15th N. American / Europe Data Exchange Meeting

Fred Branski

Team Leader for Data Management

June 25-27, 2002

2

The Mission

The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters, and ocean areas for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. NWS data and products form a national information data base and infrastructure which can be used by other governmental agencies, the private sector, the public, and the global community.

3

Types of Customers

• Federal Government and Agencies

• National Media

• Local Media

• Academic and Professional Community

• Private Meteorological Companies (Value Added)

• Local Governments and Agencies

• Public

• International Meteorological Community

4

Types of Weather Services

• Public• Aviation• Marine• Fire• Hydrology• Climate• Space

5

Public

NWS Role in the Dissemination of Information

Commercial Servicesand Media

InternationalOrganizations

Federal and StateAgencies

NWS

Observations

6

Business Architecture

• Mission

• Mission support

• Administration

• Forecasts and Warnings • Coordination with the User Community• Backup Operations• Archiving• Performance Verification

Business Architecture Components Mission Component Functions

7

Forecasts and WarningsSummary of Major Systems

Observe and

Collect

Coordinate and

Disseminate

• ASOS• COOP• CRN*• DCP/DCS• HADS• ISCS• Local Mesonets• LDAD• LDS*• MON• MDCRS*• Micro - ART• NEXRAD• Other Agencies• Profiler Network• RRS• Satellite-borne Sensors

• Supercomputer Applications• Data Assimilation• Numerical Models• Statistical Models

•Local Applications (AWIPS)• AHPS• IFPS• LAMP• LAPS

• AWIPS• IFPS• LDAD• NWR

• Gateway (NWSTG)• EMWIN• FOS• GMDSS• GTS• Interagency• Internet• ISCS• NWWS• SBN/NOAAPORT

• Analyze, Model, and Predict• Generate Products

* Not owned by NWS

(Refer to Acronym List following the Presentation Charts)

8

Major Systems Overview

Environment Environment

Environment

LightningDetectionCooperative

Observers

AWIPS

LOCAL EXTERNALUSERS;

COMPUTERSYSTEMS;

OBS PLATFORMSAND NETWORKS

NESDIS

NWSTG

WALLOPSCDA

GOES I-M, PolarOrbiter, and

Other Satellite Data

- Satellite Product Gen- Satellite Operation

GOESI-M

Spacecraft

Data CollectionPlatforms (DCP)

Official UserProducts

USERSUSERS

PROFILER

MICROART

NEXRAD

(May Interface Locallyat Site or Centrally

VIA NWSTG

Upper AirObservations

Weather RadarProducts

Class 4NIDS

USERS

DCPData GOES

Data

USERS

Forecaster

- Product Formulation- Data Integration & Analysis- Forecasting- Services Dissemination

GTSUpper AirObserving

(ServicesDissemination)

SurfaceObservations

World-Wide DataCollection &Distribution

- Numerical Predictions- Large-scale

Forecaster Guidance

Gatewayfor International & Non-

NOAA Domestic products

-Surface Observing

Remote SurfaceObserving

- Radiance Measurements- DCP Data Collection &

Distribution

SatelliteDistribution &

Processing

AtmosphericProfiles

Official UserProducts

- RADAR ReflectivityMeasurement

- RADAR Product Gen NWWSNWR

ASOS

POESSpacecraft

POESData

LightningData

OceanObs

NCDC

(NCF)

MDCRSCommercial Aircraft

Data

NCEPRetrospective

Users

Official UserProducts,

Observations, &Graphics

NCF

-Archiving

LDAD

USERS

FAA Data

Level 2 &Level 3 Data

Data- Calibration Data

Modeling- Interactive Data

Analysis

POESData

NCEPGuidance,

Observations,& Offical User

Products

Dissemination Systems

Modeling & Product Generation Systems

Observing Systems

Legend

* Note some systems perform multiple functions, e.g. LDAD disseminates information and receives observations

9

Dissemination Systems

• NWR

• NWWS

• SBN/NOAAPORT

• Internet

• EMWIN

• FOS

• GMDSS

• GTS

• LDAD

• ISCS

• Interagency Connections

• Gateway*

• AWIPS*

* Although not dissemination systems these are systems that are critical to the process

10

Dissemination and Distribution

Gateway

FOS

SBN/NOAAPORT• GOES Obs•NCEP Product Suite

NWWS

(10 sec)

WAN

NESDIS

Internet-BasedDissemination

EMWIN

(> 1 min)

Telecommunications Operations Center

Satellite Legend:EMWIN

NOAAPORT

NWWS

Commercial Satellite

GOES

NWRWSR-88D

Field Offices

NCEP

Radar Data

Server

WxGov’t

Servers

NCF

Media &Other

Customers

Public

SpecializedCustomers

Other Agencies

LDAD

Designated Local

Customers

•Commercial Weather Services•Research Institutions•FAA, etc.

InternationalISCS

GTS

11

NOAA Weather Radio (NWR)

• Description: Nationwide direct radio broadcast

• Customer: General Public

• Products: Warning, watches, forecasts (Voice)

• Volume: Low volume radio. 630 transmitters.

(24x7 continuous)

• Coverage: Reaches 80% to 90% of population

12

NOAA Weather Wire Service (NWWS)

• Description: Nationwide service to distribute text based

messages• Customer: Media & Emergency Managers• Products: Warnings,watches, and other forecast

products (text)• Volume: 8 Gigabytes per day

13

Satellite Broadcast Network (SBN/NOAAPORT)

• Description: One-way satellite broadcast system

• Customer: WFOs/RFCs, and commercial users

• Products: NCEP model products, satellite imagery,

observations, forecasts and warnings

produced by WFOs and RFCs

• Volume: 48 Gigabytes per day (3.5 T1s at capacity)

• Limitations: Data formatted to meet NOAA requirements

14

Internet

• Description: Internet, both HTTP & FTP• Customer: NWS, NWS Partners (State/Local government,

academic,commercial), General Public• Products: Observations, guidance, forecasts and warnings• Volume: - HTTP: 900 Gigabytes per day (NWS wide) - FTP: 160 Gigabytes per day (NWSTG)• Considerations : Internet load may cause delays. Security

15

NWSTG Internet ActivityAverage Daily Users

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

900

950

1000

1050

Jan-01 Feb-01 Mar-01 Apr-01 May-01 Jun-01 Jul-01 Aug-01 Sep-01

Ave

rag

e D

aily

Use

rs (

K)

NWSTG - IWIN (weather.gov)

NWS Home Page

NCEP

Alaska Region

Western Region

Southern Region

Central Region

Eastern Region

Pacific Region

NWSTG - IWS (weather.noaa.gov).

16

Emergency Managers Weather Information Network (EMWIN)

• Description: Hemispheric direct broadcast using GOES East/West

• Customer: Emergency Managers• Products: Warnings, watches, graphics, and other hydrometeorological products • Volume: 85 Megabytes per day

17

Family of Services (FOS)

• Description: Predominantly FTP• Customer: Commercial Users• Products: Observations and Model Data provided through

FOS for: -Public Product Service (PPS) - Domestic Data Service (DDS) - International Data Service (IDS) - High Resolution Data Service (HDS) - Server Access Service (SAS) - Internet - Radar Product Service (RPS)

• Volume: RPS: 500,000 large products per day Others: > 110,000 bulletins per day

18

Global Maritime Distressand Safety System (GMDSS)

• Description: US Coast Guard Telecommunication Network• Customer: Maritime Community• Products: Navigational Warnings and Forecasts• Volume: 170 Megabytes per day

19

Global Telecommunication System (GTS)

• Description: Two way satellite broadcast• Customer: International Meteorological Centers, e.g., UK,

Japan, Canada, Central America, Caribbean, S. America, Africa• Products: Observations and Model Output (WMO Bulletins)• Volume: > 280 Megabytes per day• Circuit cost: Shared 50/50 with recipient. • Limitations: Up to 64 Kbps Lines (Frame Relay being tested)

20

Local Data Acquisition and Dissemination (LDAD)

• Description: Dissemination is primarily FTP. • Customer: Government agencies, media,

emergency managers• Products: Observations and Forecasts • Volume: Unique to WFO - examples: - Sterling 0 Megabytes per day

- Cleveland 50 Megabytes per day to Corps of Engineers

• Part of AWIPS system

21

International Satellite Communications Service

(ISCS)• Description: Two way satellite broadcast for Atlantic and Pacific

Ocean regions

• Customer: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) &

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

member countries, NWS

• Products: Aviation weather and other meteorological

hydrological, and climatological weather products

(Text, GRIB, T4-Fax)

• Volume: 55,000 Bulletins per day or 150 Megabytes per day

22

Interagency Connections

• Description: Primarily FTP• Customer: Major Customers are:

- DOD: AWN, AFWA, (Offutt AFB), FNMOC (Monterey, CA) 400 Megabtyes per day- FAA 24 Megabtyes per day- USDA (Fire Weather) 1.5 Megabytes per day- USGS < 100 Kilobytes per day- USCG < 100 Kilobytes per day

• Products: Observations & Forecasts• Volume: (see customer list above)

23

NWS Telecommunications Gateway

• NWS central communications

• Primary acquisition and distribution center for NWS data and products

• Source of data for national centers

• AWIPS Net Control Facility

• ASOS AOMC

• FOS

• Other Federal Agencies - DoD, FAA

• WMO Global Telecommunication System

24

NWS Telecommunications Gateway (NWSTG)

NWSTG

EMWIN

GOES

GTS NCEP

Family of Services

NCF

NOAAPORT

NESDIS

Watches, Warnings, Advisories, & Statements

•Public Product Service•Domestic Data Service3•International Data Service•High Resolution Data Service•Server Access Service•Radar Products Service

ISCS

Other Agencies

25

NWS Telecommunications Gateway (NWSTG)

Lloyd E. IrvinChief, Operations Support,Performance Monitoring andData Management Branch

William E. BrockmanChief,TelecommunicationOperations Center

Dan StarostaChief, TelecommunicationGateway Operations Branch

James FenixChief, TelecommunicationSoftware Branch

Mike SikorskiChief, TelecommunicationInfrastructure Branch

26

WFO AWIPS•Workstations• App Servers • Data Mgmt

WFO AWIPS•Workstations• App Servers • Data Mgmt

WFO AWIPS•Workstations• App Servers • Data Mgmt

AWIPS

Radiosondes

ASOS

NEXRAD

Local Mesonets & Data Sources

NWWS

NWR

LDAD

Internet

SBN/NOAAPORT

NWSTG

ACN

NCF

RFC

Observations Dissemination

Network

“Non-AWIPS” Observations

27

Future NWS Enterprise NetworkNWSNet

• Provide capacity for “data explosion”• Security• Sustainability• Manageability• Cost Effectiveness• Leverage Internet 2 and NCEP Networks

28

Web Server Farm

NCEPWRH

Web Server Farm

PRH

SRH

NWSHqs

Web Server Farm

Web Server Farm

NCEP AWCCRH

Training Center

ERH

NWSNet

ARH

T1

T1

T3T3

T3

T3

Frac T3OC3

Frac T3

NWSNet Notional Web Architecture

29

Issues

• Data Explosion– Increased resolution of observations and models– Increased frequency of observations and models– Increased number of sensors– Improved sensing technology– New spatial and temporal requirements– Graphics, imagery, and video– Thousands of small products

• Bandwidth– Technology selection– Estimation of capacity growth– Transmission of ‘information’ versus ‘raw data’

30

Continuity of Processing

GatewayNCF

Mt WeatherBackupGateway

West VirginiaBackup -NCO -NCF -MGS

External Lines

Switch

Acronym List

32

Acronyms

• ACN - AWIPS Communication Network

• AFWA - Air Force Weather Agency

• ARH - Alaska Region Headquarters

• ASOS - Automated Surface Observing System

• AWIPS - Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System

• AWC - Aviation Weather Center

• AWN - Automated Weather Network

• CDA - Command and Data Acquisition

• COOP - Cooperative Observer Program

• CRH - Central Region Headquarters

• CRN - Climate Reference Network

• DCP - Data Collection Platform

• DCS - Data Collection System

• DOD - Department of Defense

• ERH - Eastern Region Headquarters

33

Acronyms

• EMWIN - Emergency Managers Weather Information Network

• FAA - Federal Aviation Agency

• FNMOC - Fleet Naval Meteorological Operations Center

• FOS - Family of Services Network

• GOES - Geosynchronous Operational Environmental Satellite

• GRIB - Gridded Binary (digital format)

• GTS - Global Telecommunication System

• HADS - Hydrometerological Automated Data System

• IFPS - Interactive Forecast Preparation System

• ISCS - International Satellite Communications Service

• ITA - Information Technology Architecture

• IWIN - Interactive Weather Information Network

• LAMP - Local AWIPS MOS (Model Output Statistics) Program

• LAPS - Local Analysis and Prediction System

• LDAD - Local Data Acquisition and Dissemination

34

Acronyms

• LDS - Lightning Detection System

• MON - Marine Observation Network

• MOS - Model Output Statistics

• MDCRS - Meteorological Data Collection and Reporting System• micro-ART - Micro-computer Automatic Radio Theodolite (Radiosonde Ground

System)

• NESDIS - National Environmental Satellite, Data, & Information Service

• NCDC - National Climatic Data Center

• NCEP - National Centers for Environmental Protection

• NCF - Network Control Facility

• NCO - NCEP Central Operations

• NEXRAD - Next Generation Radar

35

Acronyms

• NWR - NOAA Weather Radio• NWSTG - NWS Telecommunication Gateway• NWWS - NOAA Weather Wire Service• POES - Polar Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite• RFC - River Forecast Center• RRS - Radiosonde Replacement System• SBN - Satellite Broadcast Network• SRH - Southern Region Headquarters• USCG - United States Coast Guard• USDA - United States Department of Agriculture• USGS - United States Geological Survey• WFO - Weather Forecast Office• WRH - Western Region Headquarters