National Weather Service Training Center

National Weather Service
Directives System

Presented for New National Weather Service Employees

Web Module WBT-003

Introduction | Goals and Objectives | Table of Contents
Formal Credit | References

Introduction

This tutorial is designed for the newly hired employee of the National Weather Service (NWS). It introduces the major elements that make up the NWS Directives System. From this main menu you link to two modules.

Part One of this tutorial gives you an overview and description of the NWS Directives System (NDS). Part Two gives you a list and brief description of each Federal Meteorological Handbook (FMH).

Selecting http://www.nws.noaa.gov/directives/ is the web site for all information about the NWS Directive System.

There are review questions in each module. Use these questions to test your knowledge of the subject covered in the text.

Goals and Objectives

Module Goal

The goal of this web module is to provide you with an overview and working knowledge of the National Weather Service Directives System (NDS).

Module Objectives

When you have completed this tutorial, you will be able to:

1. List the major elements that make up the NWS Directives System (NDS).
2. Describe the difference between a policy directive, procedural directive, and a supplement.
3. List the Federal Meteorological Handbooks (FMH) and be familiar with their content.
4. Understand how Forms and Technical Aids are identified in the NDS.

Much of your career in the NWS, both operationally and personally, is determined by the NWS Directives System. Your coworkers and supervisor won't always be there to answer your questions and they occasionally won't know the answer. Having a good understanding of the NDS web site, including the numbering system, will speed up the time it takes to find the answer to your question.

The NWS Directives System provides you with details of your job and the authority to do your job. It is part of your station's basic library of information.

Table of Contents

Use the links in the table to access the two module segments.

Quiz and Completion Credit

To obtain formal credit for completion of this web module, you need take a quiz through the NWS Learning Center (LMS).

You may use the NWS Directives System web site while taking the quiz.

Once you have passed the quiz, a record of your completion will be entered into the LMS database.

Completion Certificate - Your completion certificate may be printed from the "My Transcript" page within the LMS.

Any questions or comments, please contact Jerry Griffin, NWS Training Center.

Last reviewed or updated on 06/01/07