Visualizing NOAA National Weather Service Forecasts and Services In Southern California Through The Use of Story Maps

Story maps are lightweight open-source web apps available from ESRI that use geography as a means of organizing and presenting information. They tell the story of a place, event, issue, trend, or pattern in a geographic context. They also combine interactive maps with other rich content like text, photos, video, and audio that tell stories about the world.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Office in Los Angeles/Oxnard California has developed a series of story maps that allow visualization of weather, water and climate forecasts and observations for the Southern California area. In a forecast office environment, they can be used for operational support, training, outreach, and enhanced situational awareness. Story map samples that will be presented include a map tour of the NWS river forecast locations in Southern California, a swipe map comparison of two U.S. drought monitor weekly maps, climatic data for select SW California cities, as well as several others.

To view these interactive Story Maps, users access a simple easy to use on-line web application through an Internet web browser.

This presentation/paper will discuss in further detail the development and current and future use of Story Maps by the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Los Angeles/Oxnard California for the Southern California area.