1.3
The evolution of Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center
Carl D. Thormeyer, FNMOC, Monterey, CA; and R. M. Clancy and L. C. Clarke
In 1954, the Joint (Navy, Air Force, Weather Bureau) Numerical Weather Prediction Unit (JNWPU) was established in the Washington, DC area to leverage early first-generation computers for numerical weather prediction (NWP). Eventually, the three agencies split apart largely due mainly to differing customer requirements to form what we now know as Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC), Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Together, these three organizations pioneered NWP in the United States, with FNMOC also playing a significant early leadership role in operational ocean modeling. FNMOC's early contributions to operational ocean wave modeling are particularly noteworthy. Today, FNMOC, in conjunction with the Naval Research Lab, specializes in global and regional coupled air-sea models and related satellite imagery in direct support of Navy and Marine Corps operations worldwide, specifically focusing and tailoring its operations and products to support key warfighter decisions. FNMOC operates its supercomputers in a classified environment and distributes its products to customers around the world over secure communications channels using modern e-commerce technologies. FNMOC is also increasingly involved in cooperative support and backup efforts with AFWA and NCEP, as the three original JNWPU partners find it increasingly helpful to once again collaborate jointly in today's reality of limited resources. A good example of this is the commitment of all three organizations to further development and operational implementation of the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model.
Session 1, Early Atmospheric Science to Numerical Weather Prediction
Tuesday, 13 January 2004, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM, Room 2A
Previous paper Next paper