Ocean Prediction Center WHO ARE WE? WHAT DO WE DO?

National Centers for Environmental Prediction OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR 9 FTE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER Climate Monitoring & Forecasts Week 2, Monthly, Seasonal, & Multi-Seasonal Global 50 FTE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER Tropical Weather Guidance, Forecasts, Watches & Warnings 0-5 Days Atlantic/Pacific, 0-30 N 47 FTE T N R 65 FTE E A L C ENVIRONMENTAL MODELING CENTER Numerical Weather and Ocean Automated Analysis & Prediction 0-16 Days Global Numerical Climate Prediction Months 51 FTE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER Hydromet Forecasts 0-7 Days – Weather 0-5 Days – QPF Winter & Alaska Desks US 45 FTE OCEAN PREDICTION CENTER Marine Boundary Layer and Ocean Surface Guidance, Warnings and Forecasts 0-5 Days Atlantic/Pacific, 30- 90 N 27 FTE O S N AVIATION WEATHER CENTER Weather Guidance, Warnings & Forecasts for Domestic and International Aviation 0-2 Days Global 54 FTE STORM PREDICTION CENTER Hazardous Weather Guidance 0-8 Days – Severe Weather 0-8 Days – Fire Weather Continental US 32 FTE P E O R I A T SPACE WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER Space Weather Monitoring, Warning and Forecasting 0-3 Days Global 49 FTE Federal Employees: 429 Contractors: 167 Visitors: 61 NOAA Corps: 5 NOAA Corps officers at: AWC, OD, NHC, OPC, SWPC and EMC (May 09)

OPC’s Vision & Mission Vision statement: The OPC strives to be recognized as the mariner’s weather lifeline through exceptional products and customer service. Mission statement: The OPC provides atmospheric and oceanographic warning, forecast, and analysis products and services for the north Atlantic and north Pacific as part of the NWS mission of protecting life and property and enhancing economic opportunity.

Titanic Telegram

Basis for NWS Marine Warning & Forecast Mission International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS-1974 and amendments) …Sets international policy and requirements for safer shipping and cleaner oceans. …U.S. implements convention and policy through executive order 12234 -- Enforcement of the Convention for SOLAS. …Among obligations is to provide meteorological warnings and forecasts to ships at sea using charts and radio messages. …NWS implements program through Operations Directive 10-3. …NCEP participates through the High Seas and Offshore Warning and Forecast programs of OPC and TPC.

Wind Speed (Knots) 65 50 35 30 25 20

Partners U.S. Coast Guard NWS: field offices (WFOs) NOAA: NOS Response & Restoration, NOAA Corps

Customers U.S Coast Guard, U.S. Navy commercial shipping/transportation fishing: commercial and recreational private weather and ship routing services recreational boating

Products and Services (OPC) Atlantic and Pacific high seas narrative warnings & forecasts to 5 days graphic analyses and forecasts to 5 days Atlantic and Pacific regional offshore warnings & forecasts sea-state analyses (RP1,RA1) current features Marine Weather Discussion (NFDMIMPAC) surface forecast Marine Weather Discussion (NFDMIMPAC) Global quality control of marine observations 3000 chart and text products issued per month

How We Do It Observe Products & Services Process Disseminate User Local Offices Central Guidance User Disseminate Feedback

Critical skills needed to accomplish mission Knowledge of : synoptic meteorology, marine data available from in situ and satellite remote sensing platforms, atmospheric numerical models and ocean wave models numerical weather forecast models, ocean waves, tides, and circulation. Ability to prepare forecast products, especially marine forecast products. Critical skills shortages Oceanography (physical and biological) Impacts of critical skills shortages on mission Evolving service requirements in decision support. E.g., storm surge warnings and HAB forecasts. How are skills shortages being addressed in your agency Developing training materials (Comet), collaboration with NOPP to define “ocean forecaster position” What attempts have been made to obtain the critical skills Provide training as skill set requirements evolve.

Is the supplemental education and training sufficient to enhance skills to meet critical skill shortages Need to accelerate training as requirements evolve. Are there deficiencies in your organization’s workforce development program? Lack of resources for training development – the first to go when funds are short Actions taken with any academic institutions to better train individuals to meet critical skills shortages? Yes with respect to the NOPP project but need to involve academic institution for wave training – again funds for this are assigned a low priority. Actions taken to retain personnel that have critical skills to accomplish mission Not an issue for us.

Recommendations for addressing agency’s current or projected skills shortages Fund training development (near to medium term) Evolve KSAs/PDs for growing mission. Note: this will require close coordination with the Union. (medium to long term) Recruit staff with the required skill set and work with the educational establishment to provide this skill set for future workers (long term)