Health weather products and services provided by NOAA's National Weather Services

Heat waves, cold spells, ozone alerts, air quality action days, ultraviolet (UV) alerts--the relationship between health and weather is becoming more and more apparent. NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) is active in providing the Nation with advance notice of weather-related events that may have adverse effects on health or endanger life.

The NWS collaborates with public and private sector organizations, academia, the medical community, and the media to create and deliver new and enhanced health weather products and services. Services offered include providing information and forecasts on extreme temperatures (excessive heat, wind chill index), air quality (AQ), and ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

The NWS is in the process of developing locale-specific Heat Health Watch/Warning Systems (HHWWSs) across the country to provide improved guidance information for forecasting extreme heat events. There are currently over 15 HHWWSs in operation. There are future plans for expanding these systems to also provide enhanced guidance for wind chill forecasting.

Through interagency agreements NOAA/NWS is working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state and local air quality agencies, and the private sector to develop air quality forecast capability for the Nation. Currently, NWS National Air Quality Forecast System (AQFS) Ozone (O3) Graphic Forecast provides ozone forecast guidance covering Eastern US, for use by state and local forecasters in preparing official AQ forecasts.

This paper will give more details on the NWS health weather products and services mentioned above and how these products and services benefit the public, the medical community, and public agencies.