The Warning Decision Training Branch (WDTB) has conducted four workshops on winter weather between the Fall of 2001 and the Summer of 2003. The training objectives of these workshops were to deliver instruction to National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters on various winter weather forecasting and warning concepts, tools, and techniques. The goal of the training is to help forecasters apply the learning objectives (such as a new technique) to the forecasting and warning process.

This paper will describe preliminary results of an evaluation process WDTB has implemented to more effectively assess four areas related to performance and impact of WDTB's winter weather training: 1) use of skills, 2) confidence and ability to perform, 3) barriers and enablers of transfer, and 4) impact measures.

The study also presents an assessment of the local usefulness of particular training topics covered at the workshops.