10B.1
Training on severe convection
Bradford N. Grant, NOAA/NWS, Norman, OK
The Warning Decision Training Branch (WDTB) in Norman, Oklahoma delivers training on the integrated elements of the convective warning process in the National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Office. For the WSR-88D Distance Learning Course (DLOC), training objectives are to establish basic operator proficiency at using WSR-88D products in the integrated data environment. A part of the DLOC curriculum consists of a section on convective storm structure and evolution, including radar evaluation of severe storms. Objectives of the convective storms’ section are understanding basic concepts of buoyancy and shear, environmental parameters , as well as the propagation and evolution of convective storm types. The largest portion of the 3 ½ day DLOC workshop, which is a culmination of the five month distance learning course, is oriented toward hands-on learning activities using instructor-led scenarios and convective warning laboratory exercises. These learning activities offer the Intern-level meteorologist the necessary skills to issue warnings in the Forecast Office. Advanced training activities using both residence workshops and distance learning modalities are geared toward helping the forecaster more effectively analyze and use integrated data sets to improve warning decision making. Teletraining and web based instruction on new science and related applications in the area of convective warnings have been taught to hundreds of forecasters over the past few years. Advanced topics such as situation awareness in warning decision making are also taught by WDTB in residence workshops. The mechanism by which WDTB has organized specific job task skills, knowledge, and abilities (KSAs) associated with basic and advanced convective training is the Professional Development Series (PDS) . In the Spring of 2002, members of WDTB and the operational forecast community worked to update the Severe Convection PDS to make it a more valuable training tool. The PDS will provide a mechanism to help direct forecasters toward learning opportunities in nine essential Professional Competency Units. The goal of the PDS is to assist local training officers develop individualized training plans for each forecaster with varied levels of competence. With the incorporation of the Weather Event Simulator (WES) into local offices, a wide spectrum of training opportunities using the Severe Convection PDS can be more effectively implemented. The goal of all training developed at WDTB is to increase expertise among NWS personnel in order to better serve the public in warning situations.
Session 10B, warnings, dissemination and verification
Wednesday, 14 August 2002, 1:30 PM-3:00 PM
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