Training on better operational use of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models: Needs assessment survey results

The National Weather Service (NWS) and the UCAR Cooperative Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training (COMET) Program conducted a needs assessment survey concerning training on the use of NWP model products in NWS forecast operations. The purpose of the survey was to provide a basis for the development of a new distance-learning training course on NWP to supplement the existing COMET NWP course developed almost ten years ago, and a variety of other online training and teletraining provided since then. The survey results may be of interest to the broader community.

The survey, consisting of mostly open-ended questions, was sent to the Science and Operations Officers in all of the NWS forecast offices and the Scientific Service Divisions in all of the NWS regional headquarters. Forty-two respondents provided a variety of specific and extensive responses. Areas of greatest need involve use of ensemble and probabilistic products, use of high-resolution models such as local WRF runs and the NCEP high-resolution window runs, aspects of utilizing NWP within the gridded forecast preparation process, and basic matters of model comparison including relative strengths and weaknesses in particular situations.

The poster will show the survey questions and the responses categorized into topic areas, and will summarize what was learned about training needs not already met through existing training and forecaster education.