Preparing for FACETs: The Need for Diverse National
Weather Service Forecaster Training and Innovative Collaboration Tools (122)
Alyssa Bates, OU
CIMMS/NWS Warning Decision Training Division, Norman, OK
James LaDue, NWS
Warning Decision Training Division
Greg Stumpf, NOAA/NWS/MDL,
Tracy Hansen, NOAA/OAR/ESRL/GSD
Abstract:
A proposed next-generation
severe weather watch and warning framework, Forecasting a Continuum of
Environmental Threats (FACETs), will fundamentally change the way National
Weather Service (NWS) forecasters issue life-saving severe weather warnings. An
essential part of FACETs is a system of rapidly-updating probabilistic hazard
grids, known as Probabilistic Hazard Information (PHI). The PHI Prototype Tool
has been integrated into an experimental version of the new NWS watch/warning
issuance software, NWS Advanced Weather Information Processing System (AWIPS)
Hazard Services. This year, the third Hazard Services-PHI (HS-PHI) Hazardous
Weather Testbed (HWT) experiment will be held. That will amount to, combined
with the PHI Prototype Tool experiments, dozens of NWS forecasters from across
the country who have given feedback. Their suggestions will lead to the
development of best practices for using the probabilistic guidance to issue
severe thunderstorm and tornado hazard threat objects. Since this will be a
precursor to a monumental new era of warning operations, comprehensive training
will need to be developed by the NWS/OCLO Warning Decision Training Division
(WDTD) and other NWS training organizations. This training will need to be
diverse in scope and format to mold to the ever-changing role of the NWS
forecaster. In addition, with PHI operations, NWS Weather Forecast Offices will
collaborate more than ever, necessitating new communication strategies and
innovative training. Preliminary ideas will be shared in this presentation.