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National Weather Service |
Display all data needed to review hydrologic conditions in the hydrologic service area (HSA) for the home office and any other WFO(s) supported during backup, perform quality control, and correctly assess the current situation.
Forecasters must be able to access all observations pertinent to the state of current and future river conditions and interpret them using knowledge of local hydrologic characteristics.
1. Access stage/discharge, precipitation, snow, temperature, river ice, and other hydrometeorological data using WHFS HydroView, the D2D interface, as well as interfaces to any non-AWIPS data collection systems (e.g. ALERT, IFLOWS, mesonets, etc.).
2. Integrate information received from spotter networks.
3. Access and incorporate information into operations and products from organizations managing flow control structures such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and regional water districts.
4. Access information from database and other sources for other designated HSA(s) during backup situations.
5. Perform quality control of hydrometeorological data as necessary.
6. Using available data and knowledge of local hydrologic and meteorologic characteristics, qualitatively determine likely future conditions in rivers and streams.
Instructional Component 1.1: - Web module: Hydrology For the Meteorologist: The Headwater Forecast Process. This module reviews the steps to follow when conducting shift hydrologic operations at a WFO. The first part of the module describes the hydrologic watch function and the data sources used in conducting this watch.
Instructional Component 1.2 - Web module (Proposed): Data Quality Control for Hydrologic Operations. This module will describe how to use AWIPS and other systems to review data to be used in hydrologic operations, recognize bad data, and perform necessary adding, deleting, editing or flagging to ensure bad data is not used operationally.
Instructional Component 1.3 - Web Module (Proposed): Introduction to Standard Hydrometeorological Exchange Format (SHEF). This module will introduce the standardized approach adopted by U.S. water agencies for encoding of hydrometeorological data and forecasts. The three basic formats used in SHEF will be described - .A (single station), .B (multiple station, multiple parameter, header driven) and .E (single station, single parameter, evenly spaced time series). The module will describe how each of these formats are used to encode data and provides simple exercises. Until this module is developed, an interim presentation on SHEF is available at: ftp://ftp.nwstc.noaa.gov/HYDRO/d.SHEF/
Instructional Component 1.4 - Web module (Proposed, converted from Lesson 3 in the Correspondence Course): Data Collection, Networks, and Processing. This module describes the instrumentation used for measuring precipitation, river stage, evapotranspiration, and snow as well as the various types of networks used by the Hydrologic Services Program.
Instructional Component 1.5 - Web module (Proposed, converted from Lesson 4 in the Correspondence Course): Operational Remote Sensing In Precipitation Estimation. This module provides basic descriptions of the radar- and satellite-based precipitation estimation techniques used in the NWS.
Instructional Component 1.6 - Web module (Proposed, converted from Lesson 9 in the Correspondence Course): Dams, Reservoirs, and Levees and Their Effect on River Forecasting. This module describes the effects various types of control structures have on streamflow.
Instructional Component 1.7 - Web module (Proposed, converted from Lesson 10 in the Correspondence Course): National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center. This module describes the remotely-sensed hydrologic observations produced by the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center for NWS field offices and research programs.
Instructional Component 1.8 - Residence Course: WFO Hydrologic Forecast System. In addition to the service hydrologist or hydrology focal point, a second person in each WFO will attend the WHFS course at the NWS Training Center. Objectives of this course are to:
A portion of this course will describe how to use the WHFS to display hydrometeorological data needed to analyze conditions in the hydrologic service area.
Instructional Component 1.9 - On-Station Training: WFO Hydrologic Forecast System. After attending the WFO Hydrologic Forecast System (WHFS) course at the NWS Training Center, the service hydrologist, hydrology focal point, or other person who attended the course will provide training to office staff on how to use the WHFS to display hydrometeorologic data needed to analyze conditions in the hydrologic service area.
Instructional Component 1.10 - Documentation: WFO Hydrologic Services Manual. A section of each WFO's hydrologic services manual contains a graphical and text description of the HSA.
Instructional Component 1.11 - Documentation: WFO Hydrologic Forecast System Operational User's Guide and Training Manual, Section 3: HydroView Operations. This section of the WHFS User's Guide describes the features available within HydroView to assist the user in analyzing hydrometeorological conditions.
Instructional Component 1.12 - Documentation: Weather Service Hydrology Handbook No. 1 - Standard Hydrometeorological Exchange Format. This handbook describes how SHEF is used for coding data in a form suitable for both visual and computer recognition.
Instructional Component 1.13 - Documentation: Weather Service Hydrology Handbook No. 2 - Automated Local Flood Warning Systems Handbook. This handbook contains national guidelines on the structure, implementation, and management of automated local flood warning systems.
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