EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Environmental Assessment and Prediction Mission
Advance Short-Term Warning
Implement Seasonal to Interannual Climate Forecasts
Predict and Assess Decadal to Centennial Change
Promote Safe Navigation
Environmental Stewardship Mission
Crosscutting Initiatives
Reducing Costs and Improving Effectiveness
Budget Request--
Traditional Structure
Budget Request--
Strategic Plan Structure
Supplementary Tables
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Advance Short-Term Warning and Forecast Services
Total Request: $1,324,878,000
NOAA requests $1,324.9 million to address this strategic goal, a net
increase of $178.5 million over the FY 1999 Base. The objectives are to:
- maintain weather service modernized operations;
- maintain continuous operational satellite coverage;
- strengthen observing and prediction systems; and
- improve customer service to the public.
These objectives will be accomplished primarily through the efforts of
the National Weather Service (NWS), the National Environmental Satellite,
Data and Information Service (NESDIS) and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric
Research (OAR).
For the NWS, the request provides $489.3 million for operations and research,
including a net increase of $34.8 million from 1998 to implement the budgets
and associated program activities recommended in the study conducted by
John J. Kelly, BGD/Gen (Ret), An Assessment of the Fiscal Requirements to
Operate the Modernized National Weather Service during Fiscal Years 1998
and 1999, and $152.8 million for major systems acquisition supporting the
modernization, a net decrease of $32.9 million.
Within the total amount for NWS operations, an increase of $4.2 million
is requested to initiate the national implementation of Advanced Hydrologic
Prediction System, a real time modeling and data analysis system which will
significantly improve flood forecasting and water management in the U.S.
Within the total amount for systems acquisition in the Procurement, Acquisition
and Construction (PAC) account, the NWS requests $67.7 million for continued
deployment of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS),
a decrease of $49.2 million over the 1999 base.
For NESDIS, $501.5 million is needed to ensure continuous Geostationary
Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and Polar-orbiting Operational
Environmental Satellite (POES) coverage including environmental observing
services, an increase of $152.3 million from the 1999 base; and $64.7 million
is required to meet NOAA's commitment to share development costs with the
Department of Defense for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental
Satellite System, an increase of $30.7 million over the 1999 base.
OAR requests a total of $52.7 million, a net increase of $0.2 million
from the 1999 base, to advance the science of weather forecasting over land,
sea and space, and to improve weather-related observing technologies. In
particular, an increase of $5.0 million is requested for the High Performance
Computing and Communications (HPCC) program to lease or purchase a massively
parallel processing computer to improve national and regional-scale weather
prediction models. Many of these activities are key components of the interagency
Natural Disaster Reduction Initiative which will improve the Nation's resiliency
to extreme natural events.
Also included is a net decrease of $6.6 million for program reductions,
terminations and distributed infrastructure changes.
The scientific, research and capital investments required for the modernization
of weather services--including radars and satellites, advanced computer
models and communications systems, and field restructuring--is paying off
with lives saved, property damages avoided,
and impacts mitigated for weather-sensitive sectors of the economy.
In 1997, NOAA completed the national implementation of the Next-Generation
Weather Radar (NEXRAD) Network and provided operational demonstration of
the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction System in the Des Moines River Basin.
The U.S. Weather Research Program improved the accuracy of Hurricane Prediction
models and promises continued advances in weather services following several
key research experiments. Collaborative science, technology, and applied
research programs provided important advances to the national weather prediction
and warning capabilities of the nation.
During 1997, NWS forecasters issued numerous tornado warnings with improved
lead times in excess of 15 minutes, minimizing the loss of life. For example,
in Arkansas, tornado warnings were issued with 18-32 minute lead times and
warnings were issued for 98% of all events that occurred, giving citizens
valuable warning time to take protective actions.
Flood warning statements were issued 3-7 days in advance of Pacific Northwest
flooding and flood potential statements were issued eight weeks in advance
of record spring flooding in the Upper Midwest, and six hours of advance
notice were provided for flash flooding.
These results show that NOAA's weather modernization is demonstrating
its benefits in tangible ways. Warning and forecast services are enhancing
public safety and the economic productivity of the Nation. Maintaining this
critical investment and capability is a key NOAA objective. With this enhanced
infrastructure, the Nation can realize annual benefits in excess of $7 billion. |