National Weather Service — Central Region Impact-Based Decision Support Services Prototype Project

In an effort to meet the needs of a Weather Ready Nation, the National Weather Service Central Region (NWS-CR) embarked on an initiative to deliver effective and consistent Impact-based Decision Support Services (IDSS). The NWS-CR IDSS Prototype Project Team developed and successfully implemented an initial baseline IDSS toolkit to support one-to-one DSS with core partners across the 38 weather forecast offices in NWS-CR.  The IDSS toolkit consists of a set of common operational tools, procedures and services, all of which are focused directly on the provision of accurate and effective decision support services directly to NWS core partners in support of public safety. These tools include methods to consistently document and track IDSS opportunities including the capability to dynamically plot and overlay IDSS information and real-time weather information within the construct of the NWS Advanced Weather Information Processing System (AWIPS). Additional components in process of development and implementation include interpretive services such as the Situation Report, and operational aids such as an IDSS matrix utilizing weather event probability and potential impact to identify DSS requirements.

The IDSS prototype project provides critical components to a developing Forecaster Decision Support Environment and establishes a baseline for further development of IDSS tools, procedures and service suite. This project also reaches beyond serving NWS core partners through consistent interpretative services, cultivating a IDSS culture and encouraging a “whole office” concept that engages the forecast staff in contributing to IDSS. This initiative sets the stage for continued development and implementation of IDSS tools that promote an end-to-end forecast-to-interpretative-services process.