The user could dial in to the LDAD server and download the wind data from LAPS for use as one of the critical fields in dispersion modeling. The LDAD Figure 1. A screen from the LDAD Emergency Management Decision Support system showing LAPS analyzed total snow accumulation and a precipitation type overlay with Interstate highway map background from an early season snowstorm. This allows a more time-critical file to be automatically disseminated to a few users without their intervention. Bulletin Board Bulletin board users interact with a menu to dial in to the LDAD Bulletin Board Server equipped with a hierarchy of menus for navigating down to a desired product.
Users can display the chosen product and then download it with a simple command.
Since these products are stored in LDAD's external user database, any system can be used which has a program that can dial out to a server and emulate a VT terminal. Forecasters in each NWS forecast office can tailor the products to suit their needs. There is a high level breakdown of dissemination dividing the public and private data, with public data accessible to everyone and private data accessible only to those users with special privileges to the LDAD external user database. Soon bulletin board capabilities will also permit dissemination of NWS graphical products of urgent weather information. A crucial part of the LDAD system is the EMDS utility.