Generating marine forecasts using Interactive Forecast Preparation

The National Weather Service (NWS) has been developing and testing techniques that support Interactive Forecast Preparation (IFP) for many years. The concept of IFP is key to achieving modernized forecast operations at Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) using the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS). With IFP, forecasters employ a family of techniques to prepare forecasts of weather elements in a common digital database from which many forecast products can be automatically composed and formatted. This allows the forecaster to concentrate on the meteorological situation and spend less time typing numerous products for dissemination. The common digital database used to generate these products also allows for more consistent forecasts over time and among products, and for easier monitoring and maintenance of those forecasts.

Beginning in 2000, the NWS will introduce the IFP system into its WFO operations nationwide. At the same time, the NWS is establishing rapid prototype sites at a handful of offices across the nation. IFP prototype sites will focus on the development of new techniques to prepare forecast grids, new forecast methodologies, and new forecast products which can be generated from a digital forecast database.

This paper describes a series of techniques that will enhance the AWIPS IFP system and enable it to support NWS marine operations at one or two of the rapid prototype sites. In many cases, these techniques capitalize on features previously available in IFPS. Others require new software development. Of particular note will be the use of numerical wave model output, data transfers that support forecast coordination, and the generation of graphical and gridded products.