The Warning Decision Training Branch (WDTB) has conducted four workshops for National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters on various aspects of winter weather forecasting concepts, tools, and techniques. The goals of the workshops are to help forecasters improve their ability to successfully apply these concepts, tools, and techniques in the forecast process and ultimately, provide better service with more timely and effective winter weather watches, advisories, and warnings.

The operationally oriented format of the workshop included innovative visualization techniques of model forecast soundings using Workstation ETA model output, and an associated 3-day, multi-County Warning Area (CWA) simulation using the latest Weather Event Simulator (WES) technology. One of the highlights of the winter weather workshop was real-time collaboration of students during the simulation. We will also show the important relationship between workshop instructional topics and operational application.