VORTEX 2 operations center: Bridging the gap between research and operations

Operational support of the activities during the 2009 and 2010 field phases of the Verification of the Origin of Rotation in Tornadoes EXperiment (VORTEX II, V2) was carried out from the Hazardous Weather Testbed (HWT), co-located with NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC), and NOAA's National Weather Service's (NWS) forecast office located in Norman, OK. The VORTEX II Operations Center (VOC) was tasked with maintaining situational awareness of the near-storm environment for safety and facilitating real-time collaboration between researchers in the field and NWS operational meteorologists. Additionally, VOC staff, comprised of research meteorologists from NSSL, operational meteorologists from NWS, and student volunteers, provided backup forecast and nowcasting support to the field command (FC).

The presentation will detail the interaction between the field and operational partners in the VOC, discuss VOC activities from several high-profile events, and provide insights on lessons learned from collaborations between researchers and operational meteorologists in an intense environment.