NWS AWIPS Cloud Operations for Mobile Users: Short Term Solutions Leading to Long Term Innovation

Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) are crucial in providing meteorological support during emergencies, often operating from remote locations with limited internet connectivity. The current AWIPS Thin Client offers remote access to baseline capabilities but suffers from performance issues, particularly in areas with restricted bandwidth. These limitations have prompted a “Lift and Shift” project to enhance remote access capabilities and ensure uninterrupted operational support for IMETs.

The “Lift and Shift” project aims to utilize a cloud-based solution to provide IMETs with a seamless AWIPS CAVE desktop experience as if they were working from their office. By doing so, the project will address the current limitations associated with Thin Client, including bandwidth constraints and reduced functionality.

By moving AWIPS to a cloud environment, IMETs will benefit from improved performance, reliability, and access to critical AWIPS functionalities. This transformation will enable them to focus on delivering timely and accurate meteorological support during emergencies without being hindered by technical constraints.

The presentation will provide an updated status of the project along with a summary of the user feedback received.