Overview, Recent Work, and Future Direction of the National Weather Service Geospatial Integrated Work Team

As part of goals to increase National Weather Service (NWS) geospatial product offerings for use in GIS systems and standardize GIS policies and procedures, the NWS Geospatial Integrated Work Team (GIWT) was formed in 2011. The formation of this team was the result of the hard work by a few dedicated individuals and the recognition by management of the lack of dedicated personnel and resources. After many trials and tribulations the GIWT recently found a home in the new NWS Dissemination Portfolio. The GIWT continues to interface with the many different services, technical and training groups within the NWS and is increasing the marketing of NWS GIS activities to NWS partners and customers. One of the recent tasks completed was a GIS Survey of current and prospective NWS GIS users. This presentation will provide a brief history of the GIWT, discuss results of the survey and discuss some of the latest initiatives of the GIWT that include helping coordinate requirements gathering and technical support for the new GIS Web Services being created as part of the NWS Integrated Dissemination Program.