emergency response 

to a tsunami event. In response to the destructive Indian Ocean Tsunami, the U.S. Tsunami 

Warning Program, including the NTHMP, was upgraded and expanded to enhance the 

monitoring, detection, warning, and communications capabilities designed to protect lives and 

property for all U.S. communities at risk. 

NOAA Weather Radio (NWR). NWR is used as a reliable, inexpensive means of communicating 

weather related warnings directly to the public. 

Interagency Activities. In partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, NWS 

forecasters provide meteorological support for response to terrorist acts and other homeland 

security concerns, as well as accidental releases/spills of hazardous chemical, biological, or 

radioactive materials. In addition, NWS forecasters provide forecasts in response to Incidents of 

National Significance such as the space shuttle Columbia recovery effort, Hurricane Katrina, and 

the Greensburg, Kansas, tornado response. 

The NWS deploys a national cadre of specially trained Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) to 

provide onsite support for large wildfires and other homeland security concerns, as well as 

accidental releases/spills of hazardous chemical, biological, or radioactive materials. 

NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) 

Coastal Oceanographic Applications and Services for Tides and Lakes (COASTAL). The 

COASTAL program focuses on non-navigational applications of observing systems, data, and 

products for ecosystem restoration and management at the Center for Operational Oceanographic 

Products and Services (CO-OPS). COASTAL also provides decision support tools to aid 

managers and restoration practitioners in planning for both current and future coastal conditions 

and to anticipate and mitigate natural hazards. Real-time water level and meteorological 

information is critical for emergency managers to make decisions related to evacuation and 

warnings for coastal communities as well as to produce storm surge predictions. 

The Storm QuickLook (and most recently Oil Spill QuickLook) product in particular 

incorporates water level and meteorological information measured at stations of the National 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) and Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System 

(PORTS®). (For more description of NWLON and PORTS, see “Surface Transportation 

Services,” “Operational Programs.”) Storm QuickLook bulletins are posted for tropical cyclones 

that affect the U.S. coastline. The Oil Spill QuickLooks were posted for the duration of the Gulf 

Oil Spill. These bulletins, which provided near-real-time oceanographic and meteorological data 

measured at affected water-level stations, was displayed on the CO-OPS website and on the 

NOAAWatch (The NOAA All-Hazard Monitor) webpage. FY 2011 goals for these products 

include enhancing the displays and making the products more dynamic. Also, 6-minute interval 

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) transmission capability supports the 

NWS storm surge warning program when expected water level elevations are predicted or 

observed during coastal storms and hurricanes. 

NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) 

Among the NOAA/OMAO airborne observing systems fleet, the King Air (N68RF) and AC695A Commander 1000 (N45RF) aircraft perform post-storm damage assessment flights, 

following natural disasters from landfalling tropical storms. They provide high-resolution 

photographs of the storm-induced damage, which are available to the public via the Internet. 

These photographs are extremely useful to local, county and state government personnel, as well 

as to emergency managers and to the public at large, as they go about the business of assessing 

the damage and the nature and magnitude of the relief effort that will be required in the region 

affected by the storm. 

Department of Energy 

Meteorological Services at DOE Facilities 

The need for site-specific meteorological services at DOE Federal facilities was first recognized 

in 1944, with the development, fabrication, and testing of atomic weapons and their 

accompanying national security and nuclear safety issues. In response to this need, DOE has 

established, operated, and maintained operational and research-driven meteorological programs 

and undertaken various atmospheric research projects at many of its reservations and field 

offices. Operational meteorological program requirements were subsequently augmented by the 

passage of the Clean Air Act and its amendments, and reinforced by several DOE Orders, Guides 

and Handbooks, and national voluntary consensus standards that specify requirements for 

meteorological services to protect the environment. Consequently, a meteorological monitoring 

program, of varying complexity, has become an essential component of each DOE site. The 

acquisition of quality-assured meteorological data, provision of weather forecasting services, and 

development of site-specific climatology from these meteorological programs are important 

elements of the DOE Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS). 

The atmospheric sciences contribute to the successful implementation of many of DOE’s mission 

elements. Meteorological data acquisition programs, analytical assessments requiring 

meteorological information, and weather forecasting operations are integral to meeting DOE 

goals. Understanding the nature of the atmospheric domain, with its various dynamic and 

chemical aspects of energy-related phenomena is vital to DOE goals for national energy security, 

scientific discovery and innovation, and environmental stewardship. For instance, an accidental 

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release of a radioactive material, or a chemically or biologically toxic material, into the 

atmosphere can potentially have serious acute and chronic health effects, as well as long-term 

environmental consequences. Meteorological transport and diffusion processes play a key role in 

determining the fate of radioactive, chemical, or biological agents released into the atmosphere; 

including those resulting from malevolent acts. Consequently, a central theme within the DOE 

community has been to protect public health, safety, and the environment on and around DOE 

facilities by accurately measuring and characterizing the important local atmospheric processes 

necessary to establish real-time and forecasted atmospheric transport and diffusion conditions. 

DOE administers operational meteorological activities through various offices, such as the Office 

of Health Safety and Security (HS), the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and 

the Office of Environmental Management (EM), that have missions linked to the atmospheric 

sciences. Activities at DOE sites include support to daily operations (e.g., health and safety of 

workforce under severe weather conditions) and national defense programs; all of which require 

fundamentally sound and well-managed meteorological monitoring programs. 

Operational Meteorological Support to Daily Operations 

Operational support programs include daily customized weather forecasting services, support to 

national defense projects and homeland security, onsite meteorological monitoring programs, 

climatology services, occupational safety and health program support, and emergency 

preparedness and response program support. Each meteorological monitoring program is 

primarily directed toward the support of emergency preparedness and response programs and 

focused on protecting the environment and the safety and health of the onsite work force and the 

public. Operational meteorological programs have been established at Argonne National 

Laboratory (ANL), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Idaho National Laboratory (INL), 

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), 

Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) inclusive of Y-12, and 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and 

Hanford Site, Pantex Plant, Sandia National Laboratory—Albuquerque (SNL-AL), Savannah 

River Site (SRS)/Savannah River National Laboratory, and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant 

(WIPP). Some of these DOE sites maintain 24-hour weather watches for severe weather 

conditions that have the potential to impact site operations and construction projects, damage 

property, or threaten lives. For example, DOE-wide lightning safety initiatives, which are 

becoming integral elements of ISMS, are supported by DOE operational meteorological 

programs at such sites as NNSS, Hanford, SRS, and INL. The Nevada Site Office, which 

manages NNSS, has developed a site order for implementation of lightning protection measures. 

Several DOE field offices and their associated sites and facilities cover large areas, called 

reservations (e.g., INL, ORR, NNSS, Hanford, and SRS). In addition, several DOE sites are 

situated in areas of complex topography and heterogeneous surface characteristics (e.g., landwater interface, mountain-valley morphology) that influence local weather and airflow 

trajectories. The accurate characterization of the latter is important for their influence on 

atmospheric transport and diffusion. For these reasons, and to ensure the protection of public 

health and safety and the environment, onsite meteorological monitoring programs are an 

essential part of DOE atmospheric science programs. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Some DOE weather monitoring sites enhance the spatial resolution of the National Weather 

Service (NWS) observing network by taking standard surface and upper-air observations. Many 

of these sites are in remote areas where NWS and community weather observations would 

otherwise be sparse to non-existent. Weather observations taken at a few DOE field sites are 

entered into the NWS database via the NWS meteorological data ingest and display system 

(MADIS). Moreover, some DOE sites use the NOAA Advanced Weather Information 

Processing System (AWIPS), as well as vertical profilers and meteorological monitoring 

networks. 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 

At the present time, the NRC is a user of meteorological information rather than a performer of 

research in this field. Meteorological data are used to assess radiological impacts of routine 

airborne releases from facilities and to evaluate the impact of proposed changes in plant design 

or operation on unplanned releases. Further, the NRC uses current meteorological information 

and climatological predictions of long-term (100 years) extreme meteorological events to 

evaluate new reactor designs and sites. Information of this type is also important for developing 

scenarios of climatological impacts on the isolation of long-lived nuclear wastes. The NRC also 

maintains an interest in the transport and dispersion of airborne, hazardous, nonradioactive 

materials, and the effects of extreme meteorological events on the safe operation of nuclear 

facilities. 

Within the NRC, the Offices of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and New Reactors conduct reviews 

of nuclear power plant siting, design, construction, and operation, while the Offices of Nuclear 

Material Safety and Safeguards and Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management 

Programs conduct similar reviews of materials and waste facilities. All these reviews include 

consideration of meteorological factors. Employees of these NRC offices also conduct 

rulemaking activities (?) to establish regulatory requirements. 

The NRC Regional Offices assure that NRC licensees comply with the regulatory requirements. 

Together with the NRC Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response, they also carry out 

NRC responses to nuclear facility emergencies. The NRC Office of Nuclear Security and 

Incident Response has been evaluating performance of large scale (greater than 1000 people) 

evacuations due to natural and man-made causes in the contiguous 48 states. This is documented 

in NUREG/CR-6864, Identification and Analysis of Factors Affecting Emergency Evacuations. 

An additional study continues to analyze the large evacuations of 2005. 

U.S. Geological Survey Role in Emergency Response to Natural Hazards 

The USGS mission provides for "the classification of the public lands and the examination of the 

geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the National Domain.” The USGS serves 

the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; 

minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and 

mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life. Among its broad responsibilities 

and efforts are identification, assessment, and monitoring of potentially hazardous areas; 

development of capabilities to predict the time, place, and the severity of hazardous geologic, 

hydrometeorologic, biologic, and chemical conditions or events; and dissemination of the 

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findings and their implications, including the provision of technical and scientific advice to 

public officials. The USGS also maintains Bureau-wide efforts intended to educate the public 

about natural hazards. 

The USGS has been delegated the Federal responsibility to provide notification and warnings for 

earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides. In addition, USGS data-collection networks provide realtime information needed by other agencies to issue forecasts and warnings related to a variety of 

hazards. For example, the USGS seismic network supports NOAA tsunami warnings; the USGS 

streamgage network supports NOAA flood forecasts (see Hydrometeorological and Water 

Resources Services); the USGS geomagnetic observations support solar storm forecasts (see 

Solar Weather Services); USGS biologic monitoring of wildlife diseases enhances assessments 

of potential human pathogens such as the H1NI influenza virus; and USGS geospatial and 

remotely-sensed information supports a broad spectrum of disaster-response activities and 

operations from an “all-hazards” perspective. 

The USGS established a secondary reception station for NOAA GOES at the USGS Earth 

Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center in Sioux Falls, SD. Three new satellite 

antennas and an existing antenna at EROS are used in support of this effort. Three of these 

antennas support communications with the GOES East and GOES West satellites, along with a 

hot spare. The remaining antenna is designated for a DOMSAT link, which is used for data 

dissemination. EROS also receives streamgage data in real time from the GOES satellites and is 

making these data available to USGS and other stakeholders. The receive station at EROS serves 

as a backup to the primary site [station] at Wallops Island, Virginia, which otherwise would 

represent a single point of failure in this vital data collection and dissemination system.

Beyond network operations, the USGS has expertise and infrastructure to acquire, assess, 

disseminate, or preserve information that can be derived from the study of geological, 

hydrological, meteorological, chemical, or biological conditions before, during, or after an 

imminent or declared disaster or emergency. These capabilities can be tapped through mission 

assignments, interagency agreements, or third party contacts, as provided by law and regulation. 

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) 

ARL Headquarters develops and improves dispersion and air quality models, collects researchgrade air quality and deposition measurements of select air quality parameters, and provides 

climate-relevant datasets and assessments of climate variability and trends. Some products 

developed by ARL augment the operational product suites of the NOAA service-oriented line 

offices, particularly the NWS. Other products are state-of-the art, web-based assessment tools 

that serve university researchers, Federal research agencies, and international partners. For 

instance, ARL continues to improve dispersion tools that provide forecast support to NOAA's 

emergency response activities with an emphasis on chemical, nuclear, and volcanic events. For 

this application, ARL develops and couples advanced dispersion models with the forecast 

products of the NWS to provide a basis for trajectory and dispersion calculations. The ARL 

Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model is operational at 

NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and serves as the national 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

dispersion forecasting capability in several other countries. Registered users can also access 

HYSPLIT products via the Internet. HYSPLIT is the major product employed in the operations 

of the Regional Specialized Meteorology Center (RSMC) set up as a joint undertaking of ARL 

and NCEP under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The 

WMO/RSMC is the source of dispersion products in the event that a radioactive plume crosses 

international boundaries. 

ARL also conducts research and development to improve NOAA’s operational air quality 

forecast system. This includes extending the domain covered by operational ozone and wildfire 

smoke forecasts, improving wind-blown dust prediction capabilities, and working toward a 

future operational particulate matter prediction. 

The ARL Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division (ATDD) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 

conducts research and development in air quality, climate, and atmospheric dispersion, with an 

emphasis on understanding and predicting the behavior of the lowest portion of the atmosphere. 

The main research goals are to develop better methods for predicting transport, dispersion, and 

air-surface exchange of air pollutants and to improve reference-grade measurement of climate 

change and related physical and chemical processes. 

ARL Headquarters and ATDD jointly conduct world-class research on the atmospheric mercury 

cycle. While mercury emissions come from a variety of sources and media, the majority of 

mercury released to the environment occurs as atmospheric emissions. From the atmosphere, 

mercury is eventually deposited in watersheds and receiving waters, where it can be converted to 

methylmercury, a highly toxic form, which bioaccumulates in the aquatic food chain leading to 

the fish used as human and livestock food sources. A cornerstone of ARL’s work is a state-ofthe-art modeling system that tracks mercury emission sources and links these emissions to 

atmospheric transport, transformation, and deposition. 

ARL also conducts long-term intensive monitoring of mercury in ambient air. Data collected are 

analyzed to gain useful insights into the origin, transport, and deposition of atmospheric mercury 

and for interpreting and evaluating ARL’s mercury modeling system. ARL’s mercury products 

and services directly support air quality decision-makers, air quality forecasters, and the mercury 

research community. 

The ATDD also operates an intensive urban research meteorological network within the National 

Capital Region, called DCNet. The network has been in operation since 2003 and consists of 15 

stations that collect the standard meteorological parameters (temperature, wind speed, and 

direction) and also measure characteristics of atmospheric turbulence. DCNet provides critical 

data and insights that improve predictions of where airborne hazardous materials will go, thereby 

improving emergency managers’ ability to protect first responders and the public. With a strong 

focus on data quality, DCNet is designed to support development of urban monitoring 

methodologies and observation standards; evaluation of the utility of using private 

meteorological observing networks within urban environments; and accumulation of an intensive 

dataset for model evaluation and initialization, process studies, and decision support. DCNet 

observations are used by numerous government security and emergency management activities 

within the National Capital Region. 

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Emergency Response and Homeland Security Services 

The ARL Field Research Division (FRD), in Idaho Falls, Idaho, designs and conducts field 

studies to evaluate the performance of transport and dispersion models at local, regional, and 

continental scales. FRD has also continuously observed and recorded meteorological conditions 

at the Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and its environs since 

1948. FRD manages the 35-station NOAA/INL Meteorological Monitoring Network, an 

observing mesonet that includes advanced hardware and software. This network contributes to 

the generation of site forecasts and severe weather notices issued for special and routine INL 

operations. FRD meteorologists staff the DOE Emergency Operations Center during drills and 

emergencies, such as accidental toxic chemical releases and wildfires. 

The ARL Special Operations and Research Division (SORD) in Las Vegas, Nevada, conducts 

research on problems of mutual interest to NOAA and DOE that relate to the Nevada Test Site, 

its atmospheric environment, and its emergency preparedness and emergency response activities. 

SORD is involved in research related to the desert environment including improvements to the 

Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model and research on the climate effects 

of the El Niño Southern Oscillation. 

SORD also participates in two air quality and visibility programs: The Interagency Monitoring of 

Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) program is a Federal land management and 

Environmental Protection Agency air quality and visibility program focused on measuring 

particulate matter over the United States. The Rocky Mountain Atmospheric Nitrogen and Sulfur 

(ROMANS) study is examining increases in nitrogen deposition in the Rocky Mountains. 

ARL also participates in national networks that direct research attention on the needs of the next 

generation of predictive models. One of these is the Atmospheric Integrated Research 

Monitoring Network (AIRMoN) is a nested network with sites of varying complexity addressing 

scientific issues of wet and dry deposition from the atmosphere. A major current item for 

scientific attention is the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen compounds and its role in 

promoting eutrophication of ecosystems, primarily coastal systems. A second example is ARL’s 

collaboration with the Global Monitoring Division (GMD) of NOAA’s Earth System Research 

Laboratory (ESRL) in operating the Surface Energy Budget Network (SEBN) as a contribution 

to NOAA’s Climate Observing Systems. SEBN provides a complete set of data that describes the 

physics of energy exchange and feedbacks at the land-surface interface. Many of these stations 

are augmented with instrumentation to measure fluxes of sensible heat, latent heat, momentum, 

and carbon dioxide. SEBN provides valuable information for evaluating and improving the 

parameterization of the land-atmosphere interface in predictive models. 

Department of Energy Meteorological Coordinating Council (DMCC) 

The DOE Meteorological Coordinating Council (DMCC) was established in 1994 to coordinate 

meteorological activities among the field offices to enhance cost-effectiveness and productivity 

and to leverage synergistic opportunities. DOE has delegated the operation of its site/facility 

meteorological programs to DOC/NOAA and non-Federal for-profit management and operating 

contractors. The DMCC membership is therefore composed of subject matter experts from 

within the DOE complex, representing the three components with operational responsibilities for 

these programs: 

 Department of Commerce (DOC/NOAA) under an interagency agreement. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

 Management & Operating (M&O) contractors. 

 Private contractors. 

The DMCC operates as a subcommittee of the DOE Emergency Management Issues Special 

Interest Group (EMI SIG) and has a web page that can be accessed directly or through the web 

page of the Subcommittee for Consequence Assessment and Protective Actions (SCAPA). 

DMCC also issues an annual report as part of its presentation to the EMI SIG Steering 

Committee. 

A current DMCC project is to improve the provision of quality-assured meteorological 

information and execution of transport and diffusion models that meet software quality assurance 

(SQA) requirements. Products of the DMCC include evaluations of meteorological requirements 

contained in DOE orders and guidance documents, site meteorological program peer reviews 

(i.e., meteorological program assist visits), and, as needed, customized technical assistance. The 

DMCC developed tools to enable DOE/NNSA sites to perform their own self-assessments of its 

meteorological monitoring program and the meteorological aspects of consequence assessment. 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

The Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) plans, recommends, and implements a 

program of nuclear regulatory research for nuclear power plants and other facilities regulated by 

the NRC. RES provides technical support, technical tools, and information to identify and 

resolve safety issues for current and new designs and technologies through testing, data 

development, analysis, and national and international collaboration. RES also develops regulatory guidance and participates in the development of criteria and consensus standards related to 

the protection of the public health and safety and the environment. 

The NRC conducts meteorological research to support licensing activities. Current research 

activities include quantifying the storm surge from severe weather events and updating the 

hydrometeorological reports (HMRs) and methods used to estimate the effects of extreme 

precipitation events. This work is prioritized for those areas of the United States where new 

nuclear power plants are proposed and will provide the design basis for flood protection systems. 

The work will be done in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 

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HYDROMETEOROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

National Weather Service Forecast and Warning Services 

The National Weather Service (NWS) has the primary responsibility among Federal agencies to 

provide advanced alerts via flood warnings and forecasts in the United States. The 122 Weather 

Forecast Offices (WFOs), 13 River Forecast Centers (RFCs), and the National Centers for 

Environmental Prediction’s (NCEP) Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC) and Climate 

Prediction Center (CPC) work as a team to provide hydrologic forecast and warning services to 

minimize loss of life and property from flooding and to meet the water service needs of our 

Nation. The WFOs work collaboratively with the RFCs to monitor hydrologic conditions around 

the clock. Using RFC guidance, Doppler weather radar (NEXRAD), and telemetered rain gauge 

observations, the WFOs continuously monitor the threat of flash flooding and urban flooding to 

provide timely flood watches and warnings. 

River and flood forecast services are provided in the form of daily river forecasts by the 13 

RFCs, using hydrologic models based on rainfall, soil characteristics, precipitation forecasts, and 

several other variables. Some RFCs, especially those in mountainous regions, also provide 

seasonal snow pack and peak flow forecasts. These forecasts are used by a wide range of users, 

including those in agriculture, hydroelectric dam operation, and water supply resources. The 

information is also the basis for local flood and flash flood warnings, watches, and advisories 

issued by the WFOs that emphasize flooding impacts, depending on geographic area, land use, 

time of the year, and other factors. 

The HPC, located in Camp Springs, Maryland, is responsible for preparing quantitative 

precipitation forecasts (QPFs), which are used by WFOs to develop local rainfall, snow, and ice 

forecasts and by the RFCs to develop local river and flood forecasts. The HPC provides special 

QPFs and coordinates with other Federal agencies; such as, the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA), during major flood events. The HPC also provides an array of analysis 

products and forecasts of frontal systems, pressure patterns, temperature, and precipitation for 

use by the WFOs and the private-sector weather services community. 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Hydrometeorology and Water Resources Services are those 

specialized meteorological services and facilities that combine atmospheric science, hydrology, and 

water resources in order to meet the requirements of Federal, state, and local agencies for information 

on the effects of precipitation events on infrastructure, water supplies, and waterways. These products 

and services also meet the needs of the general public in the conduct of everyday activities and for the 

protection of lives and property. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Water resource forecast services extend basic NWS hydrologic forecasting services to include a 

Community Hydrologic Prediction System (CHPS) and provide water resource managers with 

localized water and soil condition forecasts. CHPS will be fully operational by FY 2012, and 

Water resource forecast services will be provided for 7 percent of the Nation by that time. It will 

serve as the backbone for NOAA’s national water information strategy, allowing NOAA’s 

research and development enterprise and operational service delivery infrastructure to be 

integrated and leveraged with other Federal water agency activities and the private sector. 

Through CHPS, NOAA will deliver a new suite of high-resolution forecasts (including estimates 

of uncertainty) for stream flow, soil moisture, soil temperature, and many other variables directly 

related to watershed conditions, via collaboration and sharing of data and algorithms with 

university and private sector research groups. Furthermore, these activities will enable NOAA to 

deliver a national database of hydrologic analyses and predictions and generate user-friendly 

geographic information system (GIS) products for monitoring floods and drought. This activity 

contributes to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). 

Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS). The NWS continues to implement AHPS to 

provide hydrologic forecasts with lead times ranging from minutes to months. AHPS builds on 

the existing NWS infrastructure, including the Advanced Weather Information Processing 

System (AWIPS), NEXRAD, and the NWS River Forecast System. AHPS also provides 

Ensemble Streamflow Prediction—a feature that allows the NWS to quantify forecast 

uncertainty. This lets decision makers apply risk-based analyses as they prepare for and respond 

to flooding and as they try to balance competing demands on water supply, especially during 

periods of drought. Another AHPS capability, known as Flash Flood Monitoring and Prediction 

(FFMP), combines high-resolution radar rainfall observations with GIS technology to provide 

more accurate and much more precise flash flood forecasts. Flash floods, typically caused by 

intense, small-scale convective systems, are the leading cause of flood fatalities. The added 

precision provided by FFMP greatly reduces the false alarm rate of flash flood forecasts, making 

them more credible and leading to better public response, which will ultimately save lives. AHPS 

also provides opportunities to improve NOAA’s analysis and forecast capabilities related to 

coastal water conditions, through joint efforts with other components of NOAA (e.g., the 

National Ocean Service and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research [OAR]). 

Integrated Water Forecasting. NOAA’s Integrated Water Forecasting activity is being 

implemented to build on AHPS and other NOAA water forecasting services to deliver new 

information from the summit to the sea at higher resolutions (down to the neighborhood scale). 

The new information includes: coupled river, estuary, and lake forecasts; soil moisture; soil 

temperature; snow pack; and surface runoff volume. These services will enable NOAA to 

provide nationally consistent gridded forecasts of water quantity and quality via a national digital 

database that assimilates hydrometeorological data and a community hydrologic modeling 

system, which brings the current state of science to NOAA hydrology. The national digital 

database will integrate fresh water resource observations and analysis components such as 

precipitation estimates, snowpack analysis, and soil moisture data. The goal of this database is to 

increase the amount, type, and accuracy of water resources information for use within NOAA 

and by its partners and other users. 

NWS Partnerships for Hydrometeorological Products and Services. Partnerships with a variety 

of Federal, state, and local agencies are critical to the NWS’ Hydrologic Services Program. For 

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 Hydrometeorology and Water Resources Services 

example, the NWS works very closely on water-related issues with the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and Bureau of Land Management in the Department of the 

Interior; with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the Department of Defense; with 

the Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); and with the 

Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Among these partnering activities are stream gaging, 

support for flood mitigation activities including flood inundation mapping, river and water 

supply forecasting, and water management. For example, river stage observations and stage 

discharge relationships provided by the USGS are critical to warning and forecast operations for 

the Nation’s rivers. 

USGS Hydrometeorological Data Collection and Distribution 

The USGS’s Water Resources Discipline (WRD) collects streamflow, precipitation, water 

quality, ground-water level, and other water resources and climatological data as part of a 

national network and for a number of projects concerning rainfall-runoff, water quality, and 

hydrologic processes. Currently, the USGS collects continuous hydrologic and meteorological 

data at about 8,900 surface water sites, 2,700 ground water level sites, and 1,600 water quality 

sites. Periodic records are collected at approximately 1,500 additional surface water sites, 20,200 

ground water sites, and 10,300 water quality sites. Precipitation records are collected at about 

800 sites. 

Data collected at most continuous-record USGS sites are transmitted from remote Data 

Collection Platforms to Wallops Island, Virginia, via a Geostationary Operational Environmental 

Satellite (GOES). From the Wallops Island facility, data are rebroadcast to a domestic 

communication satellite (DOMSAT). Data are received from the DOMSAT by local readout 

ground stations (LRGS) procured by USGS. The USGS currently operates 21 LRGS which 

provide near-real-time data to the USGS’s computerized National Water Information System 

(NWIS). 

Near-real-time streamflow data and ancillary 

information are provided to NWS RFCs for 

river forecast points. Additional historical and 

real-time water resources data are available 

from the USGS database at NWIS Web 

(http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ nwis/). During 

floods, these data are supplemented by 

additional flood flow measurements. For 

example, during the 2009 floods of the Red, 

Minnesota, Missouri, and James River basins, 

the USGS made over 1,200 streamflow 

measurements at more than 150 streamgages 

and installed Rapid Deployment Gages at 15 

locations, all in support of flood forecasting 

and (or) emergency operations. At the request 

of the NWS and the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, the USGS collected 28 special 

discharge measurements at the James River 

The USGS has developed new rapidly deployable, mobile streamgages to provide short-term 

water-level data to critical areas lacking permanent streamgages. Image provided by USGS 

Office of Surface Water. 

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above Arrowhead Lake near Kensal, North Dakota, in order to define the flow going into the 

Jamestown Reservoir. 

The USGS also collects precipitation samples at a number of sites to determine the atmospheric 

contribution of chemical constituent loads to runoff, and for defining the effect of atmospheric 

deposition on water quality and the aquatic environment. 

NRCS Hydrometeorological Observations 

Since snowmelt provides 50-80%t of the water supply in the Western United States, having 

information on snowpack is critical for water management. The NRCS measures snowpack and 

collects hydrometeorological data in the 12 western states. Through the Snow Survey and Water 

Supply Forecasting Program (SSWSF), the NRCS conducts snow surveys at high elevations in 

the mountainous West. The data collection system includes approximately 950 active manual 

snow courses and 790 automated SNOTEL (SNOw pack TELemetry) monitoring stations. 

NRCS collects data at the manual snow courses in cooperation and often with assistance from a 

number of different Federal, state, local and private partners. These data, along with information 

from 660 stream gages, 328 major reservoirs, and approximately 3,200 climatological 

observation stations managed by other agencies, are merged into a hydroclimatic database that is 

used to produce real-time watershed analyses and water supply forecasts. This information is 

used from the farm level (e.g., to manage irrigation) up to the international level as the basis for 

water management decisions under treaties with Canada and Mexico. 

The SNOTEL automated data collection system provides near-real-time remote 

hydrometeorological data that significantly improve flood stage forecasts and the monitoring of 

other life-threatening snow-related events. The primary use of the Snow Survey data is the 

production of water supply forecasts for approximately 740 western basins. The data are also 

used by irrigators, recreation users, researchers, Federal and state agencies, and a multitude of 

others. All SNOTEL data is sent hourly to the NWS to assist in forecasting flood events. 

SNOTEL information enables emergency management agencies to effectively mitigate drought 

and flood damages and to monitor and assess forest and wildfire potential. 

Monthly water supply forecasts are produced each year from January through June in partnership 

with the NWS. The NRCS furnishes snow measurements that are combined with advanced snow 

modeling and analysis provided by NOAA’s National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing 

Center to support this joint NWS-NRCS effort. The purposes of water supply forecasts are to: (1) 

help irrigators make the most effective use of limited water supplies for agricultural production 

needs; (2) assist the Federal government in administering international water treaties with 

Canada and Mexico; (3) assist state governments in managing intrastate streams and interstate 

water compacts; (4) assist municipalities in planning the early management of anticipated water 

supplies and drought mitigation; (5) operate reservoirs to satisfy multiple use demands including 

hydropower generation; (6) mitigate flood damages in levied areas and downstream from 

reservoirs; and (7) support fish and wildlife management activities associated with species 

protection legislation. 

The NRCS develops seasonal water supply forecasts for 740 locations in 12 western states. In 

addition, the program provides daily water supply guidance forecasts for 138 western basins. 

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During the 2009–2010 season, the NRCS produced approximately 6,540 official forecasts and 

nearly that many interim guidance forecasts. These product provides information for water 

managers to adapt to weather changes as they occur. The web link for this information is 

http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/wsf/daily_forecasts.html. 

Historical snow survey data is valuable to climate change researchers and in developing reliable 

projections of climate change. It is projected that changes to the hydrologic cycle in the western 

states resulting from changes in snow pack will increase the water supply challenges these states 

face. The current monitoring data will help water managers at all levels adapt to climate change 

impacts. 

The SSWSF Program provides a variety of climate and water supply products that are used to 

assess Western drought (Figure 4). These include SNOTEL snowpack and precipitation analyses 

in the mountains, water supply forecasts, and State Surface Water Supply Indexes (SWSI). These 

products are critical to the weekly production of the interagency Drought Monitor, a web-based 

report. Separate from the SSWSF and SNOTEL network, the NRCS also manages a cooperative 

nationwide network of approximately 175 Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) sites in 40 

States and U.S. territories monitoring soil temperatures and soil moisture. These data are used to 

support national drought monitoring, production agriculture, and climate change research. 

NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) 

Within the NOAA/OMAO aircraft fleet, a NOAA AC-695A Commander 1000 (N45RF) and a 

NOAA AC-500 Shrike (N51RF) aircraft are used annually to conduct important snow pack 

surveys in the northern and western continental United States, Alaska, and southern Canada. 

During these survey flights, the gamma radiation sensors aboard these aircraft measure the 

naturally occurring terrestrial radiation emitted from the ground to obtain snow water–equivalent 

estimates. The data are transmitted to the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing 

Center (NOHRSC) up to three times a day from each aircraft. After further processing, but 

within 5 minutes of receipt from the survey aircraft, the data are distributed to NWS WFOs, 

RFCs, and other centers. The processed data are used by the NWS to forecast river levels and 

potential flood events resulting from snowmelt water runoff. Hydroelectric power interests and 

other water supply managers also use the data to regulate water storage and delivery. 

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research 

Hydrometeorological Testbed (HMT). The HMT is a national program aimed at accelerating the 

infusion of new technologies, models, and scientific results from the research community into 

daily forecasting operations of the NWS and its RFCs. Research at the HMT has focused on 

improving regional precipitation forecasts, particularly for heavy, flooding rains. Unlike typical 

research field projects, the HMT operates as an end-to-end demonstration project with 

forecasters and researchers joining forces in the operational setting. Through NOAA funding, 

HMT will provide a foundation level of effort and infrastructure each year in a particular test 

region. It is expected that this foundation will be augmented by occasional ramping up to more 

intensive field programs that include additional participants and specialized instrumentation. 

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The first regional implementation of HMT, called HMT-West, targets California's floodvulnerable American River Basin. The two biggest water cycle challenges being addressed in 

HMT-West are QPFS and quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE). In 2010, HMT-West 

joined forces with the California Energy Commission and California universities to carry out the 

CALWATER study, which has two primary focus areas: the impact of atmospheric rivers 

(narrow regions of enhanced water vapor transport in winter storms) on California's precipitation 

and the impact of anthropogenic air pollution on the amount and distribution of precipitation. 

Both of these issues need to be addressed in reference to a changing climate. OAR’s Earth 

System Research Laboratory (ESRL) Global Systems Division (GSD) is the lead laboratory for 

HMT-West. ESRL/GSD and the ESRL Physical Sciences Division (PSD) are partnering to 

provide an HMT legacy capability in California through support from the California Department 

of Water Resources. 

Beyond 2010, if there is sufficient funding within NOAA to support it, HMT will spin up a 

second regional implementation in the southeastern United States. 

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MILITARY SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

For each of the military services with meteorological operational programs (U.S. Air Force, 

Navy, Army, and Marine Corps), the discussion below first describes that service’s operational 

organizations, followed by description of the principal meteorological products and services 

provided by these organizations. 

U.S. Air Force (USAF) 

Operational Organizations 

Air Force Weather 

Air Force Weather (AFW) is functionally organized under the Director of Weather (AF/A3OW), Directorate of Operations (AF/A3O), Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Plans, and 

Requirements (AF/A3/A5), Headquarters Air Force. However, most of the weather airmen and 

civilians who constitute AFW personnel are assigned to and report through the Air Force 

commands they support. The Director of Weather oversees USAF-wide training, organizing, and 

equipping of AFW forces and organizations. AFW forces provide mission-tailored terrestrial and 

space environment observations, forecasts, and services to the Air Force, U.S. Army (USA), and 

a variety of U.S. government departments and agencies. AFW enables joint warfighters to 

anticipate and exploit the weather—for air, space, cyberspace, and ground operations. 

AFW operations provide a total force capability employing over 4,100 active duty and Reserve 

Component military and civilian personnel. Airmen in the Weather (15WX) career field act as 

“eyes forward” to collect, analyze, tailor, integrate, and disseminate weather environmental 

information, including forecasts of future conditions, in support of military operations. Weather 

airmen and civilians support USAF and USA conventional forces and Special Operations Forces 

(SOF) worldwide. The majority of these AFW personnel are focused on two distinct yet related 

functions: (1) characterizing the past, current, and future state of the natural environment; and (2) 

exploiting environmental information to provide actionable environmental impacts information 

directly to decisionmakers. 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Military Services are those meteorological operations, services, and 

capabilities established to meet the unique requirements of military user commands and their 

component elements. Programs and services that are not uniquely military in nature are reported under 

another service category (e.g., Basic Services, Aviation Services [civilian], Surface transportation 

Services, or Emergency Response and Homeland Security Services). 

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The AFW support infrastructure is designed to readily deploy and operate in austere 

expeditionary environments. It is capable of providing sustained, comprehensive, and relevant 

weather support to all elements of an Air Expeditionary Force, as well as forward deployed air 

bases and stations of the establishment supporting that force. AFW is organized in a 3-tier 

structure to maximize capabilities that can be accomplished in the rear area via “reachback” 

technology. This minimizes forward presence on the battlefield, making a “light and lean” 

presence consistent with the overall USAF vision for contingency operations in the 21st century. 

Further AFW organizational information can be found at: 

http://www.afweather.af.mil/index.asp. 

Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) 

AFWA is a Field Operating Agency reporting to the USAF Director of Weather. It is the weather 

production center of the USAF in the first tier of the AFW organizational structure. The AFWA 

weather center delivers worldwide weather products to Air Force and Army warfighters, unified 

commands, National Programs, and the National Command Authorities. AFWA supplies 

weather products, training tools, and fields equipment to USAF Operational Weather Squadrons 

(OWSs) and Weather Flights and provides 24-hour technical assistance on all standard weather 

systems and equipment. AFWA builds and maintains the world's most comprehensive weather 

database of observation, forecast, climatological, and space weather products available on the 

Worldwide Web. 

 The 1st Weather Group aligns stateside weather operations with the USAF warfighting 

initiative overseeing the Operational Weather Squadrons. The 1 WXG has three 

subordinate OWSs whose areas of responsibility are within the continental United States: 

the 15th, 25th, and 26th Operational Weather Squadrons. They form the backbone of 

regionally focused, “reachback” weather operations for the continental United States, 

providing a variety of weather forecast products and support to units assigned to and/or 

deployed in their respective areas of responsibility. 

 The 2nd Weather Group delivers timely, relevant, and specialized terrestrial, space, and 

climatological global environmental intelligence to Joint warfighters, U.S. Department of 

Defense (DOD) decisionmakers, national agencies, and allied nations for the planning 

and execution of missions across the complete spectrum of military operations through 

the operation, sustainment and maintenance of AFW's $277 million strategic center 

computer complex, production network, and applications. 

Operational Weather Squadrons 

Around the world, OWSs are the second tier of the AFW organizational structure and provide 

continuous, complete environmental situational awareness. They are responsible for producing 

and disseminating mission-planning and -execution weather analyses, forecasts, and briefings for 

Air Force, Army, National Guard, and Reserve forces operating anywhere around the world.

 The 15th Operational Weather Squadron's area of responsibility includes 120 

installations/sites in a 22-state region of the northeastern United States. 

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 Military Services 

 The 17th Operational Weather Squadron’s area of responsibility covers over 95-million 

square miles of the Pacific region including Australia, Korea and Japan. 

 The 21st Operational Weather Squadron's area of responsibility includes Europe, 

Greenland, and most of Africa. 

 The 25th Operational Weather Squadron's area of responsibility includes 68 

installations/sites in an 11-state region of the western United States. 

 The 26th Operational Weather Squadron's area of responsibility includes 70 

installations/sites in a seven-state region of the south central United States. 

 The 28th Operational Weather Squadron’s area of responsibility includes sites throughout 

Central Command including southwest Asia and the Horn of Africa. 

Weather Flights 

Deployed in the field and focused on operational weather, USAF Weather Flights constitute the 

third tier of AFW and act as the prime interface with a USAF installation's flying and ground 

Air Force Operational Weather Squadrons (OWS) areas of responsibility (AORs) 

overlaid on geographic combatant commander AORs. 

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operations. Weather Flights are located at military installations around the world and are the 

“eyes forward” for the OWS whose area of responsibility includes that installation. 

Special Operations Weather 

USAF special operations units provide limited forward weather observations in denied areas and 

transmit to a Joint Special Operations task force or next-echelon weather element on an asrequired basis. Their tailored weather information and knowledge enable planning, command 

decisions, and execution of SOF operations. USAF combat weather technicians assigned to SOF 

units are expected to know and keep current on the entire environment in the isolated locations to 

which their unit deploys. 

USAF- Army Weather Organizations 

Weather airmen aligned with Army units directly support the Army G-2 intelligence centers and 

Amy fire support operations. Army weather organizations predict the impact weather will have 

on Army and joint operations, giving leadership at all levels the ability to adjust operational and 

tactical strategies helping to further mission success. (See section below on USA Weather 

Support Structure.) 

Combat weather technicians and meteorologists assigned to support Army units are expected to 

forecast the weather anywhere their Army unit deploys. Army-trained weather personnel can 

parachute behind enemy lines and travel with a small platoon of soldiers, providing on-the-scene 

weather information for a variety of missions. 

Combat Climatology 

The 14th Weather Squadron is stationed in Ashville, North Carolina, where it is co-located with 

the National Climate Data Center, one of the environmental data centers under NOAA's National 

Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS). Its traditional mission has 

focused on combat climatology products and services to support Air Force operations 

worldwide. For more information on the 14th Weather Squadron and the National Climate Data 

Center, see the Climate Services section of this Federal Plan. 

Space Weather Operations 

AFW space weather forecasters provide space weather analyses, forecasts, and alert notification 

for all DOD agencies and U.S. Government systems. With observatories in Australia, Italy, 

Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Hawaii, USAF space weather technicians maintain a 

continuous observational watch on the Sun, which can emit electromagnetic energy and 

electrically charged particles capable of causing disturbances in the near-Earth environment and 

disrupting satellite operations and satellite-based communications. The mission of the AFW solar 

observatories is to monitor solar flares, noise storms and other releases of energy from the Sun 

and, when necessary, notify military and civilian concerned with space weather, power, and 

communications in countries throughout the world. For further discussion of the complementary 

roles of AFW space weather operations and the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Space 

Weather Prediction Center, see the section on Space Weather Services. 

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AFW Reserve Component 

The Reserve Component of AFW includes airmen in both the Air Force Reserve Command 

(AFRC) and the Air National Guard (ANG). AFW continues to integrate these forces to more 

closely align with active duty weather force operations. AFRC weather personnel augment the 

active duty force at all three tiers. In some cases, the AFRC provides very unique weather-related 

services not duplicated in the active duty force, such as AFRC’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance 

Squadron (see “AFRC Hurricane Hunters,” below) and the ANG’s Weather Readiness Training 

Center. 

To augment OWS operations, AFRC organized two operational weather flights, each staffed by 

AFRC weather personnel, that are capable of augmenting an Operational Weather Squadron 

either in the continental United States or overseas. Additional AFRC weather personnel serve as 

individual mobilization augmentees assigned to various active AFW organizations at all 

echelons, typically in staff, forecasting, or scientific roles. There are also Reserve Component 

weather personnel in Air Reserve Technician positions, i.e., combined full-time civil service/Air 

Force Reserve military positions, employed by the 53 Weather Reconnaissance Squadron as 

airborne weather reconnaissance officers. Lastly, AFRC contract weather personnel provide 

weather services at AFRC-operated bases in the continental United States. 

The ANG traditional program consists of 27 numbered weather flights, ranging in size from 13 

to 25 personnel, who meet monthly to train for their wartime mission. These flights provide 

weather support to ANG and USA National Guard units. Air Combat Command-gained ANG 

wings also have up to four traditional weather positions to provide weather operations for each 

wing’s flying mission. In addition, there are traditional weather positions in two ANG Special 

Tactics Squadrons (AF Special Operations Command), and four ANG remotely piloted vehicle 

units (e.g., Predator). The ANG also has seven contract and four civil service locations, which 

are responsible for providing peacetime weather support to airfield operations. 

USAF Products and Services 

Space Launch Support 

USAF meteorological support for space launches is discussed under the major section on Other 

Specialized Services. 

Air and Space Natural Environment Modeling and Simulation 

The Air Force Director of Weather carries out the responsibilities of the DOD Air and Space 

Natural Environment Modeling and Simulation Executive Agent (ASNE MSEA) in accordance 

with a Memorandum from the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and 

Logistics to the Secretary of the Air Force. These responsibilities include managing, 

coordinating, and implementing all aspects of modeling and simulation relating to the air and 

space natural environment related to planning, programming, monitoring, and reporting across 

all DOD components. The DOD ASNE MSEA ensures that DOD communities that use 

simulations for their training, acquisition, testing, planning, experimentation, and analysis have 

the right tools, infrastructure, and databases necessary to represent the air and space natural 

environment and its effects.

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AFRC Hurricane Hunters 

The AFRC 53rd Weather 

Reconnaissance Squadron, also known 

as the “Hurricane Hunters,” provides an 

airborne means of collecting vital 

meteorological data, especially in and 

around tropical cyclones. The 

squadron’s specially equipped WC-130J 

aircraft collect temperature, moisture, 

wind, pressure, and visually observed 

information at the aircraft location, as 

well as vertical profiles of the 

atmosphere collected by dropsondes. 

Hurricane Hunter aircraft penetrate the 

eyes of tropical cyclones to provide the 

NWS National Hurricane Center with 

highly accurate center fix locations as 

well as other meteorological parameters, including sea level pressure. In addition to tropical 

cyclone reconnaissance, the squadron collects meteorological information to improve wintertime 

West Coast forecasts and to support scientific field programs when possible. 

DOD and National Aviation Support 

OWSs provide flight weather briefings to aircrews operating within their area of responsibility 

without home station support or as requested by base- or post-level weather forces. The 15th 

Operational Weather Squadron, located at Scott AFB, Illinois, provides short-term backup 

services for the NWS Storm Prediction Center and Aviation Weather Center. In the event of an 

extended or catastrophic outage at either NWS center, essential staff would relocate to the 

AFWA facility at Offutt AFB, Nebraksa, where system and communications infrastructure exists 

to support relocation backup of these critical national missions. 

At USAF bases and USA posts, AFW forces focus on their warfighter’s mission requirements. 

These units provide and disseminate observations and develop tailored mission execution 

forecasts based on centrally produced guidance. For USAF operations, these weather 

professionals are normally assigned to a flight under an OWS in an USAF flying wing; however, 

individuals from the weather flight are integrated into flying squadron mission planning and 

execution processes. For USA operations, the Battlefield Weather Airmen professionals are 

normally assigned to combat weather teams at all levels of USA support. The weather airmen are 

integrated into all aspects of USA operations. In this capacity, weather forces supporting USAF 

and USA aviation operations infuse critical weather information at key points in the decision 

cycle to help aircrews maximize wartime capabilities, enhance flight safety, and optimize 

training effectiveness. 

In FY 2011 AFW will continue to upgrade weather systems and processes that support all DOD 

aviation. The continued fielding of the Joint Environmental Toolkit and upgraded surface 

53 WRS “Hurricane Hunter” WC-130J aircraft on-board radar 

(53 WRS website). 

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 Military Services 

weather sensors will produce more accurate and timely weather observation and forecast 

products. 

Volcanic Ash Surveillance and Analysis. 

One of the roles of the 2nd Weather Group at AFWA is to provide volcanic ash surveillance and 

analysis for DOD aviation operations worldwide. Analysts continuously monitor all active 

volcanoes, generating more than 4,000 bulletins per year. Tailored satellite imagery, graphical 

ash plume forecast, and text bulletins provide vital information needed to mitigate airborne 

volcanic ash as a threat to flight safety. The 2nd Weather Group also provides critical backup for 

NOAA’s Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center. 

Weather Specialty Teams 

AFW weather experts are assigned to weather specialty teams in air and space operations 

centers. This crosscutting team integrates environmental information at key decision points of air 

and space operations planning, execution, and assessment. Armed with this information, 

decisionmakers can balance operational risks against mission need to optimize timing, tactics, 

target and weapons selection, and other factors affecting air and space operations. 

NextGen Development 

AFW continues active collaboration with the Next Generation Air Transportation System 

(NextGen) program, which is described more fully in the Aviation Weather Services section of 

this Federal Plan. Experiences gained through implementation of DOD’s Joint METOC Data 

Base and machine-to-machine data services used by the USAF’s primary automated mission 

planning systems are providing valuable lessons learned for NextGen’s development. 

U.S. Army 

USA Weather Support Structure 

The weather support structure within the Army is a mix of USA and USAF personnel and 

equipment in accordance with a USA-USAF agreement: (Army Regulation [AR] 115-10/Air 

Force Instruction [AFI] 15-157 (IP), Weather Support for the USA, 6 January 2010). This joint 

regulation describes the responsibilities of USAF support components and the Army Commands 

and Army Service Component Commands (ASCC) for providing weather support. Under AR 

115-10/AFI 15-157, the USAF provides the Army with the necessary labor and unique tactical 

and fixed weather equipment to meet Army tactical, installation and airfield support 

requirements for both active and reserve components. Weather labor requirements for USA 

support are sourced from USAF active and reserve component weather personnel. The USAF 

assigns AFW personnel to provide direct weather support to the warfighting Army Commands 

and ASCCs at the following levels: Army Service Component Commands, corps, divisions, 

combat aviation brigades, brigade combat teams, armored cavalry regiments, Special Forces 

groups, Ranger regiments, and Special Operations aviation regiments. USAF OWSs and postlevel weather organizations provide installation and tactical weather warning, observing, 

forecasting, special support, and staff weather officer (SWO) services to combat, combat 

support, and combat service support units throughout the peacetime/war continuum. Peacetime 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

installation and garrison activities include supporting flying operations at Army airfields and 

severe weather watch, warning, and advisory services for aircraft and installation resource 

protection. Per the USA-USAF agreement, the USAF is responsible for installation, operation, 

and maintenance of standard USAF meteorological and observing equipment at Army airfields. 

Tactically, the Army is responsible for vehicles, tactical communications, and weather effects 

criteria. The Army provides other tactical equipment to USAF personnel through an Army Table 

of Organizations and Equipment (TOE). 

U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army Europe, U.S. Army Pacific, U.S. Army Special 

Operations Command, Eighth U.S. Army, and U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command 

(TRADOC) have AFW personnel providing daily installation and tactical weather support. The 

Army provides operational eeather support to Army research development, test, and evaluation 

(RDT&E) ranges, centers, and other research facilities using the Developmental Test 

Command’s Meteorological Teams and USA Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) 

contractors. Developmental Test Command operational support is established under USA Test 

and Evaluation Command. SMDC provides weather support to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic 

Missile Defense Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll through a Meteorological Environmental Test 

Support contractor. 

Headquarters, Department of the Army, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2, is responsible 

for USA weather policy. The Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3, is responsible for 

validating and prioritizing weather support requirements and programs to meet USA 

requirements. 

Headquarters, TRADOC, is responsible for leading the USA in development of USA-USAF 

interservice weather operations, services concepts, and doctrine required to conduct Army 

operations. TRADOC develops and manages USA weather training programs, documents 

standard USA equipment for use by AFW personnel in the TOE, and recommends modifications 

to the TOE and Common Table of Allowances to DCS, G-3/5/7 for validation. TRADOC 

processes tactical Army weather support requirements, represents the Army’s warfighting 

functions by determining needed weather capabilities and processing weather requirements 

found in Joint and USA conceptual documents and originating from TRADOC centers and 

schools. TRADOC collects and processes weather requirements from TRADOC schools/centers, 

USA Medical Command, and USA Corps of Engineers (USACE). It collaborates with

Headquarters, Department of the Army, and Headquarters, USAF, to recommend solutions to 

satisfy those requirements by processing tactical USA weather support requirements through the 

Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) process. 

Key mission areas for the next few years will be to assist the USAF with development and 

implementation of a new weather support concept to meet the needs of the USA’s modular force, 

including brigade combat teams; to update weather support doctrine, policy, organization, and 

concepts; update tactics, techniques, and procedures; ensure weather effects to USA operations 

are documented and communicated to soldiers and AFW support personnel; and ensure USA 

weather support processes and procedures are trained across the TRADOC schools and centers. 

These mission areas are accomplished in coordination with the USAF SWOs and USA and 

USAF civilians assigned within TRADOC. 

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 Military Services 

U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence 

The U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence (USAICoE) is the functional proponent for 

USA tactical weather support. It represents the USA warfighter by processing weather support 

requirements and developing solutions to satisfy those requirements when they are the 

responsibility of the USA. In FY 2009, USAICoE hired a Department of the Army Civilian 

(DAC) to head the newly created USA Weather Proponent Office. This DAC heads USAICoE 

weather proponent efforts in JCIDS and Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership 

and Education, Personnel and Facilities (DOTMLPF) work. This JCIDS and DOTMLPF work 

occurs within USAICoE and in conjunction with other USA Centers of Excellence and Army 

research and experimentation organizations. In FY 2010, the DAC led an Army-wide Weather 

Capabilities-based Assessment to determine capability requirements, gaps, and possible 

solutions. In addition to the DAC, the USAF has also assigned two active duty AFW personnel 

and a Department of the Air Force Civilian (DAFC) to USAICoE. The DAFC is responsible for 

assisting the 304th Military Intelligence (MI) battalion in conducting the Battlefield Weather 

Course (BWC). AFW personnel assist in overseeing the BWC, assist with the JCIDS and 

DOTMLPF work, and are the primary AFW interfaces with USAICoE Force Design, which 

develops TOEs for MI organizations. These TOEs document the equipment the USA is required 

to provide AFW personnel per AR 115-10/AFI 15-157 (IP). Most AFW teams are supported 

through a MI organization. The TRADOC Capability Manager for Sensor Processing employs 

one DAC to serve as the interface between the proponent (USAICoE) and the material developer 

to ensure as many requirements as possible are met by a developed solution. Currently, most of 

this work is directed toward the Program Manager for the Distributed Common Ground SystemArmy (PM DCGS-A); see discussion under “Products and Services” of IMETS. 

USAF SWO at the USA’s Combined Arms Center 

The USAF SWO at the USA’s Combined Arms Center (CAC), located at Fort Leavenworth, 

Kansas, provides oversight for the TOE and Modified TOEs (MTOEs) for AFW teams 

supporting USA operations. This CAC SWO is the USAF’s weather point of contact for 

implementing MTOE structure changes for support to Modular Forces in the Transformed Army. 

The CAC SWO also arranges for or provides environmental data, concepts of operation, and 

weather subject matter expertise for programs, projects, documents, and studies conducted by: 

(1) the TRADOC System Manager - Army Battle Command System, (2) the Battle Command 

Battle Lab-Leavenworth, 3) the Center for Army Lessons Learned, (4) the Combined Arms 

Doctrine Directorate, (5) the TRADOC Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence –Threats, 

in the Foreign Military Studies Office, and (6) the TRADOC Analysis Center-Leavenworth. 

Other key CAC SWO tasks are to develop weather/weather effects scripts and climatology 

packages to support modeling and simulation efforts of the Battle Command Training Program 

(BCTP) and the National Simulation Center, to make available USA weather support instruction 

at the Command and General Staff College, to provide climate expertise to all units assigned or 

attached to Fort Leavenworth, and to be the SWO to the U.S. Army Aviation Center of 

Excellence (USAACE) at Fort Rucker, Alabama. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

USA Products and Services 

U.S. Army Artillery (ARTYMET) 

ARTYMET crews in the active and reserve component sections of the Army are currently 

equipped with the legacy Meteorological Measuring Set (MMS) AN/TMQ-41 or its replacement, 

the Meteorological Measuring Set-Profiler (MMS-P) AN/TMQ-52A or AN/TMQ-52B systems. 

The MMS AN/TMQ-41 is a mobile, upper-air sounding system mounted on a High Mobility 

Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). It provides upper-air data to the Field Artillery 

Tactical Data System for use in adjusting artillery fire, to AFW personnel, and to the Chemical 

Officer for use in smoke and in Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) defense operations. 

The MMS-P is a major improvement over the MMS. The system is housed in a Command Post 

Shelter and transported on an 1152A2 HMMWV. Two additional HMMWVs are used to 

transport the crew and other equipment necessary to employ the system. The design of the MMSP supports the new generation of indirect fire artillery weapons by providing highly accurate 

meteorological data to adjust artillery fire and achieve first-round hits or fires for effect. The 

MMS-P, which takes surface and upper air observations, provides weather data to the Field 

Artillery Tactical Data System for ballistic calculations; to AFW services for weather 

forecasting; and to the Chemical Officer for obscurant deployment and for Chemical, Biological, 

Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) defense operations. Its suite of meteorological sensors and 

associated software/models provide Field Artillery units with current and/or forecasted weather 

conditions at the points where artillery munitions are expected to engage a target. Efforts are 

ongoing to ensure that these surface and upper air observations are also sent back to military 

weather centers where they can be ingested into numerical meteorological analysis and 

forecasting models. The system provides meteorological data on demand, and its latency is 

reduced to less than 30 minutes, compared with hours for the MMS AN/TMQ-41. The profiler 

system includes frequent and updated meteorological messages that enhance the meteorological 

validity of products within a larger battle space, compared with the MMS AN/TMQ-41. The 

MMS-P uses the MM5 mesoscale meteorological model to assimilate data from a variety of 

sources and provide the best meteorological messages to the user in a timely fashion. It receives 

data from ground-based sources, radiosondes, and satellite-based sources. The latter include 

boundary data from communications satellites and data from polar-orbiting meteorological 

satellites, received through an onboard satellite reception capability. These incoming data help to 

improve the accuracy of the MM5 model. Further post-processing of the data generates the 

requested meteorological messages. Finally, an operator interface, in conjunction with the 

message generation and formatting software, facilitates communication between the MMS-P and 

all other systems that require interoperability with it. 

Integrated Meteorological System (IMETS) 

The key system that provides weather support to the USA is IMETS, which is fielded by the 

USA and operated by AFW personnel. PM DCGS-A has assumed the IMETS program and is 

integrating IMETS into DCGS-A software and hardware. PM DCGS-A is also integrating the 

USAF’s Joint Environmental Toolkit software into DCGS-A. 

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 Military Services 

Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) 

The Developmental Test Command (DTC), a subordinate command of United States Army Test 

and Evaluation Command (ATEC), is responsible for providing operational meteorological 

support to USA Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E). Under responsibilities 

established in AR 11510/ AFI 15-157 (IP), the DTC meteorological units provide meteorological 

data collection and analysis, consultation, and weather forecast and warning services to support 

USA and other DOD RDT&E activities at eight USA installations. 

The Chief of the Meteorology Division at Dugway Proving Ground's West Desert Test Center 

serves as the DTC Program Manager for Meteorological Support to USA RDT&E. Specialized 

services provided by the Division include: (1) technical assistance to the DTC operational 

meteorological teams/branches; (2) atmospheric model verification and validation, including 

algorithm evaluation and the generation of validation data sets; and (3) technical assistance to the 

DOD chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) defense modeling 

community in the development of new CBRNE hazard assessment models. Division employees 

also serve on various national and international committees addressing issues related to 

meteorological measurements, atmospheric dispersion modeling, CBRNE hazard assessment, 

and air quality. 

U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) Support to the Ronald Reagan 

Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site 

A subcommand of SMDC provides operational support to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile 

Defense Test Site, including support for range activities (local and remote missile launches), 

missile weapons readiness testing, aviation and marine operations, and emergency operations. 

For further description of this support service, see “Other Specialized Services” in Section 2. 

Meteorological Education and Training 

The U.S. Army Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, is the proponent for upper air 

meteorological support to the USA. The 13S and 13W Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 

have been combined into the 13T MOS for FY 2011. The associated course is now the Field 

Artillery Survey/Meteorological Crewmember Course. Active-duty Army survey and 

meteorological sections will complete the transition to the new 13T MOS structure by FY 2011. 

All soldiers in advanced individual training through the Field Artillery Survey/Meteorology 

Course are now being trained for the MMS-P (described above). 

U.S. Navy 

Operational Organizations 

Oceanographer of the Navy

The Oceanographer of the Navy (CNO OPNAV N2/N6F5) is the resource sponsor for all Office 

of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) meteorological and oceanographic (METOC) 

programs of record and represents the Naval Oceanography Program (NOP) on the staff of the 

Chief of Naval Operations. His staff works closely with the staff of Commander, Naval 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC), the operational arm of the NOP, to 

ensure the proper resources are available to meet mission requirements. The Oceanographer of 

the Navy acts as a liaison between CNMOC and the Chief of Naval Operations, serves as Naval 

Deputy to NOAA the Administrator, and represents the NOP in interagency and international 

forums. 

Task Force Climate Change. In May 2009, the Chief of Naval Operations appointed the 

Oceanographer of the Navy to head Task Force Climate Change (TFCC). TFCC addresses 

emerging Navy needs and develops comprehensive approaches regarding Arctic and global 

climate change to guide future Navy public, policy, and strategy discussions. TFCC recommends 

policy, strategy, and investments for the Navy regarding the Arctic and climate change that are 

consistent with existing national, joint, and naval guidance, including National Security 

Presidential Directive 66/Homeland Security Presidential Directive 25 (NSPD-66/HSPD-25), 

Joint Vision 2020, Sea Power 21, the Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower, and the 

2010 Quadrennial Defense Review. Recent TFCC accomplishments include the signing of the 

Navy's Arctic Roadmap in November 2009 and Climate Change Roadmap in March 2010 by the 

Vice Chief of Naval Operations and the signing of the Navy's Strategic Objectives for the Arctic 

by the Chief of Naval Operations in March 2010. The Arctic and Climate Change Roadmaps 

provide holistic, chronological, science-based guidance for future Navy action from now through 

2040. 

Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (NAVMETOCCOM) 

NAVMETOCCOM serves as the operational arm of the NOP. Headquartered at the Stennis 

Space Center in Mississippi, it is a third-echelon command reporting to United States Fleet 

Forces. NAVMETOCCOM claimancy is globally distributed, with assets located on larger ships 

(aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, and C2 ships), shore facilities at fleet concentration areas, 

and larger production centers in the United States. 

NAVMETOCCOM is focused on providing critical environmental knowledge to the warfighting 

disciplines of anti-submarine warfare (ASW); naval special warfare; mine warfare; intelligence, 

surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); and Fleet Operations (Strike and Expeditionary), as well 

as to the support areas of maritime operations, aviation operations, navigation, precise time, and 

astrometry. 

Aerographer's Mate 2nd Class 

Derron Gee, from East 

Hampton, N.Y., runs a satellite 

loop computer program used to 

predict weather patterns in the 

metrological shop aboard the 

aircraft carrier USS John C. 

Stennis (CVN 74). (U.S. Navy 

photo by Mass Communication 

Specialist 3rd Class Kenneth 

Abbate)

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 Military Services 

Major activities and additional subordinates within the command currently include the following: 

 Naval Oceanography Operations Command, Stennis Space Center, Mississippi 

 Naval Aviation Forecast Center, Norfolk, Virginia, and detachments 

 Naval Maritime Forecast Center, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (with an activity in Norfolk) 

 Strike Group Oceanography Teams in Norfolk, Virginia, San Diego, California, and 

Fallon, Nevada, with subordinate mobile environmental teams (in FY 2011, these three 

teams will merge into Fleet Weather Center Norfolk and Fleet Weather Center San 

Diego, with subordinate units and detachments) 

 Naval Special Warfare Oceanography Center in San Diego, California (with components 

and detachments in Stuttgart, Germany; Norfolk, Virginia; and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii) 

 Naval Oceanography ASW Centers in Yokosuka, Japan, and Stennis Space Center (with 

subordinate detachments) 

 Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), Stennis Space Center 

 Fleet Survey Team, Stennis Space Center 

 Naval Ice Center, Suitland, Maryland 

 Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, Monterey (FNMOC), California 

 U.S. Naval Observatory (NAVOBSY), Washington, D.C. 

 Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Professional Development Center, Gulfport, 

Mississippi 

The major NAVMETOCCOM production centers, NAVOCEANO, FNMOC, and NAVOBSY, 

support the Commander, Naval Oceanographic Operations Command with enabling capability. 

The command’s operational model is based on standardizing services for each 

NAVOCEANOPSCOM directorate, automating everything that can be automated, and coupling 

situational awareness and a small on-scene presence, supported by a significant 24/7 reachback 

production capability at the major production centers. 

Naval Oceanography Operations Command (NAVOCEANOPSCOM) 

The NAVOCEANOPSCOM, headed by the Commander, Naval Oceanographic Operations 

Command, is an echelon four command that serves as the principal operational organization 

reporting to CNMOC. It coordinates and manages efforts among field activities under the 

operational oceanography program to optimize warfighting resources, support safe operations, 

and enhance dominance of the battlespace through superior understanding and exploitation of the 

environment. NAVOCEANOPSCOM encompasses nine warfighting and enabling directorates: 

Aviation Operations, Maritime Operations, Fleet Operations, Precise Time and Astronomy, 

Navigation, ISR, Mine Warfare, Naval Special Warfare and ASW. Each directorate determines 

how that directorate’s services are delivered globally. The Commander, Naval Oceanographic 

Operations Command, supports the combatant commanders, national missions, and U.S. 

interagency and international partners. 

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Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center 

FNMOC, which is an echelon four activity reporting to CNMOC, is the NOP production center 

for meteorology. This center plays a significant role in the national capability for operational 

weather and ocean prediction through its operation of global and regional METOC models that 

extend from the top of the atmosphere to the bottom of the ocean. Through close collaboration 

with NAVOCEANO, FNMOC is also a key component in the Navy’s operational weather and 

ocean prediction program. This program provides information that helps give Naval forces an 

asymmetric advantage in speed, access, and persistence in any combat operation. 

Naval Oceanographic Office 

NAVOCEANO is the NOP’s production center for oceanography. Since atmospheric conditions 

are inherently coupled to oceanographic conditions, the Navy’s program in meteorology is 

closely linked with oceanography, which is the focus of the NAVOCEANO. NAVOCEANO 

primary responsibilities include the collection, processing, and distribution of oceanographic, 

hydrographic, and other geophysical data and products. It is responsible for administration of a 

fleet of seven ocean-class hydrographic survey vessels. 

United States Naval Observatory 

NAVOBSY is the production center for precise time and astrometry. It is one of the oldest 

scientific agencies in the country, established in 1830 as the Depot of Charts and Instruments. 

Today, NAVOBSY is the national authority on Precise Time and Astrometry and distributes 

earth orientation parameters and other astronomical data required for accurate navigation and 

fundamental astronomy. NAVOBSY serves as the official source of time for the DOD and the 

standard of time for the United States. The atomic clock timescale of the Observatory is based on 

an ensemble of cesium-beam frequency standards and hydrogen masers. NAVOBSY performs 

an essential scientific role for the United States, the Navy, and the DOD, as its mission includes 

determining the positions and motions of the Earth, Sun, Moon, planets, stars, and other celestial 

objects; providing astronomical data; determining precise time; measuring the Earth’s rotation; 

and maintaining the Master Clock for the United States. NAVOBSY astronomers formulate 

theories and conduct relevant research necessary to improve these mission goals. These 

astronomical and timing data, essential for accurate navigation and the support of 

communication on Earth and in space, are vital to the Navy and DOD. They are also used 

extensively by other government agencies and the public at large. 

Navy Products and Services 

Naval Oceanography Program (NOP) 

The NOP provides global meteorological and oceanographic observations and forecasts, 

maritime geospatial-environmental information and services, and ocean surveillance critical for 

safe and effective DOD operations—particularly those of the Navy and the Marine Corps. Its 

mission is to protect the fleet, shape the battlespace, and maximize warfighting capability. The 

NOP includes oceanography, bathymetry, hydrography, meteorology, acoustics, geophysics, 

astrometry, geospatial information, and precise time. 

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 Military Services 

Naval METOC underpins every aspect of naval operations and warfare. It provides an affordable 

and sustainable competitive advantage to the Nation and protects the substantial National 

investment in both afloat and ashore force structure. The NOP, which is supported by ocean 

engineering, operational supercomputing and operations research, in recent years reinvented 

itself to meet the warfighting needs of the operators and the fiscal needs of today’s Navy. 

Increasingly, costs are leveraged in the Joint, interagency, and international arenas to deliver 

capabilities at a shared cost. The NOP provides the DOD’s global numerical weather forecasting 

capability and partners with AFW in flight weather forecasting, Joint operations, information 

management, and acquisition programs. It also has strong relationships with all five NOAA 

directorates. 

FNMOC Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) systems 

FNMOC has had a long and productive history of implementing, evaluating, operating, 

maintaining, and improving Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) systems specifically to meet 

U.S. Navy operational requirements. These requirements include the need for an accurate 

representation of coastal meteorology and the air-sea heat fluxes and wind stresses required to 

drive the Navy’s ocean models. In support of these requirements, FNMOC acquires and 

processes over six million observations per day, creating one of the world’s most comprehensive 

real-time databases of METOC observations for real-time fusion and assimilation into its 

models. In addition, FNMOC is the designated DOD center for global NWP. 

FNMOC satisfies the military’s requirement for an operational global NWP capability based on 

software certified to DOD information assurance standards and operated in a secure classified 

environment with embedded protection from DOD-certified firewalls to prevent outside 

intrusions. This requirement is driven by the importance of weather and ocean conditions on 

modern military operations, the need to use classified weather observations to guarantee the very 

best weather and ocean predictions in theaters of conflict, and the imperative to produce and 

Aerographer's Mate 

Airman Jonathan 

Salgado launches a 

weather balloon from 

the fantail of the aircraft 

carrier USS Theodore 

Roosevelt (CVN 71) to 

gather atmospheric 

data. (U.S. Navy Photo 

by Mass 

Communication 

Specialist Seaman 

Andrew Skipworth) 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

disseminate weather and ocean products to military decisionmakers without fear of interruption 

or compromise as a result of cyber terrorists or cyber warfare. 

In general, FNMOC strives to treat the air-ocean environment as a fully integrated system, from 

the top of the atmosphere to the bottom of the ocean, placing special emphasis on the air-ocean 

interface. FNMOC employs four primary models—the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric 

Prediction System (NOGAPS), the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System 

(COAMPS), the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Navy (GFDN) model, and the Wave Watch III 

model (WW3)—along with a number of specialized models and related applications. 

 NOGAPS is a hydrostatic, global spectral model that drives nearly all other FNMOC 

models and applications in some fashion, and forms the basis for the FNMOC global 

Ensemble Forecast System (EFS). 

 COAMPS is a high-resolution, non-hydrostatic regional model, multiply nested within 

NOGAPS. It has proven to be particularly valuable for forecasting weather and ocean 

conditions in highly complex coastal areas. 

 GFDN is a moving-nest tropical cyclone model, nested within NOGAPS. It is used to 

forecast tropical cyclone tracks globally. 

 WW3 is a spectral ocean wave model that is employed both globally (driven by 

NOGAPS) and regionally (driven by COAMPS) in support of a wide variety of naval 

operations. 

Other models support and supplement the main models with predictions of ocean thermal 

structure, ocean currents, and other parameters. All of the models are configured, scheduled, and 

operated under the central control of FNMOC operations. COAMPS, however, can also be 

configured, scheduled, and operated remotely by users in the field as an on-demand modeling 

service. This is done over the Worldwide Web via the FNMOC Centralized Atmospheric 

Analysis and Prediction System. 

FNMOC Products and Services 

FNMOC’s complex and robust operational prediction capability is designed to deliver, in 

conjunction with NAVOCEANO, continuous support (24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days 

a year) organized along the warfare areas. For example, some FNMOC products consist of 

detailed forecasts of wind stresses and heat fluxes to drive very high resolution ocean models at 

NAVOCEANO, which provide ocean thermal structure and currents in support of anti-submarine 

and mine warfare operations. Other products are near-shore wind, sea, and surf forecasts that 

directly support fleet operations through ship-to-objective maneuver. In many cases, the outputs 

of the FNMOC models feed directly into applications models, tactical decision aids, and other 

products that provide direct support to various weather-sensitive activities associated with the 

warfighting directorates identified above. These include optimum path aircraft routing, optimum 

track ship routing, issuance of high-winds and high-seas warnings, hurricane/typhoon sortie 

decisions, covert ingress/egress of SOF, ballistic missile targeting, cruise missile launch and 

targeting, radar performance prediction in support of ship self-defense, naval gunfire operations, 

understanding the threats posed by airborne nuclear/biological/chemical agents, search-andrescue at sea, and many other activities. 

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 Military Services 

FNMOC also provides a wide-range of METOC observations and satellite imagery to 

complement its models and applications products. These include on-demand extracts from its 

global observational database, a full range of Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) 

Special Sensor Microwave/Imager products, ERS, and QuikScat scatterometer wind products, a 

comprehensive view of tropical cyclones via the FNMOC Tropical Cyclone Web Page, and 

various experimental satellite products fielded for evaluation in conjunction with the Naval 

Research Laboratory (NRL). The latter include satellite imagery that enhances the visualization 

of airborne sand and dust. In support of the Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment 

(GODAE), FNMOC also hosts the USGODAE Monterey Data Server. This system serves as a 

one-stop shop for METOC data and model products required to support global ocean modeling 

R&D. It also functions as one of two Argo Global Data Assembly Centers, hosting the complete 

collection of quality-controlled Argo temperature/salinity profiling float data. 

Many of FNMOC’s products are distributed to users over the Worldwide Web via the PC-based 

MetCast system, and can be subsequently displayed and manipulated on the user’s PC with the 

Joint METOC Viewer software. This includes all standard METOC fields, synoptic observations, 

and satellite imagery. For users who require only graphical display of model-predicted 

meteorological or oceanographic fields, FNMOC provides a Web-based capability called 

WxMap (Weather Map), which requires only a Web browser for access and allows the user to 

select and quickly display predicted METOC fields for any user-defined geographical area. 

All of FNMOC’s production capabilities are fielded on a collection of computer hardware and 

software designated as the Primary Oceanographic Prediction System (POPS). POPS is 

organized into two subsystems: the Analysis and Modeling Subsystem (AMS) and the 

Applications, Transactions, and Observations Subsystem (ATOS). AMS is a cluster of SGI and 

IBM supercomputers on which the major NWP models run. ATOS is a large suite of IBM Linux 

clusters that ingests, decodes, and quality-controls data; does satellite data processing; hosts 

many of the applications models and products mentioned above; and supports data distribution 

via a services-oriented architecture and Web portal. FNMOC also hosts a DOD High 

Performance Computing Modernization Program Distributed Center, which is closely integrated 

with POPS. 

In addition to its primary role of focused support to the warfighter, FNMOC plays a key role in 

the U.S. national program for weather prediction. In this regard, FNMOC’s tropical cyclone 

track predictions, widely recognized as among the best in the world, have proven to be especially 

valuable, with the NWS National Hurricane Center relying heavily on them. FNMOC benefits 

greatly from collocation with its supporting R&D activity, the Marine Meteorology Division of 

the Naval Research Laboratory-Monterey (NRL/MRY). This world-class research organization 

focuses on weather-related support to warfighting. FNMOC and NRL/MRY share space, data, 

software, and computer systems. Together with the nearby Naval Postgraduate School, they 

represent one of the largest concentrations of weather-related intellectual capital in the Nation. 

Collocation and close cooperation between research and operations, such as exists between 

NRL/MRY and FNMOC, is the optimum arrangement for transitioning R&D quickly and costeffectively into new and improved operational weather prediction capabilities. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

NAVOCEANO Products and Services 

NAVOCEANO is the Navy's center for operational oceanographic support and provides daily 

analyses and forecasts of the ocean state with a series of global, regional, and coastal ocean 

circulation and wave models. The core of the system is the dynamic Navy Coastal Ocean Model 

(NCOM), which predicts three-dimensional ocean properties out to 96 hours. The 1/8 degree (14 

km/7.5 nm) resolution Global NCOM covers the world from pole to pole and is coupled with the 

Arctic Polar Ice Prediction System, which forecasts ice properties for the National Ice Center. 

Nested 1/36 degree (3 km/1.7 nm) regional NCOM domains of about 20 by 20 degrees in areal 

coverage provide high-resolution ocean forecasts for regions of Navy and National interest. 

Twelve regional NCOMs are on line now, with 24 planned by 2014. Global and regional NCOM 

products and data fields are shared with NAVOCEANO’s NOAA partners. 

Nested in the regional NCOMs, NAVOCEANO runs a series of coastal, estuarine, and river 

domains with resolutions as fine as 1/360 degree (300 m, 1000 ft) or less in the support of mine 

warfare and homeland security efforts. When appropriate, coastal NCOMs are supplemented by 

other models including HYDROMAP, DELFT3D, and PCTIDES. These models are forced by 

global and regional atmospheric field data provided from FNMOC’s NOGAPS and COAMPS 

runs. The NCOMs are initiated through the assimilation of ocean data from satellites (sea surface 

temperature and altimetry) and various surface and subsurface observing systems including ship 

data, ARGO profiling floats, and gliders. Observations are also used to evaluate model products 

and estimate model skill. In the near future, the Global NCOM will be replaced by the 1/12-

degree resolution Global HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model, which was developed under the 

National Ocean Partnership Program by a consortium of government and academic scientists, led 

by NRL Stennis and including NOAA/NCEP. 

NAVOCEANO is the Navy's primary processing facility for a number of polar-orbiting and 

stationary satellite collection systems from NOAA, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA), and international providers. It is nationally recognized for satellitederived sea-surface temperature and satellite altimeter-derived sea surface topography and wave 

height observations. These products are shared with NOAA partners and are critically important 

to successfully running both the NAVOCEANO ocean models and FNMOC's NOGAPS and 

COAMPS atmospheric models. NAVOCEANO houses a DOD Supercomputer Resource Center 

that provides the power to run the center's operational ocean models. This center provides a firm 

link between research and operations, facilitating the rapid transition of the latest ocean modeling 

capabilities. 

Naval Aviation Support 

Many environmental conditions severely affect flight operations and mission accomplishment. 

Navy meteorologists and forecasters analyze current physical environmental conditions and use 

state-of-the-art computer models to forecast atmospheric and oceanographic phenomena 

impacting naval flight operations. Parameters of importance include wind speed and direction, 

cloud ceiling, precipitation, turbulence, visibility, icing, and severe weather such as 

thunderstorms. An accurate forecast is often the deciding factor in assessing likely mission 

success and the safety of pilots and their aircraft. Meteorologists are assigned to aviation 

forecasting hubs in the United States and at overseas locations. Core aviation weather services 

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 Military Services 

include flight route weather briefings via an internet-based flight weather briefer, severe weather 

warnings and advisories for Navy airfields, and terminal aerodrome forecasts (TAFs) for Navy 

airfields. 

Meteorology and Oceanograpy Education and Training 

Navy officers trained as meteorologists and oceanographers are all university graduates in 

meteorology, oceanography or other earth sciences, with most attaining dual meteorology and 

oceanography advanced graduate degrees. Enlisted forecaster and/or briefers are trained in 

meteorological analysis and forecasting at military schools. Enlisted observers receive training at 

military schools. The enlisted Aerographer’s “A” (observer) and “C” (forecaster) schools are 

located at the Naval Technical Training Unit, which is collocated with USAF and Marine 

weather training at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. Ongoing professional development for 

both officer and enlisted personnel is offered through the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography 

Professional Development Center in Gulfport, Mississippi (with Pacific and Atlantic 

detachments). This development center offers directorate-specific training, as well as training on 

general oceanographic knowledge. 

U.S. Marine Corps 

U.S. Marine Corps METOC Service 

The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps METOC Service is to provide meteorological, 

oceanographic, and space environmental information, products, and services in support of 

Marine Corps military operations and garrison activities. The Marine Corps METOC support 

infrastructure is designed to readily deploy and operate in austere expeditionary environments in 

support of Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) operations. 

The Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps, is the responsible 

office for Marine Corps METOC requirements and support. The Marine Corps METOC 

organization consists of two operational chains of command, one for Supporting Establishment 

METOC units, and the other for the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). Supporting Establishment 

METOC units are located worldwide at Marine Corps air stations, facilities, air ground training 

centers, and base installations. These activities are manned and equipped to provide direct 

aviation METOC support to host and tenant units at seven major air stations in the continental 

United States; one in Hawaii, and two in Japan. However, the number of off-site WSR88D 

Principal User Processors will be incrementally reduced starting in FY 2011. 

FMF METOC activities are organized, trained, and equipped to provide tailored support products 

and services to all combat elements of a MAGTF. METOC support focuses on projected 

consequences for expeditionary maneuver warfare operations, particularly operational maneuver 

from the sea. FMF METOC activities are fully interoperable with Joint Force operations, as part 

of a service or functional component command. When directed to stand up as part of a Joint Task 

Force headquarters, they are capable of planning, coordinating, and leading Joint METOC 

operations. Marine METOC forces can rapidly transition from a pre-crisis state to full 

operational capability in a distant theater, providing on-scene support to MAGTF, Joint, 

combined, allied, and coalition operations and other military operations as may be directed. FMF 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

METOC assets are permanently assigned to Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters (MEF), 

intelligence battalions, Marine Wing Support Groups (MWSG), and Marine Wing Support 

Squadrons (MWSS). There are three MEFs strategically positioned for global response. I MEF, 

which is based in southern California, and III MEF, which is forward based in Okinawa, 

Mainland Japan, and Hawaii, report to the Commander, Marine Forces Pacific. II MEF, which is 

located at bases in North and South Carolina, falls under the Commander, Marine Forces 

Command. 

MEF METOC personnel serve as special staff to the commanding general and are under the 

direction and cognizance of the intelligence division (G-2). The three intelligence battalions in 

the Marine Corps are co-located with respective MEF headquarters. They directly support the 

MEF G-2 and serve as MAGTF intelligence centers during operations. METOC is a vital part of 

the intelligence estimate and is an essential element that supports the Marine Corps Rapid 

Response Planning Process. METOC personnel assigned to these commands provide expertise, 

products, and services that directly support the intelligence preparation of the battlespace (IPB) 

process by helping intelligence analysts to evaluate, integrate, and synchronize METOC effects 

for both enemy and friendly courses of action. 

METOC Support Team (MST) 

The MST is task-organized and -equipped to provide a limited level of METOC support to 

combat elements other than an ACE (e.g., a Command Element (CE), Ground Combat Element, 

or Combat Service Support Element) and is assigned in support of Marine Expeditionary Unit 

operations. It is capable of rapidly deploying as part of a first-in level of METOC support 

response to a crisis and can be easily integrated into an Air Contingency MAGTF. Additionally, 

the MST can be assigned to augment a JMCC during joint operations. MST elements can consist 

of two to five Marines, dependent on mission. When deployed, an MST will normally be 

assigned to the intelligence division/section (GS-2) of the supported combat element or Marine 

Expeditionary Unit. The MST deploys with rugged, ancillary environmental collection and data 

A weather Marine with the 13th Marine 

Expeditionary Unit takes a 

meteorological observation in the field. 

(U.S. Marine Corps photo) 

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processing equipment. During operations, team members organically collect METOC products, 

data, and information from the nearest deployed MetMF(R), Navy METOC OA Division afloat, 

host nation, or other METOC support organizations and agencies to satisfy METOC information 

requirements. 

Marine Corps Products and Services 

METOC Support Capabilities—Meteorological Mobile Facility-Replacement (MetMF(R)) 

Deployment of a MetMF(R) is the highest level of METOC support to a MAGTF or to Aviation 

Combat Element (ACE)-specific operations. The MetMF(R) provides a METOC support 

capability similar to that found in garrison METOC facilities. It is normally employed as part of 

a MWSS to a forward operating base and is the only realistic option for large-scale MAGTF 

operations. Once established ashore, the MWSS may detach small METOC support teams with 

portable ancillary equipment to a forward base in support of ACE units that are separated from 

the main airbase. This redeployment also provides the MetMF(R) with a forward data collection 

capability, which significantly enhances METOC situational awareness and overall efforts to 

support the entire MAGTF. With appropriate Service personnel augmentation, the MetMF(R) is 

also capable of serving as host for an in-theater Joint METOC Coordination Cell (JMCC) during 

joint operations and exercises. 

The METMF(R) NextGen is a mobile system that provides tactical meteorological support to a 

MAGTF. It is replacing the legacy MetMF(R) with current and emerging state-of-the-art 

technologies offering a smaller overall size and increased mobility. These improvements 

significantly enhance the meteorological capabilities of a MEF. 

Naval Integrated Tactical Environmental System (NITES IV) 

Each MWSS and MST is equipped with a NITES-IV suite to provide forward METOC support. 

The NITES IV is a modular system that is used to provide limited METOC support in a standalone mode. Its capabilities can be increased by adding SIPRNET/NIPRNET connectivity. The 

NITES-IV suite consists of three laptops. Each laptop is designed to perform a different function, 

but all three are loaded with the same software and can perform the tasks of the others. Because 

of this redundancy, the NITES IV is often not deployed as an entire suite. Mission requirements, 

network availability, and embarkation space dictate how best to employ the NITES IV. 

Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) 

The AN/TMQ-53 AWOS is an autonomous, man-portable, cost-effective, and rapidly deployable 

environmental sensing capability that senses all the atmospheric parameters required to support 

tactical aviation operations and associated safety of flight concerns. 

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SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

National Unified Operational Prediction Capability (NUOPC) Research Partnering 

Initiative 

The Navy, AFW, and NOAA/NWS are partners in the NUOPC project to enable a Tri-Agency 

joint global atmospheric ensemble forecast system. The NUOPC focus is on next-generation 

systems for global numerical weather prediction (NWP), allowing for possible later expansion 

into other areas of numerical prediction with full implementation by 2020. The NUOPC vision is 

a national NWP system with interoperable components built on common standards and a 

common framework (the Earth System Modeling Framework), with managed operational 

ensemble diversity and a national global NWP research agenda to accelerate science and 

technology infusion. 

The primary deliverable of NUOPC is a multimodel global ensemble forecast system that has the 

potential to establish the United States as the premier computer-modeling group in the world. 

Improvements in predictive capability are expected to result in better severe weather warnings 

(hurricanes, tornadoes, snowstorms), better cost avoidance for weather sensitive industries 

(agriculture, transportation, utilities, defense), and better informed decision making for industry, 

defense, and the general public. NUOPC efforts are coordinated by a Tri-agency management 

organization. The Executive Steering Group (ESG) has approved NUOPC Phase II 

implementation, with a goal of achieving an initial operational capability for a joint multimodel 

ensemble by December 2010. 

U.S. Air Force Supporting Research Programs and Projects 

Technology Transition Initiatives 

The overarching objective of the USAF meteorological and space environmental technology 

transition program is to give capability designers, operational weather personnel, and weather 

information users the technology and tools to gain and maintain the advantage over a potential 

adversary. AFW’s capability needs in the atmospheric and space environment sciences are 

articulated in the Initial Capabilities Document for METOC Environment, Capability Review 

assessments, the AFW and AFWA Strategic Plans, the AFW Operations Functional Concept and 

Enabling Concepts (Characterize the Environment, Exploit Environmental Information, and NetCentric Operations), and supporting concept and implementation plans. AFW also uses 

cooperative development and testing agreements with other governmental agencies and 

laboratories, as well as with for-profit companies. Both the Air Force Institute of Technology and 

the Naval Postgraduate School offer USAF and Navy graduate students in the atmospheric and 

space environmental sciences opportunities to research topics of immediate operational interest 

to U.S. military services. 

Cloud Forecasting 

In applied meteorological R&D, the USAF is improving cloud-forecasting techniques by 

doubling the resolution, using a new cloud interpretation/typing scheme, and blending numerical 

weather prediction with forecast cloud advection techniques. The USAF has transitioned key 

advances in tactical decision aids into operations, permitting improved forecasting of electro174
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optical system performance and generation of cloud and target scene visualizations for training, 

system development, and mission rehearsal. 

Weather Forecast Modeling for USAF and USA Operations 

AFWA participates in the collaboration that developed the Weather Research Forecasting (WRF) 

modeling framework and is now implementing research and operational models based on WRF. 

AFWA implemented its first operational WRF application in 2006 and will continue sponsoring 

and funding WRF application development, test, and evaluation at the National Center for 

Atmospheric Research and at NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory. The Land 

Information System analyzes the current state of the land surface to provide information to DOD 

and civilian agencies, and through coupling with WRF, will improve forecasting performance in 

the low levels of the atmosphere. This allows AFW forces to provide better forecasts for lowlevel aircraft operations, the dispersion of aerosol contaminants, and the employment of 

precision-guided munitions. It also supports assessment of off-the-road trafficability for ground 

forces. 

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) works with AFWA to execute the research portion 

of AFWA’s forecasting and modeling program. AFRL coordinates with government agencies 

(e.g., NASA), Federally funded research and development centers (e.g., NCAR), and private 

corporations to fund research in support of weather model development. AFW will continue 

these long-proven successes in FY 2011, looking for future opportunities to exploit the resources 

of AFRL to help AFW. 

AFWA is in the process of developing a future capability called the Ensemble Prediction System 

(EPS). EPS output will help AFW personnel to provide better forecasts for the warfighter with 

improved confidence, particularly at the tactical level. The ongoing Joint Ensemble Forecast 

System (JEFS) prototype effort is laying the groundwork for an operational EPS, and the first 

non-operational JEFS products are being produced daily at AFWA as part of the JEFS test being 

conducted in the areas of responsibility of U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command. 

Tactical Decision Aids 

AFW collaborates in the development of several tactical decision aids, including the Target 

Acquisition Weapons Software (TAWS), the Infrared Target Scene Simulator (IRTSS), and the 

Tri-Service Integrated Weather Effects Decision Aid (T-IWEDA). TAWS provides a joint 

mission-planning tool for combining platform, weapon, target, background, and weather factors 

to depict three-dimensional target acquisition and lock-on range and recognition range versus 

time. 

 TAWS can be used to predict environmental impacts on night vision goggles and low 

light-level systems used by air, naval, and ground forces to execute nighttime operations. 

 IRTSS uses detailed terrain information and multi-spectral imagery with TAWS weather 

inputs to generate forecast target scene images for mission rehearsal. 

 T-IWEDA uses environmental data with force, mission, and/or individual weapons rules 

of engagement or performance parameters to automatically generate mission-impact 

forecasts for large-scale planning efforts such as air tasking order preparation. It aids in 

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selecting platforms, systems, or sensors, based on system rules with critical values and a 

forecast of weather conditions. Results are displayed on a red/yellow/green weather 

effects matrix and overlaid on a background map. 

TAWS, IRTSS, and T-IWEDA integrate environmental impacts into the mission execution 

forecasts for operations command and control and for mission planning systems throughout the 

military planning and execution cycle. AFRL, the Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems 

Command, NRL, and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) are developing modular 

programs as part of the T-IWEDA initiative. The Tactical Decision Aids program continues 

adding weapons systems and targets to the inputs to these decision aids at the request of users 

from the Services. 

U.S. Army Supporting Research Programs and Projects 

Army Materiel Command (AMC) 

AMC is responsible for the RDT&E of equipment to satisfy the USA’s requirements for 

meteorological support. AMC provides meteorological and climatological support to RDTE 

projects involving electro-optical sensors and atmospheric and obscurant effects on systems and 

their performance. It is also responsible for determining weather impact critical threshold values 

and the environmental sensitivities of battlefield systems, including soldiers. AMC has several 

major subordinate commands and elements carrying out weather R&D responsibilities, including 

the Research Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), which has responsibility for 

the USA’s Research Development and Engineering Centers (RDECs) and ARL. 

Battlefield Environment Division, ARL Computational and Information Sciences Directorate 

The Battlefield Environment (BE) Division of the Computational and Information Sciences 

Directorate in ARL develops environmental knowledge and technology for the warfighter 

through a robust R&D program aimed at characterizing and modeling the lower atmosphere and 

its effects on USA systems and personnel at very high spatial and temporal resolution. Current 

R&D includes basic research and experimental characterization of urban wind flow and 

atmospheric turbulence for its effects on systems, the investigation of battlefield aerosols and 

hazards relevant to soldier health, and development of remote sensing capabilities to gather 

critical data. Numerical modeling R&D includes assimilation of battlefield meteorological 

observations into diagnostic and prognostic numerical weather models that address fine scale 

terrain and urban domain effects. This work includes the fusion of forward area observations into 

short-term Weather Running Estimate-Nowcasts (WRE-N). The applications and products 

developed from these efforts are often in the form of weather decision aids that compute weather 

effects and impacts on systems, sensors, personnel and operations and include recommended 

course of action planning such as optimizing mission flight profiles that avoid weather hazards 

and enhance the probability of mission success. 

The BE Division consists of three branches located at ARL Headquarters in Adelphi, Maryland 

and at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The division also administers a congressionally 

funded research program at Colorado State University. It provides a liaison to the Defense 

Weather Satellite System (DWSS) program office to coordinate on USA satellite data and 

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information requirements. The division works closely with AFWA to provide new DOD-relevant 

weather products for evaluation and operational hosting on AFWA’s web page and provide webenabled technologies delivering meteorological products and databases to the warfighter. Such 

technologies as T-IWEDA, the Aviation Weather Routing Tool (AWRT), WRE-N, the urban 3D 

Wind Field Model (3DWF), and other related products are transitioned to weather services 

capabilities being developed by the Distributed Common Ground Station- Army (DCGS-A). The 

BE program addresses needs for both the current and future force as well as coordinating with 

other agencies such as the FAA and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 

Battlefield Environment Division, Atmospheric Modeling Applications Branch 

The Atmospheric Modeling Applications Branch of the BE Division works on development of 

the next-generation mission execution forecast model (very short-term forecasts), web-enabled 

tactical decision aids, and weather route planners for manned and unmanned systems applicable 

for DOD, DHS and civilian missions. 

Meteorological forecast model applications are focused on the WRE-N and on meso/micro-scale 

NWP development, improvements, and evaluation. The WRE-N is a combined analysis and 

nowcast model system that will enable DCGS-A to satisfy its nowcasting requirement. The 

WRE-N system will produce locally updated high-resolution meteorological data in 3-hour 

forecast blocks, tailored for execution-level planning and decision making applications. As 

battlefield weather conditions change, the WRE-N will dynamically produce rapid and 

continuous local corrections to regional scale mission planning operational forecasts, retain 

consistency with theater-wide operational forecast guidance from USAF and joint DOD weather 

centers, and ensure effective assimilation and fusion of local battlefield weather observations 

into each WRE-N modeling cycle. Such fine-scale battlefield weather modeling work leverages 

ARL’s DOD Supercomputing Resource Center’s (DSRC) capabilities to facilitate examination of 

the applicability of new atmospheric prediction models for USA scales (horizontal coverage of 

hundreds of kilometers and grid spacing of one kilometer or less). DSRC resources also allow for 

the testing of new boundary layer closures and data assimilation methodologies for potential 

USA applications. 

Warfighter Decision Aids developed in the Atmospheric Modeling Applications Branch utilize 

meteorological model gridded output, such as from the WRE-N, to give commanders a tactical 

advantage with validated and verified, web-enabled, TDAs and associated databases. These 

databases describe the impacts expected and the resulting performance degradation due to 

weather for both friendly and threat systems, allowing for analysis and adjustments in tactics and 

weapon system selection before enemy engagement. Decision aids play an important role in the 

mission planning process associated with both man-in-the-loop and autonomous command and 

control systems. The current focus on user-tailorable atmospheric impacts decision support tools 

has led to the development of an initial My Weather Impacts Decision Aid (MyWIDA), the 

follow-on technology to T-IWEDA. MyWIDA allows users at all echelons to retrieve gridded 

weather databases needed to produce localized weather impacts products with tailored weather 

thresholds across specialized domains, all without dependency on connection within or to legacy 

tactical weather systems. 

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Work to develop manned and unmanned aircraft system applications has focused on the Aviation 

Weather Routing Tool (AWRT) and the upgrade, Atmospheric Impacts Routing (AIR) 

application, as the primary end product. AIR addresses a major operational flying mission 

shortfall by providing accurate weather impacts information to aircraft mission commanders. The 

AIR can be viewed as a sophisticated TDA that will generate a highly intuitive, 4-D graphical 

Google-Earth “fly through” display of adverse weather effects on aircraft systems. Perhaps more 

significantly, the AIR employs a computationally efficient automated search algorithm to 

identify optimum routes for minimizing adverse weather impacts along the flight path. 

Battlefield Environment Division, Atmospheric Dynamics Branch 

The BE Division’s Atmospheric Dynamics Branch addresses basic research, atmospheric 

measurements, numerical modeling, and application development focused on fine scale, high 

resolution dynamics of the boundary layer atmosphere that impact soldiers and systems. Projects 

and capabilities in this branch include application of the branch-developed 3D Wind Field 

(3DWF) model for wind flow in urban and complex terrain. The 3dWF model is central to 

current development work on a 24/7 airborne hazard monitoring capability called the LocalRapid Evaluation of Atmospheric Conditions system. This system is designed to give garrison 

commanders, emergency operations center planners, and first responder’s immediate information 

about current wind flow over the installation and airborne hazard mapping following an 

airborne-release event. This information is critical for emergency planning and decisions on 

evacuation, shelter in place, and first responder routing. Follow-on research to extend the 

diagnostic 3DWF model has begun with the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Environment (ABLE) 

prognostic model for meteorology in urban and complex domains. ABLE addresses temperature, 

aerosol, and moisture dynamics as well as winds. 

Basic research in the Atmospheric Dynamics Branch includes the improvement of theoretical 

models for propagation through optical turbulence and new approaches to modeling the 

Accurate wind forecasts are essential to deliver airdropped supplies to the 

precise location. (U.S. Army photo)

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transition from isotropic to non-isotropic mechanical turbulence near the surface. Data from 

highly instrumented wind flow experiments around buildings and turbulence measurements 

using two-dimensional arrays of sensors are used to verify and improve the 3DWF and ABLE 

models. This research is also used to characterize and more realistically simulate the 

environment of micro air vehicles in urban atmospheres and the effects of urban environments on 

transport and dispersion of aerosols. 

Applied research efforts in the Atmospheric Dynamics Branch address the need for better 

environmental awareness to protect personnel and robotic systems. BED is looking at various 

approaches including biomimetic and biologically inspired methods to sense and react to the 

local environment and avoid or warn of hazards to platforms and sensors. This includes 

examination of emerging technologies such as exploitation of atmospheric propagation limited 

sensors operating in the Terahertz band, the extension to wider band acoustics applications, 

propagation effects on emerging ground-based solid state high energy laser systems, and 

development of sensitive single-ended lightning location and warning technology. 

Battlefield Environment Division, Atmospheric Sensing Branch 

The BE Division’s Atmospheric Sensing Branch develops technologies for scientific and 

operational sensing of the state of the atmosphere, acoustic propagation, and aerosols. Recent 

work has focused on the development of ultra-compact Doppler Light Detection and Ranging 

(LIDAR) systems, experimental and theoretical developments to better understand acoustic 

propagation in urban environments, and aerosol measurement programs. 

Models and codes under development will provide valuable tools for the investigation of 

environmental effects on acoustic sensor performance. These tools will enable more detailed 

studies of the effects of urban structures, turbulence, vegetation, and ground surfaces on sound 

propagation and the resulting effects on acoustic sensors. The decision aid models created from 

these new propagation models will be used to determine the impact of the environment on 

acoustic sensor systems and the detectability of acoustic signals on various military platforms. 

Remote sensing of the battlefield environment, either through active LIDAR, passive infrared 

imaging, or passive spectral radiometric systems, has substantial importance for ISR operations. 

Development work in the Atmospheric Sensing Branch on advanced remote sensing 

technologies include systems engineering of next-generation LIDAR sensors, investigations 

using airborne Doppler wind LIDAR to study severe weather and hurricane environments, and 

algorithm development to enhance ISR products from remotely-sensed data, as well as 

developing an operational methodology for field deployment of LIDAR systems. 

Aerosol research in this branch focuses on the ubiquitous but relatively unknown fraction of 

organic carbon aerosols (OCA) and natural biological aerosols (BA) in the atmospheric boundary 

layer. This elusive aerosol fraction, which contains partially volatile organic and biological 

molecules, is the primary interferant to BW/CW aerosol agent detection. OCA and BA also 

affect atmospheric visibility, atmospheric radiative balance, and human health. Research to 

further develop and employ ultraviolet-laser induced fluorescence (UV-LIF) and twodimensional angular optical scattering techniques will improve the understanding of OCA and 

BA in natural atmospheric aerosols. 

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ARL Army Research Office 

The Army Research Office, located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, manages the 

USA's extramural basic research program in the atmospheric sciences. This program is 

concerned with understanding the dynamical and physical processes of the atmospheric 

boundary layer at scales of interest to the USA (millimeters to tens of kilometers) through 

measurements, simulations, and theoretical considerations. The basic research program is 

conducted through peer-reviewed, individual investigator grants and occasional special 

initiatives. The focus of the research is on the atmospheric processes and effects of the 

atmospheric boundary layer over land, where the USA operates. Objectives of the research are to 

develop, from first principles, the physical basis for understanding the boundary layer processes, 

thereby leading to better understanding, modeling, and quantifying of atmospheric effects on 

soldiers, materials, and weapon systems. The research examines dispersion of battlefield 

materials, the effects of heterogeneous terrain features on airflow, and the development of 

natural obscurations throughout the diurnal cycle. An essential element of the research is the 

development of instrumentation to measure the volumetric fields of wind velocity, temperature, 

and moisture of the boundary layer at turbulence time scales. 

Special funding areas are also managed under this ARO research program. The Defense 

University Research and Instrumentation Program provides funds for instrumentation needed to 

support ongoing research activities. The Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate 

Competitive Research participation is a competition restricted to universities in certain states that 

compete for additional basic research funds. Also, basic research under the Small Business 

Innovative Research Program is managed for selected topics. Funding for these programs is 

expected to remain about constant in FY 2011. However few new programs will be initiated 

because of existing commitments. The primary research focus continues to be the analysis and 

understanding of the stable boundary layer, augmented by external funding as a special program. 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers R&D 

The USACE is responsible for reviewing all emerging USA systems for environmental effects, 

as stated in AR 70-1, Army Acquisition Policy. Within the Corps’ Engineer Research and 

Development Center, the Army Geospatial Center and the Cold Regions Research and 

Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) develop tactical decision aids (TDAs) to interpret the impact 

of weather on terrain and provide actionable information about terrain and atmospheric and 

weather effects on units, systems, platforms and soldiers to support Battle Command and ISR 

decision making. When operational, TDAs are transitioned to the Digital Topographic Support 

System (DTSS) and the Commercial Joint Mapping Tool Kit (CJMTK). 

Under its military mission, CRREL provides support to USA weapon systems RDTE with allseason solutions for mitigating adverse environmental effects on USA operations. CRREL 

conducts basic and applied research to investigate energy and mass transfer process at and near 

the terrain surface. Energy propagation and interaction across the electromagnetic, acoustic, and 

seismic spectral regions receives special emphasis, particularly with regard to dynamics in 

propagation caused by properties and processes of materials near the terrestrial surface. CRREL 

develops databases and models for predicting the state of the terrain, including surface 

temperature, and TDAs supporting mobility analysis and sensor performance. In partnership with 

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the Army Geospatial Center, products transition to various research and engineering programs, 

including advanced technology demonstrations and specific programs of record such as DTSS 

and CJMTK. 

Enhancements to ATEC Four-Dimensional Weather System (4DWX) 

The Army RDT&E Meteorology Program is continuing to collaborate with the National Center 

for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) on enhancements to the ATEC 4DWX System, which is the 

backbone of the meteorological support infrastructure at the USA test ranges. ATEC 4DWX 

modeling capabilities include WRF-based real-time four-dimensional data assimilation at seven 

USA test ranges, and Global Meteorology on Demand, a globally relocatable mesoscale 

modeling system to support USA RDT&E (including DTC distributed and virtual testing) at 

locations other than the USA ranges. Output from the 4DWX mesoscale model forecasts and 

analyses is used as meteorological input to atmospheric dispersion, noise propagation, ballistic 

trajectory, and other range applications models to simulate many tests and their associated 

impacts. The 4DWX system contributes to improved test planning and conduct, selection of 

more representative locations for test sensors, inclusion of realistic atmospheric effects in virtual 

testing, and forensic analyses of meteorological effects on test results. 

Major 4DWX system components include a central data archival/retrieval system for all range 

and external meteorological and model data, the WRF high-resolution mesoscale meteorological 

model, an innovative real-time data assimilation system, and a variety of user-configurable 

displays. The DOD High Performance Computing Modernization Office provided the 4DWX 

program with a high performance computer, which enables operational mesoscale ensemble 

forecasts to support major DTC test operations. The ensemble system uses both the Mesoscale 

Model Version 5 (MM5) and the WRF model as members of the ensemble set, which typically 

comprises 30 members having varying physics packages, boundary or initial conditions, and 

model type. System enhancements during FY 2010 included improvements to the WRF model’s 

capability for deterministic numerical weather prediction specific to each test range, initial work 

on a hybrid data assimilation system to accept new types of data, and continued development of 

ensemble and probabilistic techniques. Work began on installing the AutoNowcaster 

thunderstorm prediction system at Redstone Test Center. Finally, the DOD High Performance 

Computing Modernization Office also provided funds and computer processing to develop a 

4DWX-based climatology for Dugway Proving Ground. 

System enhancements during FY 2011 will include continued WRF and data assimilation 

development focused on forecasting improvements at each range, in addition to advances that 

apply generally to all WRF applications, including continued work on the hybrid data 

assimilation approach. In addition, the AutoNowcaster installation at Redstone Test Center will 

be completed, and the Army will evaluate additional implementations at additional ranges where 

the radar data necessary for AutoNowcaster operations are available. 

Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorological Support to the High Energy Laser 

Systems Test Facility (HELSTF) 

HELSTF, which is a USA SMDC directorate located on White Sands Missile Range, is an 

element of the DOD Major Range and Test Facility Base with the mission of high-energy laser 

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(HEL) test and evaluation for future USA and sister-Service HEL weapons. In addition to HEL 

systems test and evaluation, on-site laser systems have been used extensively to perform damage 

and vulnerability testing on laser-hardened materials, missile and aircraft components, and 

assorted battlefield equipment. The atmospheric sciences/meteorological mission is to support 

HEL testing by providing measurements of atmospheric conditions that are extremely important 

to propagation of any HEL beam through the atmosphere. Many unique meteorological 

instruments are maintained to support this critical data collection for HEL testing. The HELSTF 

meteorological team also supports critical safety analysis of atmospheric dispersion for the very 

toxic fuels used to power some HEL systems. 

U.S. Navy Supporting Research Programs and Projects 

Program Alignment. The NOP is changing focus from an acquisition-based program to “in 

stride” technology transition that will rapidly transition R&D into operations and influences the 

Navy’s science and technology investments. Emerging R&D technologies will be tested in 

computational and operational environments and transitioned after an appropriate collaborative 

period. 

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SPACE WEATHER SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

Space Weather Prediction Center 

The National Centers for Environmental Prediction’s (NCEP) Space Weather Prediction Center 

(SWPC), within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National 

Weather Service (NWS), is the Nation’s official source of space weather alerts, watches, and 

warnings for extraordinary conditions in the space environment, solar radio noise, solar energetic 

particles, solar X-ray radiation, geomagnetic activity, and conditions of stratospheric warming. 

The SWPC provides real-time monitoring and forecasting of solar and geophysical events, 

conducts research in solar-terrestrial physics, and develops techniques for forecasting solar and 

geophysical disturbances. These observations and predictions are an effort to promote public 

safety and mitigate economic loss that could result from disruption of satellite operations, 

communications, and navigation systems, and electric power distribution grids. The SWPC, with 

the U.S. Air Force, jointly operates the national civilian Space Weather Operations Center. 

Forecasts, alerts, and warnings are provided to customers on a 24 hour-per-day, seven day a 

week basis. SWPC products are synthesized from over 1,400 data streams providing 

observations of the solar terrestrial environment, including x-ray flux, charged particles, and 

magnetic field changes on the sun, in interplanetary space, and at Earth. SWPC also explores and 

evaluates new models and products and transitions them into operations. The SWPC takes a 

leading role in advocating and specifying new space-environment sensors for operational use. 

The SWPC provides services to a broad user community of government agencies, industries, 

public institutions, and private individuals involved in satellite operation, space exploration, 

radio navigation, high-altitude polar flights, high-frequency communications, remote intelligence 

gathering, long-line power and data transmissions, and geophysical exploration. Also, SWPC 

serves as the primary international World Warning Agency for the International Space 

Environment Service (ISES). It exchanges international data (solar wind, X-ray, sunspot, corona, 

magnetic, and ionospheric measurements) in real-time and issues a consensus set of daily 

forecasts for international use. 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Space Weather Services are those specialized meteorological 

services and facilities established to meet the needs of users for information on extreme space weather 

events, also known as solar storms, which can affect terrestrial systems, the Earth’s atmosphere, and 

the near-Earth space environment. Space weather services include monitoring and reporting of solar 

storms and their effects on the Earth’s atmosphere and geomagnetic fields. Early warning of an 

approaching solar storm, so that timely protective response is possible, is an important part of space 

weather services. 

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AIR FORCE WEATHER (AFW)/AIR FORCE WEATHER AGENCY (AFWA) 

AFWA’s Space Weather Flight is the Department of Defense’s (DOD) reach-back center for 

space environmental services operations. These personnel apply a detailed understanding of the 

space environment to translate raw data into useful military intelligence information, which can 

be integrated into the Common Operating Picture. 

Forecasters in the Space Weather Flight, 2nd Weather Squadron (2 WS), 2nd Weather Group (2 

WXG) at AFWA, monitor the Sun’s emissions and provide mission-tailored analyses, forecasts, 

and warnings. Their products are used for mission planning and environmental situational 

awareness by National agencies, DOD operators, warfighters, and decision makers. Solar 

emission of highly energetic particles, X-rays, and radio bursts can produce the following effects 

on DOD operations: 

 Electrical anomalies and degrading of components to satellites and other equipment in 

orbit above the protective levels of the atmosphere. 

 Impact on electromagnetic signals, influencing high frequency (HF) communications, 

ultra high frequency (UHF) communications, and Global Positioning System (GPS) 

satellite navigation signals. 

 Increased drag on satellites in low-earth orbit. 

 Increased interference or false returns to sunward/poleward-looking radars. 

 Potential health impact of radiation exposure to high-altitude aviators and those flying 

over polar regions. 

The Space Weather Flight also provides both immediate and extended backup support for the 

SWPC. The backup may include the use of on-site personnel or augmentation personnel from 

SWPC, depending on the severity and expected duration of the SWPC outage. 

The 2 WS space weather technicians located at Offutt AFB, NE, and at solar observatories 

around the globe never let the sun slip from view. They provide timely, relevant, and accurate 

space weather information to DOD personnel, issuing approximately 15,000 forecaster-in-theloop and automated textual and graphical products warning of significant solar activity daily. 

Space environmental information is obtained through a combination of ground- and space-based 

systems. For the near-Earth environment; i.e., ionosphere, ground-based systems provide highly 

accurate point source verification and specification, whereas space-based systems enable global 

coverage and theater-wide situational awareness. For solar data, ground-based systems provide 

reliable observations of the sun in optical and radio frequencies, and space-based observations 

measure frequencies unobtainable from the ground. Space-based systems provide in situ 

measurements of the space environment; i.e., solar wind, magnetosphere. Air Force Weather 

(AFW) has outlined plans to modernize ground-based space sensing and is collaborating with 

U.S. and allied government and civilian agencies to achieve a robust space-sensing capability. 

AFWA’s 2 WS operates the Solar Electro-optical Observing Network (SEON), a network of five 

ground-based observing sites located around the globe providing 24-hour coverage of solar 

phenomena at optical and/or radio wavelengths. The network sites are: Detachment 1, 

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Learmonth, Australia; Detachment 2, Sagamore Hill, MA; Detachment 4, Holloman AFB, NM 

(relocating to Kirtland AFB, NM); Detachment 5, Palehua, HI (relocating to Kaena Point, HI); 

and a contract site in San Vito, Italy. 

 Solar optical and radio telescopes at Learmonth, Australia. (US Air Force Released) 

The SEON network sites utilize the Radio Solar Telescope Network (RSTN) and/or the Solar 

Observing Optical Network (SOON). The RSTN is composed of the Radio Interference 

Measuring Set and the Solar Radio Spectrograph and is used to monitor solar radio bursts at 

eight specific frequencies as well as a spectral band. The SOON is used to monitor solar flare 

activity, which can trigger coronal mass ejections that may interact with the Earth’s magnetic 

field to create geomagnetic storms. SOON images the Sun in the hydrogen-alpha wavelength, 

which reveals the complex solar activity in the lower atmosphere or chromosphere, as well as 

imaging the Sun in the continuum (pseudo-white light), which shows sunspots on the Sun's 

surface or photosphere. SOON also creates magnetograms by analyzing right-hand and left-hand 

circularly polarized light to image the line-of-sight component (Doppler shifting) of the magnetic 

field in the photosphere. When solar emissions are observed over threshold levels, solar analysts 

transmit activity messages that are used to prepare mission-tailored analyses, forecasts, and 

warnings used for mission planning and environmental situational awareness. 

AFWA employs a worldwide network of ground-based ionosondes and other sensors to provide 

environmental data in the ionosphere. They manage seven automated Digital Ionospheric 

Sounding Systems (DISS) to measure electron density profiles in the ionosphere. The DISS 

network is undergoing modernization as part of the next-generation ionosonde (NEXION) 

fielding that started in summer of 2009, which will culminate in 30 NEXION sites worldwide. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

AFWA funds a database of 27 international ionosonde sites at the National Geophysical Data 

Center in Boulder, CO. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory operates a 

complementary global network of over 125 sensors, deriving ionospheric line-of-sight total 

electron content from GPS signals and provides these data to AFWA. The Air Force Research 

Laboratory (AFRL) at Hanscom AFB, MA, provides ionospheric scintillation data from a global 

network of 22 UHF and L-Band receivers, supporting Air Force command and control satellite 

systems and strategic long-range radar systems. From space, two primary operational Defense 

Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites providing space environmental data are in 

polar orbits at about 450 nautical miles (nominal) at all times. The DMSP Special SensorAuroral Particle Sensor measures low energy precipitating electrons that interact with the auroral 

boundary causing the aurora and other high-latitude phenomena. The DMSP Special SensorsIons, Electrons, and Scintillation sensor provides topside measurements of the ionospheric 

environment, complementing ground-based sensors. These data are utilized to assess the impact 

of ionospheric conditions on ballistic-missile early warning radar systems and long-range 

communications. Additionally, the data are used to monitor global auroral activity and to predict 

the effects of the space environment on satellite operations. The Solar X-Ray Imager aboard 

NOAA’s geosynchronous GOES-14 satellite monitors solar X-ray emissions and provides near 

real-time display at AFWA and the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, CO. 

AFW also leverages space-based data from NASA and other agencies. 

AFW will continue to lead the DOD in space weather operations in FY 2011 and beyond. In FY 

2011, AFW will maintain its aggressive posture to upgrade its solar equipment and processes, 

along with providing new or upgraded facilities for some solar locations. 

United States Geological Survey (USGS) 

The Geomagnetism Program (http://geomag.usgs.gov) of the USGS Geologic Hazards Science 

Center provides real-time, ground-based measurements of the Earth’s magnetic field, which are 

an important contribution to the diagnosis of conditions in the near-Earth space environment of 

the Sun, the solar wind, the magnetosphere, the ionosphere, and the thermosphere. During 

geomagnetic storms, brought about by the complex interaction of the Earth’s magnetic field with 

that of the Sun’s, both high- and low-frequency radio communications can be difficult or 

impossible, global positioning systems (GPS) can be degraded, satellite electronics can be 

damaged, satellite drag can be increased, and astronauts and high-altitude pilots can be subjected 

to enhanced levels of radiation. 

Ground-based geomagnetic observatory data are complementary to those collected by spacebased satellites; indeed, most of the hazardous effects on technological systems brought about by 

magnetic storms occur at or near the Earth’s surface. Therefore, the Geomagnetism Group 

monitors the surficial magnetic field by operating 14 magnetic observatories in the United States 

and its territories. The data from these observatories, plus 15 foreign observatories, are 

transmitted to the group’s headquarters in Golden, CO, where they are processed and analyzed. 

Data are then transmitted to the SWPC and AFWA. 

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Space Weather Services 

USGS observatories are operated in cooperation with Intermagnet (www.intermagnet.org), an 

international consortium overseeing the operation of over 100 geomagnetic observatories 

distributed around the globe. The USGS Geomagnetism Program is an integral part of the 

National Space Weather Program. 

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

SWPC Research Projects 

The SWPC conducts research in solar-terrestrial physics and develops techniques for forecasting 

solar and geophysical disturbances. 

Research and development at SWPC emphasizes understanding of the fundamental physical 

processes governing the regime from the solar surface, through the interplanetary medium, into 

the magnetospheric-ionospheric regions, and ending in Earth’s upper atmosphere. These 

processes are manifest in the climatology and disturbances of Earth’s magnetic field, the 

ionosphere, the charged particle populations at satellite orbits, and the atmospheric density at 

high altitudes (including low-Earth orbit). This applied research is focused on areas where 

advanced applications can be devised and prototyped to improve the specification and forecast of 

conditions in the space environment by developing and implementing models and indices, and by 

obtaining and processing new observations. Activities include: 

 Developing the first dynamic, global ionospheric model to use ensemble Kalman filter 

techniques to assimilate data every 15 minutes. Disparate data from a wide variety of 

sources will enable the model output to be useful to radio communicators, as well as 

Global Positioning System (GPS) and Loran users. 

 Developing models to characterize and predict geomagnetic storm intensity, both 

spatially and temporally. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 

Science Mission Directorate/ Heliophysics Division 

The Heliophysics Division of the NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is organized to 

discover and communicate new scientific knowledge concerning the magnetic variability of the 

Sun, the effect of this variability on the planets of the solar system including the Earth, and the 

dynamic structure of the particle and field configuration of interplanetary space. The three areas 

of concentration in the Heliophysics Division’s research program are theory, data, and modeling. 

To support the effort of collection of data that characterizes the heliophysical environment, the 

division operates a fleet of 14 missions involving 27 spacecraft. The region of space 

characterized is huge, extending from the Sun itself to the outer edges of the solar system and the 

heliosphere. To extend the research effort, as part of the Living with a Star Program, NASA 

launched the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) on February 11, 2010, and is developing the 

Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission for launch in 2012. 

Currently, four NASA research missions contribute data to the national space weather 

community. This is done by either direct broadcast from the satellite to a combination of NASA 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

and non-NASA ground stations, or by near real-time level zero data processing from the satellite 

and rapid, periodic updates of NASA data bases that are accessible to the public or other 

governmental agencies via internet. The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft, an 

Explorer program research activity in extended mission status, provides data on the condition of 

the solar wind outside of the Earth’s magnetic field. The ongoing success of the use of ACE data 

concerning the characteristics of the solar wind flowing toward the Earth has made this research 

mission a vital resource for the Nation. Other such missions are the Solar and Heliophysics 

Observatory (SOHO), a joint program with the European Space Agency, and the Solar 

Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), a Solar Terrestrial Probes Program mission. The 

successful use of the direct broadcast modes of ACE and STEREO has led to the inclusion of 

this type of mode into the RBSP project. SDO, the newest member of the fleet of Heliophysics 

spacecraft, has a separate, high-speed, data link that makes near real-time solar data from this 

mission available to interested users with a few minutes delay between collection and delivery to 

Internet customers. 

NASA also supports the development of models and new theories both with the research and 

analysis program and the Targeted Research and Technology portion of the Living with a Star 

Program. As a quality assurance activity to validate the national research community model 

development, the agency operates the Combined Community Modeling Center (CCMC), an 

interagency collaborative activity involving the National Science Foundation (NSF), NOAA, and 

DOD, which is located at the Goddard Space Flight Center. The output of standard and requested 

computations using community provided models is available in near real-time via the internet. A 

yearly conference entitled R2O (Research to Operations) is held to ensure the effective 

utilization of the supported models within the broad range of national space weather activities. 

The intent of this effort is to transfer the tools and techniques of CCMC research into the 

operational arena—the ultimate objective of the National Space Weather Program (NSWP). 

National Science Foundation (NSF) 

The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports the NSWP in pursuing the program’s objective 

to perform the research and technology transfer needed to improve the specification and 

forecasts of space weather events that can cause disruption and failure of space-borne and 

ground-based technological systems and that can endanger human health. Examples of NSF 

support of space weather include conducting a highly successful competition for space weather 

research grants and providing support for the Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling 

(CISM), a multi-institutional effort led by Boston University and dedicated to providing advance 

warning of potentially harmful space weather events. NSF NSWP support in FY 2010 was 

estimated at $14 million and is expected to be around the same level in FY 2011. 

Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) 

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) supports AFW’s space weather mission by 

executing research conducted by external agencies and by conducting in-house research on space 

weather. In space weather research, AFRL programs focus on ionospheric impacts to radio 

frequency systems, charged particle specification and forecasts, solar disturbance prediction, and 

neutral density effects on Low-Earth Orbit spacecraft. Working closely with the DMSP System 

Program Office at the Space and Missile Systems Center, under a Memorandum of Agreement, 

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Space Weather Services 

AFRL supports the development and upgrading of operational space weather sensors, models, 

and software products to include: space environment sensors on the DMSP spacecraft, state-ofthe-art ground-based scintillation detectors, total electron content sensors, ionospheric 

characterization, solar-radio and optical-emissions observing, and the Operational Space 

Environment Network Display suite of web-based products. 

189
190
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service 

(NWS) 

NWS Marine and Coastal Weather Services is the lead for the Nation’s marine and coastal 

weather services, encompassing a vast area from intercoastal waterways and near-shore bays and 

inlets to the open oceans spanning much of the northern and western hemispheres. The program 

is aimed at promoting safe and efficient transportation, in support of both commercial and 

recreational interests, and with consideration of the expanding and weather-sensitive U.S. coastal 

population. Forty-seven coastal WFOs and three components of the National Centers for 

Environmental Prediction (NCEP) provide forecasts, analyses, watches, warnings and advisories 

of maritime conditions as well as coastal and tropical hazards. These services are provided for 

coastal waters, offshore high seas waters, and Great Lakes nearshore and open lake waters. 

Coastal WFOs have responsibility for forecasts and warnings extending nearly 100 nautical 

miles from the shore. The centralized Ocean Prediction Center of NCEP has responsibility for 

offshore and high seas waters, meeting U.S. international meteorological obligations to marine 

interests under the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, to which the United States 

is a signatory. 

Using observational data sources such as buoy observations and satellite imagery, plus numerical 

prediction models, NWS forecasters monitor weather conditions continuously over marine zones. 

Routine forecast products and analyses, watches, warnings, and advisories are disseminated to 

describe maritime conditions and tropical-storm and coastal hazards. Marine and coastal 

products describe wind, waves, visibility, icing, coastal flooding, severe weather, high surf, and 

rip currents. Tropical-storm products describe hazards associated with tropical cyclones such as 

storm surge, wind, waves, and inland impacts. 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Surface Transportation Services are those specialized meteorological 

services and facilities established to meet the weather information needs of the following surface 

transportation sectors: roadways, long-haul railways, the marine transportation system, rural and urban 

transit, pipeline systems, and airport ground operations. The roadway sector includes State and Federal 

highways and all State and local roads and streets. The marine transportation system includes coastal and 

inland waterways, ports and harbors, and the intermodal terminals serving them. Rural and urban transit 

includes bus and van service on roadways and rail lines for metropolitan subway and surface “light-rail” 

systems. Operational and supporting research programs for Aviation Services are often also relevant to 

airport ground operations, but program budgets counted in Aviation Services are not double-counted here 

under airport ground operations, and vice versa. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

The Marine and Coastal Services program collaborates widely within and outside of NOAA. The 

program works with the Office of Operational Systems for the collection of marine and coastal 

observations and the delivery of marine and coastal products to users. It works with NESDIS, the 

U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to provide ice warning and advisory services 

through the joint National Ice Center. It works with the Navy, the USCG, the U.S. Maritime 

Administration, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to operate the Nation’s Marine 

Transportation System safely. It works with the DOD, FEMA, and USACE to provide tropical 

cyclone services; with the USCG, Navy, Air Force, and private entities to disseminate weather to 

mariners; with NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS) on the PORTS and TIDES programs; 

and with the World Meteorological Organization to provide services to the international 

community. It also works in cooperation with NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration, 

Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security for forecasting services in 

support of hazardous material spill response; marine area search, rescue, and recovery 

operations; and security needs. 

National Ocean Service Marine Transportation System Services 

NOS is the primary civil agency within the Federal government responsible for the health and 

safety of our nation's coastal and oceanic environment. It monitors, assesses, and forecasts 

conditions in the coastal and oceanic environment to maintain a healthy, safe, and economically 

productive coastal and oceanic environment for present and future generations. Largely through 

the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) program line, NOS 

acquires data on water levels and currents, as well as physical oceanographic and meteorological 

data, and distributes these data and circulation predictions to users as elements of an integrated 

NOS program. This program thus provides a comprehensive science-based suite of information 

required by the marine transportation community to ensure safe and efficient transportation, 

including the transport of hazardous materials. NOS also provides coastal oceanographic and 

meteorological products required by the NWS to meet its short-term weather and forecasting 

responsibilities, including tsunami and storm surge warnings. NOS manages several observing 

systems and programs; however, four in particular are heavily linked to the capability of NOAA 

to meet the marine transportation needs of the nation: 

National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON). NOS manages the NWLON, which 

officially consists of 210 stations located along the coasts of the United States and the Great 

Lakes, from which water level data as well as other oceanographic and meteorological data are 

collected and disseminated. NWLON provides data and supporting information to a number of 

NOAA and other Federal programs, such as the NOAA Nautical Charting Program, NWS 

Tsunami Warning System, NWS storm surge warning/forecast activities, and the Climate 

Services Program. By FY 2011, approximately 192 of the 210 NWLON stations will contain at 

least one meteorological sensor (an anemometer, a barometer, an air temperature sensor, and at 

some Great Lakes stations a relative humidity sensor), and 146 stations will be outfitted with a 

full suite, which includes dual anemometers, a barometer, and an air temperature sensor. Water 

level and meteorological data are automatically formatted into SHEF bulletin format for 

inclusion into the NOAA Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System. Beginning in FY 

2011, NOS intends to outfit remaining single-anemometer stations in remote areas with a 

redundant sonic anemometer. This is a departure from the current practice of employing dual 

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 Surface Transportation Services 

propeller anemometers that contain moving parts. This new redundant sensor will allow for more 

certainty in quality control and will also be easier to maintain. 

Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®). PORTS is a decision support tool that 

improves the safety and efficiency of maritime commerce and coastal resource management 

through the integration of real-time environmental observations, forecasts, and other geospatial 

information. PORTS measures and disseminates observations and predictions of water levels, 

currents, salinity, bridge air gap and many meteorological parameters, needed and requested by 

mariners to navigate safely. There are 20 existing PORTS systems that comprise a total of 78 

PORTS water level stations. Currently, 61 of these stations contain at least one meteorological 

sensor (anemometer, barometer, air temperature sensor or a visibility sensor). 

PORTS is a partnership program in which local operating partners fund the installation and 

operation of the measurement systems. The PORTS systems come in a variety of sizes and 

configurations, each specifically designed to meet local user requirements. The largest of NOS’s 

existing PORTS installations contains over 100 separate instruments. The smallest consists of a 

single water level gauge and associated oceanographic and meteorological instruments. 

Regardless of its size, each PORTS installation provides information that allows shippers and 

port operators to maximize port throughput while maintaining an adequate margin of safety for 

the increasingly large vessels visiting U.S. ports. In addition, prevention of maritime accidents is 

the most cost-effective measure that can be taken to protect fragile coastal ecosystems. One 

major oil spill, e.g., EXXON Valdez, can cost billions of dollars and destroy sensitive marine 

habitats critical to supporting coastal marine ecosystems. PORTS provides information to make 

navigation safer, thus reducing the likelihood of a maritime accident, and also provides the 

information necessary to mitigate the damages from a spill, should one occur. An extensible 

PORTS can be integrated with other marine transportation technologies such as Electronic Chart 

Display Information Systems (ECDIS) and Vessel Traffic Systems (VTS). In FY2010, NOS 

installed its first visibility sensor as part of the PORTS program in Mobile Bay, AL, which 

provides navigation guidance for port traffic, as well as forecast guidance for the local WFO. A 

desired outcome for FY 2011 is to begin the planning and installation of visibility sensors in 

additional PORTS systems, such as those in Narragansett Bay and Chesapeake Bay. 

National Operational Coastal Modeling Program (NOCMP). NOCMP serves a variety of users 

with oceanographic nowcast and forecast products for ports, estuaries, and the Great Lakes. The 

integration of PORTS technology with numerical circulation models allows nowcasts and 

predictions of parameters within the boundaries of the models even for locations where physical 

measurements are not available. The Chesapeake Bay Oceanographic Forecasting System 

(CBOFS) is an NOS project that provides forecasts of total water level within the Chesapeake 

Bay, in addition to the astronomical tidal prediction. The New York/New Jersey Harbor 

nowcast/forecast model came on line in 2003, followed by a Houston/Galveston Bay 

nowcast/forecast model in 2004. Newer models include the St. Johns River, FL and the Great 

Lakes. In cooperation with NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and NWS, the 

NOS CO-OPS program now runs five models as part of the Great Lakes Operational Forecast 

System (GLOFS), providing forecast guidance for water level, wind, currents, and water 

temperature. Also, ongoing research will enable PORTS or similar systems to incorporate 

biological and chemical sensor systems and forecast models as required and integrate the 

information with circulation measurements to provide information on transports of materials in 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

the ecosystem essential for effective marine resource management and homeland security. 

Several new models are being developed for FY 2011 release. 

The NOS Continuous Real-Time Monitoring System (CORMS). CORMS was designed to 

operate on a 24-hour-per-day, 7-days-per-week, basis to ensure the accuracy and working status 

of oceanographic and meteorological observations acquired via the NWLON and PORTS 

programs. CORMS improves the overall data quality assurance of real-time measurements, 

reduces NOAA's potential liability by not publicly disseminating inadequate data, and makes the 

observations more useful for all applications. CORMS ingests real-time data from all field 

sensors and systems, including the operational nowcast/forecast models, determines data quality, 

and identifies and communicates the presence of invalid or suspect data to real-time 

users/customers who rely on the data. CORMS is especially vigilant during storm and tsunami 

events to ensure the full set of products and services is being disseminated in a timely fashion. 

An advanced version of this system, CORMS 3, is now operational and provides personnel with 

alerts as soon as any sensor data are suspect or any communications problems arise. This enables 

speedier communication to instrument labs and field crews, who may either fix the station 

remotely or initiate emergency maintenance, thereby decreasing downtime of a particular station 

or sensor. FY 2011 plans for CORMS 3 include additional enhancements to generate internal 

reports on station statistics and tighter quality control threshold values used to flag questionable 

data. 

United States Coast Guard (USCG) 

Although no Coast Guard cutters or shore units are solely dedicated to meteorology, they 

collectively perform a variety of functions in support of the national meteorology program. 

USCG ocean-going cutters and coastal stations provide weather observations to the NWS. Coast 

Guard communications stations broadcast NWS marine forecasts, weather warnings, and weather 

facsimile charts. They also collect weather observations from commercial shipping for the NWS. 

USCG conducts the International Ice Patrol (IIP) under the provisions of the International 

Convention for Safety of Life at Sea. The IIP uses sensor-equipped aircraft to patrol the Grand 

Banks of Newfoundland to locate and track icebergs that pose a hazard to North Atlantic 

shipping. Direct observations are supplemented and extrapolated using a numerical iceberg drift 

and deterioration model. IIP determines the geographic limits of the iceberg hazard and, twice 

daily, broadcasts iceberg warning bulletins and ice facsimile charts which define the limits of the 

iceberg threat during the iceberg season (spring and summer). IIP annually archives data on all 

confirmed and suspected icebergs, and forwards these data to the National Snow and Ice Data 

Center. These data can be accessed via the IIP web page, 

www.uscg.mil/lantarea/iip/home.html. Archived data contains all iceberg sighting data along 

with the last model-predicted position of each berg. 

The Coast Guard participates with the Navy and NOAA in conducting the National Ice Center, a 

multi-agency operational center that produces analyses and forecasts of Arctic, Antarctic, Great 

Lakes, and coastal ice conditions. The Coast Guard also collaborates with NOAA in operating 

the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) which deploys and maintains NOAA’s automated 

network of environmental monitoring platforms in the deep ocean and coastal regions. Five 

Coast Guard personnel fill key technical and logistics support positions within the NDBC. Coast 

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 Surface Transportation Services 

Guard cutters support the deployment and retrieval of data buoys and provide periodic 

maintenance visits to both buoys and coastal stations, expending approximately 180 cutter days 

annually. Coast Guard aircraft, small boats, and shore facilities also provide NDBC support. 

Meteorological activities are coordinated by the Office of Marine Transportation Systems at 

Coast Guard Headquarters. Field management of Coast Guard meteorological support services is 

performed at the Coast Guard Area and District levels. 

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 

The FHWA coordinates a number of activities aimed at improving safety, mobility, productivity, 

environmental quality, and national security on the nation's highways. These activities include 

identification of weather impacts on the roadway environment, traffic flow, and the operational 

decisions that are made because of adverse weather. The FHWA supports and conducts research 

to advance road weather management tools, as well as promoting the best weather management 

practices. The FHWA supports these activities through the Federal-Aid Highway program and 

by initiating national coordination research efforts. The FHWA has no direct operational systems 

since it operates neither the highway system nor the road weather observing systems that serve 

State and local highway operators, private road users, and the traveling public. FHWA research 

activities are conducted as partnerships with other public agencies, national laboratories, the 

private sector, and universities. 

FHWA Road Weather Management Program 

Coordination of the FHWA's weather-related research activities has been centered in the Road 

Weather Management Program (RWMP) within the Office of Transportation Operations since 

1999. The goal of promoting road weather research and development was further defined in 2005 

by the passage of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy 

for Users (SAFETEA-LU). Title V, Subtitle C—Intelligent Transportation System Research, 

Section 5308 of this law contains specific reference to a “Road Weather Research and 

Development Program.” The bill directs the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation 

(DOT) to carry out research and development called for in the National Research Council's 

report entitled, Where the Weather Meets the Road, A Research Agenda for Improving Road 

Weather Services. This effort includes integrating existing observational networks and data 

management systems for road weather applications; improving weather modeling capabilities 

and forecast tools, such as the road surface and atmospheric interface; enhancing mechanisms for 

communicating road weather information to users, such as transportation officials and the public; 

and integrating road weather technologies into an information infrastructure. The bill also 

includes three guiding principles: (1) enable efficient technology transfer; (2) improve education 

and training of road weather information users, such as State and local transportation officials 

and private sector transportation contractors; and (3) coordinate with transportation weather 

research programs in other modes, such as aviation. 

Funding authorized for Section 5308 was $5 million per year for fiscal years 2006 to 2009. 

Because SAFETEA-LU was extended through 2010, the same authorization applied during this 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

past fiscal year. The FHWA Road Weather Management team executes the program in 

coordination with the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office. The goals 

and objectives of the RWMP and its associated roadmap are aligned with the legislation. Several 

FY 2010 efforts and initiatives within the RWMP are satisfying the requirements in the bill, 

including the Clarus initiative, the IntelliDriveSM initiative, support for traffic managers, and 

weather information in the 511 National Traveler Information System. 

Integrating Road Weather Observing Systems—The Clarus Initiative 

Road weather observing-system stations are known as Environmental Sensor Stations (ESS). 

Nearly 2,500 ESS in the United States are owned by State transportation agencies. More than 

2,100 of these are field components of Road Weather Information Systems. ESS are fixed and 

tend to include in situ sensors for the most common atmospheric weather variables, as well as 

pavement and subsurface temperature probes and sensors for pavement chemical concentration 

and/or pavement freezing point. A growing trend is the use of mobile environmental sensors, 

which are being deployed on vehicles to observe weather and pavement conditions as the 

vehicles travel the roadways. 

Participation Status for Clarus

as of May 31, 2010

Connected

(37 States, 4 Locals,

3 Provinces)

Canadian RWIN

Participation

Clarus Connection Status

Local DOT Participation

City of Indianapolis, IN

McHenry County, IL

City of Oklahoma City, OK

Kansas Turnpike Authority 

NY State Thruway

City of Denver, CO

Washington, DC

City of Overland Park, KS

Sensor & Station Count

2,127 Sensor Stations (ESS)

47,231 Individual Sensors

Pending

(4 States, 3 Locals)

Considering

(4 States)

Participation Status for Clarus

as of May 31, 2010

Connected

(37 States, 4 Locals,

3 Provinces)

Canadian RWIN

Participation

Clarus Connection Status

Local DOT Participation

City of Indianapolis, IN

McHenry County, IL

City of Oklahoma City, OK

Kansas Turnpike Authority 

NY State Thruway

City of Denver, CO

Washington, DC

City of Overland Park, KS

Sensor & Station Count

2,127 Sensor Stations (ESS)

47,231 Individual Sensors

Pending

(4 States, 3 Locals)

Considering

(4 States)

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 Surface Transportation Services 

Before 2006, ESS data from across the United States had never been collected, formatted, and 

quality-checked in a uniform manner at the national level. Nor had it then been made available to 

all users from a "one-stop shop" location so that it could be more effectively used by members of 

both the weather enterprise and the transportation community. A U.S. DOT-sponsored initiative 

entitled Clarus (http://www.clarusinitiative.org/) aims to correct this shortfall by demonstrating 

an integrated road weather observational network and establishing a partnership to facilitate 

operation of a nationwide surface transportation weather observing system. The long-term vision 

of Clarus is that all data from State transportation agencies’ ESS will be routinely collected, 

quality-checked, and translated into an open standard format. Quality checking algorithms and 

direct feedback to State DOT points of contact will improve agency awareness of sensor status. 

Access to robust and calibrated Clarus System data is provided through an open Internet data 

portal (http://www.clarus-system.com/). 

The Clarus Concept of Operations and the Clarus System design have been completed. A proofof-concept demonstration occurred in 2006, and regional demonstrations were initiated in 2007. 

In phase one of the Clarus Multistate Regional Demonstrations, three teams of State and 

Provincial DOTs identified their needs for new products, tools, and services in Concept of 

Operations documents. Phase two is a Connection Incentive Program that provides grants to 

public transportation agencies to assist them in connecting their ESS networks to the Clarus

System. The third phase of the demonstrations, which began in Fall 2008, focuses on 

development, deployment, and evaluation of Clarus-enabled services, based on the needs 

documented in the phase one Concepts of Operations. In FY 2010, these services were designed 

and implemented, and evaluation plans were prepared. During FY 2011, data will continue to be 

collected and five Clarus-enabled services will be evaluated. These services include enhanced 

road weather forecasting, a seasonal weight restriction decision support tool, a non-winter 

maintenance and operations decision support tool, a multistate control strategy tool, and 

enhanced road weather content for traveler advisories. 

The FHWA awarded research grants to graduate students in FY 2010 to develop additional road 

weather tools and applications that use Clarus System data. This research seeks to foster 

collaboration between transportation engineering, computer science, and atmospheric science 

disciplines and to support research that will improve surface transportation weather management 

and operations, create innovative interfaces, and/or develop new applications including weatherresponsive traffic management tools. 

The RWMP has worked closely with NOAA to ensure that the experimental Clarus System can 

be transitioned to the NWS. The FHWA and NOAA signed a memorandum of understanding 

(MOU) in July 2005 to establish a framework for cooperation and coordination, enabling the 

provision of timely, accurate, and relevant environmental data and services to address the 

nation’s surface transportation weather needs. Although this MOU expired on July 20, 2010, 

work continues to translate the Clarus needs into the appropriate requirements and determine 

which requirements can be incorporated into NOAA’s Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest 

System. The two agencies will then collaborate to develop a work plan for execution. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

FHWA Participation in Interagnecy Projects 

To address some of the challenges related to surface weather observations, the FHWA is 

participating in several OFCM projects including the Weather Information for Surface 

Transportation (WIST) Working Group, the Committee on Integrated Observing Systems 

(CIOS), and the Multifunction Phased Array Radar (MPAR) Joint Action Group, among others. 

The FHWA is also participating in NOAA efforts to explore the modernization of the 

cooperative observer network and development of a national surface weather observing system. 

IntelliDriveSM Initiative—Vehicle Weather Observations 

In January 2009, the U.S. DOT renamed the Vehicle Infrastructure Integration initiative 

“IntelliDrive” (http://www.intellidriveusa.org/). IntelliDrive is a multimodal initiative that aims 

to enable safe, interoperable, networked wireless communications among vehicles, the 

infrastructure, and personal communications devices. IntelliDrive research is sponsored by the 

U.S. DOT and others to leverage the potentially transformative capabilities of wireless 

technology to make surface transportation safer, smarter, and greener. Once implemented, the 

system will provide real-time travel and weather information to both the public sector and private 

industry by using vehicle-based sensors to gather a variety of data system-wide. This resulting 

communications network would allow weather, traffic, and other information to be transmitted to 

transportation operators, providing a real-time view of the conditions on every major road within 

the transportation network. Such concepts will be explored as the initiative matures. 

Some of the weather-related data items that could be directly measured or inferred from vehicle 

sensor systems including precipitation detection, ambient air temperature, atmospheric pressure, 

visibility information, road surface temperature, and road friction coefficient. The use of vehicle 

sensor data to improve information products on weather and road conditions could revolutionize 

the provision of road weather information to transportation system decision-makers, including 

travelers. For example, vehicle-based probe data will significantly increase the density of 

weather observations near the surface and also provide unique datasets for deriving and inferring 

road-condition information. 

The RWMP sponsored a feasibility study to explore and assess the utility of using data from 

vehicles to improve surface transportation weather observations and predictions. This work led 

to the development and prototyping of a Vehicle Data Translator (VDT) to process weather, 

pavement condition, and other data collected by vehicle-based systems associated with the 

IntelliDrive initiative. During the past two winters, data were collected on the IntelliDrive 

Development Test Environment in Detroit, Michigan. During FY 2011, the data will be used to 

refine the VDT and develop data quality checking algorithms. Data will also be used to address 

technical issues and challenges related to the use of vehicle data and to provide recommendations 

that will help ensure successful exploitation of vehicle probe data in weather applications. 

Researchers will also explore the variability of data collected by vehicle sensors from different 

manufacturers in the same geographic location during FY 2011. 

In partnership with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the FHWA will 

begin an expanded IntelliDrive Mobile Data Collection and Application Demonstration project 

in FY 2011. This project will demonstrate how weather, road condition, and related vehicle data 

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 Surface Transportation Services 

may be collected, transmitted, processed, and used for decisionmaking. Using existing State 

DOT fleet infrastructures and wireless communications technologies, the project will help 

determine requirements, standards, and procedures for the collection and processing of weather, 

road condition, and vehicle status variables from mobile sources. The project will build upon the 

capabilities of the VDT to ingest data, check data quality, and aggregate data for use in 

applications. Mobile weather and road condition data will also be integrated into the Clarus

System. Ultimately, decisionmakers will have the benefit of decision support tools that have 

access to data provided by millions of vehicles through the IntelliDrive initiative. 

Support for Traffic Managers 

In 2006, the RWMP developed a five-year roadmap for Weather-Responsive Traffic 

Management. The roadmap identifies the goals and activities that the FHWA will pursue in three 

major program areas: data collection and integration, impacts of weather on traffic flow, and 

traffic management strategies. The roadmap also serves as the basis for future work to identify, 

develop, test, and evaluate a variety of weather-responsive traffic management strategies. 

Empirical studies of traffic flow in inclement weather were completed in October 2006. This 

phase of study developed adjustment factors for traffic parameters including speed and capacity 

as a function of precipitation and visibility. A follow-up research project on driver behavior in 

inclement weather including gap acceptance, car following, and lane changing was initiated in 

2008 and is ongoing. Another study on human factors analysis of road weather advisory and 

control information was recently completed. The objectives of the human factors study were to 

identify traveler requirements for weather information (both pre-trip and en route) and determine 

the most effective messages and methods for communicating road weather information. A major 

product from this study is the Guide for Designing Road Weather Information Messages and 

Dissemination Methods, which is being tested and evaluated beginning in 2010. 

In 2009, the RWMP completed a research project to develop weather-sensitive traffic prediction 

and estimation models and incorporate them into existing traffic estimation and prediction 

systems. Starting in 2010, these models are being tested and evaluated in some major U.S. cities. 

The RWMP is also undertaking a research study to review and document the state of the practice 

in Weather Responsive Traffic Management (WRTM) strategies, and identify potential 

improvements to existing strategies. This task will develop and test improved or new WRTM 

strategies as well as assess their benefits. Finally, the WRTM project team has been working 

with traffic management centers (TMC’s) around the country in using the FHWA Weather 

Integration Self-Evaluation Guide for TMC’s to conduct self-assessments of their weather 

integration needs and identify strategies for improving the use of weather information in their 

daily operations. 

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 

The FRA supports research on improving the collection, dissemination, and application of 

weather data to enhance railroad safety through its Intelligent Weather Systems project, which is 

part of the Intelligent Railroad Systems program within FRA’s Railroad System Safety research 

program. These programs address safety issues for freight, commuter, intercity passenger, and 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

high-speed passenger railroads. Intelligent weather systems for railroad operations consist of 

networks of local weather sensors and instrumentation—both wayside and onboard 

locomotives—combined with national, regional, and local forecast data to alert train control 

centers, train crews, and maintenance crews of actual or potential hazardous weather conditions. 

These intelligent systems will provide advance warning of weather-related hazards such as 

flooding; track washouts; snow, mud, or rock slides; high winds; fog; high track-buckling risk; or 

other conditions that require adjusting train operations or action by maintenance personnel. 

Weather data collected from railroad sensor networks could also be forwarded to weather 

forecasting centers to augment their other data sources. Installation of a digital data link 

communications network is a prerequisite for this activity. FRA intends to examine ways that 

weather data can be collected on railroads and moved to forecasters, and ways that forecasts and 

current weather information can be moved to railroad control centers and train and maintenance 

crews to avoid potential accident situations. This is one of the partnership initiatives identified in 

the National Science and Technology Council’s National Transportation Technology Plan. 

NOS Marine Transportation Research 

Ocean Systems Test and Evaluation Program (OSTEP). OSTEP facilitates the transition of new 

oceanographic and meteorological sensors and systems to an operational status, in support of the 

NWLON and PORTS programs. OSTEP tests instruments to ensure that they meet NOS 

requirements, develops operational deployment and implementation processes, and establishes 

quality-control criteria. OSTEP also develops defensible justification for the selection of 

instruments used for CO-OPS installations, and subsequent validation procedures for the devices 

traceable to U.S. National Standards or other accepted standards. Recently, a joint test with the 

USACE culminated in the selection of a visibility sensor deemed suitable for operations in a 

marine environment, and the first sensor was successfully installed in FY 2010. Ongoing testing 

of visibility sensors as part of this joint study will also provide information on ideal maintenance 

schedules by FY 2011. Furthermore, OSTEP is conducting a short-term wind sensor study with 

USACE into FY 2011 to explore a new technology for possible deployment at NWLON and 

PORTS stations. This study may initiate a multiyear goal of replacing backup wind sensors with 

a different technology, beginning in FY 2011 at the earliest. 

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WILDLAND FIRE WEATHER SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

Fire Weather Services in the National Coordination Structure for Wildland Fire 

Management 

Just as the service category for aviation weather derives from the need to understand and prepare 

for the influences of weather and other atmospheric conditions on the activity of flying aircraft, 

wildland fire weather services are needed to understand and predict the influences of weather and 

other atmospheric conditions on fire in the environment, particularly with the objective of 

assisting in the activity of managing and controlling such fires. Wildland fire weather services 

are therefore an integral part of the larger activity of wildland fire management. 

National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) 

During 2008-2009, the interagency governance and coordination structure for wildland fire 

management was extensively streamlined and reorganized. This restructuring strengthens the 

policy and program implementation role of the NWCG. There are two levels of oversight and 

policy coordination/strategic direction above the NWCG: the Wildland Fire Leadership Council 

at the most senior Federal agency level (directors of the wildland management agencies) and the 

Fire Executive Council (FEC) for executives of offices directly responsible for wildland fire 

management. The Executive Board of the NWCG includes the Fire Directors of the five Federal 

wildland fire management agencies: the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Indian 

Affairs (BIA), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and National Park Service (NPS) in the U.S. 

Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture. The 

Executive Board also includes representatives from the U.S. Fire Administration within the 

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and two entities 

with responsibility for wildfire management on non-Federal forest lands: the National 

Association of State Foresters and the Intertribal Timber Council. 

Much of the restructuring effort in 2008–2009 focused on the system of committees and 

subcommittees chartered under the NWCG. The NWCG has been organized into three branches, 

each with a full-time Branch Coordinator: Policy, Planning, and Management Branch; 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Wildland Fire Weather Services are those specialized meteorological 

services and facilities established to meet the requirements of the wildfire management community at the 

Federal, state, tribal, and local levels. The primary areas of service are to support the reduction of wildfire 

initiation potential and the mitigation of both human and environmental impacts once initiation does 

occur. Services can include support to first responders and land managers and climate services tailored to 

wildland fire management. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Equipment and Technology Branch, and Preparedness Branch. The NWCG committee most 

directly and frequently involved with capabilities for informing the wildland fire community 

about fire weather is the Fire Environment Committee in the Equipment and Technology Branch. 

Five permanent subcommittees are currently chartered under the Fire Environment Committee: 

Fire Weather, Fire Danger, Fire Behavior, Fire Reporting, and National Predictive Services. The 

last of these subcommittees oversees and provides guidance to the Predictive Services Program, 

which provides an important range of fire weather capabilities to the wildland fire community 

through the Predictive Services Units discussed below. 

National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) 

The NIFC, located in Boise, Idaho, is the Nation's support center for wildland firefighting. Eight 

different agencies and organizations are part of NIFC: the five wildland management agencies, 

NOAA/NWS, the National Association of State Foresters, and the U.S. Fire Administration. 

Decisions are made using the interagency cooperation concept because NIFC has no single 

director or manager. 

The National Interagency 

Coordination Center (NICC), 

located at the NIFC, is the 

focal point for overseeing all 

interagency wildland fire 

coordination activities 

throughout the United States. 

Wildfire suppression is built 

on a three-tiered system of 

support: the local area, one of 

the 11 geographic areas, and 

finally, the national level. 

When a fire is reported, the 

local agency and its 

firefighting partners respond. 

If the fire continues to grow, 

the agency can ask for help 

from its Geographic Area 

Coordinating Center (GACC). When a geographic area has exhausted all its resources, it can turn 

to the NICC for help in locating what is needed, from air tankers to radios to firefighting crews 

to incident management teams. 

National Predictive Services Program 

Under the Predictive Services Program, meteorologists who specialize in fire weather services 

team with intelligence specialists and wildland fire analysts at the GACCs and the NICC to form 

Predictive Services Units. Each GACC and the NICC has a Predictive Services unit staffed with 

one or two meteorologists and an intelligence specialist. The NICC unit includes a wildland fire 

analyst, and some of the GACC units add a fire behavior specialist during fire season. The 

Predictive Services units act as centers of expertise to produce integrated planning and decision 

Entrance to the NIFC in Boise, showing the logos of the participating

Federal agencies and the National Association of State Foresters.

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Wildland Fire Weather Services 

support tools that enable more proactive, safe, and cost-effective fire management. The 

Predictive Services Program functions under the guidance of the National Predictive Services 

Subcommittee of the NWCG. 

National Weather Service (NWS) 

NWS Fire Weather Services support Federal, state, and local land management agencies such as 

the BLM and the USFS. On the national level, the NWS Storm Prediction Center issues 

assessments in advance of the development of critical fire weather patterns. NWS also issues a 

complete Fire Weather Forecast twice daily, with updates as needed. The forecast contains 

weather information relevant to fire control and smoke management for the next 36-48 hours. 

The appropriate dispatch zones and crews use this information to plan staffing levels, equipment 

placement, prescribed burn conditions, and to assess the daily fire danger. Once per day, NWS 

meteorologists issue forecasts for specific wildland observation sites for input into the National 

Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS). NFDRS determines land use restrictions and informs the 

public of the daily fire danger via the Smokey Bear awareness campaign. The WFOs also 

determine if a Fire Weather Watch or a Red Flag Warning needs to be issued. These products 

alert the public and other agencies that conditions are creating the potential for extreme fire 

behavior. 

Upon request, NWS also provides on-scene assistance at large wildfires or other disasters, 

including HAZMAT incidents, by deploying Incident Meteorologists (IMET) to work with 

Incident Management Teams. IMETs travel quickly to the incident site and then assemble a 

mobile weather center capable of providing continuous meteorological support for the duration 

of the incident. The IMET program is coordinated and implemented nationally by the National 

Fire Weather Operations Coordinator and the National Fire Weather Program Manager, located 

at the NIFC. 

In the past two years, NWS has implemented regional digital weather files to complement 

currently-provided spot forecasts. The weather output enables Fire Behavior Analysts to directly 

input weather data into their fire gridded fire weather element forecasts to be used as input into 

more accurate fire danger assessments. These improvements are particularly important near 

zones where planned communities meet the wildland forests. FY 2010 improvements also 

include an improved spot forecast program, allowing spot forecast for fires, hazardous spills, 

search and rescue and marine/coastal incidents. In addition, NWS will continue excellent 

interagency relations with the wildland fire community through implementation of a new 

Interagency Agreement for Meteorological Services. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service 

The U.S. Forest Service uses meteorological data and interpretation skills data for decision 

making regarding wildland fire management. The Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management 

program operates a network of approximately 890 remote automated weather stations (RAWS) 

in a national network of over 2200 stations. The network provides real-time information which is 

key in the highly utilized weather information management system (WIMS) used by fire 

agencies across the country. The data collected is crucial to supporting active wildfire decisionmaking including use in the Wildland Fire Decision Support System and associated fire 

modeling tools as well as for decision-making for prescribed fire operations. 

The program provides liaison with the Satellite Telemetry Interagency Working Group (STIWG) 

and its associated Technical Working Group and with the NWS, the wildland fire management 

agencies in the Department of the Interior (BLM, FWS, BIA, and NPS), State fire protection 

agencies, and the NWCG on the delivery of fire weather data and forecasting, critical for safety 

and effectiveness of fire fighting. The RAWS Program oversees the standards for over 2200 

remote automated weather stations across the country and manages the Interagency RAWS 

Website to support the program. The website address is http://www.fs.fed.us/raws. These stations 

form the basis for the assessment of fire danger, the pre-positioning of fire fighting resources and 

the conducting of prescribed fire operations. The costs include maintenance support contracts, 

maintenance training sessions, contracts for the delivery of this information to agency personnel, 

fire weather forecasters, and state forestry agencies that use the data in real-time for critical 

decisions. An independent assessment of the RAWS network was conducted in FY 2009 and FY 

2010 by the Desert Research Institute under a contract 

with the NWCG. 

The agency weather program works with the National 

Predictive Services Group at the NIFC to provide 

technical support and oversight to the 10 GACCs. It 

also works closely with the Forest Service Research and 

Development staff in the oversight of the five Fire 

Consortia for Advanced Modeling of Meteorology and 

Smoke (FCAMMS) locations. This effort, in 

cooperation with NOAA and EPA, provides valuable 

fire weather, smoke forecasting and air quality 

information to fire and air quality programs. The 

FCAMMS and Predictive Services Group provide 

critical information for both planning of wildland fire 

activities as well as operational decision-making. 

U.S. Geological Survey 

The USGS, in cooperation with the USFS, routinely 

provides weekly forecasts of fire danger for the 

conterminous US and provides these forecasts to the 

National Interagency Fire Center. The forecasts are 

Wildland fires in the wildland-urban derived from an integration of vegetation condition interface are a continuing threat to lives 

and property. 

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Wildland Fire Weather Services 

observed from satellite and meteorological forecasts provided from the National Weather Service 

National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD). The NDFD forecasts provide meteorological 

information necessary for the calculation of live and dead fuel moisture, a critical element in 

determining wildland fire danger. 

For active fire, the Basic Fire Behavior (BFB) and Short-Term Fire Behavior (STFB) 

components of the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS) use forecasted weather 

from the National Digital Forecast Data (NDFD). NDFD incorporates Remote Access Weather 

Station location to derive forecasted weather data. This forecast information, along with 

geospatial data provide by the USGS are used to derive live and dead fuel moisture 

characteristics and wind conditions to aid in the prediction of fire behavior. 

Landslides Hazards Program. Debris flows and flash floods that originate from steep 

watersheds burned by wildfire pose considerable hazards to downstream communities and 

structures. Fires throughout the western U.S. have impacted hundreds of thousands of acres of 

public land and made it susceptible to increased runoff and debris-flow activity. Science-based 

information on post wildfire debris-flow hazards is critically needed by Federal, State, and local 

agencies to issue warnings and to mitigate the impacts of post-fire hazards on people, their 

property, and natural resources. A joint NOAA/USGS, flash flood and debris flow warning 

system for recently burned basins in southern California was established in 2005 by linking the 

existing National Weather Service (NWS) Flash Flood Monitoring and Prediction (FFMP) 

system with rainfall intensity-duration thresholds for burned areas developed by the USGS. Such 

a system is being used to issue Outlooks, Watches and Warnings that are disseminated to 

emergency-management personnel and the public through the NWS existing protocol. The 

USGS has also developed models for characterizing potential post-fire debris flow susceptibility 

that, when compared with forecast or measured precipitation, have been used to generate maps of 

potential hazards in real- time, which have been disseminated to the Federal Emergency 

management Agency (FEMA) and the public through existing NWS protocol. The USGS has 

also developed models for characterizing potential post-fire debris flow susceptibility that, when 

compared with forecast or measured precipitation, have been used to generate maps of potential 

hazards in real- time, which have been disseminated to the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA) and State and local agencies. Since its inception, numerous advisories have 

been given to residents and public officials which have resulted in saved lives and reduced 

property damage. 

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service 

Research activities at the U.S. Forest Service serve to improve the health and use of our Nation’s 

forests and grasslands. Forest Service Research (FSR) studies long-term effects of air pollution 

on forests of the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem, Cascade and coastal forests in the Pacific Northwest, 

Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Mountains, and the northeastern United States. Air pollution 

effects (primarily nitrogen and sulfur deposition and ozone) remain a serious threat to forest 

health in some parts of the U.S. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Although nitrogen and sulfur atmospheric deposition have been studied for many years in eastern 

forest watersheds, and FSR has demonstrated that increased nitrogen deposition can affect water 

quality and ecosystem function in western forests. FSR along with other agencies participating in 

the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) has been developing, in cooperation with 

the European Union International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of 

Air Pollution Effects on Forests and National Forest Systems, a comprehensive approach to 

critical loads in selected forest ecosystems across the United States to improve knowledge of 

potential nationwide impacts. The inaugural project, a Critical Loads Focus Center, will begin 

early in fiscal 2011. During 2007 $459K was invested in equipment to establish Level II plots on 

20 Forest Service Experimental Forest Range and Watershed sites for monitoring critical load in 

accordance with International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air 

Pollution Effects on Forests protocol. A workshop to run these sites is being planned for early 

fiscal 2011. Also, a first draft of a comprehensive review and guide for calculating critical loads 

of nitrogen deposition was developed by FSR scientists in 2010. 

Smoke from forest fires and other biomass burning is a national concern as use of prescribed fire 

in ecosystem management increases. Exposure of firefighters and citizens to forest fire smoke, 

changes in visibility and haze, and smoke contributions to regional and local air pollution are of 

concern. FSR is the world leader in developing emissions factors from fires and modeling its 

dispersion. FSR has conducted research on impacts of smoke on human health; relationships 

between on-site meteorology and smoke dispersion; consequences of smoke to visibility in Clean 

Air Act Class I Areas; and potential of smoke to exacerbate particulate matter and ozone 

episodes. FSR has provided basic research to support states' air regulatory programs and 

Environmental Protection Agency’s development of air quality standards. Through five Fire 

Consortia for Advanced Meteorological Modeling of Smoke (FCAMMS) 

(www.fs.fed.us/fcamms), real-time smoke and fire weather research products are supplied 

nationally to fire and air quality managers continuously with predictions of impacts made out to 

7 days in the future. These modeling efforts are now being coordinated with more closely with 

NOAA Fire Weather research with a coordinating workshop scheduled to take place in early FY 

2011. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 

NASA supports innovative, near-term demonstrations of its scientific results, technology 

developments, and satellite observations for societal benefit. These projects serve as a bridge 

between NASA-generated data and knowledge and the information and decision-making needs 

of public and private organizations. End-users of NASA’s products are able to apply Earth 

observations and model results to support activities that influence productivity, enhance quality 

of life, and strengthen the economy. 

The Wildfire Research and Applications Partnership (WRAP) project is a collaboration between 

NASA, the U.S. Forest Service, NIFC, and California Department of Forestry and Fire 

Protection (CalFire) to explore, develop, mature, demonstrate and operationalize NASA data, 

models, and technologies to improve wildfire observations and management practices in the 

United States. The goals are to improve on existing capabilities and models employed by the 

National Interagency Command Center and the Incident Command Structure, which are 

responsible for day-to-day wildfire management and suppression. WRAP is transferring a 

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Wildland Fire Weather Services 

number of capabilities to operations including the Collaborative Decision Environment, real-time 

data telemetry, sensor systems, small unattended aerial vehicle use for tactical mapping, and 

procurement of new manned aircraft assets to further support the nation for disaster response. 

Technologies enhanced through WRAP include the NASA Autonomous Modular Sensor (AMS) 

airborne imaging spectrometer, collaborative software tools for improved wildfire intelligence 

and visualization, unique unattended platform, real-time data communications and sensor web 

technologies. AMS is capable of peering through thick smoke and haze to record hot spots and 

the progression of wildfires over a lengthy period. AMS observations are transmitted in real-time 

to the incident command posts to assist firefighting situational awareness. In 2010 and 2011, 

WRAP will adapt USFS aircraft to fly NASA wildland fire sensors. 

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208
OTHER SPECIALIZED SERVICES 

OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) provides operational weather 

support to spaceflight operations through the Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD). 

Kennedy Space Center Weather Office 

The SOMD Weather Office at NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSCWO) has oversight 

responsibility for operation and maintenance of the weather information infrastructure required 

for NASA’s Space Shuttle, Constellation, and Expendable Launch Vehicles (ELV) programs. 

The infrastructure is a multi-agency partnership between NASA, the Department of Defense 

(DOD), and the Department of Commerce (DOC), and includes KSCWO, NASA’s Marshall 

Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Johnson Space Center (JSC), the DOD’s US Air Force (USAF) 

45th Space Wing, and the DOC’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 

National Weather Service (NWS) Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG). 

Manned flights launch and land at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) adjacent to Cape Canaveral 

Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida and also land at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in 

California. KSCWO provides daily staff meteorological support to KSC and the Space Shuttle 

and Constellation programs. 

The ELV program operates from many locations, including CCAFS, Vandenberg AFB in 

California, NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, and the US Army Ronald Reagan Ballistic 

Missile Defense Test Site on Kwajalein Island. KSCWO ensures that DOD weather support at 

DOD sites meets NASA requirements through training, technology, and tools. 

KSCWO is the NASA lead for the joint NASA and USAF Lightning Advisory Panel (LAP), 

which provides independent scientific assessments of changes to the lightning launch commit 

criteria (LLCC) and technical guidance about lightning-related issues on facilities and ground 

operations. The Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

utilizes the same LLCC at commercial spaceports. 

For purposes of this Federal Plan, Other Specialized Services include weather and climate 

information services and facilities established to meet the special needs of user agencies or 

constituencies not included in basic services or the preceding service categories. This service category 

includes any efforts to integrate the social sciences into meteorological operations, applications, and 

services not already described in the preceding sections. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

In FY 2010, the KSCWO conducted the following activities: 

 Supported Space Shuttle missions: STS-129 through STS-132 

 Supported launch of Ares 1-X 

 Supported the Constellation program through infrastructure and requirements concept 

studies of Ares 1 and Ares 1-X rockets and Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) 

 Completed documenting the history and rationale behind the lightning launch commit 

criteria 

 Supported NASA ELV launches from the Eastern and Western ranges, as well as 

commercial and DOD launches from the Eastern Range 

In FY 2011, the KSCWO will perform the following activities: 

 Continue to support the Space Shuttle and ELV programs 

 Support the Constellation program or its successors or replacements, and continue 

support for planning and design of the test flight programs 

 Support the transition and retirement activities of the Space Shuttle Program 

 Work with the Eastern Range to define the requirements and infrastructure for weather 

support at KSC and CCAFS in the post-Shuttle era 

Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG) 

The SMG is located at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). In FY 2010, the SMG conducted the 

following activities: 

 Supported Space Shuttle missions STS-129, STS-130, STS-131, and STS-132 with 

weather analyses, forecasts, consultations, and documentation 

 Supported the International Space Station with daily Soyuz contingency landing forecasts 

for worldwide locations 

 Provided an average of 35 unscheduled face-to-face weather briefings per Space Shuttle 

flight, in addition to normal activities 

 Supported Constellation program Ares 1-X project, including upper-air wind forecasts for 

the Ares 1-X launch in October, 2009 

 Supported the Constellation Program with weather requirements for landing and recovery 

of the new Orion spacecraft and its crew 

 Provided weather support and consultation for the Hypersonic Thermodynamic Infrared 

Measurement (HYTHIRM) project based at NASA Langley 

 Provided weather support for the HAYABUSA project, a Japanese Aerospace 

Exploration Agency mission “to bring back samples from an asteroid and investigate the 

mysteries of the birth of the solar system,” based at NASA Ames 

 Served on multiple panels and working groups supporting the Constellation program 

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Other Specialized Services 

 Increased hurricane support to JSC for post-center-closure and recovery phase in 

response to post-Hurricane Ike update to JSC requirements 

 Hosted and facilitated NWS Southern Region HQ Decision Support Program (DSP) team 

for a consultation and benchmarking visit to JSC and SMG 

 Hosted and facilitated NWS Heads of Training Group (HOTG) for a consultation and 

benchmarking visit to JSC and SMG, regarding simulations and decision-support 

strategies 

 Provided mentoring and training to Southern Region NWS offices for developing local 

simulations 

 Collaborated with the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) on technique development 

 Supported several educational outreach events 

FY 2011 activities for the SMG include the following: 

 Support Space Shuttle missions with weather analyses, forecasts, consultations, and 

documentation 

 Support Space Shuttle simulations with Mission Control Center 

 Support the International Space Station with daily Soyuz contingency landing forecasts 

for worldwide locations 

 Provide inputs for the weather requirements for landing and recovery of the Orion 

spacecraft 

 Provide weather support and consultation for the HYTHIRM project based at NASA 

Langley for STS-133, STS-134, and the Space-X capsule re-entry 

 Provide local weather support (including hurricane support) to JSC and potentially to 

other NASA centers (excluding KSC) 

 Provide shuttle weather history archiving in preparation for end of shuttle program 

 Provide continued educational outreach 

Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) 

The Natural Environments Branch (NEB) develops and implements weather support 

requirements for the Space Shuttle and other programs, including development and evaluation of 

launch constraints. The Earth Sciences Branch (ESB) conducts research primarily focused on the 

Earth’s hydrological cycle. 

FY 2010 activities of the NEB and ESB included the following: 

 The NEB supported four Space Shuttle missions: STS-129 (16 November 2009), STS130 (8 February 2010), STS-125 (5 April 2010), and STS-127 (14 May 2010) by 

performing day-of-launch analyses of upper air winds for evaluation of Space Shuttle 

vehicle ascent loads. 

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Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

 The NEB developed or improved wind climatological data sets for safety margin analyses 

and day-of-launch procedures, relating to upper-air wind requirements for the Space 

Shuttle and Constellation programs. 

 The NEB provided day-of-launch upper-air wind monitoring for the Ares I-X vehicle in 

28 October 2009. 

 The ESB continued to developed scan strategies and operations concepts for the new 

Doppler, dual polarization 5-cm weather radar at CCAFS. 

Activities for FY 2011 include the following: 

 The NEB will continue to support the Space Shuttle Program by providing interpretation 

and updates to the terrestrial environments requirements, and upper-air wind analysis on 

day-of-launch in support of day-of-launch wind biasing of the vehicle’s steering 

commands. 

 The NEB will continue to develop terrestrial environments requirements to be applied to 

the design and development of future programs. 

 The NEB will continue to develop and improve wind climatological data sets for safety 

margin analyses and day-of-launch procedures relating to upper-air wind requirements 

for the Space Shuttle and future programs. 

U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) 

Support to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS) 

Army Kwajalein Atoll, a subcommand of USASMDC, provides operational support to the RTS. 

The RTS meteorological services contractor provides support for range activities, including local 

and remote missile launches, missile weapons readiness testing, aviation and marine operations, 

and emergency operations. 

 A full suite of meteorological surface, 

upper air, satellite, radar, and lightning 

observing systems are available. 

Surface systems include, an intra-atoll 

mesonet and a Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) approved 

Automated Weather Observing System 

(AWOS), supporting range and 

International Civil Aviation 

Organization Army Airfield operations 

at Kwajalein. Upper air sounding 

systems (1680 MHz) utilizing Global 

Positioning System (GPS) radiosondes 

are located on Kwajalein and RoiNamur. One portable GPS upper air 

A rocketsonde launch on Kwajalein Atoll. US Army Photo

212
Other Specialized Services 

system (403 MHz) is available to provide soundings at remote locations. A dual-polarized 

Doppler S-band weather radar provides weather surveillance from Kwajalein Island, and a 

Doppler C-band weather radar is available for operations at Wake Island. Both are volumescanning radars that support prediction of lightning events. Two Polar-orbiting Operational 

Environmental Satellite (POES) satellite receivers (one mobile) and two geostationary satellite 

receivers (one transportable) provide access to satellite imagery, cirrus cloud detection, and 

cloud height, with data processing and analysis provided through McIDAS management and 

display systems. A lightning detection network of four sensors is available to the RTS 

meteorologist at Kwajalein. A thunderstorm sensor that includes a field mill supports lightning 

prediction and detection at Wake Island. RTS provides rocketsondes locally and at remote 

locations where radar tracking can support them. 

In cooperation with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, RTS Weather continues to support 

global climate studies through the Tropical Rainfall Measurements Mission and the follow-on 

program of Global Precipitation Measurement. Solar-Earth radiation fluxes monitoring with a 

suite of radiation measurements systems have continued since 1989 in support of work at 

NOAA’S Earth Systems Research Laboratory (ESRL). 

National Park Service (NPS)/Fish and Wildfire Service (FWS) 

NPS Air Quality and Visibility Monitoring 

The National Park Service monitors air quality and visibility in a number of national parks and 

monuments. Gaseous pollutant data are collected on continuous and integrated (24-hour to 

weekly) bases. Surface meteorological data are collected and analyzed for hourly averages. 

Precipitation chemistry is determined on week-long integrated rainfall samples. Twenty-fourhour-average particle concentrations (mass, elemental analyses, some chemical constituent 

analyses) are measured every third day. Atmospheric light extinction is measured continuously 

and relayed to a central location for analyses. 

Joint Air Quality Monitoring 

The FWS Air Quality Branch and the NPS Air Resources Division operate under an interagency 

agreement and are located in Lakewood, Colorado. Expertise from both agencies is pooled to 

address the air quality issues that are the responsibility of the Assistant Secretary of the Interior 

for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. 

The NPS oversees the operation of the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments 

(IMPROVE) network and the IMPROVE Protocol network in cooperation with the 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA), the United States Forest Service (USFS), the FWS, the BLM, and various State 

organizations. Currently, the network has about 170 sites, mostly funded by the EPA in support 

of its regional haze regulations and through other cooperators. The enhanced network allows a 

better characterization of visibility and fine particle concentrations throughout rural and remote 

areas of the country (see figure below). 

213
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

Map of three-year average standard visual range (SVR) from 2005-2008, in kilometers, calculated from IMPROVE particle 

concentrations. Also shown are the locations of most of the IMPROVE and IMPROVE protocol sites. 

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS 

NASA 

Applied Meteorology Unit 

The Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) is a joint venture between KSCWO, the 45th Space Wing, 

and the NWS. The AMU is collocated with the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) located at 

CCAFS. The AMU develops, evaluates, and transitions weather technology into operations. 

In FY 2010, the AMU performed the following activities: 

 Updated the Peak Wind Tool for User Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) cool season 

climatologies and distributions of 5-minute average and peak wind speeds for the 45 WS 

and Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG), which had indicated that peak winds are a 

challenging parameter to forecast. Updated the statistics with additional data collected 

from 2003-2007, thereby increasing the period of record (POR) from 8 to 13 years, used 

new time-period stratifications, and a new parametric distribution. These modifications 

make the climatologies more robust and useful to operations. The AMU developed a 

graphical user interface (GUI) in Excel to display the statistics to the user. 

 Updated the Objective Lightning Probability Tool forecast equations used in 45 WS 

operations with new data and new stratifications based on the progression of the lightning 

season instead of creating an equation for each month. Three warm seasons (May–

September) were added to the POR, increasing it to 20 years (1989–2008), and data for 

October was included. 

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Other Specialized Services 

 Updated the Peak Wind Tool for General Forecasting used by the 45 WS to forecast the 

peak wind speed for the day on KSC/CCAFS during the cool season months, OctoberApril. The period of record was expanded by two years to increase the size of the data set 

used to create the forecast equations, new parameters were evaluated as predictors, and 

the performance of the Phase I and Phase II tools were compared. The AMU developed 

GUIs for Excel and the Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS). 

 Developed an update for the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) Data 

Analysis System (ADAS) for the local data integration system (LDIS) at SMG and the 

National Weather Service Melbourne (NWS MLB) office; updated the AMU-developed 

shell scripts, using the Perl programming language, that were written to govern the LDIS 

so that it can be easily maintained 

 Developed a Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model GUI 

that allows forecasters to update selected parameters within the HYSPLIT model used at 

NWS MLB. The GUI allows easy adjustment of selected parameters on daily and 

emergency runs to help NWS MLB forecasters improve efficiency and reduce human 

error when running HYSPLIT in support of incidents involving toxic substances 

dispersed into the atmosphere. 

 Verified the performance of the 12-km resolution North American Mesoscale (NAM) 

model (MesoNAM) forecasts for CCAFS and KSC via an objective analysis. The 

objective analysis provided the 45 WS Launch Weather Officers knowledge of the 

model’s strength and weaknesses, resulting in improved forecasts for operations. The 

AMU developed a GUI using JavaScript and Hyper-Text Markup Language that can be 

run using a web browser. 

 Updated the Severe Weather Tool in MIDDS by adding weather observations from the 

years 2004-2009, re-analyzed the data to determine the important parameters, and 

updated the tool with the new information 

 Supported launch operations for four Space Shuttle, four Atlas V, three Delta IV, one 

Falcon 9, and one Ares I-X missions 

In FY 2011, AMU activities will include the following: 

 Update the Climatology of Lightning Probabilities by adding National Lightning 

Detection data from the 2008-2010 warm seasons (May-September) to create a 22-year 

lightning climatology and expand the number of sites supported by NWS MLB and SMG 

from 8 to 22. In addition, stratifications will be added for atmospheric stability and/or 

moisture parameters to help operationally separate lightning days that are more active 

from those that are less active within the same flow regime. 

 Conduct a Vandenberg AFB (VAFB) North Base Wind Study to assess terrain effects 

that possibly influence wind towers during Great Basin High regimes with northeasterly 

winds occurring across VAFB. The study will review and analyze the synoptic conditions 

for those days that winds at towers 70 and 71 meet or exceed the 35 knot warning 

threshold. 

 Update the MesoNAM verification by adding at least one year of data to the existing 3.5 

year database and update the GUI with the new statistics 

215
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

 Update the Severe Weather Tool in MIDDS by adding the 2010 warm season data to 

increase the POR to 220 years and use statistical logistic regression to develop a new 

forecast tool 

 Modify the Peak Wind Tool for User LCC cool season climatologies by adding 3 years of 

observations to increase the POR to 16 years and stratify the data by atmospheric stability 

rather than by month. Update the Excel GUI 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

Air Quality Research 

Meteorological support to the EPA’s Office of Research and Development and Office of Air and 

Radiation, EPA regional offices, and to State and local agencies includes the following: 

 Conducting basic and applied research in air quality modeling 

 Conducting field studies for air quality model development and air quality model 

evaluations 

 Developing and applying multi-scale and multi-pollutant air quality models for pollution 

control, direct and indirect exposure assessments, and emission control strategy 

assessment 

 Reviewing of meteorological aspects of environmental impact statements, state 

implementation plans, and pollution variance requests 

 Providing Air Quality Index forecasts to state and local agencies for health advisory 

warnings 

 Understanding the relationships between air quality and human health 

 Understanding the atmospheric loading of pollutants to sensitive ecosystems 

 Understanding the interactions of global climate change and air quality 

 Emergency response planning in support of homeland security. 

Meteorological expertise and guidance are also provided for the national air quality standards, 

modeling guideline, and policy development activities of the EPA. In light of the 1990 

Amendments to the Clean Air Act and the recent national rules, air quality models and the 

manner in which they are used are expected to continue to grow over the next few years. In the 

area of pollutant deposition, the evaluation of nitrogen, oxidant, sulfur, and aerosol chemistries 

will help to clarify the roles of model formulation, cloud processes, aerosols, radiative transfer, 

and air/surface exchanges in air quality model predictions, leading to a better understanding of 

model predictions relative to control strategy assessments. Further development and evaluation 

of existing air quality models will take place to accommodate the inter-pollutant effects, resulting 

from the variety of control programs that are now or may be in place, such as the new National 

Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and particulate pollution. These inter-pollutant effects 

include trade-offs among controls on ozone, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic 

compounds, as well as developing predictable methods of forecasting the impacts on various 

measures of air quality. 

216
Other Specialized Services 

 With respect to the fine particulate model development, air quality models are being enhanced to 

accurately predict aerosol growth from precursors over local and regional-scale transport 

distances. To assist in the evaluation of the contribution of various sources to regional air 

degradation, inert tracer and tagged species numerical models have been developed. These 

models will introduce separate calculations for inert or reactive chemical species emitted from a 

particular source or region. The calculations will proceed to simulate transport and 

transformation to a receptor point, where the contribution of emission sources can be discerned. 

Atmospheric research, regarding the effects of climate change on regional air quality, involves 

both analytical and statistical climatology as well as linking global climate models with regional 

chemical transport models, and the development of coupled models to better simulate the 

interactions between meteorology and atmospheric chemistry. 

Research in human exposure modeling includes both micro-environmental monitoring and 

modeling and the development of exposure assessment tools. This research entails linking air 

quality models to exposure models to understand the relationships between air quality and 

human health. Micro-environmental algorithms are being developed based on field data to 

predict air quality in buildings, attached garages, and street canyons. These improved algorithms 

are then incorporated into micro-environmental simulation models for conducting human 

exposure assessments within enclosed spaces in which specific human activities occur. 

 In addition to the above major areas, dispersion models for inert, reactive, and toxic pollutants 

are under development and evaluation on all temporal and spatial scales; i.e., indoor, urban, 

complex terrain, mesoscale, regional, and global. Other efforts include modeling nutrient 

deposition to the Chesapeake Bay, mercury deposition to the Florida Everglades, and the 

determination of meteorological effects on air quality. Atmospheric flow and dispersion 

experimental data obtained from wind tunnel and convection tank experiments in the EPA Fluid 

Modeling Facility will be used to continue development and evaluation of these models along 

with providing researchers with insight into the basic physical processes that affect pollutant 

dispersion around natural and man-made obstacles. For example, the transport and dispersion of 

airborne agents in the Manhattan, New York, and the Pentagon were simulated in the wind 

tunnel to help build confidence in the modeling assessment of the source-receptor relationships 

for horrific events such as the one that occurred on September 11, 2001. The impacts of noise 

barriers and vegetation on air quality near roadways are being assessed, and improvements are 

being made to the EPA’s AERMOOD model to better simulate the transport and dispersion of 

pollutants from roadways. 

 Over the past 25 years, numerous air quality simulation models have been developed to estimate 

reductions in ambient air pollutant concentrations, resulting from potential emission control 

strategies. Separate models were developed, for example, for tropospheric ozone and 

photochemical smog, for acid deposition, and for fine particles. Distinct models also existed for 

addressing urban scale problems and the larger regional scale problems. It has been recognized, 

however, that the various pollutant regimes are closely linked chemically, spatially, and 

temporally in the atmosphere. The principal purpose of the Community Multi-scale Air Quality 

(CMAQ) modeling project was to develop a “one-atmosphere,” flexible environmental modeling 

tool that integrates the major atmospheric pollution regimes in a multi-scale, multi-pollutant 

modeling system. This system will enable high-level computational access to both scientific and 

217
Section 2. Federal Meteorological Services and Supporting Research Programs 

air quality management users for socio-economic applications in community health assessments 

and ecosystem sustainability studies. 

The CMAQ model (first released in June 1998) is used by Federal and state agencies, industry, 

and academia and is updated periodically to reflect the state-of-science. The latest version of 

CMAQ, which includes science enhancements and computational efficiencies, was released in 

September 2008. It is also intended to serve as a community framework for continual 

advancement and for use in conducting environmental assessments. CMAQ, configured for the 

Windows-NT computer system, is available on tapes from the National Technical Information 

Service (NTIS). It is accompanied by an Installation and Operations Manual, a User Manual, a 

Science Document, and a tutorial, providing step-by-step instructions for use of the modeling 

capabilities. Additional information is available on the division web site at 

http://www.epa.gov/amad. 

 In FY 2005, EPA worked closely with the National Center for Environmental Prediction of the 

National Weather Service (NWS) in the continued development, evaluation, and use of a coupled 

meteorological-chemical transport model (WRF-CMAQ) for predicting ambient air quality over 

the Continental United States. NWS implemented the CMAQ modeling system, to provide daily 

forecast guidance for ozone nationwide. In the next few years, the operational forecast capability 

is projected to be able to forecast fine particulate matter. State and local air quality management 

agencies are responsible to forecast local air quality and provide health advisory warnings. 

EPA participation in the interagency Information Technology Research and Development (IT 

R&D) Program is developing a modeling framework that supports integration of diverse models 

(e.g, atmospheric, land surface, and watershed). EPA’s IT R&D work also enables increased 

efficiency in air quality-meteorological modeling through research on parallel implementation of 

the CMAQ modeling system. The evolving research seeks to improve the environmental 

management community’s ability to evaluate the impact of air quality and watershed 

management practices, at multiple scales, on stream and estuarine conditions. The following 

primary objectives are directed toward this goal: 

 Developing a prototype multiscale integrated modeling system with predictive 

meteorological capability for transport and fate of nutrients and chemical stressors 

 Enabling the use of remotely sensed meteorological data 

 Developing a computer-based problem-solving environment with ready access to data, 

models, and integrated visualization and analysis tools for water and air quality 

management, local and regional development planning, and exposure-risk assessments 

A variety of research areas are being pursued such as the integration of the National Weather 

Service Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD) Stage IV data into watershed modeling applications; 

enhanced atmospheric dry deposition models; multi-scale and spatially-explicit watershed 

modeling tools; and model-coupling technology for integrating media and scale-specific models. 

EPA also maintains good working relationships with foreign countries to facilitate the exchange 

of research meteorologists and research results, pertaining to meteorological aspects of air 

pollution. For example, agreements are currently in place with Canada, the United Kingdom, 

218
Other Specialized Services 

Greece, Japan, Korea, China, India, and Mexico, and with several European countries under the 

NATO Committee for Science for Peace (SPS). 

National Park Service (NPS)/Fish and Wildfire Service (FWS) 

NPS Air Quality Research 

The NPS conducts and contracts research to develop and test air quality models to assess longrange transport, chemical transformation, and deposition of air pollutants. These models are used 

to estimate source contributions to, and to identify source regions responsible for, observed 

pollutant loadings. 

The NPS is conducting research in the area of atmospheric nitrogen loading to high elevation 

ecosystems in the Rocky Mountains, which have documented effects from nitrogen deposition. 

Measurements taken at Rocky Mountain National Park, in Colorado, indicate that routine 

monitoring networks may underestimate nitrogen deposition on the order of 30 percent by not 

analyzing for organic nitrogen and not routinely monitoring for ammonia gas. Source 

apportionment analyses indicate that under high loadings in the spring season, much of the 

nitrogen deposited at the park originates in the urban and agricultural areas of Colorado to the 

east of the park. By contrast, nitrogen loadings during the summer months had a significant 

contribution from Colorado, but higher loadings from source regions out of the state. The NPS is 

continuing this line of research in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. 

219
220
 A-1 

APPENDIX A 

ACRONYMS 

4-D Weather SAS 4-Dimensional Weather Single Authoritative Source 

ABLE Atmospheric Boundary Layer Environment 

ADA Air Domain Awareness 

AFRC Air Force Reserve Command 

AFWA Air Force Weather Agency 

AIRMAP Atmospheric Investigation, Regional Modeling, Analysis and Prediction 

AIRS Atmospheric Infrared Sounder [NASA satellite instrument] 

AMS American Meteorological Society 

AMSR Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 

ANL Argonne National Laboratory 

AOC [NOAA] Aircraft Operations Center 

AOML Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory 

ARL [NOAA] Air Resources Laboratory 

ARS Agricultural Research Service 

ARW Advanced Research WRF [model] 

ATD atmospheric transport and diffusion 

AWIPS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System 

BASC Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate 

BCAL Boise Center Aerospace Laboratory 

BLM Bureau of Land Management 

BMS [NWR] Broadcast Management System 

BNL Brookhaven National Laboratory 

BonD Battlespace on Demand 

C2 command and control 

C4I command, control, communication, computers, and intelligence 

CALIPSO Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations 

CASA Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere 

CCSP U.S. Climate Change Science Program 

CDFS Cloud Depiction and Forecast System [AFWA model] 

CECOM SEC [U.S. Army] Communications-Electronics Command Software Engineering Center 

CEISC Committee on Environmental Information Systems and Communications 

CERIS Coastal, Estuary Resource Information System 

CESORN Committee on Environmental Services, Operations, and Research Needs 

CENR [NSTC] Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 

CENRS [NSTC] “Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability 

CI-FLOW Coastal-Inland Flood Observation and Warning 

CIOS Committee for Integrated Observing Systems 
Appendix A. Acronyms 

 A-2 

CLIVAR Climate Variability and Predictability Experiment 

CNES French Space Agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales 

CNMOC Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command 

CONUS continental United States 

COPC Committee for Operational Processing Centers 

CORMS AI Continuous Operational Real-time Monitoring System 

COSMIC-2 Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate-2 

CRS Console Replacement System 

CSESMO Committee for Space Environmental Sensor Mitigation Options 

DAC [AOML] Data Assembly Center 

DAMPS Distributed Atmospheric Modeling Prediction System 

DAPE Data Acquisition, Processing, and Exchange 

DATMS Defense Information Switched Network Asynchronous Transfer Mode System 

DCGS-A Distributed Common Ground System-Army 

DEM digital elevation model 

DHS U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

DMSP Defense Meteorological Satellite Program 

DOC U.S. Department of Commerce 

DOD U.S. Department of Defense 

DOE U.S. Department of Energy 

DOI U.S. Department of the Interior 

DOT U.S. Department of Transportation 

DSCOVR Deep Space Climate Observatory 

DTC Developmental Test Center 

DWSS Defense Weather Satellite System 

EcoFOCI Ecosystem-Fisheries Oceanography Coordinated Investigations 

EdIWG [CCSP] Education Interagency Working Group 

EOS [NASA] Earth Observing System 

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

EMC [NOAA/NCEP] Environmental Modeling Center 

EPS Ensemble Prediction System 

ESRL Earth System Research Laboratory 

EUMETSAT European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites 

FAA Federal Aviation Administration 

FAR false alarm rate 

FCMSSR Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research 

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency 

FHWA Federal Highway Administration 

FNMOC Navy Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center 

FPAW Friends/Partners in Aviation Weather 

FRP full-rate production 
 Appendix A. Acronyms 

 A-3 

FTE full-time equivalent 

FY fiscal year 

GEOSS Global Earth Observation System of Systems 

GFDL Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory [NOAA-associated] 

GFO [Navy] Geostat Follow-On [mission] 

GLD Global Lagrangian Drifters 

GLERL Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory 

GMAO Global Modeling and Assimilation Office [at GSFC] 

GODAE Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment 

GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 

GPS Global Positioning System 

GPS-Met GPS-Meteorology 

GSD [ESRL] Global Systems Division 

GTS Global Telecommunications System 

HALE high altitude, long-endurance [UAS] 

HFIP Hurricane Forecast Improvement Project 

HHWWS Heat Health Watch Warning Systems 

HMR [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] hydrometeorological report 

HMT Hydrometeorological Testbed 

HRD [NOAA/OMAO] Hurricane Research Division 

HWDDC Hazardous Weather Detection and Display Capability 

HWRF Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting 

ICMSSR Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research 

IFEX Intensity Forecast Experiment 

IHC Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference 

IM incident meteorologist 

IMETS Integrated Meteorological System 

IMAAC Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center 

INL Idaho National Laboratory 

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IPE intelligence preparation of the environment 

IRT Independent Review Team 

IT information technology 

JAG Joint Action Group 

JAG/ADM Joint Action Group on Architecture and Data Management ( 

JAG/CCM Joint Action Group for Centralized Communications Management 

JAG/JUTB Joint Action Group for Joint Urban Test Beds 

JAG/LDS Joint Action Group on Lightning Detection Systems 

JAG/MD Joint Action Group on Metadata 

JAG/OCM Joint Action Group for Operational Community Modeling 
Appendix A. Acronyms 

 A-4 

JAG/ODAA Joint Action Group for Operational Data Acquisition for Assimilation 

JAWF Joint Agricultural Weather Facility 

JCSDA Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation 

JET Joint Environmental Toolkit 

JHT Joint Hurricane Testbed 

JPDO Joint Planning and Development Office 

JPSS Joint Polar Satellite System 

KSC [NASA] Kennedy Space Center 

LANL Los Alamos National Laboratory 

LBSF&I Littoral Battlespace Sensing, Fusion, and Integration 

LLNL Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 

LRP low-rate production 

MADIS Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System 

MALE medium altitude, long endurance [UAS] 

MAPS Meteorological and Aeronautical Planning System 

MDSS Maintenance Decision Support System 

METOC meteorological and oceanographic 

MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

MPAR multifunction phased array radar 

MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer 

MOU memorandum of understanding 

MWPI Microburst Windspeed Potential Index 

NAS National Airspace System 

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

NCAR National Center for Atmospheric Research 

NCDC National Climatic Data Center 

NCEP National Centers for Environmental Prediction 

NDBC National Data Buoy Center 

NDFD National Digital Forecast Database 

NESDIS [NOAA} National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service 

NEXRAD Next-Generation Weather Radar 

NextGen Next Generation Air Transportation System 

NGDC National Geophysical Date Center 

NHC [NCEP] National Hurricane Center 

NIFA National Institute for Food and Agriculture 

NITES Navy Integrated Tactical Environmental System 

NMFS [NOAA] National Marine Fisheries Service 

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

NODC National Oceanographic Data Center 

NOP Naval Oceanography Program 
 Appendix A. Acronyms 

 A-5 

NOPC National Operational Processing Centers Program Council 

NOS National Ocean Service 

NOWCON Network of Weather and Climate Observing Networks 

NPDIA National Plan for Disaster Impact Assessments: Weather and Water Data 

NPOESS National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System 

NPP NPOESS Preparatory Project 

NPRB North Pacific Research Board 

NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission; National Research Council 

NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service 

NRL Naval Research Laboratory 

NSF National Science Foundation 

NSPO [Taiwan] National Space Organization 

NSSL [NOAA] National Severe Storm Laboratory 

NSWP National Space Weather Program 

NSTC National Science and Technology Council 

NWLON National Water Level Observation Network 

NWP numeric weather prediction 

NWR NOAA Weather Radio 

NWS [NOAA] National Weather Service 

OAR [NOAA] Office of Atmospheric Research 

OFA [BLM] Office of Fire and Water 

OFCM Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research 

OGC Open Geospatial Consortium 

OMAO [NOAA] Office of Marine and Aviation Operations 

OMB Office of Management and Budget 

OMI Ozone Monitoring Instrument 

ORR Oak Ridge Reservation 

OSSE observing system simulation experiment 

OSTEP Ocean Systems Test and Evaluation Program 

OSTM Ocean Surface Topography Mission 

OSTP Office of Science and Technology Policy 

OTN [Defense Information Systems Agency] Optical Transport Network 

PAR Phased Array Radar [Program] 

PARISE Phased Array Radar Innovative Sensing Experiment 

PI product improvement 

PM program manager 

PMEL Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory 

PNNL Pacific Northwest National Laboratory 

POD probability of detection 

POES Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite 

PORTS® Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System 

PSD [ESRL] Physical Sciences Division 
Appendix A. Acronyms 

 A-6 

PTWC Pacific Tsunami Warning Center 

PUP Principal User Processor 

R&D research and development 

RAWS Remote Automated Weather Stations (network) 

RFC [NWS] River Forecast Center 

SDR [CENRS] Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction 

SFMR stepped frequency microwave radiometer 

SMD [NASA] Science Mission Directorate 

SNL Sandia National Laboratory 

SNOTEL SNOw pack TELemetry 

SOMD [NASA] Space Operations Mission Directorate 

SOOP Ship of Opportunity Program 

SPC [NCEP] Storm Prediction Center 

SST sea surface temperature 

STAR Center for Satellite Applications and Research 

SWA soil, water, and air 

SWEF Space Weather Enterprise Forum 

T-IWEDA Tri-Service Integrated Weather Effects Decision Aid 

TAP Technology Assessment Program 

TDA Tactical Decision Aid 

TDR tail Doppler radar 

TEP Tactical Environmental Processor 

TES Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer 

TMC traffic management center 

TOMS Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer 

TRADOC U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command 

TSG thermosalinograph 

TTS through-the-sensor 

UAS unmanned aircraft systems; unmanned aerial systems 

UNOLS University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System 

USA U.S. Army 

USAF U.S. Air Force 

USCG U.S. Coast Guard 

USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture 

USGCRP U.S. Global Change Research Program 

USN U.S. Navy 

USWRP U.S. Weather Research Program 

VORTEX2 Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment 2 

VOS Volunteer Observing System 
 Appendix A. Acronyms 

 A-7 

W&AQR Weather and Air Quality Research 

WAOB World Agricultural Outlook Board 

WC/ATWC West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center 

WDA [AFWA] Weather Data Analysis 

WFO National Weather Service Forecast Office 

WG/DIAP Working Group for Disaster Impact Assessments and Plans: Weather and Water Data ( 

WG/MPAR Working Group for MPAR 

WG/TBC Working Group for Test Bed Coordination 

WG/UM Working Group for Urban Meteorology 

WG/WIST Working Group on Weather Information for Surface Transportation 

WIDB Weather Information Database 

WMO World Meteorological Organization 

WoF Warn on Forecast [Program] 

WRF Weather Research and Forecasting 

WRIP Weather Radio Improvement Project 

WSR-88D Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler 

WWLLN World Wide Lightning Locator Network 

XBT Expendable BathyThermograph [Program]