An NSSL/CIMMS team has been honored with the 2013 NOAA Technology Award for the development of the Warning Decision Support System – Integrated Information On Demand (WDSS-II: On Demand).
The citation reads: “For leading the development of an on-demand, near real-time, web-based tool for tracking severe weather and hail swaths across the continental US.”
The NOAA Technology Transfer Award recognizes NOAA scientific, engineering, and technical employees for achievements that are developed further as commercial applications, or that advance the transfer of NOAA science and technology to U.S. businesses, academia, other government and non-government entities.
WDSS-II: On Demand uses near-real time WSR-88D radar data provided by the NOAA National Weather Service, as well as satellite imagery, surface weather observations, and lightning data, to automatically identify and track radar signatures associated with severe thunderstorms that can produce tornadoes and large hail. The web-based tool provides a simple user interface to request specific times and areas to search for severe storm tracks.
After demonstrating the system to first responders, the tool has proven to be widely popular with the American Red Cross, emergency managers and the insurance industry in providing prompt service to their constituents.
The web-based system is not available to the general public but is freely available to users on a .gov, .edu, or .mil domain. Other non-commercial users who are involved in the protection of life and property can easily obtain permission to use it by contacting NSSL. The tool is a component of the multi-radar, multi-sensor (MRMS) Warning Decision Support System-Integrated Information (WDSS-II) system that has been licensed by the University of Oklahoma to many commercial vendors and .com users.
Congratulations to Travis Smith (CIMMS), Kiel Ortega (CIMMS), Greg Stumpf (MDL), Kevin Manross (NCAR), Valliappa Lakshmanan (CIMMS), Karen Cooper (INDUS), Madison Miller, Dave Jorgensen (NSSL) and John Cintineo (University of Wisconsin – Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies).
