Generalizations: We're Proud to Be Part of the Team

By General D.L. Johnson
NWS Director

Last week, I keynoted the 29th National Weather Association meeting in Portland, OR. This forum provided me an opportunity to tell an audience of primarily operational meteorologists that their National Weather Service understands their requirements and is moving out to support them. NWA members are often the public face of the weather enterprise--out in front leading the way while we're right behind with the tools and information that enable them to take charge.

It takes the whole weather team to equip these folks to do their jobs and we are proud to be part of the team. After identifying our accomplishments during the past year including the hurricane season and Alaska fire season, I discussed five areas where the NWS is focused: 1) Developing and sustaining reliable Information Technology architecture; 2) Accelerating the transfer of research to operations; 3) Improving observations through initiatives such as building a national mesonet; 4) Creating grids to populate a database for use by the entire weather enterprise; and 5) Improving our partnerships nationally and internationally.

Congratulations to the NWS employees and offices who won awards at this conference. The slides I used for this address are posted here.

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Comments Sought on New NWS Strategic Plan

A draft NWS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2005 through 2010 is out for comment.

The theme of the plan, "Working Together to Save Lives," reflects the agency's commitment to work closely with partners to help support NOAA's strategic goals and to provide the services America needs.

"This plan lays out the path we will take to accomplish our mission, advance our vision, and integrate our core values throughout the National Weather Service," said Brig. Gen. D.L. Johnson, USAF (Ret.), NWS Director.

The NWS Strategic Plan dovetails with NOAA's recently completed Strategic Plan, "New Priorities for the 21st Century; Updated for FY 2005-FY 2010."

NOAA asked all Line and Staff offices to present plans to support and carry out NOAA's strategic goals and objectives. The NWS plan lists specific NWS activities supporting NOAA's strategies and goals, and also lists critical partners who help us carry out these activities.

"Recognizing the need for agility to respond to our rapidly changing world, our draft plan identifies major forces for change facing our agency and helping to shape the context of the National Weather Service," explained Ed Johnson, Director, NWS Strategic Planning and Policy Office. "Employee comments on our mission, vision, and core values showed impressive insight and helped draft these parts of our plan. Additional comments and input from our employees and can only make our plan stronger."

View the draft NWS Strategic Plan at http://www.weather.gov/sp/, and send comments to john.sokich@noaa.gov by November 30, 2004.

A copy of the NOAA plan can be found at http://www.spo.noaa.gov/pdfs/NOAA Strategic Plan.pdf.

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Select Sites Participating in Radio Frequency Background Study

wireless consumer electronics and automotive radars. Ground and wall penetrating radars will be used in very low numbers by trained law enforcement and rescue personnel.

"The impact of these devices to NWS operations needs to be analyzed," Franc said. "The UWB industry estimates the technology will also be used in many consumer electronics products such as remotes, wireless computer peripherals, motion sensors, and other applications where short communication wired connections can be made wireless."

According to industry estimates the use of UWB in consumer electronics could reach hundreds of transmitters per square kilometer. Franc said high densities of UWB transmitters used in consumer electronics could potentially raise the noise floor in bands used by NWS systems.

"NWS recognizes the need to allow development of new technologies for the enhancement of the U.S. economy, but we must also take steps to ensure critical systems such as NEXRAD, radiosondes, and GOES satellite sensors are not degraded," said John McNulty, OPS Director. The baseline data collected at select locations will provide a reference for future measurements to assess the impact to NWS systems. NASA and DoD are conducting similar measurements for bands of operational interest to them.

The UWB project began in December 2003 with design and construction of a very sensitive measurement system, including comprehensive data acquisition software package. Franc said field baseline measurements started in August and will be completed by January 2005. Repeat measurements to determine impact on NWS bands will be conducted at the same locations in two to three years.

Sites in Eastern, Central, Western and Southern Regions were selected based on current level of radio use in the area, ease of access, and population density. A sampling of rural, urban and suburban, and airport environments will provide baseline data for comparison purposes.

"Albany was selected for its proximity to a college campus and population area, ease of access to the building roof for the equipment, and past excellent test support from the staff at the WFO," Franc said. Other NWS test sites include Sterling, VA; State College, PA; Chicago, IL; Boulder, CO; Pueblo, CO; Phoenix, AZ; Flagstaff, AZ; and San Diego, CA.

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Honor Roll:
Several Employees Recognized with National Weather Association Annual Awards

Several National Weather Association (NWA) annual awards went to NWS employees at the group's recent annual meeting in Portland, OR:

The T. Theodore Fujita Research Achievement Award went to Stephen F. Corfidi of the NWS Storm Prediction Center, Norman, OK, for his outstanding research and development of conceptual models and predictive techniques for mesoscale convective systems improving operational weather analysis and forecasting.

The Aviation Meteorology Award went to the NWS Center Weather Service Unit (CWSU), Fort Worth, TX, and NOAA/Forecast Systems Laboratory (FSL), Aviation Division, Boulder, CO. Awardees included: Thomas Amis, James Ott, Doug Reno, and Charles Hays of the Fort Worth CWSU; and, Lynn Sherretz, Greg Pratt, Dennis Rodgers, Jim Frimel, Yung Chun, Lisa Gifford, Chris Masters, and Doug Ohlhorst of the Aviation Division, FSL. The awardees were recognized for sustained superior performance in enhancing and developing new methodologies for displaying aviation weather information resulting in improved flight safety and efficiency in the National Airspace System. During a period of phenomenal growth in commercial and general aviation, the air traffic control system has increasingly relied on accurate weather data to help maintain safe and efficient control of the National Air Space system.

The Operational Achievement Group Award went to Barry Baxter, Kim Brabander, Eric Christensen, Wayne Colin, Robert Handel, Guy Rader, and Pablo Santos of the, Miami, FL, Weather Forecast Office (WFO). The awardees were recognized for their outstanding weather forecasts and timely warnings in advance of and during the rare, South Florida, multiple tornado outbreak on March 27, 2003. They were on duty late in the afternoon when a strong F2 tornado touched down in the Brownsville/Liberty City neighborhood of Miami. Despite the widespread destruction attributed to the tornado, only one death and 14 injuries resulted. A warning lead time of 51 minutes was credited with keeping the death and injury toll at such a minimum. The tornado was one of nine warned for by the Miami forecasters that afternoon. The average lead time was 23 minutes, more than double the national average of 11 minutes.

The Larry R. Johnson Special Award went to the Midland, TX, Weather Forecast Office, for exceptional skill, teamwork, and coordination with other agencies in providing life-saving forecasts and warnings to the citizens of West Texas and Southeast New Mexico during the devastating floods of April 2004. The WFO Midland staff were lauded for the working relationship between the staff, county, and state officials that led to the closure of an Interstate 20 highway bridge before it collapsed under the pressure of floodwaters racing through the Pecos River's Salt Draw tributary.

"These awards presented to the National Weather Service employees are a testament to the outstanding work being conducted on behalf of all Americans," said Brig. Gen. D. L. Johnson, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), NWS Director. "Our people are truly dedicated. I thank them for all their hard work."

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Congressional Technology Fair Includes NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Participation

support to the Congressional E9-1-1 Caucus. The Caucus is co-chaired by Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT), Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL), and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA). Gregory L. Rohde, former Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, serves as the Institute's Executive Director.

The Capitol Hill fair was the latest in a wide range of NWR outreach efforts. Ken Putkovich and Stan Johnson established the outreach program in the early 1990s in an effort to educate the general public and get public and private sector emergency warning stakeholders more involved in NWR. Teamed with George Wilcox in the NOAA Public Affairs Office and supported by NWS Headquarters, Regional, and Field Office Staff, NWR outreach efforts include designing and producing exhibits, videos, brochures, and public service announcements; hosting national and international dissemination conferences; establishing, supporting, and hosting the Mark Trail Awards; and exhibiting at National trade shows.

More targeted efforts have included meetings with electronic and automobile manufacturers; trade associations and utility cooperatives; city, county, and state executives and emergency managers; Federal agency and Congressional staff; and various volunteer groups involved with deaf people, recreation, disaster mitigation, public warning, and public safety.

In the past few months, NWR exhibited at the League of Cities in Boston, MA; the Self Help for Hard of Hearing People International Convention in Omaha, NE; the National Association of Broadcasters Radio Show in San Diego, CA; the Outdoor Retailer's Market in Salt Lake City, UT; the Association of Late Deafened Adults International Convention in Burlington, VT; and the National Conference of Towns and Townships, the National Mayor's Conference, and the Gallaudet University/U.S. Access Board Technology Demonstration in Washington, DC.

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NWS Snapshots

Click here for a look at photos we've received from around the NWS.

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