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Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services
 
 
NWS Meteorological Services Divison
Division Chief: Ken Graham

Function: The Meteorological Services Division oversees NWS warning and forecast operation plans, policies, and procedures. It is the primary link to the public and to those segments of the public in weather sensitive industries. Staff identify and validate service needs, mitigate weather-related disasters, and establish operational requirements for meteorological observations. The division designs, validates, and implements new products and services; establishes and maintains customer partnerships, and devises the strategic vision for meteorological services. The division defines and validates service and mission needs, solicits user feedback in evaluating new products and services, and approves final product design. Division staff also helps prioritize requirements-driven science and technology development to improve products and services. Staff oversee NWS meteorological warning and forecast training. The Division represents the NWS at interagency, national, and international groups and forums on matters concerning meteorological policy, plans, products, and services. Branches include:

Marine And Coastal Weather Services Branch: W/OS21 (WB0210)

The Marine And Coastal Services Branch is the meteorological lead for the nation's marine and coastal weather services. Programs include warnings, forecasts, and advisories for coastal waters, offshore, high seas, and near-shore and open waters of the Great Lakes. It leads programs for tropical cyclone, coastal flood, severe convective coastal weather, and coastal hazards such as heavy surf and rip tides. The branch supports the Tsunami Warning Program. In addition, staff provides a range of weather services focused on the expanding and weather-sensitive U.S. coastal population and those responsible for its safety.

Branch staff oversees the delivery of marine and coastal weather products and services from the coastal WFOs the Ocean Prediction Center, and the Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch of the Tropical Prediction Center. The branch identifies and ensures marine and coastal forecast training needs are met, works with the Office of Science and Technology to prioritize marine and coastal science and technology development and approve new or improved product designs, and with the Office of Operational Systems to ensure the collection of marine and coastal observations and the delivery of marine and coastal products to users. The branch creates internal and external partnerships, collects and validates marine and coastal service and mission needs, solicits feedback on products and services and validates whether these meet the needs.

The Branch works with NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS), the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to provide ice warning and advisory services; With the U.S. Navy, the USCG, the Maritime Administration, and the Corps of Engineers to operate the nations' Marine Transportation System safely; With the Department of Defense, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, and the American Red Cross to provide tropical cyclone services; with the USCG, Navy, Air Force, and private entities to disseminate weather to mariners; With NOS on the PORTS and TIDES programs; and with the World Meteorological Organization to provide services to the international community.

Fire and Public Weather Services Branch: W/OS22 (WB0220)

The Fire and Public Services Branch provides forecast, warning, and response services to the nation for wildland fires, environmental hazard events, and land management activities. The branch provides public weather services to the nation. Staff provide products and services to the public and those responsible for public safety; to Federal, state and local land management agencies during wildfires; to Federal land management agencies for smoke management, and for fire and non-fire land management activities; and to the lead Federal agencies for nuclear hazard events. This Branch also leads on-site services provided for hazardous spill events.

The Branch works with the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Department of Interior management to provide fire services; with the lead Federal agencies to provide nuclear weather support services, and with the World Meteorological Organization on fire weather services for the international community. This Branch serves as the lead for the severe weather (convective and non-convective), zone, state, Nowcast, and recreational (including inland lakes and waterways) programs. The Branch serves as the primary focal point for collaboration with federal transportation agencies on weather issues related to surface transportation; with federal and private entities on the Ultra-Violet Index program; and with the World Meteorological Organization on the provision of public weather services to the international community.

The Branch oversees the delivery of fire weather, public, and environmental hazards weather products and services from the WFOs and NCEP service centers. Staff work with the Training Division to identify and meet public and fire weather and related micro-scale forecast training needs. The branch works with the Office of Science and Technology to prioritize fire and public weather-related science and technology development and to approve new or improved product designs. Staff works with the Observing Services Division and the Office of Operational Systems to collect fire weather observations and the delivery of public, fire weather, and environmental hazard event products to users. The Branch creates internal and external partnerships to collect and validate fire weather, public, and environmental hazard event service and mission needs, solicits feedback on its products and services, and evaluates whether these meet the needs.

Aviation Weather Services Branch: W/OS23 (WB0230)

The Aviation Service Branch provides aviation weather services to the nation. Its programs include products and services for domestic and international aviation communities in the terminal, en route, and for oceanic airspace systems. This Branch oversee airport warnings and forecasts, route forecasts, aviation area forecasts, In-flight Advisories, and the Central Weather Service Units (CWSU). The Branch serves as the primary focal point for collaboration with FAA, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the World Meteorological Organization to provide and disseminate of aviation weather services.

The Branch oversees the delivery of aviation products and services from WFOs, CWSUs, the Aviation Weather Center, and the Alaska Aviation Weather Unit. It develops, coordinates and issues the policy and procedure documents for aviation weather operations. It works with the Training Division to identify and ensure aviation forecast training needs are met; with the Office of Science and Technology to prioritize related science and technology development and approve new or improved product designs; and with the Office of Operational Systems to collect aviation observations and deliver aviation products to users. The Branch creates internal and external partnerships to collect and validate aviation service and mission needs, solicit feedback on products and services, and evaluate whether these meet the needs.


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Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services
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Silver Spring, MD 20910
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Last Updated: March 19, 2008