AMS Weather & Climate Enterprise Summer Meeting

Theme: Steps Toward Implementing a Nationwide Network of Networks

Session: Steps to Ensure Progress

Mr. Samuel P. WilliamsonFederal Coordinator for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research

Federal Response and Strategy

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Outline

• Part 1– Bottom Line Up Front– Background– Two OFCM-sponsored Committee for Integrated

Observing Systems (CIOS) Foundational Meetings– OFCM Coordinating Infrastructure– CIOS Leadership / Membership– Overarching Strategy– Summary

• Part 2– NWS Support to National Mesonet – Way Ahead Strategy

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Bottom Line Up Front

• Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (ICMSSR)

– Implements policy decisions and provides recommendations to the Federal Committee

• ICMSSR meeting held Thursday, August 6, 2009– Concurred with:

OFCM-sponsored Committee for Integrated Observing Systems (CIOS) to respond to call for action to integrate disparate observing systems

Proposed leadership and membership of CIOS

Way ahead strategy

• Examples of work summarizing observational data, data gaps and initiatives– US Group on Earth Observations (USGEO) (ongoing)

Strategic Plan for U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System “Observing Earth’s Vital Signs” (draft)

– FAA Aviation Weather Office, Reduce Weather Impact (RWI) (NEXGEN funding portfolio) (ongoing)

Right-sizing of the sensor network program– OFCM Weather Info for Surface Transportation (WIST) Working Group (WG)

“WIST—National Needs Assessment Report” (Dec 2002)– OFCM Joint Urban Test Bed Joint Action Group (JUTB)

“Urban Meteorology – Meeting Weather Needs in the Urban Community” (Jan 2004) – NWS (prepared by SAIC)

“Assessment of Federal, State, and Local Meso / Micro Networks ...” (Jan 2006)– US Climate Reference Network (USCRN)

USCRN Program Update Presentation (Mar 2009)– CENR Air Quality Research Subcommittee (AQRS)

“Survey on Air Quality Monitoring” (draft) – National Research Council’s report (Jan 2009)

“Observing Weather & Climate from Ground Up: Nationwide Network of Networks”

• Excellent efforts to describe state of observation systems / networks, data gaps and initiatives

Background

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Background

NRC Report Recommendations• Main Points

– “US Surface meteorological observation capabilities is energetic, chaotic”

– “An overarching strategy is needed to integrate disparate systems”

– “Highest priority observations to address current inadequacies are:”

Height of the planetary boundary layer

Soil moisture and temperature profiles

High resolution vertical profiles of humidity

Measurements of air quality and related chemical composition above the surface layer

• Other Priorities: urban, coastal & mountainous regions

• “Employ testbeds for applied research & development”

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• Foundational meetings held May 28 and July 13

• Agency presentations

– What type of weather sensors do you have and what elements do you collect?

– What observations do you leverage from other organizations?

– What data do you still need but don’t have?

– What deliverables do you desire from the CIOS?

Two CIOS Foundational Meetings

FEDERAL AGENCIES• DHS

– DHS/S&T– USCPB– USCG– FEMA

• DOC– NOAA/NESDIS– NOAA/NOS– NOAA/NWS– NOAA/OAR

• DOD– USA– USAF– USN

• DOE/BER

Two CIOS Foundational Meetings

OTHER PARTICIPANTS• AMS• NAS/NRC • UCAR/DLS• USGEO • IOOS• WGA

FEDERAL AGENCIES• DOS• DOT

– FAA– FHWA

• EPA• HHS/CDC• NASA/ESD• NRC• NSF• USDA

– USDA/WAOB– US Forest Service

DOI▬ BIA, BLM, NPS, USBR, USGS

Participation May 28, 2009 July 13, 2009

Presentations: 14 Presentations: 10

Attendance: 37 (15 offices / organizations) Attendance: 32 (13 offices / organizations)

TOTALS

Presentations: 24

Attendance: 69 (19 offices / organizations)

Key Agency Comments• Currently there are data gaps in the existing observing strategies

– Still need more or a specific type of surface observations Reduce gaps in remote/urban areas (FWHA, NPS, USAF, USA, NWS, EPA, CDC) Increase precipitation/chemical weather observations (EPA, NPS, NWS, NASA) Need more soil moisture/soil temperature observations (USDA, EPA, USFS, NASA) Need more costal and interior water observations (NWS) Increase streamgages for reservoir management and river flow forecasting (USGS) Increase evapotranspiration, groundwater, snowpack, and surface runoff data (NASA) Increase monitoring or reliable remote sensing (NPS)

– Still need more upper air observations Boundary layer (sfc through 2 km) measurements is under-observed (NWS, USA)

o Crucial to improving predictability beyond first few hours (NWS) Vertical moisture profiles is the most under-observed parameter (NWS, EPA, USA) Need more aloft chemical weather observations (EPA, NPS)

– To improve validation of satellite sensor measurements (NASA)• Agencies already collaborating & sharing data to meet gaps but further

collaboration desired….

Two CIOS Foundational Meetings

• Desired CIOS Deliverables– Near Term

Inventory existing observing capability (multiple agencies)

Network existing weather networks & sensors (multiple agencies)

Identify sensor standards for siting, quality control, & reliability (multiple agencies)

Derive a data and metadata standards/strategy (multiple agencies)

Address network accreditation/certification standards (multiple agencies)

Develop agreements to officially recognize agency collaboration/cooperation (NOS)

Consider non-disclosure agreements that allows sharing of purchased private enterprise data (i.e. lightning and TAMDAR) among federal agencies (OAR, BLM)

Leverage lessons learned from similar initiatives (multiple agencies)

– Long-term

Fill gaps with improved or new sensors (multiple agencies)

Articulate common requirements (multiple agnecies)

Include international collaborations (NWS, USAF, USN, USA, NESDIS, NOS)

Assimilate “non-traditional” networks (USAF, USN, USA, NWS)

Key Agency Comments

Two CIOS Foundational Meetings

OFCM Coordinating Infrastructure

Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (FCMSSR)

Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (ICMSSR) National Space Weather Program

Committee for Space Weather

National Aviation Weather ProgramCommittee for Aviation Services and

ResearchEnvironmental Services, Operations, and Research Needs

Environmental Information Systems and Communications

Integrated Observing Systems

Climate Analysis, Monitoring , and

Services

Cooperative Research

Program Councils

Federal Coordinator for Meteorology

Standing Committees

National Operational Processing Centers Program

Committee for Operational Processing Centers

Multifunction Phased Array RadarPolicy Council

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• Co-chairs

– NOAA: Mr. Don Berchoff

– DoD: alternates between Office of Air Force Director of Weather and Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy

– DOT: alternates between FHWA and FAA

– EPA: Mr. Richard Scheffe

• Members

– All stakeholders

CIOS Leadership / Membership

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• Regular OFCM CIOS forthcoming

– Next meeting tentatively September 2009

• Will engage academia and private sector

– Continue relationship with AMS leadership

– Invite academia and private sector subject matter experts to upcoming OFCM-sponsored CIOS meetings

– OFCM-sponsored workshops / symposiums

Overarching Strategy

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• Off to a good start, have congressional and high level federal agency support

– OSTP and OMB

– ICMSSR

• Involvement of AMS Weather & Climate Enterprise key to bridging gap between federal, academia and private sector

Summary

WE’RE OFF AND RUNNING!!