Faith BordenFaith Borden

Warning Coordination MeteorologistWarning Coordination Meteorologist

Las Vegas, NVLas Vegas, NV

NWSChatNWSChatThe Future of Communications!The Future of Communications!

Who is the National Weather Service?Who is the National Weather Service?

• A FEDERAL AGENCY UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF A FEDERAL AGENCY UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCECOMMERCE

• BRANCH OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND BRANCH OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)

• OPERATES 122 FIELD OFFICES, PLUS SEVERAL OPERATES 122 FIELD OFFICES, PLUS SEVERAL NATIONAL CENTERSNATIONAL CENTERS

• ANNUAL BUDGET APPROXIMATELY $800 MILLION, ANNUAL BUDGET APPROXIMATELY $800 MILLION, OR LESS THAN $3.00 PER U.S. CITIZENOR LESS THAN $3.00 PER U.S. CITIZEN

• ABOUT 5,000 EMPLOYEES NATIONWIDEABOUT 5,000 EMPLOYEES NATIONWIDE

• THE ONLY ENTITY TO ISSUE OFFICIAL SEVERE THE ONLY ENTITY TO ISSUE OFFICIAL SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES AND WARNINGSWEATHER WATCHES AND WARNINGS

NATIONAL WEATHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSIONSERVICE MISSION

TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY!

National Weather Service Offices National Weather Service Offices

WhatWhat is IEMChat?is IEMChat?

IEMChat is an instant messaging software program that is used between the NWS and select partners including the local media, Emergency Management, and spotters, pending

local office policy.

NWS

WhatWhat is NWSChat?is NWSChat?NWS

MediaMedia

Emergency Emergency

ManagersManagers

SpottersSpotters

AviationAviation

CommunityCommunity

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• Basically the same Basically the same principal as IEMChatprincipal as IEMChat

• Behind the NWS firewallBehind the NWS firewall

– More secureMore secure

– Better controlBetter control

• National Program – open National Program – open to every NWS officeto every NWS office

– New Feature: Aviation New Feature: Aviation Regional RoomsRegional Rooms

• Locked down for Locked down for aviation interest onlyaviation interest only

• For government For government partnerspartners

The GoalThe Goal

• Foster more real time communications between the Foster more real time communications between the National Weather Service and our partners. National Weather Service and our partners.

• Sharing information in more than one directionSharing information in more than one direction

• weather situations affecting an area and possible weather situations affecting an area and possible impacting operationsimpacting operations

– severe weather/flash flooding reports severe weather/flash flooding reports

– snowfall or heavy rain amountssnowfall or heavy rain amounts

• equipment outagesequipment outages

• forecast discussionsforecast discussions

• rapid updates during weather eventsrapid updates during weather events

NWSChat NWSChat Development and VisionDevelopment and Vision

• The NWSChat will be administered by the National Weather Service and will be located behind the .GOV firewall.

• The NWSChat will be available to the National Weather Service partners who share the mission for (public) weather information dissemination and safety.

•Transition from IEMChat to NWSChat will occur between Oct 2008 and Jan 2009

The very best part is…the project has come a long way and has been customized over the years to meet the participants needs and demands. It is anticipated for the program to continuously evolve as needed.

The NumbersThe Numbers

• The use of instant messaging has evolved and increased The use of instant messaging has evolved and increased over the years.over the years.

– Started in 2000 at one office (Birmingham, AL)Started in 2000 at one office (Birmingham, AL)

– 86 WFOs are currently using or experimenting with IEMChat 86 WFOs are currently using or experimenting with IEMChat (October 2008) (October 2008)

• IMETs, CWSUs, and NCEP Centers have begun experimenting with IMETs, CWSUs, and NCEP Centers have begun experimenting with IEMChatIEMChat

– With the transition to NWSChat, all weather offices should be With the transition to NWSChat, all weather offices should be availableavailable

• 34 offices in Central Region34 offices in Central Region

• 28 offices in Southern Region28 offices in Southern Region

• 4 offices in Eastern Region4 offices in Eastern Region

• 20 offices in Western Region20 offices in Western Region

– About 2700 total participantsAbout 2700 total participants

Advantages of Using IEMchatAdvantages of Using IEMchat

•A full archive of chats is available for later use or case studies.

• IEMChat has created a greater sense of community between NWS offices and our partners. This will hopefully grow with the transition to NWSChat.

• Capable of providing near real-time observations and NWS products when decision makers need the information and have little time to seek multiple sources of information.

–Giving our customers an increase in knowledge and helping to save lives and property.

• Each NWS Office has a dedicated chat room and ability to support multiple chat Each NWS Office has a dedicated chat room and ability to support multiple chat rooms. The ability to support enhanced service rooms.rooms. The ability to support enhanced service rooms.

• The chat room has a history function which allows you to see the last 40 lines The chat room has a history function which allows you to see the last 40 lines of conversations when you join the room.of conversations when you join the room.

• If you were to leave the chat room you don’t have to be re-invited to join again, If you were to leave the chat room you don’t have to be re-invited to join again, you can just log on.you can just log on.

• A server keeps an archive of all chats that allows you to refer back to any event A server keeps an archive of all chats that allows you to refer back to any event at any time.at any time.

• Another attractive feature of this solution is that the chat protocol (XMPP), Another attractive feature of this solution is that the chat protocol (XMPP), server (Openfire) and client (Pidgin) are all cross platform, Open Source, and server (Openfire) and client (Pidgin) are all cross platform, Open Source, and very secure. very secure.

– Behind the NWS firewall so hopefully the FAA will be able to take advantage of this Behind the NWS firewall so hopefully the FAA will be able to take advantage of this serviceservice

• The chat room is frequented by an automated process (named nwsbot) that The chat room is frequented by an automated process (named nwsbot) that relays NWS issued products to the chat room automatically. The nwsbot is fully relays NWS issued products to the chat room automatically. The nwsbot is fully VTEC aware and alerts users to non-VTEC products like MCDs from SPC, VTEC aware and alerts users to non-VTEC products like MCDs from SPC, hurricane statements from NHC, and even alerts when ASOS sites report severe hurricane statements from NHC, and even alerts when ASOS sites report severe wind gusts. This process average delivery time to the room is about 12 seconds wind gusts. This process average delivery time to the room is about 12 seconds from issuance.from issuance.

What Does the NWSChat What Does the NWSChat Platform Provide?Platform Provide?

Actual log from May 5, 2006

Tabbed environment allows you to Tabbed environment allows you to monitor monitor upstream and downstream offices.upstream and downstream offices.

The bot delivers mesoscale and watch The bot delivers mesoscale and watch links to the roomlinks to the room

Actual log from May 5, 2006

http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/cow/

Tabbed environment allows you to Tabbed environment allows you to monitor monitor upstream and downstream offices.upstream and downstream offices.

You can still see your buddy list and You can still see your buddy list and status too.status too.

Log from January 15, 2008Log from January 15, 2008

Regional Aviation RoomsRegional Aviation Rooms

BMX issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Montgomery [AL] till 6:30 PM CDT

Followup statements (SVS) BMX cancels Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Elmore [AL]

Special Marine Warnings MFL issues Marine Warning for Biscayne Bay, Coastal waters from Deerfield Beach to Ocean Reef FL out 20 nm [AM] till 8:45 AM EDT

Non-precipitating warnings (requires VTEC) OUN issues Fire Weather Warning valid at Aug 18, 12:00 PM CDT for Comanche, Stephens, Garvin, Murray, Pontotoc, Coal, Cotton, Jefferson, Carter, Johnston, Atoka, Love, Marshall, Bryan [OK] and Archer, Clay, Wichita [TX] till Aug 18, 8:00 PM CDT

SPC Mesoscale Convective Discussions (MCD) Storm Prediction Center issues Mesoscale Discussion #1836

SPC Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm watches Storm Prediction Center issues SEVERE TSTM watch till 17:00 UTC

National Hurricane Center products National Hurricane Center issues ADVISORY #32 for HURRICANE GORDON

ASOS extreme wind gusts WINNER,SD (KSFD) ASOS reports gust of 55 knots from SSE @ 0344Z KSFD 150353Z AUTO 16035G55KT 7SM FEW110 28/12 A2957 RMK AO2 PK WND 15055/0344 SLP991 T02780122 TSNO $

Local Storm Reports (LSR) Monroe [Turner Co, SD] emergency mngr reports TSTM WND DMG at 12:18 PM CDT -- 4 to 8 inch diameter tree limbs knocked down

WFO optional links to NOW casts, RER statements, Flood warnings/statements, Hurricane Statements, others can be added. SJU issues Flood Advisory (FLS)

NESDIS Satellite Precipitation Estimates (SPE) NESDIS issues Satellite Precipitation Estimates

IEM provided SchoolNet wind gust alerts UNITED COMMUNITY _ BOONE [Boone County] SNET reports 55 MPH from the N @ 05:55 AM

West Texas Mesonet wind gust alerts GRAHAM,TX (XGHS) ASOS reports gust of 52 knots from SSE @ 2110Z XGHS 162110Z 15033G52KT -RA 23/19 A3006 RMK AO1 T02280187 P0001 RH 080%

Special Weather Statements (SPS) EPZ ISSUES THIS IS A REISSUE OF THE RIVER FLOOD WARNING FOR THE RIO GRANDE IN EL PASO for El Paso [TX] till 7:00 AM MDT

IEMBot ExamplesIEMBot Examples

Aviation BotAviation Bot

• What type of products would you want What type of products would you want delivered to the chatroom?delivered to the chatroom?

Software InstallSoftware Install

1. Establish a Jabber account with NWSChat administrator via an email request.

2. Install Pidgin.

3. Configure Pidgin for your use.

Information coming soon on how to get set up!

Thanks!Thanks!

Faith BordenFaith Borden

7851 S. Dean Martin Drive7851 S. Dean Martin Drive

Las Vegas, NV 89139Las Vegas, NV 89139

702-263-9744 X 223 (office)702-263-9744 X 223 (office)

702-278-9928 (cell)702-278-9928 (cell)

faith.borden@noaa.govfaith.borden@noaa.gov