I have never forgotten the stern admonition from one particular headmaster who, along with other high school administrators, had the most enviable task of delivering me a termination lecture. Unlike the right reverend monsignors who viewed me as a singular threat not just to their parochial schools but to the entire Catholic religion, Mortimer Barleycrest actually thought I could make something of myself if I gave up sucking on Lucky Strike unfiltered cigarettes.... But he did say, "Eustis, the next time you plagiarize a term paper, at least footnote the fact that significantly greater minds have inspired your puny pseudo-original compositions."
So I admit that a number of my IM entries here and in past editions issue from WX-TALK chat pages, and I thank the vigilant contributors to those web sessions. I merely pass on the nuggets to those who do not necessarily read every WX-TALK edition.
On a recent WX-TALK, a sharp Navy meteorologist noticed that there are two apparently identical upper air stations for Yuma, Arizona (72280 and 74004).
72280 is Yuma International Airport at 32o 39" North Lat.; 114o 36" West Long., elevation 65 meters. The upper air observation is taken by the Marine Reserve here on Saturday and Sunday.
74004 is Yuma Proving Grounds at 32o 30" North Lat.; 114o 00" West Long., elevation 231 meters. An Army contractor launches balloons and takes the observation here during the work week.
| AGC | Pittsburgh/Allegheny, Pennsylvania |
| MIV | Millville, New Jersey |
| PRC | Prescott, Arizona |
| RDG | Reading, Pennsylvania |
| SFB | Orlando/Sanford, Florida |
| SNA | Santa Ana, California |
| VTA | Newark, Ohio |
COMET has placed on the web three new training packages on the Eta Model Characteristics, Biases and Usage; Precipitation Processes; and the Rapid Update Cycle. You can download the packages at http://www.comet.ucar.edu/nwplessons. These packages follow the AVN/MRF training packages released in October. The lessons were developed in consultation with regional scientific service division chiefs. Each package includes a complete set of lesson materials with well-defined goals and objectives. A set of background information material provides details about the topic to be reviewed. COMET also includes additional sources of information which have links to other web sites of interest.
Supporting case study material for the Eta model package is available at http://www.comet.ucar.edu/resources/cases/index.htm. Case # 1: 23 February 1998 (Southern California Floods and Florida Tornadoes).
The objectives of this (April 6-7) conference are to (1) provide a forum to address meta-data issues faced by the various communities including mass storage, data management, image and multi-media processing, and distributed computing; (2) bring the different communities together for technical interchange of ideas on common technologies and standards related to meta-data; (3) hear the various perspectives from the users as well as the producers of meta-data; and (4) facilitate the development and usage of meta-data. Participants are welcome from academia, government, and industry. The technical program, registration and other information is available on the web at http://www.llnl.gov/liv_comp/metadata/md99/md99.html.
The Annual Family of Services (FOS) Meeting held on Thursday, January 14, 1999, in Dallas, TX, in conjunction with the 79th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society (AMS). A meeting summary compiled by Julie Hayes, FOS/NOAAPORT external focal point, follows. A PDF file listing FOS direct subscribers who attended as well as all the presenter's viewgraphs referenced below as attachments will be available in the next IM edition.
Allan Eustis, Chief, Industrial Meteorology Staff, opened the Family of Services/NOAAPORT meeting. John Jones, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the National Weather Service (NWS) Operations, and Walt Telesektsky, Director, Office of Systems Operations, attended the FOS annual meeting.
Allan welcomed the participants and indicated that the National Weather Service had a new Assistant Administrator for Weather Services, Jack Kelly, Jr. (Since last meeting). Allan also introduced John Jones, the new NWS Deputy Assistant Administrator. Allan invited users to participate in the upcoming Office of Meteorology (OM) User Workshop, which is to be held in the April time frame. As in the past, the user workshop allows the NWS to get feedback from private users. Allan suggested having a second FOS Users Meeting in 1999 to provide another avenue for FOS/NOAAPORT user input.
Marty Yerg, Chief, International Activities Office, spoke on the issue of placing "Additional" Data and Products on the internet and the use of these data and products by the private sector/media providers. Marty mentioned the meeting in Paris on May 15, 1998, where discussions took place on adding "additional" data and products (as defined by WMO Resolution 40) to the internet. NOAA leadership decided that this data would be placed on the internet on September 30, 1998. Marty also stated that there were some countries who were stunned about this decision and that these European countries voiced strong opposition. Paris meeting participants were informed that the "additional" data and products were placed on FOS/NOAAPORT data streams on September 30, 1998, and were placed on the internet on December 15, 1998. Marty stressed the importance of abiding by the laws and regulations of foreign countries to insure the continued free exchange of international weather information between the U.S. Government and other nations. He mentioned that the NWS adheres to the World Meteorological Organization Resolution 40 on the policy and practice for the exchange of meteorological and related data and products in all matters related to foreign meteorological information. A weekly notification concerning the "additional" data and products is sent to FOS subscribers and NOAAPORT users to remind them that in order to assure the continued exchange of weather information between nations, FOS/NOAAPORT distributors needed to be cognizant of and to make sure that their customers are aware of specific conditions. These conditions are also posted to the Systems Operations Center change notices web page (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oso/notices/notices.shtml).
Marty stated that there will be other WMO-related meetings, sessions, and discussions concerning the "additional" data and products on the internet at the upcoming WMO World Congress in May 1999. He mentioned the need for increased representation and cooperation with private users. This could be accomplished by visits, meetings (AMS, NWS, etc.) and consultations. Ideas derived from these meetings/other vehicles can be incorporated in proposed reports that are presented to the WMO Congress.
Julie Hayes, FOS/NOAAPORT focal point, provided an Update on International Data Service II-A (IDS II-A) and the International Data Service II-B (IDS II-B). FOS subscribers were informed of the discontinuance of the IDS II-A and IDS II-B on the FOS, which previously carried the restricted WMO Resolution 40 "additional" data and products. These two services were discontinued on September 30, 1998 and replaced with a single IDS service. NOUS40 KWBC notice and an e-mail notice had been sent to inform subscribers of the addition of Resolution 40 data and products to FOS and NOAAPORT data streams. They were also told that they will be reminded, on a weekly basis, in these notices, that in order to assure the continued exchange of weather information between nations, they as data distributors needed to be cognizant of and to make sure that their customers are aware of the WMO Resolution 40 policy pertaining to the re-exportation of data into the originating nation for commercial use. They were provided with an internet address (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oso/addata.shtml) to access a list of all products identified as "Additional" Data and Products by the country (Enclosure 3).
Julie Hayes informed meeting attendees of the new SAS implemented on October 1, 1998. SAS will allow direct user access to the product data files located on the Office of Systems Operations (OSO) servers. The cost for the new SAS is $14K. Currently, there are three (3) SAS subscribers (Enclosure 3).
Julie presented a slide showing the FOS user fees for Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999. The comparison chart showed that there were no increase in direct subscriber fees for FY 99 and that there was the addition of FOS Server Access Service. FOS subscribers were reminded that a quarterly subscription option was extended to those subscribers who plan to migrate from FOS to NOAAPORT. The quarterly payments are due as shown below:
| November 1, 1998 | 25% of the Annual Fee |
| February 1, 1999 | 25% of the Annual Fee |
| May 1, 1999 | 25% of the Annual Fee |
| August 1, 1999 | 25% of the Annual Fee |
The above chart was included in the FY 99 Quarterly Payment Option Agreement (Enclosure 3).
NOAAPORT users were informed of new NOAAPORT Administrative and General messages. NOAAPORT Administrative messages will be sent from the Network Control Facility (NCF) to alert NOAAPORT users of impacts to NOAAPORT operations. Urgent administrative messages will be sent under WMO header NOUS71 KNCF and routine administrative messages will be sent under WMO header NOUS72 KNCF. NOAAPORT general messages will be sent by the FOS program manager and data managers. General messages will be sent under WMO header NOUS45 KWBC (Enclosure 3).
Mike Sikorski of the Office of System Operations next discussed the Future of DIFAX. Participants were reminded that there are two primary DIFAX Services operated by the NWS. The DIFAX satellite broadcast which is operated for the benefit of NWS and other Government users and secondly the DIFAX FOS service operated for the benefit of the private sector. FOS subscribers and NOAAPORT users were reminded that they could also access DIFAX products via the internet (http://weather.noaa.gov/fax/nwsfax.shtml).
The DIFAX satellite broadcast will no longer be used operationally in NWS offices. The NWS plans to terminate the DIFAX satellite broadcast effective September 30, 1999. However there are approximately 35 FAA, 50 DOD user sites and a few other government users. These governmnent DIFAX users have been informed that they will need to contract with a commercial provider for future DIFAX service after September 1999.
Attendees were also told that the NWS will keep its commitment to continue DIFAX on FOS through the Year 2000 and that they will receive at least six(6) months notice of any planned termination of DIFAX. FOS subscribers and NOAAPORT users were told that the NWS was presently undertaking a review of all its facsimile products and services with an eye towards providing improved products in more modern formats (Enclosure 4). An informal NWS survey of known DIFAX users revealed that there was still a great demand for DIFAX maps by the academic and government community. They will thus likely continue in digital formats beyond 2000 on NOAAPORT, internet and other FOS services.
The next item pertained to the NWWS recompetition. Users were given a presentation on the Current System and the Objectives of the New System. The new system will have a higher data rate (9600 bps); support an expanded product suite; and provide uplinks that will include all WSFO's, RFC's, and selected National Centers. Users were also provided with information on the current contract and the new contract. Under the new contract, the draft RFP has been available on the internet since October 1997 (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oso/oso1); the official RFP was released by February 1, 1999; the contract award is expected by July 1999; and the length of the contract is base year plus 9 option years (Enclosure 5).
Vico Baer of the Office of Systems Operations discussed the Operational Certification of NOAAPORT. Participants were told that the purpose of the NORD was to demonstrate and certify that the NOAAPORT broadcast service is operating in stable configuration and its reliability and support ability has achieved a level such that it can be depended upon to support NWS operations. In addition, through use of commercial receivers, NOAAPORT is ready for reliable, routine access by the external meteorological user community. A NORD was conducted from May 1 through May 31, 1998, on routine operations, including post-analysis of product transmit and receipt logs. Participants were told that the formal NORD report was completed on October 1, 1998, and that the Operational Certification of NOAAPORT was signed by Walter Telesetsky on November 25, 1998. FOS and NOAAPORT users notification on the Operational Certification of NOAAPORT was done on December 4, 1998. Vico Baer provided an overview of the AWIPS/NOAAPORT System, Summary of NORD Results, NOAAPORT HDLC Frame Lost/Received Statistics, and NORD Evaluation Product Lost/Received Statistics. Participants were also encouraged to look at the What's New Section of the NOAAPORT Users' Page (URL Address: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/noaaport/html/noaaport.shtml)(Enclosure 6).
The NOAAPORT Data Requirements (NDR) Manager provided information on the New NOAAPORT Data Requirements Status through AWIPS Build 5.0. This information included, New Requirements (the Process), Implementation Pre-Cursors, Implementation Drivers, and Data Requirements Status of Satellite, Radar, Grids, BUFR and Text products. The NDR Manager provided condensed version of his presentation. This version is also included in Enclosure 7 of the attachments.
Jamie Hawkins of NESDIS discussed was the Advanced Baseline Requirements for NOAA's GOES Satellites. Information was presented on GOES Imaging Requirements, Proposed Scanning Frequency, Proposed Bands and Resolutions, GOES Sounder Requirements, and potential New Observational capabilities. (Enclosure 8).
Joe Johnson provided the National Centers for Environmental Predictions (NCEP) Update and Announcements. A presentation on the Eta-32 (32km/45/level), RUC-2 (Rapid Update Cycle), T170/L42 Global Analysis and Forecast System, NOAA Wave Watch III Global Model, Y2K Conversion, Class VIII Computer (IBMRS/6000 SP), and a Major Computer System Milestone chart are included in Enclosure 9. URL addresses for more extensive information about the RUC-2, operational models running at NCEP, the new Wave Watch III Global Model, the IBM RS/6000 SP, GRIB, BUFR and upcoming changes in the NCEP Production were provided and are also included in Enclosure 9. It was announced that the new headers for the new Wave Watch III Global Model (KWBJ) were in place.
Howard Diamond, NWS Y2K focal point, presented an update of the Year 2000 (Y2K) testing efforts. Enclosure 10 contains information on Y2K Phases, System Levels, Date Centric Products, and End-to-End Testing. An end-to-end strategy schedule and NWS point-of-contact information is available at the Y2K home page internet address (http://www.oso1.x3.nws.noaa.gov/y2k).
The FOS meeting was adjourned.
The next scheduled FOS Annual Meeting will be held in Long Beach, California, January 9 through 14, 2000, in conjunction with the 80th American Meteorology Society Annual Meeting.
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