NOAA Weather Partners » Warning Decision Training Branch

WDTB Hosts Workshop; Rep. Fallin Drops By

Keli Tarp — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:53:37 +0000

Experts from across the country met up at the NOAA/National Weather Service Warning Decision Training Branch (WDTB) recently for a workshop on Quasi-Linear Convective Systems. They spent several days discussing how to design and implement effective training to improve the forecast and detection of the hazards associated with these storms.

This topic will be a primary focus of this year’s Advanced Warning Operations Course developed by WDTB. The course is released each year to effectively integrate the latest weather research into National Weather Service operations.

Workshop participants included forecasters and researchers from National Weather Service Forecast Offices, NWS Storm Prediction Center, NOAA/Oceanic and Atmospheric Research National Severe Storms Laboratory and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS).

During the workshop, Congresswoman Mary Fallin (OK-5) stopped by while on a tour of the National Weather Center. Branch Chief Ed Mahoney showed Rep. Fallin the Forecaster Development Lab and explained the importance of WDTB’s mission to transfer knowledge into warning performance.

Meteorologist Publishes Article on Hail with His Dad

Keli Tarp — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:56:57 +0000

Paul Schlatter, WDTB meteorologist, co-authored aÂ journal article about an unusual hailstorm published in the August 2008 issue of the prestigious Monthly Weather Review. Additional authors are hisÂ father, Thomas W. Schlatter of the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, and Charles A. Knight with the National Center for Atmospheric Research, both in Boulder, Colo.

The article is titled, “An Unusual Hailstorm on 24 June 2006 in Boulder, Colorado. PartÂ I: Mesoscale Settting and Radar Features.”Â The authorsÂ examined the meteorological conditions preceding the storm and the signatures it exhibited on the WSR-88D or NEXRAD radar.

“One of my life goals when I became a meteorologist was to publish a paper with my dad,” Schlatter said. “I knew it would be difficult because our areas of specialty are pretty different. It took a special storm in a special place.”

Non-meteorologists will find the paper easy to understand, Schlatter said, and meteorologists will find lots of information about bounded weak echo regions and hail formation processes.

“IÂ thought it turned out really well. It’s an easy read,” Schlatter added.Â ”I’m a lucky individual to publish with my dad and Charlie.”

WDTB Delivers Five New Courses

Keli Tarp — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:21:51 +0000

The WDTB has delivered five new courses to improve warning operations in National Weather Service Forecast Offices across the country. These courses are now available through the online learning center.

The coursesÂ support the National Weather Service’s recent implementation of new warning decision making functionality with a software update to the Advanced Warning Information Processing System (AWIPS) called OB8.3.

Titles of the new courses are:

AWIPS OB8.3 Four-Dimensional Stormcell Investigator
AWIPS OB8.3 Integrated Radar Sampling and Improved Environmental Analysis
Flash Flood Warning Decision Making Using FFMP-Advanced
WES 8.3 Overview
Multisensor Precipitation Estimator

Australian Meteorologists Adopt Simulator Technology Developed in Norman

Keli Tarp — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:56:58 +0000

Harald Richter, an educatorÂ and meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia visited WDTB recently to learn more about the NWS Weather Event Simulator. The training tool has proven useful for American forecasters since its development about five years ago.

WDTB staff demonstrated the capabilities of the WES, and provided tips for including a variety of information sources when creating simulations. A key feature the Australians will focus on is the use of simulations to help highlight the impact workload increases have on situational awareness.

Instructors Participate in Hazardous Weather Testbed Program

Keli Tarp — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:08:18 +0000

WDTB Instructors participated in several facets ofÂ Hazardous Weather TestbedÂ operations from mid-April to early June that focused on three primary experiments: phased array radar, CASA radars and probabilistic warnings.

WDTB participation was substantial and included acting as weekly test coordinators, project cognizant scientists and test participants.

WDTB staff will integrate the lessons gained from this year’s program into upcoming National Weather Service training.

Commerce Department awards Gold Medal to weather event simulator concept and development team

Keli Tarp — Mon, 15 Sep 2003 20:58:35 +0000

The U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded its prestigious Gold Medal to the Weather Event Simulator (WES) Concept and Development Team for its pioneering work in creating nationwide simulation training capabilities for NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters. The team was made up of members from the NWS Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Norman, Okla.; the Warning Decision Training Branch (WDTB), also located in Norman; and, the Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies (CIMMS), at the University of Oklahoma.

The team included Mike Foster, meteorologist in charge, WFO Norman; David Andra, science and operations officer, WFO Norman; WDTB Instruction Team Leader Elizabeth Quoetone and Instructional Resources Team Leader John Ferree. Other members included Senior CIMMS Research Associate Michael Magsig; CIMMS Senior Systems Analyst Kenyon Hoggard; and, former CIMMS Programmer/Analyst Xuning Tan. Tan is currently working as a Senior Scientific Programmer for the Office of Science and Technology’s Meteorological Development Laboratory (MDL).

Inspired by the utility of case studies used for training during a Warning Decision Making Workshop in 1999, the team conceived, designed and developed a prototype of what would become known as the Weather Event Simulator. The team demonstrated that weather data and WSR-88D radar and weather satellite images, archived from the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS), could be displayed—in a way that simulated real time—for training purposes.

In the same way the aviation industry uses aircraft simulators, the WES program now allows forecasters to gain invaluable experience working major weather events, whether they have been on the job for two weeks or 20 years.

Recognizing the possibilities of this new training tool, Foster and Andra solicited initial funding from the National Weather Service Southern Region. The team then launched a campaign to develop and implement this technology at forecast offices nationwide.

While many individuals subsequently helped ensure the implementation of the WES program throughout the National Weather Service, the team members were honored for their exceptional vision, creative talents and blend of skills that led directly to the program’s development, acceptance and funding as a unique new operational training system.

The award was presented at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C. The Gold Medal is the Commerce Department’s highest honorary award, presented annually for distinguished performance in support of the department’s critical objectives.