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National Weather ServiceNational Weather ServiceCentral Computer System
Backup System
Brig. Gen. David L. Johnson, USAF (Ret.)Brig. Gen. David L. Johnson, USAF (Ret.)National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Assistant Administrator for Weather ServicesAssistant Administrator for Weather Services
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Agenda
• NWS Overview
• Central Computer Backup System Description
• System Milestones
• System Operational Uses
• System Development Uses
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NWS Overview
• Provide climate, water, weather forecasts and warnings to protect life and property and enhance the economy
• Data and products are used by other government agencies, the private sector, the public, and the global community.
A Typical Year Brings:A Typical Year Brings: 7 Hurricanes7 Hurricanes 1,000 Tornadoes1,000 Tornadoes 5,000 Floods5,000 Floods 10,000 Violent Thunderstorms10,000 Violent Thunderstorms Drought ConditionsDrought Conditions 500 Deaths; 5,000 Injuries; 500 Deaths; 5,000 Injuries;
$14 Billion in Losses$14 Billion in Losses
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NWS Overview Facilities
13 River 13 River Forecast Forecast CentersCenters
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NWS Overview Facilities
122 Weather Forecast Offices
9NationalCenters
6Regions
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NWS Overview National Centers for Environmental Prediction
CE
N T RA
L
HydrometeorologicalPrediction Center
Storm PredictionCenter
Aviation WeatherCenter
Tropical PredictionCenter
Ocean PredictionCenter
Climate PredictionCenter
Space EnvironmentCenter
EnvironmentalModelingCenter
PO
ER A T I
ONS
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Research, Development and Technology Infusion
Respond & Feedback
Respond & Feedback
IBM Supercomputer at Gaithersburg, MD Computer Center
FeedbackFeedback
DistributeDistribute
LocalOfficesLocal
OfficesCentral
GuidanceCentral
GuidanceProcessProcess
ObserveObserve
Products & Forecast Services
NWS Overview
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Research, Development and Technology Infusion
Respond & Feedback
Respond & Feedback
IBM Supercomputer Backup at Fairmont, WV
FeedbackFeedback
DistributeDistribute
LocalOfficesLocal
OfficesCentral
GuidanceCentral
GuidanceProcessProcess
ObserveObserve
Products & Forecast Services
NWS OverviewCritical backup
of “process” step
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System Description
• Large high performance computing system that mirrors and backs up a primary system in Gaithersburg, MD
• Comprised of IBM equipment
176 Power-4 Regatta H+ nodes
160 compute nodes, 16 server nodes
8 processors per node (1.7 Gigahertz clock speed)
16 Gigabyte (GB) memory per node
Copper based Colony interconnect
22.5 Terabyte disk storage
1 Petabyte tape storage
Theoretical peak power 8.7 Teraflops
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• In top 10 worldwide for weather supercomputers• Uses scalar computing model comprised of a large
number of commodity processors• Balanced system in terms of node, interconnect &
input/output performance
Disk I/O – 1.3 GB/sDisk I/O – 1.3 GB/s
Node/Processor – 4.0 GB/sNode/Processor – 4.0 GB/s
Interconnect– 1.5 GB/sGB/sInterconnect– 1.5 GB/sGB/s
System Description
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System Milestones
Milestone Date
System Installation Complete 8/25/04 – completed
Acceptance Testing Complete 9/22/04 – completed
System Customization Complete 10/6/04 – in progress
Production Readiness Test Complete 12/22/04
Full Operational Capability Reached 12/22/04
CCS Backup Activated 1/18/05
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System Operational Uses
• Executes large scale computer models to predict the state of the atmosphere from hours to months in advance Outputofmodelsiscalledmodelguidance OvertheU.S.,thesemodelsdividetheatmosphereintoathreedimensionalgridcomprisedof12kmsquares,splitinto60levels,fromthesurfaceuptoabout10,000meters
Overtheentireglobe,thesemodelsdividetheatmosphereintoathreedimensionalgridcomprisedof55kmsquares,splitinto64levels,fromthesurfaceuptoabout10,000meters
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System Operational Uses
Reliability is Key
Support for Defense and Homeland Security
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System Operational Uses GFS model guidance for location of Hurricane Jeanne for
September 26, 2004
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System Operational Uses GFS model guidance for location of Hurricane Jeanne for
September 26, 2004
Location of low (Jeanne) in model guidance issued 30 hours in advance of landfall
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Actual location of Hurricane Jeanne on September 26, 2004
System Operational Uses
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Actual location of Hurricane Jeanne on September 26, 2004
System Operational Uses
Actual location of low (Jeanne)
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System Operational Uses
GFS model guidance for 24 hour total precipitation for September 27, 2004
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System Operational Uses
GFS model guidance for 24 hour total precipitation for September 27, 2004
Precipitation concentration in model guidance issued 48 hours in advance indicates 125mm of rainfall
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System Operational Uses
Actual 24 hour total precipitation for September 27, 2004
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System Operational Uses
Actual 24 hour total precipitation for September 27, 2004
Actual precipitation concentration of 120mm of rainfall
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System Operational Uses
GFS model guidance for 250 MB wind speeds for September 30, 2004
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System Operational Uses
GFS model guidance for 250 MB wind speeds for September 30, 2004
Location and intensity of high speed winds (jet stream) in model guidance issued 72 hours in advance
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System Operational Uses
Actual 250 MB wind speeds for September 30, 2004
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System Operational Uses
Actual 250 MB wind speeds for September 30, 2004
Actual location and intensity of high speed winds (jet stream)
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System Operational Uses
Wave Watch model guidance for September 30, 2004
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System Operational Uses
Wave Watch model guidance for September 30, 2004
Significant wave heights of 16 to 18 feet in model guidance issued 12 hours in advance
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System Operational Uses
Actual wave heights for September 30, 2004
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System Operational Uses
Actual wave heights for September 30, 2004
Significant wave heights of 16 to 18 feet
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System Development Uses
• Taxpayers are Getting their Money’s Worth
• Support NOAA Research & Development
Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation
Operational Numerical Test Bed
Seasonal Climate Research & Development
Accelerate Transition from R&D to Operations
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Fairmont West Virginia
An Important Part of the NWS Team!
