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

2. 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:
Visitors:
NOAA Corps:
NOAA Corps officers at:
AWC, OD, NHC, OPC,
SWPC and EMC (May 09)

3. 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.

4. Titanic Telegram

5. 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 10-3.
…NCEP participates through the High Seas and Offshore Warning and Forecast programs of OPC and TPC.

6. Wind Speed (Knots)

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

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

9. 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

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

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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)