NOAA's National Weather Service
Collaborative Efforts with Other
Line Offices
and Agencies
NOAA Ocean Service
External Public Outreach
- WFOs Sacramento and San Francisco , CA, are
collaborating with NOS and NOAA Fisheries to
install a joint NOAA Kiosk at a local Marine
Museum . WFOs Detroit , Gaylord, and Lower Michigan
collaborated with the Thunder Bay National Marine
Sanctuary (TBNMS) to create various Great Lakes
displays at the TBNMS Visitor Center. These WFOs
have also worked with TBNMS on NOAA Outreach
Booths at annual Maritime Festivals.
- WFO San Francisco, CA, participates in a
NOAA consortium called the San Francisco Bay
Area Coordination Program. The consortium includes
NOAA agencies providing services in the San
Francisco Bay area, including NOAA NWS, NOS,
NOAA Fisheries, and NOAA Hazmat. The consortium
is designing an “All NOAA” exhibit for the
San Francisco Maritime Museum .
- WFO San Francisco, CA; NOAA Fisheries; and
NOS staff a joint NOAA Outreach Booth exhibits
at local boat shows and Marine Sanctuary events.
All NOAA agencies in the region also collaborate
on running “NOAA Day” at San Francisco Giants
baseball games.
- WFO San Francisco, CA, created a local Marine
Users Group consisting of boaters, harbor
masters, and sports fishing groups. NOS has
two representatives on this group which utilizes
customer input to improve NOAA products and
services to the fishing/boating community.
- WFO Glasgow, MT, coordinated with National
Geodetic Survey (NGS) to use their Lewis and
Clark Display when the Corp II National Commemorative
group visited Glasgow .
- WFO Glasgow, MT, is working with NGS to install
a 4" commemorative marker at the historical
site where Capt. Lewis first saw the confluence
of the Missouri and Milk Rivers in Montana
.
Data Sharing/Research/Forecasts
- Gulf Coast WFOs collaborate with NOS Coastal
Services Center by providing real-time weather
observation data as input into the Harmful
Algal Bloom Forecasting System for the Gulf
Coast .
- Gulf Coast WFOs have collaborated with the
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
by providing precipitation forecast data as
input into the NOS Dead Zone Forecasts for
the Mississippi River Delta.
- WFOs collaborate with NOS by providing air
temperature forecast data as input into fish
harvest forecasts prepared by the NOS Center
for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research.
- WFO Green Bay, WI, is working with NOS in
installing a marine observation system in Kewaunee
, WI . Observations will be used by the WFO
to assist in marine forecast preparation and
be broadcasted over NOAA Weather Radio for
marine interests. NWS is providing funds to
buy the observation system and NOS will maintain
the equipment.
- NOAA NWS, the Great Lakes Environmental Research
Laboratory (GLERL), and NOS participate on
a Steering Committee for establishment of a
Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) as part
of U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System.
This committee was established by the Great
Lakes Commission through NOAA grants funds.
- Six WFOs and NWS Central and Eastern Region
Headquarters participate in the Great Lakes
Marine Observation Expansion Working Group.
NWS Offices are collaborating with NOS and
NOAA Research to develop recommendations and
strategies to expand the Great Lakes Marine
Observational Network. Conference call meetings
include participation from GLERL and NOS.
- NWS North Central River Forecast Center ,
WFOs Detroit and Grand Rapids , MI, and NWS
Office of Hydrologic Development are working
with GLERL and the National Severe Storms Laboratory
(NSSL) to discuss current and new sources of
precipitation information over the Great Lakes
basin.
- WFO Gaylord, MI, collaborated with GLERL
to obtain wind/wave information near Thunder
Bay Island (located at the mouth of Thunder
Bay in Lake Huron ) to improve marine forecasts.
- WFO Detroit and Gaylord , MI, have collaborated
with GLERL to develop wave model “smart tools” used
with NWS National Digital Forecast Database
(NDFD).
- WFO San Francisco, CA, provides real-time
weather observations to the NOS “PORTS” project
from local weather stations installed in and
around San Francisco Bay .
- WFO Mobile, AL, collaborates with NOS by
providing rainfall forecasts and measurements
to the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research
Reserve during heavy rainfall events.
- WFO Lake Charles, LA, worked with NOS Center
for Operational Oceanographic Products and
Services (CO-OPS) to install a tide gage at
Calcasieu Pass. The gage has weather observation
equipment installed providing real-time observations
to assist with NWS coastal marine forecasts.
- WFO San Juan, PR collaborates with NOS Coastal
Zone Management/Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management. The WFO provides climate,
water, and weather information to help NOS
manage the Jobos Bay Natural Estuarine Research
Reserve.
- WFO San Juan, PR, has worked with NOS/Jobos
Bay Natural Estuarine Research Reserve to
install a weather observation station in the
Reserve.
- WFO Eureka, CA, has assisted NOS with a tidal
re-survey for Humboldt Bay by obtaining local
site-specific weather/sea swell information
from local mariners. The WFO assisted NOS by
providing contacts for local vessels that were
contracted for this project.
- WFO Eureka, CA, is exploring ways to develop
real-time, gridded tidal current forecasts
for NOS. This data was used to help NOS deploy
an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler.
- WFO Eureka, CA, worked with NOS on a Coastal
Storms Project to develop applications to
assist with near shore wave modeling and forecasts.
- Alaska Region WFOs provide NOS tide data
and tide predictions in briefings, broadcasts,
and on our websites; this data is also used
by WFOs in storm surge prediction for coastal
flooding and by the Tsunami Warning Center
for detecting sea level rises associated with
tsunami events.
- WFOs Juneau and Anchorage , AK, have collaborated
with NOAA Hazmat, NOAA Office of Response
and Restoration, NOAA Public Affairs, NOAA
Marine Fisheries, NOAA Satellites, and NMAO
on Hazmat response activities (e.g., Selendang
Ayu oil spill incident).
- WFO Honolulu, HI, utilizes NOS tide gage
data to assist in the preparation of marine
forecasts for the Hawaiian Islands .
- WFOs provide wind and temperature data as
input for Beach Closure Modeling.
Internal Training/Coordination
- WFO Seattle works with NOS to train forecasters
for support to HAZMAT responses. The WFO
occasionally assists the Office of Response & Restoration
(OR&R) to conduct training sessions for
first responders.
- WFOs Sacramento and San Francisco, CA, routinely
attend San Francisco Bay Regional Coordination
Meetings with representatives from NOS and
NOAA Fisheries. NOS and NOAA Fisheries were
briefed about the NWS TsunamiReady program
to assist with program outreach
NOAA Fisheries
External Public Outreach
- WFO Seattle, WA, collaborates
with NOAA Fisheries, NOS, OAR (Pacific Marine
Environmental Lab (PMEL)), and OFA (WASC). All
NOAA line offices work together to host an annual NOAA
Science Camp Week, open houses, outreach
booths, and other coordinated outreach activities. These
collaborations are enhanced through quarterly
information-sharing meetings between all NOAA
agencies.
- WFO Tampa, FL, has collaborated with NOAA
Fisheries on funding a Marine NOAA Weather
Radio in Largo , FL, and installing a Marine
NOAA Weather Radio Kiosk at a local marina.
- NOAA Fisheries has borrowed WFO Tampa, FL
outreach display for outreach activities.
- WFO Tampa, FL, and NOAA Fisheries staff a
joint NOAA Outreach Booth at the St. Petersburg
Boat Show, State of Florida Governor's Hurricane
Conference, and Florida Education Week.
- WFO Sacramento has collaborated with NOAA
Fisheries on recruiting new NOAA employees.
- WFO Mobile, AL, participates in hurricane
workshops and expos with NOAA Fisheries, NOS,
and the National Coastal Data Development Center
(NCDDC).
- WFOs Juneau and Anchorage , AK, collaborate
with NOAA Fisheries on staffing “All NOAA” Outreach
Booths at fairs and workshops, judging science
fair projects, and printing outreach posters.
Data Sharing/Research/Forecasts
- Coastal WFOs broadcast NOAA Fisheries messages
to mariners on fish catch limits and right
whale searches over NOAA Weather Radio. NWS
Eastern Region Headquarters and WFO Tampa,
FL, developed a secure, web-based interface
for NOAA Fisheries to directly send messages
to WFOs for broadcast over NWR.
- WFO Eureka, CA, has collaborated with NOAA
Fisheries on hydrologic data collection and
has co-sponsored workshops and training sessions
for water resources professionals.
- WFO Eureka, CA, provides real-time weather
and hydrologic services to local NOAA Fisheries
Offices that assist with Anadromous Fish Management
(fish migrating from oceans into rivers).
- The NOAA Fisheries lab in Auke Bay and Research
Station in Little Port Walter, AK, serve
as Cooperative Weather Observers for NWS.
NOAA Research
External Public Outreach
- WFO Seattle, WA, works with OAR PMEL in promoting
Tsunami Awareness and education.
- WFO Seattle, WA, collaborates with OAR PMEL,
NOAA Fisheries, NOS, and OFA (WASC). All NOAA
line offices work together to host an annual NOAA
Science Camp Week, open houses, outreach
booths, and other coordinated outreach activities. These
collaborations are enhanced through quarterly
information-sharing meetings among all NOAA
agencies.
- WFO Wilmington, NC, and WFO Mt. Holly, NJ,
have worked with Sea Grant to design signs
and safety brochures to promote the NOAA Rip
Current Program.
- WFO Miami, FL, is working with Sea Grant
to create a hurricane climatology for south
Florida , and is collaborating on outreach/publicity
concerning rip currents, hurricanes, tsunamis
and other marine hazards. Both agencies have
provided each other with outreach materials.
- WFO Miami, FL, conducted storm spotter training
for mariners in coordination with Sea Grant.
- WFO Denver-Boulder works with NOAA Public
Affairs and other NOAA Outreach staff and forecasters
to participate in joint research and/or publications.
- WFO Boulder-Denver collaborates with co-located
OAR labs to provide speakers and trainers
for external workshops and conferences.
Data Sharing/Research/Forecasts
- WFO Seattle, WA, collaborated with NOAA Research
to develop forecast techniques for bar conditions
at Grays Harbor and the mouth of the Columbia
River .
- WFOs Detroit and Marquette, MI, are incorporating
GLERL wave direction output into the NWS
GFE model to improve wave direction forecasts
within GFE. Experimental graphical products
are planned to be produced in Spring 2005.
- WFO Marquette, MI, and GLERL are working
to model the wave evolution of the November
10, 1975, “Edmund Fitzgerald” Storm. Initial
research results were presented at an internal
GLERL briefing during November 2004.
- WFO Marquette, MI, uses data from seven NOAA
Research, and six NOS observational platforms
in the production and verification of their
Great Lakes forecasts and warnings.
- WFO Hanford, CA, is collaborating with NOAA
Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) in Boulder,
CO, by taking ozone measurements (i.e., Dobson
Photospectrometer) and ARL in Oakridge , TN,
by taking solar radiation measurements.
- WFO Knoxville, TN, is collaborating with
NOAA Research's Atmospheric Turbulence and
Diffusion Division (ATDD) by providing a secure
location for several atmospheric pollutant
sensors and a link back to their research facility.
- WFO Denver-Boulder, CO, collaborates with
OAR in a wide arena from site management of
NOAA resources to participation in seminars.
Day-to-day interaction occurs with the Forecast
Systems Laboratory (FSL) in the development
and testing of software and procedures. The
WFO has been working with the Environmental
Technology Laboratory (ETL) in the development
and operational testing of Infrasound detection
of tornadoes and has worked with the Climate
Diagnostics Center (CDC) in developing forecast
products and jointly participated in user interactions
such as the Governor's Drought Task Force.
- WFO Denver-Boulder, CO, shares its Satellite
Broadcast Network data feed with FSL. Space
Environment Center (SEC) products are disseminated
via the NWS AWIPS system. The WFO is locating
NOAA Boulder Network Operations Center e-mail
servers in their equipment room to provide
emergency power.
- WFO Denver-Boulder, CO, collaborates with
FSL which provides both hardware and software
to the WFO for testing and evaluation. A FSL
meteorologist also works forecast shifts in
the WFO to foster technology exchange.
- WFO Marquette, MI, provides FSL with weather
data from a local mesonet for use in the
MADIS data stream.
- WFO Marquette, MI, worked with FSL to obtain
GRIB data from experimental RUC13 and DWFE
WRF-NMM forecast models for use in the WFO
AWIPS computer system.
- WFO Marquette, MI, provides FSL with access
to meteorological data from three local HANDAR
sites for incorporation into FSL MADIS datasets.
- WFO Grand Forks, ND, obtains DOT Roadside
Weather Information System data, profiler data,
and other data streams through a NOAA Research
FSL server.
- WFO Grand Forks, ND, operates an Earth's
Electric Field monitoring site and has collaborated
with NOAA Research SEC on stratospheric issues.
Internal Training/Coordination
- Collaboration occurs among all WFOs and NOAA
Hazmat Teams regarding NOAA emergency response
to hazardous material events.
- WFO Green Bay collaborated with the GLERL
to provide their forecasters with marine forecast
training, given by GLERL researchers.
- NWS Central Region Headquarter Senior Management
visited GLERL in August 2004 and Thunder
Bay National Marine Sanctuary in September
2004 to learn how WFOs can collaborate with
these facilities.
- WFO Denver-Boulder, CO, is located in a NOAA
building and has constant interaction with
other OAR Offices including: ARL, SEC, CDC,
CDML, FSL, ETL , AL , CMDL, and the NOAA Boulder
Network Control Center . The WFO also has occasional
interaction with the National Severe Storms
Laboratory (NSSL) in Norman, OK, and with local
NOAA Institutes, the Cooperative Institute
for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) and the
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental
Sciences (CIRES).
NOAA Satellite and Information Service
Data Sharing/Research/Forecasts
- All WFOs have a link to the National Climatic
Data Center (NCDC) on their local home pages
and refer customers to NCDC for climate data
and information.
- WFO Albuquerque, NM, (and other Western Region
WFOs) routinely collaborates with NCDC in
the preparation of the National Drought Monitor
product.
- WFO Mobile, AL, collaborates with the NESDIS
National Coastal Data Development Center
(NCDDC) and NOS. The WFO uses NOS weather observations
to assist with forecast preparation and also
broadcasts water temperatures near Weeks
Bay and Dauphin Island over NOAA Weather Radio.
- Alaska Region WFOs and Alaska River Forecast
Center have collaborated with NOAA Satellites
to obtain emergency SARSAT imagery during
ice jam flooding and a glacier-dammed lake
flooding
- WFO Juneau has collaborated with NOAA Satellites
and the University of Washington on SARJET
research projects.
- WFO Honolulu, HI, collaborates with the NOAA
Data Center Hawaii Liaison (i.e., NOAA Satellites/National
Oceanographic Data Center/National Coastal
Data Development Center) to produce daily surf
forecasts for the island of Oahu .
- WFO Honolulu, HI, provides weather observation
data to the NOAA Satellites Volcanic Ash
Advisory Center for the preparation of volcanic
ash advisories.
NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations
Data Sharing/Research/Forecasts
- NOAA NWS utilized NOAA Aircraft Operations
Center (AOC) aircraft to perform four hurricane
surveillance flights during the 2004 hurricane
season.
- WFO Seattle, WA, provides weather forecasts
for NOAA ships going up and down the West
Coast.
- WFO Lake Charles, LA, has provided NOAA Ships
with weather warning and forecast data to
help protect the vessels from high winds and
surge during hurricane threat situations.
- WFO Eureka, CA, has coordinated several “All
NOAA” Outreach Booths with NOAA Corps and NOAA
Fisheries.
- All Alaska Region WFOs require coordination
with NMAO to charter necessary flights.
- WFOs Juneau and Anchorage , AK, have provided
weather briefings to NOAA Ships Cobb and
Fairweather. These ships take NWS Forecasters
on marine familiarization trips and participate
in the NOAA Voluntary Observing Ships program.
NOAA
in Your Neighborhood
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce
Author: Stephan.Kuhl@noaa.gov
Technical problems: Melody.Magnus@noaa.gov
Privacy
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Last Modified:
April 26, 2005
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