Implementation of the NOAAPort Data Archive and Retrieval System (NDARS) at the National Climatic Data Center

The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) is currently developing a prototype system for near real time access, long term archival, and subsequent retrieval of the data contained on the NOAAPort Broadcast. The NCDC NOAAPort Data Archive and Retrieval System (NDARS) is a collaborative effort between NCDC and NOAA’s Forecast Systems Laboratory (FSL), the National Weather Service (NWS) Office of Meteorology (OM), the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Unidata Program, and the Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training (COMET). This system is intended to provide access to the full suite of NOAAPort data and products. Initially however, NDARS is being implemented to fulfill NWS training requirements for retrospective data. With the NDARS archive, COMET will develop “Case Study” modules for eventual playback on the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) of the NWS. This effort leverages off software development already completed at the FSL. Phase one of NDARS will be implemented by the end of 1999, and includes software developed for AWIPS, but modified for NCDC’s existing NOAAPort Receive System (NRS). Another software subsystem of NDARS includes Unidata’s Local Data Manager (LDM) for the distribution of NOAAPort data across the Internet. NDARS will be used as proof-of-concept for the further development of a phase two, or a final NOAAPort archive in collaboration with the NWS. Phase two data requirements include NEXRAD, and NWS legal requirements for data within the Service Records Retention System (SRRS). To satisfy these expanded NWS requirements, further NDARS development will be required. With the near term implementation, it is possible to support a limited amount of user requests, particularly COMET. This paper will describe the initial NDARS implementation, its current, and future expected capabilities, and recommend several follow-on activities in order to make this data easily accessible over the Internet.

* Jointly affiliated with the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523