The investment in training is aimed at ensuring that the activity can be sustained beyond the project's timeframe. The model is described in detail in a forthcoming issue of the NWA Digest of the National Weather Association. A new model must not only prove itself in comparison to the real world, but also must be shown to outperform existing techniques in order to gain acceptance. In the case of storm hazard modeling, comparisons with reality are complex. Storm surges are not well documented in the Caribbean.
Most islands have at best one or two functional tide gauges, the most accurate measurement of surge.
In extreme events tide gauges are often damaged or their range exceeded. In addition, the meteorological parameters for storms are rarely known with the precision, witness the ongoing debate over wind speeds in Hurricane Andrew, a relatively well-observed storm. Wave data is also difficult to obtain, and often must be extrapolated from observed damage. This uncertainty in observational data makes verification difficult and comparisons between models tentative. TAOS has performed well when compared with tide gauge readings.