NWS Support for the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

NWS Partners WorkshopJune 22, 2010

Bill Bunting, WFO Fort Worth TX

Timeline

• April 20th: Deepwater Horizon Oil Platform Explosion

• April 21st: Initial request for NWS support from NOAA and USCG (9:10 a.m.)

• First forecast for NOAA Hazmat (10:15 a.m.)• Initial graphical forecast for USCG (10:59 a.m.)

• April 27th: Marine Emergency Response Meteorologist (ERMET) deployed

• April 28th: Hourly forecasts for oil burn, aviation, and marine operations

• May 4th: Decision Support website available

Current NWS Support

• Two ERMETs at the Joint Operations Center in Houma and extra forecast desk in Slidell

• Support from WFOs Mobile, Lake Charles, Houston• River Forecast Centers provide freshwater inflow

forecasts for ocean currents model• WFOs Tampa, Key West, and Miami providing

enhanced local support• Southern Region Headquarters providing state,

regional, and national coordination support from Regional Operations Center

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Current Forecast Services

• Hourly SPOT forecasts for spill location and 2 surf zone locations supporting controlled oil burns

• Two special TAFs at NASA Stennis and Houma• Several daily conference calls/briefings with NOAA,

USCG, EPA, EMA, DHS, BP and others• Specialized graphics for winds, seas, and heat index• HYSPLIT trajectory forecasts – oil burn support• Weather support for Presidential visits

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DWH Decision Support Page

5Weather.gov/lix

NWS On Site

6Mike Efferson (WFO LIX), NWS Director Jack Hayes, Tim Erickson and Ken Graham (WFO LIX)