The Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training (COMET) reported last year on publicly available web-based training developed for NWS forecasters on how NWP models work and the characteristics of the NCEP operational models, including the parameterizations used and how they affect model capabilities and limitations. Since that time, web-based case examples have been developed (and more will continue to be developed) promoting critical thinking and intelligent use of model output. Some cases illustrate NWP concepts, such as how the correlation lengths used in the operational 3D-VAR analysis affect the scale of features present in the analysis. With the Eta model running at 12 km grid spacing now, forecasters might be surprised to find observed mesoscale details resolvable by the model cannot presently be added to the analysis. Other cases illustrate particular characteristics of model parameterizations and model behavior and capabilities associated with new model implementations, such as evaluating model performance of then-new 12 km Eta forecast of the historic Buffalo lake-effect snow in late December 2001. And new cases under development illustrate new forecasting methods such as use of the NCEP Short-Range Ensemble Forecasts.

The case examples can be found online at http://meted.ucar.edu/nwp/pcu3/cases/ and the instructional design underlying the project can be found at http://www.nwstc.noaa.gov/nwstrn/d.ntp/meteor/nwppcu3.html The cases are intended to be brief in order to accomodate short operational training windows and to illustrate key points rather than serve as thorough case study investigations.

Additionally, this kind of material is delivered through teletraining sessions such as http://www.cira.colostate.edu/ramm/visit/eta12.html