USAF Hydro-Meteorological Services

The U.S. Air Force provides environmental intelligence in support of Air Force, Army, and coalition operations, as well as for the national Intelligence Community.  As crucial linkages emerge between defense interests and water availability, the need for timely, accurate, and relevant information about water continues to increase.  This presentation will highlight current and planned ways U.S. Air Force weather units support these needs through hydro-meteorology products and services, which adapt traditional meteorological information into a water-centric context and visualization.  Examples will be provided at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of support, encompassing such varied applications as using soil moisture modeling for land vehicle trafficability, to leveraging seasonal precipitation forecasts to assess threats to food and energy security and regional stability.  The Air Force will continue to leverage multiple key partnerships with both civil organizations and government agencies to develop capabilities to collect, analyze, predict, tailor, and integrate water information into defense and intelligence operations and planning.