tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7478606652950905956.post5737589301583738600..comments2024-03-28T10:16:44.231-07:00Comments on Cliff Mass Weather Blog: The Future of National Weather Service Forecast OfficesCliff Mass Weather Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13948649423540350788noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7478606652950905956.post-72554417236797111022013-05-31T12:48:23.490-07:002013-05-31T12:48:23.490-07:00A big shame in some of the talent-scouting by NOAA...A big shame in some of the talent-scouting by NOAA/NWS is the insistence on a Bachelor's degree or higher specifically in Meteorology or Atmospheric Science. The ladies & gentlemen of our U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force weather communities often have years of hands-on experience forecasting for hourly, daily and weekly customer needs; this is in addition to skills in taking weather observations, operating NEXRAD or RAOB machinery for upper-air conditions, and having a firm understanding of their localized environment.<br /><br />Many of us are able to do the day-to-day tasks just as well, but face an institutional discrimination in hiring practices because we do not wish to pursue a degree in a field of science that we have already demonstrated core competencies in.<br /><br />-Petty Officer Tom Jenkins, USNR<br />(Junior, Environmental Studies, UW)Jinxyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05392194923909806912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7478606652950905956.post-82254847082940670232013-05-31T08:58:53.587-07:002013-05-31T08:58:53.587-07:00For years I was critical of the NWS's practice...For years I was critical of the NWS's practice of rotating forecasters to different offices around the country, for the very reason you cite - the need to become familiar with local weather peculiarities. Failure by outside forecasters to understand the Puget Sound convergence zone or the fickle nature of onshore flow in the northwest summers used to lead to some abysmally poor forecasts. This was brought home year after year by the fact that the late Professor Reed, who was intimately familiar with local weather, regularly won the UW Atmospheric Sciences Dept. forecasting contest, beating NWS by a mile. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7478606652950905956.post-46779589209990759452013-05-30T20:10:16.747-07:002013-05-30T20:10:16.747-07:00Darly,
You got to separate out the support for ...Darly,<br /> You got to separate out the support for the offices from the rest of the NWS budget....cliffCliff Mass Weather Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13948649423540350788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7478606652950905956.post-4697255801663300402013-05-30T14:49:42.076-07:002013-05-30T14:49:42.076-07:00James Duke, you're technically right. However,...James Duke, you're technically right. However, NWS forecasts are used by air traffic control to determine runway configurations and capacity. How the FAA guidelines and restrictions (go/no-go for takeoff and landing, additional fuel requirements) apply is determined by the observed and forecast weather conditions. Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04902940317607209636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7478606652950905956.post-74572641077622408242013-05-30T14:06:20.258-07:002013-05-30T14:06:20.258-07:00Rob, you are correct in that the "red dot &qu...Rob, you are correct in that the "red dot "offices have some area of marine forecast responsibility, for either the Atlantic coastal waters or the Great Lakes.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04770404999173624991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7478606652950905956.post-70837784269329195822013-05-30T12:33:35.154-07:002013-05-30T12:33:35.154-07:00Dr Mass. Could you please document "years of...Dr Mass. Could you please document "years of budget cuts" comment? I see this referenced on the internets and what I come up with is:<br /><br />2005 824.8mil<br />2006 804.3mil<br />2007 838.3mil<br />2008 911.4mil<br />2009 958.9mil<br />2010 999.8mil<br />2011 990.4mil<br />2012 991.9mil<br /><br />darlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00153811267575476936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7478606652950905956.post-29201555128860409882013-05-30T10:24:57.325-07:002013-05-30T10:24:57.325-07:00Forecasters do not determine when airports open/cl...Forecasters do not determine when airports open/close. Even the FAA, under ordinary circumstances doesn't do that. Airports open/close based mostly on local airport management decisions.<br /><br />Take-off/landing decisions are made by the pilot, generally following FAA guidelines and restrictions.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11013450202189541938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7478606652950905956.post-90912944236487250632013-05-30T08:27:30.429-07:002013-05-30T08:27:30.429-07:00Cliff - on the map, what is the difference between...Cliff - on the map, what is the difference between the pink-dotted sites and the white-dotted sites? I assume it has something to do with marine forecasting, but it's not immediately clear.Rob W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08542341017970869892noreply@blogger.com