NOAA’s National Weather ServiceMeeting America’s Needs
Brig. Gen. David L. Johnson, USAF (Ret.) NOAA Assistant Administrator for Weather Services
AMS Public Health ForumApril 16, 2007
“America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
2 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
Presentation Overview
• The National Weather Service Overview– We’re In Your Neighborhood
• The Nation’s Risks:– Extreme Climate, Weather, and Water– The Future
• NWS and Public Health: – A Prescription for America
LandOceans Space Environment
AtmosphereClimate
NOAA’s National Weather Service
3 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
• Provide climate, water, weather forecasts and warnings to protect life and property and enhance the economy
• 76 billion observations
• 1.5 million forecasts
• 50,000 warnings
A Typical Year Brings: A Typical Year Brings: – 7 Hurricanes7 Hurricanes– 1,000 Tornadoes1,000 Tornadoes– 5,000 Floods5,000 Floods– 10,000 Violent Thunderstorms10,000 Violent Thunderstorms– Drought ConditionsDrought Conditions– 500 Deaths; 5,000 Injuries; 500 Deaths; 5,000 Injuries;
$14 Billion in Losses$14 Billion in Losses
NWS Overview
4 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
MinutesMinutes
HoursHours
DaysDays
6 – 10 Days6 – 10 Days
8 – 14 Days8 – 14 Days
MonthsMonthsSeasonsSeasons YearsYears
Forecast Uncertainty
Protection ofLife & Property
Hydropower Recreation Ecosystem
State/LocalPlanning
Environment
Flood Mitigation& Navigation
Agriculture ReservoirControl
Health
SpaceOperations
Transportation
Fire Weather Energy
Outlooks
Guidance
Threats Assessments
Forecasts
Watches
Warnings & Alert
Coordination
Fore
cast
Lea
d Ti
me
Benefits
Seamless Suite of Products
NWS Overview
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NWS Overview Facilities
6 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
NWS OverviewNOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
7 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
The Nation’s Risks:Extreme Climate, Weather, and Water
8 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
Atlantic Tropical Cyclones since 1886
The Nation’s Risks:Extreme Climate, Weather, and Water
9 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
The Nation’s Risks:Extreme Climate, Weather, and Water
Hurricane Katrina
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Phot
os b
y AP
Hurricane KatrinaCostly Human and Societal Effects
The Nation’s Risks:Extreme Climate, Weather, and Water
11 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
1033
1819
1264958
0
500
1000
1500
2000
10 Yr Avg 2004 2005 2006
Tornado ReportsRecord
The Nation’s Risks:Extreme Climate, Weather, and Water
12 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
The dynamic Earth is a complex system of systems.
The Future Action for America
NOAA—Total Environmental Awareness
13 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
Community Preparedness Campaigns
The Future Action for America
14 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
StormReady & TsunamiReady
The Future Action for America
~1,172 Stormready Communities in 50 States40 TsunamiReady Communities in 10 States
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NOAA TEAM END USERSPARTNERS
Saving Lives Through Partnerships
The Future Action for America
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NWS and Public Health A Call for Cooperative Action for America
• Recognizing Public Health Sector can gain value from weather and climate predictions
• Realizing Weather Enterprise potential for public health services
17 “America’s Weather Enterprise: Protecting Lives, Livelihoods, and Your Way of Life”
NWS and Public Health A Call for Cooperative Action for America
Public Health ConnectionsPublic Health Connections
• Direct effects on humansDirect effects on humans
• Transportation accidentsTransportation accidents
• Disruption of health infrastructure Disruption of health infrastructure
• Effects through changes in incidence Effects through changes in incidence of diseases (vector- , water-born, and of diseases (vector- , water-born, and otherwise) otherwise)
• Effects through safety and nutritional Effects through safety and nutritional value of food suppliesvalue of food supplies
• Improved medical treatmentImproved medical treatment
Weather Enterprise Weather Enterprise ExamplesExamples
• Temperature, Weather hazards, Wildfire, Temperature, Weather hazards, Wildfire, Solar, Ocean Conditions, Air Quality, Solar, Ocean Conditions, Air Quality, Driving Safety, ClimateDriving Safety, Climate
• ““Bad” weather, Ocean Conditions, Bad” weather, Ocean Conditions, Floods, ClimateFloods, Climate
• ““Bad” weather, Floods, Solar, ClimateBad” weather, Floods, Solar, Climate
• Marine and Coastal Ecosystems, Air Marine and Coastal Ecosystems, Air Quality, Floods and droughts, Weather, Quality, Floods and droughts, Weather, ClimateClimate
• Marine and Coastal Ecosystems, Floods Marine and Coastal Ecosystems, Floods and droughts, Climateand droughts, Climate
• Pharmaceuticals and marine natural Pharmaceuticals and marine natural productsproducts
Connecting Public Health and the Weather Enterprise
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NWS and Public Health A Call for Cooperative Action for America
• Heat extreme: Today’s high heat means drink plenty of water, take rest breaks while exercising.
• Good weather: It’s a great day to get out walk the dog.
• …and much more!
Health Messages Broadcast By TV Meteorologists
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NWS and Public Health A Call for Cooperative Action for America
• Who should be responsible for educating the public health sector on weather, water and climate issues?
• Who should disseminate it to the health sector?
• Who in health sector should take on responsibility of receiving weather education?
• Who will be decision makers for response to predictions?
Many Questions Remain Unanswered
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NWS and Public Health A Call for Cooperative Action for America
• New Partners: We share many parallels in goals, culture, and methods.
• Public Health Role: Take advantage of Weather Enterprise capabilities.
• Weather Enterprise Role: America’s Weather Enterprise products should support public health.
Prescription for Moving Forward