John Quagliariello
NOAA/NWS/WFO Columbia, SC
The National Weather Service (NWS) provides Impact-Based Decision Support Services (IDSS) to a wide-range of core partners, such as emergency managers and public safety officials. The NWS works closely with these key decision-makers to ensure they have the most accurate, reliable and trustworthy weather, water and climate information by providing forecast advice and interpretative services.
The NWS Weather Forecast Office in Columbia, South Carolina has developed a deep relationship with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) as the NWS state liaison office for South Carolina. During Hurricanes Matthew (2016), Irma (2017) and Florence (2018), staff at NWS Columbia provided on-site IDSS at the South Carolina Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), briefing SCEMD, other state agencies and the Governor to support critical decisions involving evacuations and resource allocation.
Each hurricane provided its own unique challenge with regard to forecast uncertainties, coastal surge impacts, inland flooding impacts, and wind damage. The NWS Weather Forecast Offices serving the state of South Carolina developed multiple tools and strategies to effectively coordinate messaging and serve the critical decision needs of state partners. Key messages were collaborated with each NWS forecast office, NWS staff members deployed to the SEOC, the National Hurricane Center and FEMA Region IV. SCEMD and the NWS offices serving SC also coordinated to develop a scenario-based forecast using probabilities, allowing plans to be developed and executed based on the most likely scenarios.
Through these efforts, the critical partnership between the NWS, SCEMD and other state agencies was strengthened. These shared experiences allowed the NWS to improve its service by adjusting decision support methods as needed to better meet the needs of a core partner at the time of a high impact event.
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