IFPS Initial Operating Capability Schedule Change Affects Alaska, Pacific Regions

The schedule for achieving the initial operating capability (IOC) for the Interactive Forecast Preparation System (IFPS) at forecast offices in Alaska and Pacific Regions has changed. NWS Director Jack Kelly approved a modified schedule recommended by the Office of Science and Technology, the Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services, Pacific Region, and Alaska Region. The original date for both regions was December 31, 2003. The modified schedule has IOC in the Alaska Region on June 30, 2004, and IOC in the Pacific Region on October 15, 2004.

"The schedule change accommodates centralized software development efforts, and the requirement for Alaska and Pacific Region WFOs to have sufficient time for forecaster training/familiarization and software localization before entering the Operational Readiness Demonstration (ORD) and subsequently IOC," said Jack Hayes, Director of the NWS Office of Science and Technology. This process follows the model used for WFOs in the continental United States (CONUS), which will have at least three months of forecaster training/familiarization and software localization before the CONUS ORD. The Pacific Region also requires that the forecaster training/familiarization and software localization and ORD occur during the tropical cyclone season. The new schedule accommodates this requirement and allows the Alaska Region to proceed on a faster schedule since they do not require testing during tropical cyclone season.

Working Together To Save Lives:
Relocated Radar, Training, and Teamwork Yield Lengthy Tornado Lead Time in Mississippi

Thanks to a newly-placed Doppler radar and the actions of highly trained meteorologists, the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Jackson, MS, provided an approximate 36-minute lead time for an F3 tornado which struck Brandon, MS, on April 24, 2003. No lives were lost in the storm.

"This extraordinary lead time is even more remarkable due to the fact that the tornado did not drop from the thunderstorm until it was over the Brandon city limits," said NWS Southern Region Deputy Director Gary Grice. In addition, WFO Jackson staff provided a running update to the Brandon community that a tornado was likely to occur prior to tornado formation.

A key factor in the extraordinary long lead time provided for this tornado was the ability of the warning meteorologists at WFO Jackson to target the developing thunderstorm and rapidly identify the wind field signatures as tornadic at an early stage in the storm's development. Radar and other weather observations were crucial to the meteorologists' analyses. Extensive training in severe weather, including the use of several tornado simulator cases, were key factors in enabling the warning meteorologists to correctly identify this storm as tornadic well before strong rotation was detected on radar.

Data from the Brandon WSR-88D, in combination with a keen awareness of the evolving wind fields in the atmosphere, provided critical clues that this particular thunderstorm, as opposed to other storms in the area, likely would become tornadic very rapidly. Improved rainfall intensity detection from the Brandon radar highlighted an area around Brandon, and in the thunderstorm's path, that would support rapid tornado development. The Brandon radar was installed recently to enhance rainfall interrogation over eastern Mississippi versus what had been available from the original Jackson radar which was partially blocked east of the radar site by higher terrain.

Working closely with Jackson WFO staff, Mississippi amateur radio operators also played a critical role. Before and during the event, amateur radio operators relayed critical spotter reports to the WFO. About five minutes before the tornado dropped from the thunderstorm over Brandon, amateur radio operators were asked by the Jackson WFO to broadcast a message that the NWS was very confident that a tornado was developing and would be entering the Brandon area within the next few moments. The issuance of timely, accurate, and relevant severe weather warnings depends on the successful integration of weather information from radar with the evolving atmospheric situation by a fully staffed WFO of trained meteorologists. This was demonstrated by the Jackson WFO before and during the Brandon tornado.

Anticipating severe weather, the forecast office increased the number of meteorologists on duty hours before the storm hit. The seven warning meteorologists and one hydrometeorological technician on duty at the WFO closely monitored this rapidly evolving and potentially explosive situation using the NWS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS). AWIPS combined radar data, along with other atmospheric observations, to provide the WFO staff with a three-dimensional view of thunderstorm evolution with time. Using multiple AWIPS workstations, the WFO's County Warning Area was segmented for warning operations with different warning meteorologists concentrating on different parts of the area. One warning meteorologist focused solely on the area around Brandon and Jackson. This severe weather staffing arrangement enabled the Jackson WFO warning meteorologists to issue five Severe Weather Statements for the area around Brandon during the tornado warning, providing critical updates on the position and path of the storm. Additionally, this staffing level allowed the Jackson WFO Severe Weather Coordinator to stay in nearly continual contact with emergency management officials in Brandon via the National Warning System. Together, they were able to provide citizens with updates on the location of the storm and receive reports of damage associated with the tornado.

Being a certified StormReady city, the officials and residents of Brandon were prepared to act on the advance tornado warning from WFO Jackson. The training and preparedness work paid off with no loss of life even though damage was extensive.

Phased Array Radar Testing Begins at NOAA Lab

NOAA has begun testing the first full-time phased array radar facility. The new National Weather Radar Testbed got its public unveiling at the National Severe Storm Laboratory (NSSL) in Norman, OK, on April 25, 2003.

Researchers at the lab will determine if phased array radar will become the next significant technology advancement to improve our Nation's weather services.

Using multiple beams and frequencies controlled electronically, phased array radar reduces the scan time of severe weather from six minutes for NEXRAD radar to only one minute, producing quicker updates of data and thereby potentially increasing the lead time for tornado warnings.

The phased array technology is currently used to protect Navy battle groups from missile threats. Read the full NOAA news release here.

Flexible Spending Account Open Season Begins May 19

The first open season for federal employees to establish personal Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) will be May 19, 2003, and ends June 20, 2003, according to the Office of Personnel Management. Employees who set up FSAs can later tap their accounts to pay for the uncovered portions of qualified medical costs, or for dependent-care expenses. All employee contributions to FSAs are made from pre-tax earnings, but there are no government contributions to the program.

During this open season, employees can elect to enroll in the healthcare FSA (HCFSA) and/or a dependent care FSA (DCFSA). According to OPM, subsequent FSA open seasons will coincide each year with the FEHB open season. During that time, employees will have the opportunity to elect a HCFSA and/or a DCFSA for the Plan Year which begins the next January 1. Open season for the 2004 plan year is set for November 10 through December 8, 2003.

See the OPM web site for more details.

Future Forecasters Gather in Oregon During Take Your Child to Work Day

"A New Generation at Work" was the title for the Pendleton, OR, Weather Forecast Office's (WFO's) version of the national Take Your Child to Work Day on April 24, 2003.

The day began with a Conversation Café, an open discussion with the children about various jobs and what they want to do when they grow up. Pendleton Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM) Dennis Hull discussed the duties of WFO Pendleton and how weather affects peoples' lives. His discussion also included a demonstration of how tornados form using a mini tornado simulation.

Hull and Electronics Technician/Diversity Team member Andy Miller gave a tour of the Pendleton facility including the forecast operations center and the radar. The children worked with forecasters Jeremy Wolf and Bryan Henry and Science Operations Officer Jon Mittelstadt and learned how the staff gathers information and makes forecasts. Each child was given a packet of weather information and games and each had their photo framed as an Honorary Forecaster. Children ranging from 6 to 13 years old participated in the event.

Pendleton's Take Your Child to Work Day was organized by Hull, Administrative Support Assistant/Diversity Focal Point Diana Locke, and Service Hydrologist Marilyn Lohmann.

Click here to see pictures of the day's activities.

Did your office also do an activity on Take Your Child to Work Day? Send us a photo and caption at NWS.Focus@noaa.gov no later than close of business May 7 and we'll compile a photo page for the next issue.

Network Control Facility is Customer Support Award Finalist

The NWS Network Control Facility (NCF) is a finalist for this year's Government Customer Support Awards in the category of Technical Excellence. Finalists will be recognized and winners will be announced during the Government Customer Support Conference awards luncheon at the Hilton in Crystal City, VA, on June 2, 2003. Digital Consulting Institute sponsors the customer support awards.

The NCF delivers weather data products to the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) systems and manages the AWIPS monitor and control functions. Many of the NCF functions relate to its role as a central point for managing the AWIPS Communications Network, which consists of the Satellite Broadcast Network and terrestrial wide area network. The NCF, based at NWS Headquarters, operates 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

A February 2003 contractor-conducted opinion survey found that 92 percent of NWS field staff give the AWIPS NCF help desk an overall rating of excellent or good.

Information on the Government Customer Support Conference is available at www.dci.com/events/govcs/.

Employee Milestones

• Click here to see NEW APPOINTMENTS/TRANSFERS to NWS through April 30, 2003.
• Click here to see RETIREMENTS/DEPARTURES from NWS through April 30, 2003.