Straight Talk:
'Seasons' Greetings

Apparently, no one told Hurricane Epsilon that the 2005 Hurricane Season "officially" ended November 30, 2005. At the start of December, as the East Coast faced the first Nor'easter of the season with snow forecast inside the beltway in Washington, DC, Epsilon was still spinning in the Atlantic. Even though Epsilon posed no threat to land, our National Hurricane Center forecasters in Miami continued monitoring this storm.

Hurricane Epsilon was one of many reasons this season was a season of firsts -- the first season with 26 named storms, 14 hurricanes, seven were major (Category 3 or greater), and tragically, the first season with four major hurricanes hitting the U.S. including Katrina - the single most destructive storm in history. Since we began naming storms more than 50 years ago, this was the first season to produce more storms than there were names on the annual list.

In spite of our timely and accurate seasonal outlook, forecasts, and warnings, Hurricane Katrina showed us that even very good forecasts cannot save lives if people will not – or cannot – evacuate out of harm's way.

I am so proud of the dedication of the entire team that works so hard to improve our life-saving service. This team includes NOAA partners and the entire weather enterprise – including emergency managers and media. Even without Tropical Storm Epsilon, our hurricane work was not over on November 30. We brought together meteorologists, hydrologists, and other scientists from the NOAA community – all involved with hurricane forecasting, mitigation and response – reviewed the season and lessons learned. They looked at what we did right and what we need to do to sustain this level of performance. They reviewed the unique aspects of ech storm and examined areas where we can improve.

Throughout the season Max Mayfield, Ed Rappaport, and others at the NHC were the calm, reassuring faces on TV, and the Weather Forecast Offices were on the front lines – but they were just the tip of the iceberg. Other NWS heroes this season included our workforce at River Forecast Centers; the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center, Storm Prediction Center, National Data Buoy Center, and Regional Headquarters. And we have heroes throughout the NWS who volunteered in their communities, through charities, and with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help citizens get back on their feet after these storms.

All of you have added to the luster of the NWS reputation for life-saving service this hurricane season. Thank you!

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NDFD Milestone Reached in December 2005

By Andy Horvitz, Lewis Kozlosky, and Glenn Austin

Weather impacts Americans on a daily basis. The challenge of providing pertinent and timely weather information is being addressed, in large part, through the implementation of the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD).

December 1, 2005 marks the one year anniversary since the implementation of the NDFD Initial Operating Capability (IOC). Throughout 2005, NWS transitioned a number of forecast elements to operational status. NDFD was expanded in June with the addition of Apparent Temperature and Relative Humidity experimental forecasts. The following are some of the primary accomplishments from the past year:

• December 2004: NDFD IOC - Declared Maximum Temperature, Minimum Temperature, and Probability of Precipitation operational for the Continental United States (CONUS). Temperature, Dewpoint, Weather, Quantitative Precipitation Forecast, Snow Amount, Significant Wave Height, Sky Cover, Wind Speed and Wind Direction continue as experimental forecast elements.
• March 2005: Declared Temperature, Dewpoint, and Weather operational for CONUS
• June 2005: NDFD Expanded to include experimental Relative Humidity and Apparent Temperature forecasts; Also - Six forecast elements became operational for Puerto Rico and Hawaii
• September 2005: Six forecast elements made operational for Guam
• Dec 2005: Wind Speed and Wind Direction becoming operational for CONUS, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Guam

As of December 15, 2005, the following forecast elements are operational for CONUS, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Guam:

• Maximum Temperature
• Minimum Temperature
• Probability of Precipitation
• Temperature
• Dewpoint
• Wind Speed
• Wind Direction
• Weather

The NDFD goals for next year are to provide experimental forecast elements for Alaska, and to determine which of the remaining experimental forecast elements should become operational for other parts of the country. These experimental elements include:

• Sky Cover
• Quantitative Precipitation Forecast
• Snow Amount
• Significant Wave Height
• Relative Humidity
• Apparent Temperature

A summary table of NDFD grid status can be found here:
www.nws.noaa.gov/ndfd/resources/oper_status_table.pdf.

Product evaluation includes a technical evaluation as well as an evaluation of comments received from users. The comment period has been closed for the first four elements above. NWS is accepting comments on the Apparent Temperature and Relative Humidity elements until December 15. To provide comments on these NDFD elements, go to the NWS Customer Survey for Official and Experimental Products/Services: http://weather.gov/survey/nws-survey.php?code=ndfd-grids.

Efforts to improve forecasts currently contained in NDFD are ongoing. Further service enhancements, like developing new experimental elements such as hazardous weather outlooks are also being planned.

The overall goal for NDFD is to make NWS forecast information relevant as well as easy to use and understand. Success for NDFD will be measured not only by how accurate the forecasts are, but by how well the integration of forecast information (e.g., snow, wind, and temperature forecasts) help citizens, first responders, and others keep abreast of critical weather conditions expected this winter season and throughout the year.

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Performance Appraisal System to Change in Fiscal Year 2007

NOAA, including NWS, will change its performance appraisal system after this current rating cycle concludes on September 30, 2006.

The current two-level appraisals will change to a five-level system on October 1, 2006. The conversion will include all General Schedule and Federal Wage System employees, except those in the pay banding demonstration project.

NWS is currently bargaining with the National Weather Service Employees Organization (NWSEO), the exclusive representative for certain NWS employees, on this new Performance Plan. Once negotiations are completed, NWS will proceed with implementing the Plan as it applies to bargaining unit personnel.

The change is part of a Department of Commerce (DOC) effort to consolidate performance management systems throughout DOC and provide supervisors with a vehicle to make meaningful distinctions in employee performance.

All DOC bureaus except the Office of Inspector General, NOAA, Census, and the Economic Development Administration have already converted to the new system.

Under the new system, after October 1, 2006, each individual employee's performance plan will be linked to organizational goals. Performance awards will be reinstated and awards will be based on progress in achieving organizational goals. Other awards, such as Special Acts and Cash-In-Your-Account, will still be available throughout the appraisal cycle.

More information is available on the DOC website at
http://ohrm.os.doc.gov/Performance/PROD01_001118.html.

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NWS Establishes First Wind-Powered Transmitter

Four new NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) transmitters are operational in the Western Region, including the Nation's first wind-powered NWR transmitter serving Jackpot, NV, northeastern NV, and southern ID.

The remote site is located on the Ellen D Mountain in a facility operated by Boise State University and powered by three 7.5 KW turbines. The site can go without wind for over 10 days and is equipped with a backup propane generator in such an event. The transmitter was purchased by the State of Nevada and is maintained by the NOAA's National Weather Service forecast office in Elko, NV.

A new Weather Radio transmitter at Turtleback Dome is now providing services to Yosemite National Park. The site is fully operational and is maintained by the San Joaquin Valley forecast office. In addition, a transmitter serving Montana's Golden Valley, Musselshell, and Wheatland County, MT, and another serving Driggs, ID, became fully operational in November.

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'One NOAA' Outreach Materials Available Electronically

Marcie Katcher of NWS Eastern Region Headquarters has compiled a variety of "One NOAA" outreach-related files on an FTP server. The files list includes the most recent NOAA brochure, New Priorities for the 21st Century. (Note: this is a very large, high-resolution file and will take several minutes to download).

Among the other resources are:

• NOAA in the 21st Century: Natural and Technological Hazards brochure
• A new Environmental Information Resource website designed to provide NWS Field Offices with a one-stop clearinghouse for information about the rest of NOAA
• NOAA public-access video "B-Roll" footage is available here.
  

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City Recognizes Forecast Office for Air Quality Work

WFO Rapid City, SD, received a "Certificate of Appreciation" from the city of Rapid City for participation in the air quality program.

The citation on the certificate, "In recognition of the development and implementation of the Rapid City Natural Events Action Plan (NEAP) – High Wind Dust Alert Notice," refers to the Dust Pollution Alert Program in operation at the WFO.

"A few years back, Rapid City was notified of excessive dust pollution levels by the EPA," according to Meteorologist-In-Charge David Carpenter. "The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the city of Rapid City, and WFO Rapid City worked together to develop criteria for the dust advisories."

The criteria were developed using NWS wind speed, and precipitation records, and DENR TSP-10 measurements to pinpoint conditions in which excessive dust was likely to occur. When the WFO issues a dust-pollution advisory, local quarry operators and large construction contractors take action to reduce or eliminate the creation of excessive dust by wetting down the surface soils or suspending digging and crushing operations.

The collaborative program has been a big success – all have met EPA standards in recent years.

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Employee Milestones

• Click here to see NEW APPOINTMENTS/TRANSFERS to NWS through November 30, 2005.
• Click here to see RETIREMENTS/DEPARTURES from NWS through November 30, 2005.
• Click here to see EMPLOYEE ACCOMPLISHMENTS/RECOGNITIONS from NWS through November 30, 2005.