NOAA is charged with collection, preservation and accessibility of a quality digital record of Cooperative Network (CCOP) data and metadata. This record has historically been derived through the imaging and keying of paper forms sent by observers through National Weather Service and on to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The processing time, including quality assurance checks and serial publication, typically is 45-60 days beyond the data month.

The need for near real-time (i.e., daily or faster) reporting of observations for meteorological, hydrological, and climatological purposes is well-established (e.g., ASOS reports). In response, NOAA has been working closely with Regional Climate Centers and other partners to develop a web-based interface based on existing systems (e.g., WxCoder II, CoCoRAHS and Canada's COOLTAP) to provide for the paperless, electronic submission of daily COOP data to NCDC and the climate community.

This presentation describes the Weather Coder III (WxC3) interface, debuted for operational use in late 2007. Along with the telephone-based IV-ROCS system, WxC3 has been developed to honor the following principles:

1) Provide efficient, easy-to-use data entry system for participating COOP observers,

2) Ensure timely availability of COOP data for all customers,

3) Improve data quality through automated near-real-time data QA/QC,

4) Achieve a paperless electronic data collection, transmission, and archiving system.

5) Allow system flexibility to meet demands of integrating data from future observing systems

The WxC3 interface is noteworthy for its intuitive functionality, its administrative tools for NWS office monitoring of and communication with COOP observers, its multi-tiered help references, its close representation of the paper form (B-91) in an online environment, and its interchangeability with the telephony system. The WxC3 system is expected to be utilized by the majority of COOP observers over the next two years.