Cliff Mass Weather Blog: The Future of National Weather Service Forecast Offices
(Source: Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
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Cliff Mass Weather Blog: The Future of National Weather Service Forecast Offices
The Future of National Weather Service Forecast Offices
Twenty four hours a day, every day of the year, National Weather Service forecasters are watching the weather.
They make regularly scheduled predictions.
They watch for and predict extreme weather.
At the coastal offices, there predict ocean (or Great Lake) water levels and waves. Or provide tsunami warnings after major earthquakes.
They predict streamflow and water levels of major rivers, and provide guidance for flooding situations
They forecast the dispersion of smoke from wildfires and help predict the behavior of major fires.
They determine how airports operate and who can fly.
The put out warnings when air quality deteriorates.
And much more.
In a real sense, they are the nation's environmental guardians and are a major jewel of the National Weather Service.
But local offices are in trouble: underfunded, undermanned, and underappreciated. And there are major questions regarding the role of local human forecasters in the future. This blog will examine some of these issues.
First, some background. There are roughly 120 forecast offices around the U.S. (see map). They are staffed by professional meteorologists, hydrologists, meteorological technicians, and some administrative staff. Virtually all are associated with a Doppler weather radar. And they are backed up and added by specialist colleagues at the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Aviation Weather Center (AWC) and river forecast offices (like the one in Portland).
They make regularly scheduled predictions.
They watch for and predict extreme weather.
At the coastal offices, there predict ocean (or Great Lake) water levels and waves. Or provide tsunami warnings after major earthquakes.
They predict streamflow and water levels of major rivers, and provide guidance for flooding situations
They forecast the dispersion of smoke from wildfires and help predict the behavior of major fires.
They determine how airports operate and who can fly.
The put out warnings when air quality deteriorates.
And much more.
In a real sense, they are the nation's environmental guardians and are a major jewel of the National Weather Service.
First, some background. There are roughly 120 forecast offices around the U.S. (see map). They are staffed by professional meteorologists, hydrologists, meteorological technicians, and some administrative staff. Virtually all are associated with a Doppler weather radar. And they are backed up and added by specialist colleagues at the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Aviation Weather Center (AWC) and river forecast offices (like the one in Portland).
Read more ...
Cliff Mass Weather Blog: The Future of National Weather Service Forecast Offices
