David Ruth Meteorological Development Laboratory National Weather Service, NOAA

David RuthDavid RuthMeteorological Development LaboratoryMeteorological Development LaboratoryNational Weather Service, NOAANational Weather Service, NOAA

NOAA System-of-Systems WorkshopNOAA System-of-Systems WorkshopOctober 2009October 2009

NDFD in System-of-SystemsNDFD in System-of-Systems 22

The NWS Strategic Plan - 1999The NWS Strategic Plan - 1999

Deliver a credible, timely, and relevant suite of Deliver a credible, timely, and relevant suite of seamless weather, water, and climate products seamless weather, water, and climate products and services which exploit technology to the and services which exploit technology to the fullest to meet customer and partner needs.fullest to meet customer and partner needs.

• Post NWS products and data on the Internet in Post NWS products and data on the Internet in graphic-oriented format (2002)graphic-oriented format (2002)

• Prepare and disseminate NWS forecast products in Prepare and disseminate NWS forecast products in digital form (2003)digital form (2003)


The National Academies - 2003The National Academies - 2003


National Digital Forecast National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD)Database (NDFD)

• Contains a Contains a seamless seamless mosaicmosaic of NWS digital of NWS digital forecastsforecasts

• Is Is available to allavailable to all users and users and partners – public and privatepartners – public and private

• Allows Allows users and partnersusers and partners to create wide range of text, to create wide range of text, graphic, and image productsgraphic, and image products


User-Generated ProductsUser-Generated Products

How is NDFD Produced?How is NDFD Produced?

– Detailed– Interactive– Collaborative

NWS Automated ProductsNWS Automated Products

TextText

GraphicGraphic

DigitalDigital

VoiceVoice

TODAY...RAIN LIKELY.

SNOW LIKELY ABOVE

2500 FEET. SNOW

ACCUMULATION BY

LATE AFTERNOON 1 TO

2 INCHES ABOVE 2500

FEET. COLDER WITH

HIGHS 35 TO 40.

SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO

10 MPH SHIFTING TO

THE

SOUTHWESTEARLY

THIS AFTERNOON.

CHANCE OF

PRECIPITATION 70%.

TODAY...RAIN LIKELY.

SNOW LIKELY ABOVE

2500 FEET. SNOW

ACCUMULATION BY

LATE AFTERNOON 1 TO

2 INCHES ABOVE 2500

FEET. COLDER WITH

HIGHS 35 TO 40.

SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO

10 MPH SHIFTING TO

THE

SOUTHWESTEARLY

THIS AFTERNOON.

CHANCE OF

PRECIPITATION 70%. National Digital National Digital ForecastForecast

Database Database

Local Digital Local Digital ForecastForecast

Database Database

Field Field OfficesOffices

National National CentersCentersCollaborateCollaborate

Data and Science FocusData and Science Focus

National CentersNational Centers Model GuidanceModel Guidance

GridsGrids


Current NDFD ElementsCurrent NDFD Elements

MaxT, MinTMaxT, MinT

Temp, Dew, AppT, RHTemp, Dew, AppT, RH

Sky, PoP12, QPF, SnowSky, PoP12, QPF, Snow

Wave Height, Tropical WindsWave Height, Tropical Winds

Weather, Wind, Wind GustsWeather, Wind, Wind Gusts

Hazards, Convection,Hazards, Convection, Climate OutlooksClimate Outlooks


Individual Decision Assistance

General Access to NWS Information

Sector-Specific Decision Support Information

Organization-Specific Decision Support Information

Group Decision Assistance

Standard NWS information products and services for a broad set of needs

Standard NWS information products and services for a group of users with common interests

Standard NWS information products and services for a specific organization (usually a government agency)

NWS expert(s) who interact directly with a group of decision makers and/or information providers in a specific decision context

NWS expert(s) who interact directly with and support an individual decision maker in a specific decision context

Tier 5 Tier 4 Tier 3 Tier 2 Tier 1

WHAT NWS Provides in Each Tier

Role of NDFD inRole of NDFD in Decision Support ServicesDecision Support Services

NDFD


NDFD in NextGen EraNDFD in NextGen Era

• ““All support facilities will have a common forecast and All support facilities will have a common forecast and communications toolset of hardware and software, communications toolset of hardware and software, including the NWS National Digital Forecast Database including the NWS National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD). The NDFD is a step toward the NextGen 4D (NDFD). The NDFD is a step toward the NextGen 4D Weather Cube.”Weather Cube.”

• ““We currently have a National Digital Forecast Database We currently have a National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) and a National Digital Guidance Database (NDFD) and a National Digital Guidance Database (NDGD), the foundation and building blocks for moving (NDGD), the foundation and building blocks for moving forward into the NextGen era.”forward into the NextGen era.”

excerpted from NWS response to FAA’s CWSU Requirements Documentexcerpted from NWS response to FAA’s CWSU Requirements DocumentMay 9, 2008May 9, 2008

NextGenNextGen


New NWS Flagship ServiceNew NWS Flagship Service

“ “The NDFD is now our flagship service, so we need to ensure it The NDFD is now our flagship service, so we need to ensure it provides the most accurate and current information possible. “provides the most accurate and current information possible. “

Mary M. Glackin, Acting Director, National Weather ServiceMary M. Glackin, Acting Director, National Weather Service NWS Focus - July 5, 2007NWS Focus - July 5, 2007


The Limited Reach of Weather.govThe Limited Reach of Weather.gov

Source: www.alexa.comSource: www.alexa.com


HAMweather

Civil Aviation

Weather Bug

Weather UndergroundGoogle Maps

ESRI GIS

AccuWeather

Custom WeatherThe Weather Network

Weather Central TV

QuickCast

Dow Home Products

FORECA

Energy Production

Hurricane Alley

PASDA Map Services

Fire Danger

nowCOAST

Univ of Texas Astronomy

Hydro One

Web Icons

University Research

State Government

Federal Agencies

Agricultural Weather

Armed Forces

The Unlimited Reach of NDFDThe Unlimited Reach of NDFDReal Estate Data

Shareware

Chumby

GRIBv2GRIBv2• 100,000 files/day100,000 files/day• ~200 users~200 users

SOAP/XMLSOAP/XML 2,000,000 requests/day2,000,000 requests/day ~10,000 users~10,000 users


IT Infrastructure and Major IT Infrastructure and Major System InterfacesSystem Interfaces

NDFD Central Server System (CSS) consists of three dual-NDFD Central Server System (CSS) consists of three dual-server clusters.server clusters.• 2 redundant clusters at AWIPS Network Control Facility (ANCF)2 redundant clusters at AWIPS Network Control Facility (ANCF)

• 1 cluster at AWIPS Backup Network Control Facility (BNCF)1 cluster at AWIPS Backup Network Control Facility (BNCF)

Two sources of data to NDFD CSSTwo sources of data to NDFD CSS• WFOs – IFPS Service Backup netCDF files via SvcBu rsync serversWFOs – IFPS Service Backup netCDF files via SvcBu rsync servers

• NCEP – GRIB2 from TPC, SPC, CPC, and EMC; text from HPCNCEP – GRIB2 from TPC, SPC, CPC, and EMC; text from HPC

Three sinks of data from NDFD CSSThree sinks of data from NDFD CSS• Telecommunications Operations Center (TOC) – GRIB2 , XMLTelecommunications Operations Center (TOC) – GRIB2 , XML

• NWS Web Farm – GRIB2NWS Web Farm – GRIB2

• River Forecast Centers (pulled via AWIPS WAN) – GRIB2River Forecast Centers (pulled via AWIPS WAN) – GRIB2


ap2-emix db2-emix

Secondary NDFD cluster

AWIPS NCF

LAN

ap1-emix db1-emix

Primary NDFD cluster

IFPS Service Backup ServersNAS

Internet

Partners & Customers

AWIPS WAN

WFO(120+)

NDFD Data FlowNDFD Data Flow

RFC(13) NWS

Web FarmNWSTOC

NCEP


NDFD Standards and FormatNDFD Standards and Format

Grid forecastsGrid forecasts• netCDF (from WFOs)netCDF (from WFOs)

• GRIB2 via HTTP and FTPGRIB2 via HTTP and FTP

Point forecastsPoint forecasts• Digital Weather Markup Language (DWML) via SOAPDigital Weather Markup Language (DWML) via SOAP

• Web Feature Service employing OGC standardsWeb Feature Service employing OGC standards

• Tabular XML Products (TPEX)Tabular XML Products (TPEX)


NDFD DevelopmentNDFD Development

• Spatial resolution that better resolves complex terrainSpatial resolution that better resolves complex terrain– 2.5km 42.5km 4thth quarter FY10 quarter FY10

• Hourly temporal resolution (#1 customer request)Hourly temporal resolution (#1 customer request)

• More frequent than hourly updatesMore frequent than hourly updates

• Additional forecast elementsAdditional forecast elements– Fire weather (3Fire weather (3rdrd quarter FY 10) quarter FY 10)

– Probabilistic Probabilistic

– Digital forecasts from NCEP service centers Digital forecasts from NCEP service centers

– 4D grids capable of supporting Next Generation Air 4D grids capable of supporting Next Generation Air Transportation SystemTransportation System

Documents

David Ruth Meteorological Development Laboratory National Weather Service, NOAA