National Weather Service AWIPS Software Recommendation and Evaluation

National Weather Service AWIPS Software Recommendation and Evaluation Committee (SREC) Status Meeting January 31, 2006 Systems Engineering Center 1

Agenda • OB 7 Status • Content, Schedule • Planning for OB 8 • Action Item review • Next Meeting Agenda 2

OB 7 Status Contents • SREC approved OB 7 contents broken up into 2 smaller releases – 7. 1 and 7. 2 • See Appendix A specific contents • Release 7. 1 – DS Decom, Dx 3/4, OS/COTS, Applications, OB 6 pushed items, critical DRs • Release 7. 2 – DS Decom (MHS, NIS), Remaining OB 7 items, DRs • Looking for opportunity to add a few data tasks previously discussed at the October 2005 SREC meeting into Release 7. 2. – – – Simulated Reflectivity from WRF (06 -001) High Resolution Global SST Analysis (06 -002) SPC Convective Outlook GOES Low Cloud Base (05 -062) Climate: Preliminary F 6 3

OB 7 Status Schedule 4

OB 8 Planning Schedule December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 1, 2006 Finalize SREC Categories and Development Allocation Finalize SREC Process Finalize draft list of OB 8 Task Prioritize draft list of OB 8 tasks Obtain sizing information and develop release contents SREC and S&T Approval Task Development Organizations 5

OB 8 Planning – OB 7 Process Improvement • Concern: Refine SREC Categories and Responsibilities • Tactical and Strategic Lists mixed together – Concern about New Science category • • Not easy to categorize Directive changes not addressed DRs not done as part of SREC Need method to handle Small Enhancements • Improvement: Proposed SREC Changes • Categories – – – Strategic Infrastructure Adaptive and Corrective Maintenance (A&C) • Include » New Science » Directive Changes » Small Enhancements » DRs 6

OB 8 Planning – SREC Categories • Strategic • Definition – Advance the state of the AWIPS system – Longer term or less mature items requiring more planning, investment in resources, and are of greater complexity • Examples – Next Generation Warning Tool, Improve Installation Times, Software Training, LDAD Server Replacement • Responsibilities – Gathering and Prioritization • Jason Tuell (SEC – Programming Branch) » Members with Strategic view – Release Approval • SREC and S&T Committee 7

OB 8 Planning – SREC Categories • Infrastructure • Definition – Changes to adapt to new technology (software and hardware), and to enhance system performance, stability and maintainability • Examples – COTS changes, utilizing new hardware, GRIB 2 Decoder transition from MDL to NCEP decoder, removing local data access on NAS, site identifier changes, time zone changes • Responsible – Gathering and Prioritization • Tim Hopkins (SEC – Analysis Branch) » Members with a system point of view » Development Organizations, Raytheon/Keane, TTs and DR analysis, Sw. EG, SET, Performance Working Group – Release Approval • SREC and S&T Committee 8

OB 8 Planning – SREC Categories • Adaptive and Corrective Maintenance (A&C) • Definition – Enhance existing applications and services to accommodate new products or process and produce immediate and substantial return given the time and resources invested in their implementation – New Science – Nearer term or more mature items, lower hanging fruit, small enhancements – Changes to NWS Directives that require an AWIPS software change – DRs • Examples – Most of the OB 7 SREC Tactical items (e. g. , ingest and display of radar data, model data) • Responsible – Gathering and Prioritization • Edwin Welles (SEC – Development Branch) • Members with a user point of view – Release Approval • SREC and S&T Committee 9

OB 8 Planning – SREC Process • Gather potential candidates • SEC IWT members will submit potential candidates for OB 8 or OB 9 – Responsibility: SEC OSIP IWT members – Items on the original AWIPS Master List must re-enter through OSIP (e. g. , SON) • Responsibility: SREC members • This is a continuing process…the IWT leads will submit to the SREC a request for a release to complete the Gate 2 or Gate 3 Project Plan • Add candidates to the new SREC Master List • Assign to a category (Strategic, A&C) and to the AWIPS Master List • Responsibility: SEC Management • SREC Master list will be kept at the SREC Website • Responsibility: OST/SEC – SREC Vice Chair • For each category, evaluate and prioritize candidates, based on mission priorities, for integration into the AWIPS baseline • Responsibility: SREC Voting members • Must Do items as defined by senior management (i. e. , memo) will be given the highest priority • Weighted averages will be used to compile voting 10

OB 8 Planning – SREC Process • For each category, conduct a high level analysis on the top priority recommendations and determine an AWIPS release. • This analysis will includes impacts (e. g. , SBN Bandwidth), level of effort, and resources available to fulfill need • SEC has the option to change development allocation – Responsibility: Raytheon/Keane with assistance from SEC and the Development organizations • SREC Approval • SREC voting members will have an opportunity to comment and suggest changes to the release content • S&T Committee Approval • Prepared Change Requests for AWIPS CCB approval • Software Release and Data Items (e. g. , RUC, Polar Vis) 11

OB 8 Planning Development Allocation • Development Allocation for FY 06 briefed to Corporate Board was not achieved • More effort in A&C • Less effort in Infrastructure and Strategic • Increase Infrastructure and Strategic, and decrease A&C for OB 8 • Even out the overall distribution for FY 06 to be more like the Corporate Board vision 12

OB 8 Planning Development Allocation Briefed to Corporate Board Actual OB 7 Planned OB 8 13

OB 8 Candidates • Infrastructure • • • • OS Upgrade COTS Upgrades Transition to Red. Hat Package Manager Communications Interface between NCF and Replacement Telecommunications Gateway (RTG) Port to NCEP GRIB 2 Decoder GFE Performance Improvements Removing local data access on NAS Consolidate MOS/BUFR Decoders Option on D 2 D to allow isopleth interval to be set during zooming (Approved OB 1 RC) Allow user ability to save a multiple pane setup as a single procedure (ER suggestion) GIS for RFCs Replace Simpacts Trouble Ticket Analysis Elimination of all use of "R" commands in AWIPS 14

OB 8 Candidates • Infrastructure • Hydrology – Re-Implement/Modernize the NWSRFS Interactive Calibration Program (ICP) • As the new functionality for ICP will continue to be required, the ability to enhance and extend the software is necessary to allow the NWS to continue to calibrate hydrologic models for additional forecast points throughout the country. The ICP needs to be redesigned and re-implemented based on a recently created functional requirements specification. – Synchronize RFC Archive Database and IHFS Database Meta Data • A requirement for the sharing of meta-data between the IHFS Database and the RFC Archive Database exists. • Software Tool(s) need to be developed. – Continue Migrating WHFS Hydro. View Into D 2 D • Previously in OB 5, station observation and forecast data from the IHFS Database was made available for plotting on maps in D 2 D using the OHD Point Data Control (PDC) feature as implemented by MDL. • In this task we would like to explore the continued merging of WHFS Hydro. View capability into D 2 D to ultimately remove the necessary context switching a forecaster must do today to view and assess the hydrologic situation (using Hydro. View) separately from the meteorological situation (using D 2 D). • The key tasks would be to update and improve the PDC, merge Hydro. View geographic map displays into D 2 D, and merge the myriad of non-geographical informational pop-ups from Hydro. View into D 2 D. 15

OB 8 Candidates • Strategic • • Distributed Hydrologic Modeling (04 -007) – – – OHD enhancements to DHM; WFOA/D-2 D enhancements in support of grids at WFOs (OB 7 was RFC only) GFE support of DHM grids Next Generation Warning Tool (04 -008) NCEP Short/Med Range Models (05 -007) – – add HPC six hourly QPF grids (00 - 72 hours) add CPC 6 -10 and 8 -14 day Temp and Precip Grids Analysis of Record (05 -008) – – Add RTMA products for OCONUS (one or both of AK Region and Pacific Region) (Same parameter set as CONUS). Add more parameters to the CONUS (and, if any as in item 1, above, OCONUS) – Complete baseline changes for GFE support of RTMA (CONUS and, if any as in item 1, OCONUS) • Some candidate parameters: Max. T, Min. T, pressure. Max. T, Min. T, • • • Visualization Techniques (05 -021) Develop prototype data distribution method (05 -040) NWS AWIPS Software Training Capability (05 -081) • • Improve Installation time (05 -058) Aviation Tiger Team • – – i. e. , Displace Real Time Graphical Products in AWIPS (05 -68) Tactical Decision Aids (Graf – OCWWS) 4 D Weather Information (Graf – OCWWS) Replace LDAD Servers (Hopkins – SEC) 16

OB 8 Candidates • Corrective and Adaptive Maintenance • DRs – new DRs found during OB 8 development and old DRs currently on the books of sufficient priority • NWS Directives Changes – Place holder for possible software changes needed for, as yet unknown • Radar – Super Resolution 88 D base products (04 -002) – Additional TDWR products (e. g. , storm track, mesocyclone, tornado, rainfall accumulation, VIL) (04 -001) – MIGFA Gust Front Product (05 -061) – ARSR-4 and ASR-11 radar products – Canadian Radar products (04 -013) – Estimated Actual Velocity – Moving Point Meteogram – Integrated Radar/Environmental Sampling 17

OB 8 Candidates • Corrective and Adaptive Maintenance • Model – – NOGAPS (OB 6 SREC) FNMOC Wave Watch Model Guidance (OB 6 SREC) ECMWF model (05 -070) All 12 km Eta products CONUS & AK upgraded to 10 km WRF (OB 7 SREC) • – – – All fields for GFE initialization Improved Medium-Range Model Guidance (e. g. , ECMWF) (05 -070) SPCs Convective Outlook (NCEP - Gordon) Operational Modeling for Great Lakes (05 -083) Gridded MOS (OCONUS, additional fields) (05 -006) Low Cloud Base Product (05 -062) High Resolution Background files (05 -071) • site procedures to download new shape files and run some localization scripts – Ensembles (WR – Edman) • 4 -D Storm. Cell Investigator (05 -084) • MADIS (WR – Edman) – Supplemental observations 18

OB 8 Candidates • Corrective and Adaptive Maintenance • OHD – Complete Integration of RFC QPE Tools into a Common National QPE System • Complete the integration of appropriate components of Western Region’s “Mountain Mapper” suite of local applications into the OHD Multi-Sensor Precipitation Estimator (MPE). • Add the ability to MPE to automatically create three new output QPE grids using satellite precipitation estimation data. They are the Satellite-Radar-Gage product, the Satellite-Gage product, and the Satellite-Radar product. – Replace SACSMA Frozen Ground Algorithm • The new frozen ground algorithm to be added into the NWSRFS SACSMA model accounts more completely and precisely for the effects of frozen ground upon rainfall runoff computations than the current algorithm. • The effects of frozen ground are particularly important in the spring runoff when frozen ground causes increases in the runoff. The new frozen ground algorithm also computes soil moisture and temperature at selected depths allowing the NWS to provide additional information to customers. • Today, the new algorithm exists in a scientific prototype and must be made operational for the RFCs. 19

OB 8 Candidates • Corrective and Adaptive Maintenance • OHD – WHFS Site-Specific Hydrologic Prediction (SSHP) Model • OCWWS/HSD has written a Need Identification Document and two Statements Of Need (SON) for improvements to the SSHP. • The two SONs address the need to add a snow melt modeling capability and to add a small tributary connectivity capability. – Enhance NWSRFS Streamflow Regulation Accounting Tools • Operational use and testing of the NWSRFS “RES-J” operation, including its application to streamflow regulation accounting with the Missouri Basin River Forecast Center (MBRFC), has revealed the need and value of enhancing RES-J functionality. • Specific to this task are four enhancements, RES-J Hindcasting Capability, RES-J “Lookup 3”, RES-J Diversion From a Node, and RES-J Variable Lag in Lag/K. 20

SREC Action Review • For NOGAPS and FNMOC OCWWS will prepare a memo for CIO to ask that resources be devoted to this task (Weeks). • Status – Letter prepared. Action Closed • OCWWS will look at the level of effort required to see what it would take to get a new agreement for ECWMF (Art Thomas) • Status – Recommend going through OSIP. Action Closed • The SEC will clarify the requirements and then coordinate the activities and funding required implementing this request for additional Alpha testing at Regional Headquarters (Mandel). • Status – Working issue • Send out a memo asking for approval from the SREC voting members of the OB 7 contents contained in Attachment 1. (Mandel) • Status – Approval letters received from voting members. Action closed. 21

SREC Action Review • Action: Brief OCWWS management on the OSIP process for small enhancements and discusses how to best manage the development and implementation of NWS directives (Mandel) • • Status – Conducted on January 17, 2006 Action (Mandel) – Identify method to handle small enhancements 22

Next Meeting Agenda • Meeting to be held on February 28 at 2: 30 pm EDT • OB 7 Status • Planning for OB 8 – Finalize potential tasks for OB 8 – Begin prioritization • Review of action items 23

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 1 • Infrastructure • Operating System and COTS Upgrades (GSD, Keane, OHD) – D 2 D, ADAPT, OHD, GFE, MHS, LAPS, NMAP, NWRWAVES, RFC software • Decommission DS (GSD, SEC, Keane, OHD) – Move all applications (e. g. , Port Dial-Up Radar, LDAD capability, MHS, GFE, AVNFPS) • Utilize DX 3/DX 4 (Keane) • Time Zone Changes – Name change for Guam • Deployed prior to OB 7. 1 to Guam by SST • Deployed prior to OB 7. 1 to no more than 3 sites by SST – Indiana – DST Start/End time changes • Key West Identifier Change (GSD, Keane, OHD) – Deployed prior to OB 7. 1 to selected sites around Key West by Keane (May 2, 2006) • New Chat Server Client (DR 16790) (SEC) • IFPS Enhancements (Keane) – Postgre. SQL conversion – Remove Obsolete code • • • Additional Frame (64) Capability (GSD) Display Subset of GFE parameters in D 2 D (GSD) Installation with Red Hat Package Manager (SEC) 24

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 1 • GFE (GSD) • Data Items – Add the capability to use NCDC climatological data in GFE for display, smart tools, and formatters – OPC and TAFB Offshore Gridded Significant Wave Height Forecasts in GFE – Add the capability to use Gridded MOS data in GFE for display, smart tools, and formatters – Model name change from ETA to NAM • Regional Change requests – SRF Formatter – CWF/Infra: provide option to label 24 -hr periods with day of week (tk 4468) • Directive Changes (NWS 10 -503) – – – – Changes in GFE Practice Mode Temperature Phrasing changes (10 -503) Cloud Category Changes (10 -503) No upper Po. P thresholds for ZFP (10 -503) Steady Temperature Phrases (10 -503) Sky/Wx/Pop phrasing (10 -503) Product Expiration Times (all) SFT addition of nighttime Po. Ps 25

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 1 • GFE (GSD) • This DCS also includes derived requirements and required formatter infrastructure changes to support the above development and compliance with directives. These generally are small development items. These include: – Limiting increasing/decreasing wording in Scalar Phrases (tk 4112) – Removing issuance. Type option in AFD (tk 4461) – Sample. Analysis: option for get. Existing. Weighted. Aggregate. Cov, get. Highest. Weighted. Aggregrate. Cov and no. Wx_Percentage thresholds (tk 4539, 4551, 4555) – AFD update section before Discussion section (tk 4544) – include. Cities, include. Zone. Name, city. Descriptor additions to Generic. Report (tk 4576) – cmd line variables to override Definition entries (tk 4577) – get. Pop. Type refinements in Scalar. Phrases (tk 4589) – Allowed Hazards changes for tropical (tk 4630) – ZFP/SAF ordering of wind summary and report Trends (tk 4633) – More complete error recovery from inifinite loop (tk 4640) – Sky/Pop/Wx and local effects (tk 4552) – VTEC default mode of "O", except for "X" on MWS – TCV/CWF VTEC UPG headlines – FFA list of counties/areas and wording improvements 26

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 1 • GFE (GSD) • Improvements to Automated testing - Changes to support improved automated support improved testing. • Infrastructure Improvements - Small enhancements for GUI and other Infrastructure operations of GFE involving infrastructure. Improvements includes these type of tasks: – – – Spell checker enhancement (tk 4473) Product Editor generation of segment times in error (tk 4538) Wind. Chill/Heat Index tools conform to limits (tk 4598) Make. Hazard procedure - add descriptors (tk 4600) Make. Hazard procedure - LB. Y needs to be added (tk 4601) Merge. Hazards procedure - should be writable (tk 4608) Ice Desk Configuration for AFC in server. Config (tk 4624) Site. Info for IWX needs updating (tk 4626) Diagnostics for bad wx key or discrete key, show original string (tk 4627) configure. Text. Products for RFCs shoujld ignore unknown WFO info (tk 4614) isc. Mosaic - add configurable delay for grids for MDL svc bckup (tk 4652) 27

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 1 • Model • Gridded MOS (CONUS)-5 km grid, issued 2 x daily (Keane with data from MDL) • Radar (GSD) • • • Snowfall Accumulation Product Plan View Display of VWP Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm DVL low value/linear scale change RDA/SZ-2 Range Unfolding VCPs All Tilts Navigation improvements • Aviation Forecast Preparation System (AVNFPS) Version 3. 2 (MDL) • • • Conditional Climatology Overhaul Creation of Guidance TAF Enhance Avn. FPS to monitor TAF flight categories Monitor ceiling and visibility grids Overhaul TWEB QC routines • Satellite (GSD) • Polar Visible and IR Imagery 28

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 1 • Hydrology (OHD) • WHFS Hydro. View Enhancement to Replace “Mapper” (partial) • Integration of RFC QPE tools into a common National System (partial) • RSA Modifications (GSD) • Tabular text application • Time Series changes to ordinate (y-axis) labeling • Volume Browser – – accommodation for feet and ft AGL in VB height scales on-the-fly analysis of mesonet data in VB radar data avbl in VB for cross sections, etc. range rings extension • DRs (GSD, Keane, OHD, MDL, CR, OOS) 29

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 2 • Infrastructure • Decommission DS (Keane) – MHS and NIS Master • COTS Change (GSD, Keane, OHD) – Degib 1. 75+ • Convert RFC Archiver Databases & Software to Postgre. SQL (OHD) • Test/Practice Mode Enhancements (GSD) • IFPS (Keane) – Service Backup Enhancements • Decommission WWA (GSD, MDL) • Intelligent Purger Enhancements (GSD) • Remove WSFO logic from localization (GSD) 30

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 2 • Radar (GSD, Keane) • Send environmental data from AWIPS to RPG • Generate products for non-assoc. user requests (e. g, RCS, VCS, ULR, USP) • Add products to TDWR SPG – candidates are: composite reflectivity (CZ and/or ULR), VAD wind profile (VWP), Vertically Integrated Liquid (VIL) 31

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 2 • Model data (Keane) • GFS BUFR Sounding Data • Full suite of SREF products for CONUS and OCONUS • All 40 km RUC products upgraded to 13 km • LAMP Products (Text, BUFR, gridded) • OPC and TAFB Offshore Gridded Significant Wave Height Forecasts • Analysis of record (Real-Time Mesoscale Analysis – RTMA) • Gridded MOS (CONUS)-5 km grid, issued 2 x daily (additional variables) 32

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 2 • Hydrology • Operational Implementation of Distributed Hydrologic Modeling (OHD, Keane) • Includes display menu and map menu changes • WHFS Hydro. View Enhancement to Replace “Mapper” (complete 7. 1 work) (OHD) • Integration of RFC QPE tools into a common National System (complete 7. 1 work) (OHD) • Satellite (Keane) • Polar Microwave Products • Cloud Amount DPI • NWRWAVES (CR, OOS) 33

Appendix A OB 7 Contents – 7. 2 • Decision Assistance (MDL) • • SCAN Enhancements SAFESEAS Enhancements Fog Monitor FFMP Enhancements Guardian System for Nowcasting Of Winter Weather (SNOW) LSR Enhancements • Aviation Forecast Preparation System (AVNFPS) (MDL) • TBD • GFE (GSD) • 25% of Effort – Regional Change requests – Site support and NCF training • 75% of the effort – Performance Enhancements to be delivered Post OB 7 • RSA Modifications (GSD) • LDAD storage changes to accommodate more frequent reports • DRS (GSD, Keane, OHD, MDL, CR, OOS) 34