Welcome to Welcome to the the

National National Weather Weather Service!Service!

NOAANOAANational Weather ServiceNational Weather Service

Chicago/RomeovilleChicago/Romeoville

Who Are We?Who Are We?

U.S. Department of CommerceU.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA) Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS)National Weather Service (NWS)

122 Weather Forecast Offices in US, 122 Weather Forecast Offices in US, Guam and Puerto RicoGuam and Puerto Rico

13 River Forecast Centers13 River Forecast Centers 13 National Centers 13 National Centers 22 Center Weather Service Units22 Center Weather Service Units

Serving Since 1870Serving Since 1870

U.S. Weather Bureau began in 1870 as part U.S. Weather Bureau began in 1870 as part of the Army Signal Corpsof the Army Signal Corps

Moved to Department of Agriculture in 1891Moved to Department of Agriculture in 1891 Moved to Department of Commerce in 1940 Moved to Department of Commerce in 1940 U.S. Weather Bureau became U.S. Weather Bureau became

NWS, part of NOAA 1970NWS, part of NOAA 1970

-Chicago office opened in Chicago office opened in Oct 1870 downtown federal Oct 1870 downtown federal buildingbuilding- Moved to University of Moved to University of Chicago, south side of Chicago, south side of Chicago, Rosemont. Chicago, Rosemont. -Romeoville office opened Romeoville office opened Dec 1991Dec 1991

WFO Chicago Area of Responsibility

NWS Chicago Serves...NWS Chicago Serves...

10 million people in a 23 county 10 million people in a 23 county areaarea

Worlds busiest airspace with 1.25 Worlds busiest airspace with 1.25 million flights and 95 million million flights and 95 million passengers passing through passengers passing through O’Hare and Midway combined O’Hare and Midway combined

Mariners on – the 5Mariners on – the 5thth largest lake largest lake in the worldin the world

8 Interstate highway systems - 8 Interstate highway systems - 52,000 truckloads of freight leave 52,000 truckloads of freight leave Chicago each day Chicago each day

World’s #3 container handler World’s #3 container handler (after Hong Kong and Singapore)(after Hong Kong and Singapore)

50% of all US rail freight pass 50% of all US rail freight pass through city (39,000 through city (39,000 carloads/day)carloads/day)

Office OperationsOffice Operations Public ProgramPublic Program

Digital Gridded Forecast DatabaseDigital Gridded Forecast Database

Aviation ProgramAviation Program 5 TAFS, CWSU5 TAFS, CWSU

Marine ProgramMarine Program Lake Michigan and southern Lake Michigan Nearshore areaLake Michigan and southern Lake Michigan Nearshore area

Hydrologic ProgramHydrologic Program Upper Illinois and Rock River BasinsUpper Illinois and Rock River Basins

Fire Weather ProgramFire Weather Program Indiana Dunes Nat’l Lakeshore, Midewin National PrairieIndiana Dunes Nat’l Lakeshore, Midewin National Prairie

Data Acquisition ProgramData Acquisition Program ASOS – Cooperative Program Management - ClimateASOS – Cooperative Program Management - Climate

PersonnelPersonnel OperationsOperations

13 Meteorologists (5 Senior Forecasters, 8 Journey 13 Meteorologists (5 Senior Forecasters, 8 Journey Forecasters)Forecasters)

1 Meteorologist Intern1 Meteorologist Intern Observation Program Leader Observation Program Leader 2 Hydro-meteorological Technicians2 Hydro-meteorological Technicians

Management/LeadershipManagement/Leadership Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC)Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC) Administrative Assistant (ASA)Administrative Assistant (ASA) Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM)Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM) Science Operations Officer (SOO)Science Operations Officer (SOO) Service HydrologistService Hydrologist Information Technology Officer (ITO)Information Technology Officer (ITO)

ElectronicsElectronics Electronics System Analyst (ESA)Electronics System Analyst (ESA)

2 Electronics Technicians2 Electronics Technicians

Office Operations - Office Operations - PublicPublic

Hazardous Weather Watches, Warnings, Hazardous Weather Watches, Warnings, AdvisoriesAdvisories Winter - Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice, Wind ChillWinter - Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice, Wind Chill Non-Precipitation - Heat, High Wind, Frost/Freeze, Non-Precipitation - Heat, High Wind, Frost/Freeze,

FogFog Severe Weather - Tornado, Severe ThunderstormSevere Weather - Tornado, Severe Thunderstorm Flood – Flash Flood, River & Areal Flood, Coastal Flood – Flash Flood, River & Areal Flood, Coastal

Flood Flood Hazardous Weather OutlookHazardous Weather Outlook National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD)National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) Zone (county) ForecastsZone (county) Forecasts

Short Term Forecasts, Chicago metro area forecast Short Term Forecasts, Chicago metro area forecast Technical Forecast DiscussionsTechnical Forecast Discussions

Office Operations - Office Operations - PublicPublicGateway to Public Forecast ServicesGateway to Public Forecast Services

http://weather.gov/chicagohttp://weather.gov/chicago

Office Operations - Office Operations - PublicPublicCurrent Conditions and General ForecastCurrent Conditions and General Forecast

Office Operations - Office Operations - PublicPublicDigital Forecast DatabaseDigital Forecast Database

Office Operations - Office Operations - PublicPublicDigital Forecast DatabaseDigital Forecast Database

Office Operations - Office Operations - AviationAviationTerminal Forecasts

Office Operations - Office Operations - AviationAviationAviation Services Portal

http://weather.gov/zau

Office Operations - Office Operations - MarineMarine

Forecasts and Warnings for all of Forecasts and Warnings for all of Lake Michigan beyond 5 miles Lake Michigan beyond 5 miles from shorefrom shore

Nearshore forecasts for IL and IN Nearshore forecasts for IL and IN shoresshores

Special Marine Warnings for Special Marine Warnings for thunderstorms south end of Lakethunderstorms south end of Lake

Office Operations - Office Operations - MarineMarine

Office Operations - Office Operations - HydrologyHydrology

Office Operations - Office Operations - HydrologyHydrology

Office OperationsOffice Operations

Seasonal fire weather Seasonal fire weather forecasts for federal forecasts for federal agenciesagencies Indiana Dunes National LakeshoreIndiana Dunes National Lakeshore Midewin National Tallgrass PrairieMidewin National Tallgrass Prairie Fermi National Accelerator LabFermi National Accelerator Lab

Spot Forecasts for Spot Forecasts for Il and IN Dept of Natural Il and IN Dept of Natural

ResourcesResources County Forest PreservesCounty Forest Preserves

Fire Weather Watch and Red Fire Weather Watch and Red Flag WarningsFlag Warnings

Fire Weather Program

Data Acquisition - ASOS & AWOS

Data Acquisition – Volunteer Observing Networks

77 Coop sites - 77 Coop sites - daily max/min temp, daily max/min temp, precip precip

30 Supplemental rainfall observers30 Supplemental rainfall observers

Data Acquisition: CoCoRaHSOver 600 Volunteer Precipitation Observers in Illinois and IndianaOver 600 Volunteer Precipitation Observers in Illinois and Indiana

NOAA Weather Radio - All NOAA Weather Radio - All HazardsHazards

11 transmitters11 transmitters 24/7 weather coverage24/7 weather coverage Tone alert and Tone alert and

SAME/EAS activation SAME/EAS activation for severe weather for severe weather watches and warningswatches and warnings

Non-weather Non-weather emergency alertsemergency alerts AmberAmber HazmatHazmat Civil EmergencyCivil Emergency

Want to get more Want to get more involved?involved?

Become a trained Skywarn Become a trained Skywarn spotterspotter About 50 free basic spotter classes About 50 free basic spotter classes

held each year from Feb-Apr. Takes held each year from Feb-Apr. Takes 2 hours, most on weeknights, some 2 hours, most on weeknights, some Saturdays and daytimeSaturdays and daytime

Become a volunteer with your Become a volunteer with your county or local emergency county or local emergency management agencymanagement agency

Join an amateur radio clubJoin an amateur radio club Even if not trained, report to 911Even if not trained, report to 911

Hail larger than 1 inchHail larger than 1 inch Wind more than 58 mph, large tree Wind more than 58 mph, large tree

limbs, structural damagelimbs, structural damage Rotating funnel or tornadoRotating funnel or tornado Flash flooding Flash flooding

Outreach ProgramOutreach Program

Talks - NWS operations, severe Talks - NWS operations, severe weather safety, careers, winter weather safety, careers, winter weatherweather SchoolsSchools Scouts and other youth groupsScouts and other youth groups BusinessesBusinesses Hospitals, nursing homesHospitals, nursing homes

Information booth at eventsInformation booth at events Chicago Boat ShowChicago Boat Show Fairs, trade showsFairs, trade shows

StormReadyStormReady

29 StormReady entities29 StormReady entities 20 communities20 communities 7 counties7 counties 1 university1 university 1 supporter1 supporter

Helps communities implement procedures Helps communities implement procedures to reduce the potential for disastrous to reduce the potential for disastrous weather related consequences. weather related consequences.

Greater opportunity to save lives when Greater opportunity to save lives when severe weather strikes through better severe weather strikes through better planning, education, and awareness.planning, education, and awareness.

NWS Web PagesNWS Web Pages

http://weather.gov/http://weather.gov/chicagochicago

http://weather.gov/http://weather.gov/rockfordrockford

http://weather.gov/zauhttp://weather.gov/zau

http://weather.gov/http://weather.gov/greatlakesgreatlakes