TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER/

NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

OVERVIEW

MARCH 16, 2004

TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER/

NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

OVERVIEW

MARCH 16, 2004

“Where America’s climate and weather services begin”

Hurricane Specialists (NHC) develop, coordinate (domestically and abroad) and issue tropical cyclone warnings, forecasts, and outlooks in text and graphical formats, nominally on a six-hour cycle; provide "off-season” training to emergency managers, meteorologists and the media; conduct applied research and public awareness programs.

Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch (TAFB) produces marine and satellite analyses, forecasts and warnings in text and graphical formats; augments operational support staffing to Hurricane Specialists.

Technical Support Branch (TSB) provides computer systems support 24x7, applications development and technology infusion, and emergency operational support staffing to Hurricane Specialists and TAFB.

Hurricane Specialists (NHC) develop, coordinate (domestically and abroad) and issue tropical cyclone warnings, forecasts, and outlooks in text and graphical formats, nominally on a six-hour cycle; provide "off-season” training to emergency managers, meteorologists and the media; conduct applied research and public awareness programs.

Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch (TAFB) produces marine and satellite analyses, forecasts and warnings in text and graphical formats; augments operational support staffing to Hurricane Specialists.

Technical Support Branch (TSB) provides computer systems support 24x7, applications development and technology infusion, and emergency operational support staffing to Hurricane Specialists and TAFB.

TPC/NHC BRANCH RESPONSIBILITIESTPC/NHC BRANCH RESPONSIBILITIES

TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTERNATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER N

AT

ION

A

LCEN TER S FO R EN V IR ON M EN TA L P R

EDIC

TIO

N

TROPICAL

PREDICTION CENTER

January 2002

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

SECRETARYADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

ASSISTANT

FRONT OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

SUPPORT STAFF (~13)

WEB MASTER

SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATORTESTBED FACILITATOR

NOAA CONTRACTORS (3)

NOAA CORPS OFFICER STUDENT INTERNSand VOLUNTEERS

LIBRARIAN

MATHEMATICIAN

AOML EMPLOYEES (2)

CARCAH (3)

NAVAL LIAISON

DEPT. OF DEFENSE

HURRICANE SPECIALISTUNIT (6)

TROPICAL ANALYSIS and FORECAST BRANCH (18)

LEAD FORECASTERS (5)FORECASTERS (10)INTERNS (2)

BRANCH CHIEF

TECHNICAL SUPPORT BRANCH (12)

COMPUTER SUPPORT GROUP (3)TECHNIQUES DEVELOPERS and APPLIED RESEACHERS (4)OCEANOGRAPHERSCIENCE OPERATIONS OFFICER

COMPUTER SPECIALIST

BRANCH CHIEF

SUPERVISORY COMPUTER SPECIALIST

TPC/NHC AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

TPC HURRICANE FORECAST AREA

TPC BACKUP AREA FOR MARINE PREDICTION CENTER (MOSTLY HIDDEN)TPC BACKUP AREA FOR WFO HONOLULU AND CPHC AREAS (PARTIALLY HIDDEN)

TPC TAFB FORECAST AREATPC TAFB ADDITIONAL SURFACE ANALYSIS AREA

TPC BACKUP AREA FOR AVIATION WEATHER CENTER (COMPLETELY HIDDEN)

CORE OPERATIONAL PRODUCTS

Hurricane Specialists• Tropical Cyclone Public Advisory• Tropical Cyclone Forecast/Advisory• Tropical Cyclone Discussion• Tropical Cyclone Strike Probabilities• Special Disturbance Statements• Tropical Cyclone Updates• Tropical Cyclone Position Estimates• Tropical Cyclone Graphics

Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch• High Seas Forecasts• Offshore Waters Forecasts• Surface analyses• Tropical and Marine Weather Discussions • Graphical marine products• Dvorak technique tropical cyclone intensity estimates• Satellite rainfall forecast guidance• Pan-American temperature and precipitation table

CORE OPERATIONAL PRODUCTS

Hurricane Specialists• Tropical Cyclone Public Advisory• Tropical Cyclone Forecast/Advisory• Tropical Cyclone Discussion• Tropical Cyclone Strike Probabilities• Special Disturbance Statements• Tropical Cyclone Updates• Tropical Cyclone Position Estimates• Tropical Cyclone Graphics

Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch• High Seas Forecasts• Offshore Waters Forecasts• Surface analyses• Tropical and Marine Weather Discussions • Graphical marine products• Dvorak technique tropical cyclone intensity estimates• Satellite rainfall forecast guidance• Pan-American temperature and precipitation table

• Backup office for:

Ocean Prediction Center (OPC)

Aviation Weather Center (AWC)

Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)

• “Hurricane Hotline” coordination with DOD and NWS offices

• Briefings to FEMA through Hurricane Liaison Team (HLT),

other emergency managers, and media

• Warning coordination in English, Spanish and French with

international weather services

• Backup office for:

Ocean Prediction Center (OPC)

Aviation Weather Center (AWC)

Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)

• “Hurricane Hotline” coordination with DOD and NWS offices

• Briefings to FEMA through Hurricane Liaison Team (HLT),

other emergency managers, and media

• Warning coordination in English, Spanish and French with

international weather services

CORE OPERATIONAL SERVICESCORE OPERATIONAL SERVICES

• Conduct outreach programs nationally and abroad:- Workshops for emergency managers, media, marine community and meteorologists- National and international awareness tours- Represent NWS as tropical/marine experts in scientific conferences, and literature and proposal reviews

• Awareness and preparedness presentations• Guide research community priorities• Work with research community on transfers of research to operations via the USWRP Joint Hurricane Testbed (JHT)• Publish applied research results• Provide post-storm data and documentation• Marine outreach events

• Conduct outreach programs nationally and abroad:- Workshops for emergency managers, media, marine community and meteorologists- National and international awareness tours- Represent NWS as tropical/marine experts in scientific conferences, and literature and proposal reviews

• Awareness and preparedness presentations• Guide research community priorities• Work with research community on transfers of research to operations via the USWRP Joint Hurricane Testbed (JHT)• Publish applied research results• Provide post-storm data and documentation• Marine outreach events

CORE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PRODUCTSCORE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PRODUCTS

Media briefing during Hurricane Debby (2000)Media briefing during Hurricane Debby (2000)

NWS and FEMA give NWS and FEMA give Hurricane Liaison Hurricane Liaison Team (HLT) video Team (HLT) video briefing from briefing from TPC/NHCTPC/NHC

FEMA director and FEMA director and representatives of representatives of other Federal other Federal agencies at FEMA HQ agencies at FEMA HQ receive HLT briefingreceive HLT briefing