1. Welcome to the National Weather Service! NOAA National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville

2. Who Are We? U.S. Department of Commerce U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) National Weather Service (NWS) 122 Weather Forecast Offices in US, Guam and Puerto Rico 122 Weather Forecast Offices in US, Guam and Puerto Rico 13 River Forecast Centers 13 River Forecast Centers 13 National Centers 13 National Centers 22 Center Weather Service Units 22 Center Weather Service Units

3. Serving Since 1870 U.S. Weather Bureau began in 1870 as part of the Army Signal Corps U.S. Weather Bureau began in 1870 as part of the Army Signal Corps Moved to Department of Agriculture in 1891 Moved to Department of Agriculture in 1891 Moved to Department of Commerce in 1940 Moved to Department of Commerce in 1940 U.S. Weather Bureau became U.S. Weather Bureau became NWS, part of NOAA 1970 -Chicago office opened in Oct 1870 downtown federal building - Moved to University of Chicago, south side of Chicago, Rosemont. -Romeoville office opened Dec 1991

4. WFO Chicago Area of Responsibility

5. NWS Chicago Serves... 10 million people in a 23 county area 10 million people in a 23 county area Worlds busiest airspace with 1.25 million flights and 95 million passengers passing through O’Hare and Midway combined Worlds busiest airspace with 1.25 million flights and 95 million passengers passing through O’Hare and Midway combined Mariners on – the 5 th largest lake in the world Mariners on – the 5 th largest lake in the world 8 Interstate highway systems - 52,000 truckloads of freight leave Chicago each day 8 Interstate highway systems - 52,000 truckloads of freight leave Chicago each day World’s #3 container handler (after Hong Kong and Singapore) World’s #3 container handler (after Hong Kong and Singapore) 50% of all US rail freight pass through city (39,000 carloads/day) 50% of all US rail freight pass through city (39,000 carloads/day)

6. Office Operations Public Program Public Program Digital Gridded Forecast Database Digital Gridded Forecast Database Aviation Program Aviation Program 5 TAFS, CWSU 5 TAFS, CWSU Marine Program Marine Program Lake Michigan and southern Lake Michigan Nearshore area Lake Michigan and southern Lake Michigan Nearshore area Hydrologic Program Hydrologic Program Upper Illinois and Rock River Basins Upper Illinois and Rock River Basins Fire Weather Program Fire Weather Program Indiana Dunes Nat’l Lakeshore, Midewin National Prairie Indiana Dunes Nat’l Lakeshore, Midewin National Prairie Data Acquisition Program Data Acquisition Program ASOS – Cooperative Program Management - Climate ASOS – Cooperative Program Management - Climate

7. Personnel Operations Operations 13 Meteorologists (5 Senior Forecasters, 8 Journey Forecasters) 13 Meteorologists (5 Senior Forecasters, 8 Journey Forecasters) 1 Meteorologist Intern 1 Meteorologist Intern Observation Program Leader Observation Program Leader 2 Hydro-meteorological Technicians 2 Hydro-meteorological Technicians Management/Leadership Management/Leadership Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC) Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC) Administrative Assistant (ASA) Administrative Assistant (ASA) Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM) Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM) Science Operations Officer (SOO) Science Operations Officer (SOO) Service Hydrologist Service Hydrologist Information Technology Officer (ITO) Information Technology Officer (ITO) Electronics Electronics Electronics System Analyst (ESA) Electronics System Analyst (ESA) 2 Electronics Technicians 2 Electronics Technicians

8. Office Operations - Public Hazardous Weather Watches, Warnings, Advisories Hazardous Weather Watches, Warnings, Advisories Winter - Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice, Wind Chill Winter - Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice, Wind Chill Non-Precipitation - Heat, High Wind, Frost/Freeze, Fog Non-Precipitation - Heat, High Wind, Frost/Freeze, Fog Severe Weather - Tornado, Severe Thunderstorm Severe Weather - Tornado, Severe Thunderstorm Flood – Flash Flood, River & Areal Flood, Coastal Flood Flood – Flash Flood, River & Areal Flood, Coastal Flood Hazardous Weather Outlook Hazardous Weather Outlook National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) Zone (county) Forecasts Zone (county) Forecasts Short Term Forecasts, Chicago metro area forecast Short Term Forecasts, Chicago metro area forecast Technical Forecast Discussions Technical Forecast Discussions

9. Office Operations - Public Gateway to Public Forecast Services http://weather.gov/chicago

10. Office Operations - Public Current Conditions and General Forecast

11. Office Operations - Public Digital Forecast Database

12. Office Operations - Public Digital Forecast Database

13. Office Operations - Aviation Terminal Forecasts

14. Office Operations - Aviation Aviation Services Portal http://weather.gov/zau

15. Office Operations - Marine Forecasts and Warnings for all of Lake Michigan beyond 5 miles from shore Forecasts and Warnings for all of Lake Michigan beyond 5 miles from shore Nearshore forecasts for IL and IN shores Nearshore forecasts for IL and IN shores Special Marine Warnings for thunderstorms south end of Lake Special Marine Warnings for thunderstorms south end of Lake

16. Office Operations - Marine

17. Office Operations - Hydrology

19. Office Operations Seasonal fire weather forecasts for federal agencies Seasonal fire weather forecasts for federal agencies Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Fermi National Accelerator Lab Fermi National Accelerator Lab Spot Forecasts for Spot Forecasts for Il and IN Dept of Natural Resources Il and IN Dept of Natural Resources County Forest Preserves County Forest Preserves Fire Weather Watch and Red Flag Warnings Fire Weather Watch and Red Flag Warnings Fire Weather Program

20. Data Acquisition - ASOS & AWOS

21. Data Acquisition – Volunteer Observing Networks 77 Coop sites - daily max/min temp, precip 77 Coop sites - daily max/min temp, precip 30 Supplemental rainfall observers 30 Supplemental rainfall observers

22. Data Acquisition: CoCoRaHS Over 600 Volunteer Precipitation Observers in Illinois and Indiana

23. NOAA Weather Radio - All Hazards 11 transmitters 11 transmitters 24/7 weather coverage 24/7 weather coverage Tone alert and SAME/EAS activation for severe weather watches and warnings Tone alert and SAME/EAS activation for severe weather watches and warnings Non-weather emergency alerts Non-weather emergency alerts Amber Amber Hazmat Hazmat Civil Emergency Civil Emergency

24. Want to get more involved? Become a trained Skywarn spotter Become a trained Skywarn spotter About 50 free basic spotter classes held each year from Feb-Apr. Takes 2 hours, most on weeknights, some Saturdays and daytime About 50 free basic spotter classes held each year from Feb-Apr. Takes 2 hours, most on weeknights, some Saturdays and daytime Become a volunteer with your county or local emergency management agency Become a volunteer with your county or local emergency management agency Join an amateur radio club Join an amateur radio club Even if not trained, report to 911 Even if not trained, report to 911 Hail larger than 1 inch Hail larger than 1 inch Wind more than 58 mph, large tree limbs, structural damage Wind more than 58 mph, large tree limbs, structural damage Rotating funnel or tornado Rotating funnel or tornado Flash flooding Flash flooding

25. Outreach Program Talks - NWS operations, severe weather safety, careers, winter weather Talks - NWS operations, severe weather safety, careers, winter weather Schools Schools Scouts and other youth groups Scouts and other youth groups Businesses Businesses Hospitals, nursing homes Hospitals, nursing homes Information booth at events Information booth at events Chicago Boat Show Chicago Boat Show Fairs, trade shows Fairs, trade shows

26. StormReady 29 StormReady entities 29 StormReady entities 20 communities 20 communities 7 counties 7 counties 1 university 1 university 1 supporter 1 supporter Helps communities implement procedures to reduce the potential for disastrous weather related consequences. Helps communities implement procedures to reduce the potential for disastrous weather related consequences. Greater opportunity to save lives when severe weather strikes through better planning, education, and awareness. Greater opportunity to save lives when severe weather strikes through better planning, education, and awareness.

27. NWS Web Pages http://weather.gov/chicagohttp://weather.gov/rockfordhttp://weather.gov/zauhttp://weather.gov/greatlakes