ARROW Act

To require the conduct of winter season reconnaissance of atmospheric rivers on the West Coast of the United States, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Atmospheric Rivers Reconnaissance, Observation, and Warning Act ARROW Act 2. Conduct of winter season reconnaissance of atmospheric rivers on the West Coast of the United States (a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Every year, storms threaten lives and property and cause significant disruptions to travel and commerce. (2) During the cool season from October through April, the western United States and other regions around the United States are significantly impacted by atmospheric rivers. (3) For key regions across the western United States, 70 to 90 percent of days on which the National Weather Service issued either watches, warnings, or advisories for any hazard type were associated with land-falling atmospheric rivers. (4) Atmospheric rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere, below 10,000 feet, that behave like rivers of water vapor pushed along by strong winds. Outside the tropics, atmospheric rivers are responsible for more than 90 percent of the horizontal movement of water vapor. Atmospheric rivers shift locations following large-scale weather patterns, carrying an amount of water vapor on average equivalent to roughly 25 times the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. (5) Precipitation and flooding in the western United States from high-impact storms are largely controlled by characteristics of land-falling atmospheric rivers, accounting for up to 50 percent of annual precipitation and more than 90 percent of major flood events. (6) Conducting atmospheric river reconnaissance during the winter season in the United States significantly enhances storm observations and improves forecasts of storm landfall and intensity. (7) The National Winter Season Operations Plan, the goal of which is to improve the accuracy and timeliness of severe winter season storm forecasting and warning services provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Air Force, and the Navy, coordinates Federal efforts to provide enhanced weather observations of extreme winter season storms that impact the United States and calls for atmospheric river reconnaissance to be conducted annually off the West Coast of the United States. (8) The National Winter Season Operations Plan coordinates requirements for winter season reconnaissance observations provided by the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the Air Force Reserve Command and the Aircraft Operations Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (9) The 2021 report of the Science Advisory Board of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration entitled, Priorities for Weather Research Leverage and expand atmospheric river (AR) observations to improve flood and drought prediction and to enable forecast-informed reservoir operations. Water and emergency managers often cope with too much or too little water and require better information on storms that produce extreme precipitation. However, precipitation prediction skill has not improved substantially in the last 20 years. The multi-agency, OSTP-led Earth System Prediction Roadmap (2020) identified expanded research, observations and communication needed to better anticipate and mitigate water cycle extremes and their cascading impacts, including atmospheric river type storms. (b) Conduct of reconnaissance (1) In general Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the Air Force Reserve Command and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall provide aircraft, personnel, and equipment necessary to meet the mission requirements for winter season atmospheric river reconnaissance on the West Coast of the United States annually from November 1 through March 31. (2) Activities In carrying out paragraph (1), the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the Air Force Reserve Command, in consultation with the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall— (A) improve the accuracy and timeliness of atmospheric river forecasts and warning services on the West Coast of the United States; (B) collect data in sensitive oceanic regions where conventional, upper-air observations are lacking and satellites are unable to effectively resolve the position and vertical structure of an atmospheric river and of other nearby essential atmospheric structures offshore; (C) support water management decisions and flood forecasting through the execution of targeted airborne dropsonde and buoy observations over the eastern, central, and western north Pacific Ocean to improve forecasts of the landfall and impacts of atmospheric rivers for civil authorities and military decision makers; (D) participate in the research and operations partnership that guides flight planning and uses research methods to improve and expand the capabilities and effectiveness of atmospheric river reconnaissance over time; and (E) undertake such other additional activities as the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron considers appropriate to further the atmospheric river reconnaissance mission. (c) Reports (1) Air Force Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a comprehensive report on the resources necessary for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the Air Force Reserve Command to continue to support, through December 31, 2035— (A) the National Hurricane Operations Plan; (B) the National Winter Season Operations Plan; and (C) any other operational requirements relating to weather reconnaissance, to include annual support from November 1 through March 31 for atmospheric river reconnaissance on the West Coast of the United States. (2) Commerce Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a comprehensive report on the resources necessary for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to continue to support, through December 31, 2035— (A) the National Hurricane Operations Plan; (B) the National Winter Season Operations Plan; and (C) any other operational requirements relating to weather reconnaissance, to include annual support from November 1 through March 31 for atmospheric river reconnaissance on the West Coast of the United States.

Summary: Atmospheric Rivers Reconnaissance, Observation, and Warning Act or the ARROW Act This bill requires the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the Air Force Reserve Command and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide aircraft, personnel, and equipment to meet the mission requirements for winter season atmospheric river reconnaissance on the U.S. west coast annually from November 1 through March 31. Among other activities, the squadron must improve the accuracy and timeliness of atmospheric river forecasts and warning services on the west coast.