NWS-Central Region Impact-Based Decision Support
Services Toolkit in Support of Services and Workforce Evolution (116)
Andy Foster, National
Weather Service, Springfield, MO
Abstract:
The National Weather Service
Central Region (NWS-CR) embarked on an initiative to deliver effective and
consistent Impact-based Decision Support Services (IDSS) and operations as part
of the NWS-CR Weather Ready Nation Roadmap in an effort to meet the needs of a
Weather Ready Nation. As part of this vision, the NWS-CR Services Evolution -
IDSS Team developed and successfully implemented two phases of the IDSS toolkit
to support IDSS with core partners at all 38 weather forecast offices in the
NWS-CR. The IDSS toolkit consists of a set of common operational tools,
procedures and services. NWS-CR forecast staff utilize the toolkit to identify
standard operations levels and provide consistent IDSS directly to NWS core
partners in support of public safety. The IDSS toolkit includes methods to
consistently document and track IDSS opportunities including, within the
construct of the NWS Advanced Weather Information Processing System (AWIPS),
Hazard Builder, which weather hazard risk levels within the Graphical Forecast
Editor, the Trigger Chart for identifying standard operations levels and
associated baseline services, such as the Situation Report conference
call/webinar protocol and the Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook.
The IDSS toolkit provides
critical components to a developing Forecaster Decision Support Environment and
establishes a baseline for further development of IDSS tools, procedures, and
services. This toolkit reaches beyond serving NWS core partners with consistent
interpretative services through cultivating an IDSS culture and encouraging a
&ldquowhole office&rdquo concept that engages the forecast staff in
contributing to IDSS. This toolkit sets the stage for continued development and
implementation of IDSS tools that promote an end-to-end
forecast-to-interpretative-services process.