Report to Congress: United States Weather Research Program Annual Project Report

USWRP began in the 1990s, with a principal motivation to accelerate the rate of forecast improvements by taking advantage of science results and technology advancements, which satisfy an increased need for improved weather information in weather sensitive economic sectors. The program has continued to emphasize the transition of research in five critical areas to produce advances in observational, computing, and modeling capabilities to support substantial improvement in weather forecasting and prediction of high-impact weather events: heavy precipitation and associated flooding; tropical storms; air quality; severe weather; and the social science necessary to improve the communication of weather information to decision-makers. USWRP funds projects that test and demonstrate new cutting-edge science and technology, which the National Weather Service (NWS) can use operationally to improve NOAA’s weather and hydrologic forecasting services for the public. The goal of these projects is to apply new innovative forecasting techniques, models, and products in a quasi-operational environment where NWS forecasters are able to learn and use the products during simulated forecasting and warning exercises. Most of the USWRP-supported transition activities1 have been associated with three NOAA testbeds: the Hydrometeorology Testbed,2 located at the NWS Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland; the Joint Hurricane Testbed,3 located at the NWS National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida; and the Hazardous Weather Testbed,4 located at the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma. USWRP also funds projects at universities, NOAA Cooperative Institutes, and private companies that seek to improve NWS weather and air quality forecasting services. NWS provides forecasting guidance to Federal and state governments that are responsible for public air quality alerts. These products include ozone, smoke, and particulate matter products updated on a daily basis that impact human health. 2020 NWS (National Weather Service) OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) Weather Act (Weather Research & Forecasting Innovation Act) Submitted https://doi.org/10.25923/ym22-5x08 Public Domain 1931