Forecast Improvements
WDTB Project 10 – Warning Decision-Making Research and Training: Distance Learning Operations Course (DLOC)
Funding Type: CIMMS Task II
Objectives
Investigate warning decision making issues with NWS forecasters; evoke
a better understanding of the warning decision making process; and transfer
that knowledge to warning decision makers to improve field performance.
Accomplishments
The WSR-88D Distance Learning Operations Course (DLOC) continues to be
an area of active collaboration between CIMMS and the NWS Warning Decision
Training Branch. DLOC teaches recently hired NWS meteorologists a wide
range of topics regarding the WSR-88D and severe weather, including:
radar theory, operations of the radar, AWIPS D2D functionality, radar
data interpretation, storm interrogation techniques, and severe storm
threat assessment and forecasting. In other words, DLOC is the integration
of current meteorological and warning decision-making techniques with
Doppler radar capabilities. This course is taught via a combination of
teletraining, web-based instruction, on-station training, and residence
training.
CIMMS staff has been closely involved with the development of DLOC. The collaborative work has included applied research on future radar improvements such as dual-polarization, as well as on current WSR-88D capabilities to assess hail and flash flooding threats. As part of this training, CIMMS personnel work closely with radar engineers and software developers to determine how recent updates to different components of the WSR-88D and AWIPS impact the system as a whole. This work has allowed CIMMS staff to assist their WDTB collaborators in developing and updating significant portions of DLOC during the past year. Another area where CIMMS staff has played a critical role with DLOC is during the residence component of the course. The collaborative work with WDTB during these classes includes development and presentation of lecture materials, development and delivery of exercises and simulations (in the WDTB Research and Training Laboratory), and providing expertise on warningdecision making issues to the class participants.
DLOC is significant because it is a critical piece in the development of new NWS forecasters for warning operations. All forecasters who may be responsible for issuing warnings for the NWS in the future are required to complete this training. Without the contributions of the CIMMS staff, DLOC would not have its current structure or effectiveness.
This project is ongoing.
Publications
WDTB DLOC official site: http://www.wdtb.noaa.gov/courses/dloc/
Simulation exercise in the WDTB Research and Training Laboratory during a recent DLOC workshop at the new National Weather Center.