NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. WHO ARE WE? WHAT DO WE DO? Ocean Prediction Center

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

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. Vision statement: The OPC strives to be recognized as the mariners 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. OPCs Vision & Mission

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. Titanic Telegram

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. 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 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 …NCEP participates through the High Seas and Offshore Warning and Forecast programs of OPC and TPC.

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. Wind Speed (Knots)

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. Partners U.S. Coast Guard NWS: field offices (WFOs) NOAA: NOS Response & Restoration, NOAA Corps

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. Customers U.S Coast Guard, U.S. Navy commercial shipping/transportation fishing: commercial and recreational private weather and ship routing services recreational boating

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. 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

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. Feedback User Disseminate Products & Services Local Offices Local Offices Central Guidance Central Guidance Process Observe How We Do It

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin.

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.

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. 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 organizations 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.

NCEP -- Where Americas climate and weather services begin. Recommendations for addressing agencys 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)