National Weather Service's Meteorological Development Laboratory – Where We are and Where We're Going (Keynote Presentation)

From 1976-2012, Dr. Harry “Bob” Glahn led the Meteorological Development Laboratory (MDL), formerly the Techniques Development Laboratory (TDL), in dedicated support of the operational forecasting mission of the National Weather Service. Over the years, MDL has provided ever-increasingly valuable tools and products that enable the forecasters to perform their mission to the Nation, directly attributable to Bob's vision and leadership. In addition, Dr. Glahn made mentoring the next generation of meteorologists and physical scientists a priority; as such, MDL has served as a breeding ground for dozens of students, many of which moved into permanent positions and then on to successful careers as forecasters and as leaders in the NWS.

In carrying on Dr. Glahn's legacy, MDL today continues to serve by providing key products and capabilities to support the NWS mission of protecting life and property. This presentation will take a brief look back at the first 50 years of MDL, providing a high-level summary of the Lab's accomplishments and capabilities, many of which were covered in greater detail by other preceding presentations. The presentation will then provide an overview of MDL's current activities, spotlighting recent accomplishments and improvements. It will then conclude with our vision for the future, to include both short-term plans for incremental improvements, as well as a strategic long-term look at how the Lab will advance to meet the evolving challenges faced by the NWS and its customers.