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The Program Management Branch staff handle technology
insertion and program improvement acquisitions. Key Branch
functions include program control, planning and development,
budgeting and resource management, scheduling, and the production
of reports and metrics.
Personnel include Program Analysts, Schedulers, Contracting
Office Technical Representatives (COTR) and Program Support
personnel who function as Assistant Program Managers. COTRs
and support personnel provide specialized services in Integrated
Logistics Support Planning, Quality Assurance and Testing,
and Deployment/Implementation Planning.
Working with Program Managers, the Program Management Branch
is responsible for developing and acquiring new technology
and systems. Programs are structured along budget/product
lines. Some of programs currently being developed and managed
are:
Advanced Weather Interactive Processing
System (AWIPS)
AWIPS is the engine running NWS Weather Forecast Office
operations. AWIPS provides an efficient and effective means
for forecasters to prepare and issue timely, accurate forecasts
and warnings. AWIPS is an interactive computer system that
integrates all meteorological, hydrological, satellite,
and radar data into one computer workstation. AWIPS allows
forecasters the interactive capability to view, analyze,
combine, and manipulate large amounts of graphical and alphanumeric
weather data. The AWIPS communication network also consists
of a wide area network (WAN), i.e., a high speed data network
of terrestrial communications lines. This network allows
two-way, point-to-point communications among AWIPS sites
for the exchange of data and products which are locally
produced.
AWIPS product improvement programs are defined in the AWIPS
Development and Technical Refresh budget/programming line
items. Key Programs are completion of AWIPS Build 5 in FY02,
which basically completes the AWIPS development phase, Linux
System Upgrades, which vastly improve system performance
capabilities, and Technical Refresh activities which begin
in FY04.
Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD)
NEXRAD comprises approximately 160 Weather Surveillance
Radar including 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) sites throughout
the United States and selected overseas locations. NEXRAD
is a state-of-the-art, automated signal processing, pulse
Doppler weather radar system. NEXRAD provides its principal
users--the National Weather Service, the United States Air
Force and Navy, and the Federal Aviation Administration,
with a wide array of weather data and products information
which are critical for severe weather warnings and the protection
of lives and resources. This data include early warnings
of hazardous weather such as severe thunderstorms, hail,
tornadoes, and blizzards; flash flood predictions, and general
weather forecasts to ensure flight safety, water resource
management, and protection of resources on military installations
worldwide.
The budget/product line NEXRAD belongs to is Next Generation
Weather Radar Product Improvement (NEXRAD PI). Focus of
efforts is to move towards a more open system environment;
improve maintainability, reliability, performance; and to
rapidly infuse new science capabilities. With the completion
of the Open Radar Processor Group (ORPG) program in FY02,
Open Radar Data Acquisition (ORDA) development is ongoing
through FY 05 with Dual Polarization programmed for the
next upgrade. New science is scheduled to be infused every
six months.
Automated Surface Observing System
(ASOS)
ASOS serves as the nation's primary surface weather observing
network. ASOS is designed to support weather forecast activities
and aviation operations while, at the same time, supporting
the needs of the meteorological, hydrological, and climatological
research communities. With the largest and most modern complement
of weather sensors, ASOS has significantly expanded the
information available to forecasters and the aviation community.
ASOS works non-stop, updating observations every minute,
24 hours a day, every day of the year.
One program included in the ASOS system is the Lightning
Data Program (LD). The LD program provides the National
Weather Service and other Federal agencies the required
lightning data and information to support their operations
and forecast product development. The LD program provides
information which assists the issuance of convective weather
watches, warnings, advisories, and statements. Lightning
data is also used in aviation planning and operations to
avoid high convection and lightning active areas. Future
LD developments plan to improve lightning data and products
which will advance storm prediction, tracking, and thunderstorm
warning times.
The budget/product line ASOS belongs to is Automated Surface
Observing Product Improvement (ASOS PI). Staff work to improve
maintainability and reliability and to acquire new sensing
capabilities for improved severe weather observations, forecasts,
and warning support. The initial effort critical to all
sensor upgrades is the main processor (ACU) replacement.
The new processor and software correct numerous reliability
and maintainability problems and are necessary for new sensor
development. New sensor upgrades/replacements include the
Dew Point (FY02), Ice Free Wind (FY 02/03), All Weather
Precipitation Accumulation Gauge (FY03), and Enhanced Precipitation
Identifier (FY04/05). Others (i.e., ceilometer) are in plan
development.
Dissemination Systems:
Voice Improvement Plan
The NWS has designated the Voice Improvement Program (VIP)
to select new, improved automated voices for NOAA Weather
Radio (NWR) recordings. These voices are more understandable
and human-sounding. Automated voices help NWS deliver warnings,
watches, forecasts, and other hazard information more quickly
and accurately. After months of evaluating voice technologies
and receiving public input, NOAA has awarded Siemens Information
and Communication Network a contract to provide software
that combines phonetic sounds with natural language modeling.
This software combines concatenated, prerecorded phonetic
sounds with the emphasis and intonation of a human voice.
The new NWR voices debuted nationwide in May 2002.
The budget/product line VIP belongs to is Voice Improvement
Program (VIP). Due to the nature and timing of the program,
VIP was implemented in concert with a major software upgrade
to the Console Replacement Program (CRS). In FY02, the VIP
program acquired and deployed a new commercial off the shelf
voice system to improve the voice quality of NWR broadcasts.
VIP replaced the "IGOR" voicing system with an improved
male/female voicing capability. The next upgrade being planned
is a Spanish capability. Future activities include expanding
the VIP program to include technical insertion for all forecast
office dissemination systems.
Rawinsonde Replacement System (RRS)
RRS will replace the NWS network of obsolete radiosonde
observing systems with a modern system that improves data
availability and accuracy, operates within a reduced frequency
spectrum, and is more efficient to operate and maintain.
The current radiosonde system provides only a small portion
of the data collected for distribution to users. These data
sets do not contain sufficient detail to fully meet the
needs of today's numerical prediction models. The replacement
system will distribute high-resolution data sets and give
users access to the full set of observed data collected
by the system.
The budget/product line RRS belongs to is Rawinsonde Replacement
Program (RRS). The RRS is a total upgrade/replacement of
all NWS rawinsonde systems. The RRS is being implemented
for numerous reasons which include improved maintainability
and reliability, enhanced operational performance of GPS
technology, and the need for systems to operate in newly
designated frequency ranges. Essential to the program is
the development of new GPS- and RDF- capable sondes. Key
components of the system include the Tracking and Receiving
System (TRS), GPS/RDF sondes, ground weather sensors (RSOIS),
and a system workstation with imbedded operational software.
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