Center and Forecast Offices Expand Collaborative Forecast Efforts

Many of your favorite forecasters are hanging out in online chat rooms
these days–with their bosses’ approval. Instant messaging
technology, using online chat rooms, is helping forecasters at the
Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC) and several Weather Forecast
Offices (WFOs) test collaboration procedures for creating the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD).

Collaboration describes the process forecasters at WFOs and the HPC are using to make sure the digital forecast database has meteorological consistency, so that, for example, the details in an aviation forecast match the details in a general forecast. HPC forecasters are now available 24 hours per day to work with these WFOs to provide insight into model performance, short and medium range weather, and Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts.

“Collaboration allows WFOs and the HPC to interact earlier in the forecast process and for the HPC to include WFO input into HPC forecasts,” says Ed Danaher, Chief, HPC Development and Training Branch. “It also allows forecasters the opportunity to learn from each other and produce better forecasts.”

The WFO’s use the Interactive Forecast Preparation System (IFPS) to produce their local digital data base. These individual databases are then folded into a national mosaic to create the NDFD. IFPS allows forecasters to graphically interact with model data to produce a common digital database of forecast elements, from which numerous products, including the current product suite, can be generated.

This common database, the NDFD, will be a virtually seamless mosaic of forecasts from all NWS offices. Forecasters will be able to provide better service to their customers by disseminating more highly detailed information than is possible with the current set of products. The NDFD will give customers and partners the flexibility of creating a wide range of text, graphic, and image products.

Editors’ Note: Following are two letters submitted to NOAA's NWS Focus after the August 19 article highlighting a paper by Gary Alan Fine. Want to add your two cents? Send your thoughts to NWS.Focus@noaa.gov by August 30.

The latest edition of Focus asked for feedback on Gary Alan Fine's paper on the Sociological aspects of operational weather forecasting. I am writing to share a few of my thoughts.

I was impressed by the author's accurate assessment of operational weather forecasting within the NWS. Obviously an outsider, he identified key elements of the day to day challenges and successes of our small, cliquish group.

The most compelling point in my opinion was his prediction of what could happen, should our paychecks ever be tied to verification. This could result in limiting our forecasts only to reliable forecast points (e.g., ASOS locations), which would decrease our current service to the public. It could also result in subtle (or direct) attempts to get Coop observers and spotters to report what we needed to hear to verify the forecast. Our volunteers are a dedicated group and would be happy to slant their observations in a way that they perceive might help their friends at the local NWS office. This obviously could move in a dangerous direction.

However, with careful attention to the potential dangers, a weather office might instead move to better educate our public about what conditions we want to hear about, and when to let us know. This might result in more efficient methods of obtaining ground truth reports.

The section on occupational autonomy seemed to strike to the very heart of employee morale. The NWS is in the middle of culture change, and its members are in the midst of finding the balance between autonomy of individuals vs. consistency of the organization, that Mr. Fine speaks of. A key discovery was in the identification of individual office cultures that illuminate the positive effect of a diverse workforce. NWS offices can use different methods and be equally successful in our mission.

Another morale issue, in my opinion, was that forecasters recognize that our priority relationship with our customers has changed from individual listeners in a community, to corporate entities instead. In our current American social climate, this is an unpopular group. We have geared our output to satisfy media, yet now answer phone calls from unhappy citizens who are no longer having their individual needs met. Though NWS employees strive to support organizational goals and appease the masses, there may be a subtle reluctance to "abandon" our loyal individuals.

I thought the paper was well-written and provocative.

Crystal Trulove
WFO, Eureka, CA

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Due to rapid changes in technology, NWS has understandably emphasized the technical/computer aspects of operational meteorology. Gary Fine's recent study on "NWS Culture" reminds us that there are indeed "human relations" aspects to operational meteorology. The "human relations" aspects are just as important to the Agency's mission of issuing warnings and forecasts as the technical aspects. Over the past year, NWS Eastern Region has emphasized to its Science and Operations Officers the importance of "leadership." This initiative and Gary Fine's work are steps in the right direction to bring about a better balance between the technical and human relations aspects that impact operational meteorology.

Kermit Keeter
Science and Operations Officer
WFO, Raleigh/Durham, NC BACK TO TOP

Thrift Savings Plan Changeover Delayed; November is New Target for Change

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board announced in an August 20, 2002, news release that the planned transition to a new record keeping system, scheduled to occur between mid-August and mid-September, is delayed until November. According to a news release, the Board, which oversees the federal employees’ Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), will firm up the schedule over the next month based on the results of ongoing data conversion and system testing.

“The new system was developed on time and within budget, but its implementation is being delayed in order to ensure that all of its functions are fully tested in parallel with the operation of the current record keeping system, using actual participant data submissions,” the news release noted.

The news release and other information can be found on the TSP home page. Follow the "Current Information," "Press Releases," and "Year 2002 Press Releases" links to read the complete release.

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NWS Scientist Appointed as Associated Editor for the Journal of Climate

Song Yang of the NWS’s Climate Prediction Center was recently appointed as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Climate, which is one of the most cited journals of the American Meteorological Society. Last year he also received the Editor’s Award from the American Meteorological Society, citing his timely and thoughtful reviews. Currently he also serves as an Editor for the Chinese Journal of Atmospheric Sciences.

The online version of the Journal of Climate is available on the AMS website.

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Oklahoma Fundraiser: He Swims Like a ROC

A long-time employee at the NOAA Radar Operations Center (ROC) in Norman, OK, has used his passion for swimming to support a good cause in the community for more than a decade.

Richard Rasmussen, Radar Meteorologist/Acceptance Tester at the ROC, participates in the Tinker Air Force Base, OK, American Red Cross Swim-A-Thon each year.

Rasmussen said he got his start as a Swim-A-Thon participant when he was on active duty as Weather Detachment Commander at Tinker in 1990 and 1991. Since he started working at the ROC in the fall of 1991, Rasmussen has continued to participate in the fund raiser, with strong support from co-workers at the ROC.

Swim-A-Thon participants have a two-hour block to swim as many lengths of a 25-meter pool as they can. Supporters either pledge donations based on the number of lengths the swimmer accumulates, or they make a straight donation.

For each of the past 11 years, Rasmussen has swum non-stop during the two-hour Swim-A-Thon each year, recording between 200 and 216 lengths each year. His total distance as the ROC swimmer in 11 years is 2,252 lengths of the pool, equalling a total of 31.27 miles.

In his first year representing the ROC, 1992, Rasmussen’s effort raised $460.45. In each of the past two years the total for ROC contributions has been over $2,000 each year.

Rasmussen said the ROC has donated $13,870.73, the past 11 years for an average of $1,260.97, each year. He added that the ROC has received the trophy for most money donated by an organization for 11 straight years. As an individual, Rasmussen also has an iron grip on the trophy for most money raised by an individual male swimmer, earning the honor for 11 straight years.

With the average age of participants in the low 20s, Rasmussen, at age 57, stands out from the crowd. He said his personal secret for maintaining his strength and stamina is being able to go to a local indoor pool a half block from work and splash through 50 lengths for a 30-minute lunch break several times a week.

“The true motivation, the moral and financial support, comes from the members of the Radar Operations Center,” said Rasmussen. “I average over 50 donors each year. With that sort of team effort and enthusiasm, the annual event is a piece of cake.”

"Rich is an inspiration to all of us at the ROC,” said Jim Belville, ROC Director. “While his participation in the Red Cross Swim-A-Thon is a high visibility endeavor, he tirelessly devotes countless hours to many other volunteer community activities. In 2000, Rich received a prestigous award from the Oklahoma Federal Executive Board for his multitude of volunteer efforts. He has truly made our community a better place to work and live."

Educator Counts On NWS

Throughout the year, many employees work with educators to help bring science into the classroom and inspire young minds. Following the recent Project ATMOSPHERE workshop conducted at the NWS Training Center in Kansas City, MO, for primary and secondary teachers, a high school teacher provided feedback that demonstrates the value of educational outreach activities:

“The outreach of the NWS to the public, especially the educational community, is wonderful and makes my job as an educator so much easier,” said Perry Bodner, a Lido Beach, NY, teacher. “As far as my meteorology course is concerned, I know I can count on the Weather Service for assistance.”

For nineteen consecutive years, the NWS has co-sponsored Project ATMOSPHERE with the American Meteorological Society (AMS), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide a forum for primary and secondary school teachers to learn about the atmospheric sciences. Throughout the two-week program, NWS and other NOAA personnel present a variety of topics dealing with the sensing, analyzing, and forecasting of weather. This year, 26 educators from across the country attended the course.

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Des Moines Forecasters Go To Summer Camp

NWS’s Des Moines, IA, forecast office continued its outreach partnership with the Science Center of Iowa (SCI) by participating in the Science Summer Camp for Creative Minds 2002.

Warning Coordination Meteorologist Jeff Johnson and Forecaster Andy Kula taught second and third graders during three camps in June, July, and August. The camps consisted of several science-themed tracks including geology, astronomy, and health.

“One of our sessions was called ‘Our Amazing Planet’ and the students were very interested in how clouds and thunderstorms develop,” said Johnson. “The students were intrigued by the weather and asked very thoughtful questions.”

The Science Center of Iowa has worked with the NWS before to promote Lightning Awareness. For more details on SCI creative camps, check out their web site.

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Also On the Web...Magazine Profiles NWS Hydrologic Technology Transfer

Reporter Jeff Howe interviewed NWS International Activities Officer Curt Barrett for the story."The Great Thirst Drought and disease threaten to set off a water war in volatile Central Asia. U.S. scientists are fighting back with a data-crunching system that could pump fresh hope into the region. Call it the New Hydronomy," said Barrett.

The article provides some level of detail about the support to foreign countries provided by the NWS. The entire article can be read at http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.09/thirst_pr.html.