Faith Borden Warning Coordination Meteorologist Las Vegas, NV NWSChat The Future of Communications!

Who is the National Weather Service? A FEDERAL AGENCY UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCEA FEDERAL AGENCY UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BRANCH OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)BRANCH OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) OPERATES 122 FIELD OFFICES, PLUS SEVERAL NATIONAL CENTERSOPERATES 122 FIELD OFFICES, PLUS SEVERAL NATIONAL CENTERS ANNUAL BUDGET APPROXIMATELY $800 MILLION, OR LESS THAN $3.00 PER U.S. CITIZENANNUAL BUDGET APPROXIMATELY $800 MILLION, OR LESS THAN $3.00 PER U.S. CITIZEN ABOUT 5,000 EMPLOYEES NATIONWIDEABOUT 5,000 EMPLOYEES NATIONWIDE THE ONLY ENTITY TO ISSUE OFFICIAL SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES AND WARNINGSTHE ONLY ENTITY TO ISSUE OFFICIAL SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES AND WARNINGS

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSION TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY!

National Weather Service Offices

What is IEMChat? IEMChat is an instant messaging software program that is used between the NWS and select partners including the local media, Emergency Management, and spotters, pending local office policy. NWS

What is NWSChat? NWS Media EmergencyManagers Spotters AviationCommunity ??? Basically the same principal as IEMChatBasically the same principal as IEMChat Behind the NWS firewallBehind the NWS firewall –More secure –Better control National Program – open to every NWS officeNational Program – open to every NWS office –New Feature: Aviation Regional Rooms Locked down for aviation interest onlyLocked down for aviation interest only For government partnersFor government partners

The Goal Foster more real time communications between the National Weather Service and our partners.Foster more real time communications between the National Weather Service and our partners. Sharing information in more than one directionSharing information in more than one direction weather situations affecting an area and possible impacting operationsweather situations affecting an area and possible impacting operations –severe weather/flash flooding reports –snowfall or heavy rain amounts equipment outagesequipment outages forecast discussionsforecast discussions rapid updates during weather eventsrapid updates during weather events

NWSChat Development and Vision The NWSChat will be administered by the National Weather Service and will be located behind the.GOV firewall. The NWSChat will be available to the National Weather Service partners who share the mission for (public) weather information dissemination and safety. Transition from IEMChat to NWSChat will occur between Oct 2008 and Jan 2009 The very best part is…the project has come a long way and has been customized over the years to meet the participants needs and demands. It is anticipated for the program to continuously evolve as needed.

The Numbers The use of instant messaging has evolved and increased over the years.The use of instant messaging has evolved and increased over the years. –Started in 2000 at one office (Birmingham, AL) –86 WFOs are currently using or experimenting with IEMChat (October 2008) IMETs, CWSUs, and NCEP Centers have begun experimenting with IEMChatIMETs, CWSUs, and NCEP Centers have begun experimenting with IEMChat –With the transition to NWSChat, all weather offices should be available 34 offices in Central Region34 offices in Central Region 28 offices in Southern Region28 offices in Southern Region 4 offices in Eastern Region4 offices in Eastern Region 20 offices in Western Region20 offices in Western Region –About 2700 total participants

Advantages of Using IEMchat A full archive of chats is available for later use or case studies. IEMChat has created a greater sense of community between NWS offices and our partners. This will hopefully grow with the transition to NWSChat. Capable of providing near real-time observations and NWS products when decision makers need the information and have little time to seek multiple sources of information. – –Giving our customers an increase in knowledge and helping to save lives and property.

Each NWS Office has a dedicated chat room and ability to support multiple chat rooms. The ability to support enhanced service rooms.Each NWS Office has a dedicated chat room and ability to support multiple chat rooms. The ability to support enhanced service rooms. The chat room has a history function which allows you to see the last 40 lines of conversations when you join the room.The chat room has a history function which allows you to see the last 40 lines of conversations when you join the room. If you were to leave the chat room you don’t have to be re-invited to join again, you can just log on.If you were to leave the chat room you don’t have to be re-invited to join again, you can just log on. A server keeps an archive of all chats that allows you to refer back to any event at any time.A server keeps an archive of all chats that allows you to refer back to any event at any time. Another attractive feature of this solution is that the chat protocol (XMPP), server (Openfire) and client (Pidgin) are all cross platform, Open Source, and very secure.Another attractive feature of this solution is that the chat protocol (XMPP), server (Openfire) and client (Pidgin) are all cross platform, Open Source, and very secure. –Behind the NWS firewall so hopefully the FAA will be able to take advantage of this service The chat room is frequented by an automated process (named nwsbot) that relays NWS issued products to the chat room automatically. The nwsbot is fully VTEC aware and alerts users to non-VTEC products like MCDs from SPC, hurricane statements from NHC, and even alerts when ASOS sites report severe wind gusts. This process average delivery time to the room is about 12 seconds from issuance.The chat room is frequented by an automated process (named nwsbot) that relays NWS issued products to the chat room automatically. The nwsbot is fully VTEC aware and alerts users to non-VTEC products like MCDs from SPC, hurricane statements from NHC, and even alerts when ASOS sites report severe wind gusts. This process average delivery time to the room is about 12 seconds from issuance. What Does the NWSChat Platform Provide?

Actual log from May 5, 2006 Tabbed environment allows you to monitor upstream and downstream offices.

The bot delivers mesoscale and watch links to the room

Actual log from May 5, 2006

Tabbed environment allows you to monitor upstream and downstream offices. You can still see your buddy list and status too. Log from January 15, 2008

Regional Aviation Rooms

BMX issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Montgomery [AL] till 6:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Followup statements (SVS) BMX cancels Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Elmore [AL]Severe Thunderstorm Warning Special Marine Warnings MFL issues Marine Warning for Biscayne Bay, Coastal waters from Deerfield Beach to Ocean Reef FL out 20 nm [AM] till 8:45 AM EDTMarine Warning Non-precipitating warnings (requires VTEC) OUN issues Fire Weather Warning valid at Aug 18, 12:00 PM CDT for Comanche, Stephens, Garvin, Murray, Pontotoc, Coal, Cotton, Jefferson, Carter, Johnston, Atoka, Love, Marshall, Bryan [OK] and Archer, Clay, Wichita [TX] till Aug 18, 8:00 PM CDTFire Weather Warning SPC Mesoscale Convective Discussions (MCD) Storm Prediction Center issues Mesoscale Discussion #1836Mesoscale Discussion #1836 SPC Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm watches Storm Prediction Center issues SEVERE TSTM watch till 17:00 UTCSEVERE TSTM watch National Hurricane Center products National Hurricane Center issues ADVISORY #32 for HURRICANE GORDONADVISORY #32 ASOS extreme wind gusts WINNER,SD (KSFD) ASOS reports gust of 55 knots from 0344Z KSFD Z AUTO 16035G55KT 7SM FEW110 28/12 A2957 RMK AO2 PK WND 15055/0344 SLP991 T TSNO $ Local Storm Reports (LSR) Monroe [Turner Co, SD] emergency mngr reports TSTM WND DMG at 12:18 PM CDT -- 4 to 8 inch diameter tree limbs knocked downTSTM WND DMG WFO optional links to NOW casts, RER statements, Flood warnings/statements, Hurricane Statements, others can be added. SJU issues Flood Advisory (FLS)Flood Advisory (FLS) NESDIS Satellite Precipitation Estimates (SPE) NESDIS issues Satellite Precipitation EstimatesSatellite Precipitation Estimates IEM provided SchoolNet wind gust alerts UNITED COMMUNITY _ BOONE [Boone County] SNET reports 55 MPH from the 05:55 AM West Texas Mesonet wind gust alerts GRAHAM,TX (XGHS) ASOS reports gust of 52 knots from 2110Z XGHS Z 15033G52KT -RA 23/19 A3006 RMK AO1 T P0001 RH 080% Special Weather Statements (SPS) EPZ ISSUES THIS IS A REISSUE OF THE RIVER FLOOD WARNING FOR THE RIO GRANDE IN EL PASO for El Paso [TX] till 7:00 AM MDTTHIS IS A REISSUE OF THE RIVER FLOOD WARNING FOR THE RIO GRANDE IN EL PASO IEMBot Examples

Aviation Bot What type of products would you want delivered to the chatroom?What type of products would you want delivered to the chatroom?

Software Install 1. 1.Establish a Jabber account with NWSChat administrator via an request Install Pidgin Configure Pidgin for your use. Information coming soon on how to get set up!

Thanks! Faith Borden 7851 S. Dean Martin Drive Las Vegas, NV X 223 (office) (cell)