August 25, 2006
HPWREN Collaborates with NOAA's National Weather Service in Obtaining Valuable Real-time Data
For some time the National
Weather Service (NWS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), has used HPWREN real-time camera network
and meteorological stations to be more aware of the current weather
conditions. HPWREN equipment has been especially useful in remote
locations where knowledge of the weather conditions has always been
lacking. It is the federal duty of the NWS to issue warnings to
reduce or eliminate the loss of life and property of residents and
visitors from the adverse impacts of weather. Forecasters at the
NWS immediately recognize the value of seeing clouds, thunderstorms,
and fog develop and dissipate, as well as local ground impacts,
such as snowfall and flooding streams, by using the cameras and
meteorological stations.
In the summer of 2006, data from some of these meteorological
stations began to be transmitted directly to NWS workstations,
increasing the utility of these data by NWS forecasters. In addition,
these data became included in a larger network of surface observations
used widely by the entire meteorology community in the western U.S.
These data are collected and organized in a way that is very useful,
not only to forecasters monitoring the weather, but to external
users via the Internet.
Numerous microclimates in a varied landscape are influenced by
topography, proximity to the ocean, latitude and elevation. And
nowhere is this more apparent than in Southern California. With
greater instrumentation throughout the region, forecasters can
ascertain and verify the exact weather conditions much more thoroughly
in such a geographically diverse region. As a result, more accurate
forecasts and warnings can be issued.
With archive and animation capabilities provided by HPWREN, the NWS
can conduct research on particular weather phenomena, such as severe
thunderstorms, cloud formation and dissipation, heavy rain events
and flooding, wildfires, and wind patterns. Researchers can study
a particular event after the fact. With greater knowledge and
understanding of these phenomena, forecasters can receive training
that will enable greater accuracy and utility of future forecasts
and warnings.
HPWREN has literally opened up a new vision of weather monitoring for NWS forecasters in San Diego. The cameras and additional meteorological stations have vastly improved the observational capability of the NWS in this region. Miguel Miller
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