National Weather Service

Jacksonville, Florida

Professional Development Plan for

Meteorologists

AWIPS integration of LDAD and IFPS era (FY2001)

October 2000

Training Goals for Meteorologists

In order to clarify what is expected of the meteorologists on the NWSO JAX staff and those of the CWSU, a list of training types and goals is presented below. This list is neither all-inclusive nor static for the staff meteorologist. In particular, this year will present unique opportunities and challenges as we prepare for transfer of forecasts to IFPS and integrate the new LDAD functionality provided by AWIPS builds 5.0 and 5.1 (JAN 2001 and summer 2001), and merge the CWSU forecasters into our training program for AWIPS. To prepare for the new system capabilities, develop additional lead forecaster's local forecast knowledge, and begin to use GPS-IPWV and GOES sounder products operationally will all require a change to business as usual.

In addition, changes to several major chapters in the WSOM are now in draft, and will be implemented this year. As the functions of the fully functioning, modernized NWSFO evolve, so will the scope, depth, and nature of the required training continue to evolve. One emphasis of the training for this year will be the development, use and verification of high resolution numerical weather prediction (hereafter Meso-NWP) on a local scale as a forecasting tool for convection. Training requirements will parallel the evolution and development of operational mesoscale meteorological knowledge. So one of the areas of emphasis will be a review of severe weather mesoscale meteorology from the ground up, the environment for severe weather, expectations of the type and intensity of severe weather events, and special preparations required for such events.

In this sense, meteorologist training will never become a static list of professional requirements, but for this year, we will concentrate this year on begining the new Professional Development Series. It is expected that each focal point and "in training" focal point will begin completing the PDS elements for their individual duties, and part of that requirement will be to critique the

new PDS formally to the SOO with a copy to the MIC. This will be a major portion of each individual's annual training effort if

such a PDS exists for the specific duties assigned. The critique is not expected to be long and involved, but to address whether

the information necessary to perform the assigned duty is conveyed by the PDS.

The existing thrust of professional development to share with other meteorologists the expertise developed in this office will continue as before. To that end, staff meteorologists can demonstrate the highest levels of professional training by extending the envelope of operational mesoscale meteorological knowledge. Such training items and goals are by nature self-training or collaborative training projects carried out by professionals exhibiting personnel initiative in the formulation, execution, and documentation of the project. In the lexicon of human growth and development experts, these items are collaborative projects conducted by self-actualized individuals. To attain this level of professional development is the goal of the next two year cycle of professional development for the NWSO JAX staff meteorologists, which will be measured by relevant presentations at national conferences and in published research studies.

In order to help define the path required to achieve this level of professional development, the following training plan also contains specific guidelines, weighted training priorities, and a broad scope of training items. This list of goals is not meant to overload you, but is presented to illustrate what paths and choices you should take in your personnel training and development.

A new feature of local training will be the SOO Seminar Series on Severe Weather and NWP. Additional information on these seminars will be forthcoming.

FY 2001 Training Emphasis by Quarter

Fall 2000 - Severe Weather Environment and Structure,Winter mesoscale local weather, CWSU crosstraining, AWIPS and LDAD customization and intoduction of IFPS.

Winter 2001 - AWIPS customization for severe convective weather and LDAD Internet integration , Severe Convection PDS series training, Satellite Meteorology PDS with emphasis on GOES soundings, Meso-NWP training.

Spring 2001 - Severe Convection PDS, Hurricane, AWIPS and LDAD integration training, GPS-IPWV.

Summer 2001 - Enhancing Public and Marine Forecasting using AWIPS, WFO-scale Numerical Modeling Verification.

I. Highest Priority Training

Goal One Demonstrate the highest levels of professional training by integrating mesoscale convective meteorology into routine public and severe weather forecast operations using AWIPS.

1. Convective Professional Development Series (PDS) This is the first of the new training and development programs being developed for NWS meteorologists, and will is REQUIRED prior to Spring 2001. Your personal level of knowledge should be coordinated with the SOO and validated with pretesting on the PDS. This item shall be completed prior to the convective season. Completion prior to February 2001 will be helpful for the integration of build 5.0 and IFPS training for forecasters. The goal here is to level the “convective knowledge” playing field before the convective season begins. The PDS is still under development, so training efforts may be frustrating. The PDS will be located on the “MetEd” homepage on the web at http//meted.ucar.edu

2. Advanced Computer-Based Learning (CBL) Modules and Seminars Enhanced mesoscale knowledge and improved operational use of the WSR-88D products in AWIPS are the goals here, since they stress application of what was learned subsequent to the WSR-88D school and working with the WSR-88D. These items are of high priority, but relatively low weighting since they were priority items for 2000 and require significantly less time and effort than the other high priority goals. Any of the following items not completed to date should be completed prior to the 2001 convective season and reviewed if completed more than two years ago.

a. A Convective Storm Matrix Buoyancy/Shear Dependencies This rewrite of the older module stresses the use of existing synoptic information and local data to monitor the severity and nature of the storm threat, including the identification of likely severe weather outcomes. This module illustrates the importance of mesoscale and storm scale interaction during storm development. It also strongly emphasizes the identification of severe weather type and mesoscale storm organization as a function of the environmental conditions.

b. HP supercells This module illustrates the structure and development of mesoscale features associated with a common severe weather threat in our CWA.

c. Satellite Meteorology Remote Sensing using the new GOES Imager and Sounder. These modules provide examples and insight into the interpretation of the high resolution imagery available from the new GOES series satellites. With data void areas directly adjacent to our CWA, we will to some extent always be dependent on remote sensing to bridge the gap between model output parameters and what is really happening in the real atmosphere. These data sets will become available with AWIPS build 5.0, so this training is directly applicable to current opertions.

d. Marine Meteorology 1 and 2 These two modules are relatively new and should be completed or reviewed during the fall season when wind/wave interaction is the strongest for the marine forecast. These programs provide for specific training on issues important to the marine community which might not be obvious to a forecaster without coastal or maritime experience.

e. COMAP Symposium on Numerical Weather Prediction: Presentation Archive and web modules. A new CDROM from COMET that has extensive NWP examples and additional web modules. Received in September 2000 from COMET, this and other sources will be part of the SOO Seminar Series on Severe Weather and NWP.

3. Hands-on Training on the AWIPS A logical extension of the AWIPS knowledge requirement is training and scenarios to apply what you have learned and reinforce this knowledge in the local CWA. This will include graded proficiency checks, after hands-on training on the system. Initially, review of the User’s Manuals and map study of the CWA are recommended for new personnel assigned to the office.

Currently the first of a series of training disks is made up so that a “canned” scenario may be reviewed and worked on. The WSR-88D can be set to training mode during periods of quiet weather in order to accomplish the training disks. The first of the series of training scenarios deals with tropical cyclone landfall. This item can be practiced on shift using real convective events or by exercising during quiet periods. The new features of BUILD 5.0 will be the focus of this training and evaluation.

The function of training scenarios are not meant to strictly represent “knobology,” but should involve threat assessment, radar and satellite product selection, and include both examination and interpretation of the data within our CWA, analysis of appropriate models, gathering supplementary information via the Internet, and utilizing all the functions of the WSR-88D and GOES remote sensing capabilities on AWIPS rather than the PUP. These scenarios also a high priority, and heavy weighting since they require new skills and more individual effort than some other high priority goals. Development of additional training scenarios will carry significant weighting for those who would like to develop a scenario.

Goal Two Demonstrate the highest levels of professional training by developing the requisite computer skills for AWIPS, ORPG, and other modernized systems.

1. UNIX Training in preparation for AWIPS As mentioned in last year’s plan, UNIX is a more advanced operating system than Windows XX, in that it is both a multi-task and multi-user environment. In other words, UNIX can perform different operations (for different terminals at the same time) with speed dependent on processor loading. It is an immensely more powerful operating system than Windows, and requires special knowledge in order to effectively use its many features.

All forecasters have now had the opportunity to receive college level outside training in UNIX. Recently purchased CDROM packages and books on HP-UX , TCP/IP, and INFORMIX are available to the staff. Undertaking such training should be coordinated with the SOO and MIC. Specific UNIX training goals for FY 2001 are

a. AWIPS Desktop Environment (D2D) Skills also need to be acquired in this graphical user interface (GUI) to be used in AWIPS and to operate in the AWIPS environment. A tutorial program is available on the Internet, and will help you acquire knowledge and skills in D2D. A demonstration of your skills in the D2D eventually may be required. You should also learn to customize your local D2D environment for your personal files, but configuration changes to the operational accounts (i.e. awipsusr, textdemo, ldm) will not be made.

b. Non-AWIPS quasi-operational software AWIPS is currently built on the same basic structures found in older programs (NTL suite, NAWIPS,GEMPAK, LDM, NetCDF). The underlying software routines and the UNIX structure of HP UNIX version 10.2 (as now installed in the AWIPS) is the same file structure and operating architecture previously found in the SAC, and in particular the local display and analysis subsystem (LDAD) where some of the previous software will still be used in an analysis role for web products. The newest version of NAWIPS (version 5.6) includes the ability to annotate graphics, and may be used to provide public products in a graphical manner on the Internet this year.

Also closely allied with the AWIPS operating system is SUN UNIX which has been chosen for the WSR-88D RPG Open System Rehost (ORPG). This will operate on a SUN UNIX architecture (SUN UltraSparc platform) similar to the current HP UNIX 10.2 structure and file system. This is a high priority goal and will be more heavily weighted than most other items. Some initial training will be available in seminars and tutorials, but much of the effort after the initial familiarization will be on an individual basis. Functional evaluations and proficiency testing will be developed.

c. Computer scripting and languages Script languages or full computer high level languages, such as “C or C++” or Fortran 90 language training, Perl, Python and shell scripting is highly desirable and can be obtained from self study or local sources such as the Florida Community College and University system. Undertaking such training should be coordinated with the SOO and MIC.

Goal Three Demonstrate the highest levels of professional training by extending the envelope of operational mesoscale meteorological knowledge.

1. Development and Presentation of Scientific or Operational Studies In contrast to last year, a heavy operational training load will necessitate less research and fewer studies in FY 2000. Still, studies developed personally, or in collaboration with others, which enhance and extend operational mesoscale meteorological knowledge, and better forecast processes or methods is a continuing goal of our professional development program. Such studies can be for the local staff, a group of offices (Florida, coastal CWA’s, Southern Region) or a national professional organization of meteorologists (NWS, AMS or NWA for example). By its very nature, this level of professional effort is indicative of a highly trained, seasoned professional; a person who is at the summit of the profession and contributing to the development of other professionals. These items will be both highly regarded and highly weighted as annual training in recognition of the many hours spent in thought, review and documentation. A unique opportunity for presentation will exist this summer with the venue for AMS Weather and Forecasting, NWP, and Mesoscale Processes Conferences all scheduled in Ft. Lauderdale on 30 July to 02 August 2001. Abstracts are due by 20 January.

II. Lower Priority Goals Some of these goals may be accomplished whenever the opportunity presents itself, or other programs cannot be utilized on a training shift. These goals may also be accomplished on other shifts during periods of quiet weather and as time permits.

Goal Four Demonstrate the high levels of professional training by improving operational capabilities in support of the office mission.

1. Focal point duties and operational projects Though in one sense not strictly training, improvements in the operations area or assigned focal point duties undertaken as specific projects, are certainly professional development projects. Development of new facets to the focal point program, a new manual or duty “cookbook”, or focal point or Intranet training programs will be highly credited. In fact, any preapproved project developed to ensure an enhanced depth and breadth of understanding by others is important to the office mission. These items are given a lower training priority (but substantial mission priority) in that they are ongoing efforts to improve each focal point area by using resources at hand to produce targeted training, and as such, will be heavily weighted in the annual training revue process. These items should be developed with concurrence of the SOO and MIC, but need not be initiated at the start of a fiscal year cycle.

2. Internet, Intranet and XML/HTML training Although this is a relatively low priority goal, this powerful wood processor is still the standard in the Southern Region, and basic XML/HTML is the language of the Internet. If you prepare a research paper, a report, or other written communication, these are the tools to use. Word Perfect approaches and even surpasses some of the desktop publishers on the market. Graphics, tables and other explanatory vehicles can be inserted in the text to further clarity what you are trying to say. It also does a basic translation into HTML. A tutorial is available on most computers that have Word Perfect installed and will provide you with basic information on this program. An HTML tutorial is available in the INTRANET training and documentation section. Here again, skills must be practiced during or after they are acquired for you to retain what is learned. Due to the complexity of this word processor, it may provide some initial frustrations, but if you persist, you will become proficient with the program.

3. Geographic Information System Training (GIS) This is a technology which may soon be integrated into AWIPS to allow even greater capability to geo-reference our data to a relational database. Any available training in this area will be highly weighted as formal course work in consonance with the office mission.

Goal Five Demonstrate high levels of professional training by pursuit of other activities to obtain expertise.

This is a catchall. Your individual effort to improve your professional skills through internal or external activity is also a low priority training goal but may be weighted from low to high weighting. This would include taking a college course on a relevant topic, participation in external outreach programs of the office, or any number of ways that you as a professional (in consultation with the MIC and SOO) have determined are necessary and consistent with your personal goals for professional development.

SUMMARY

This list of goals and items does not represent all that the meteorologist should focus on, but represents a path or approach to important training and subject matter. Hopefully this document points out some areas that need to be studied, improved or skills to be acquired.

Other materials, such as periodicals, present recent findings and approaches to forecast problems and should be reviewed from time to time for topics of interest or applications to the forecast process or meteorology in general. Articles or papers of interest will be brought to your attention and should be reviewed as they become available. When you are on an extra or quiet shift, consider training on the PDW, or an Intranet or Internet tutorial and budget your time according to your personal training needs. If you have questions, come and talk to me.

Pat Welsh, SOO, NWSO JAX