NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNSHIP AT

ALBANY, NY

By Max Wiosna11/10/11

At Internship Night

Brief Overview of the NWS

Established in 1870 Known as the Weather Bureau back then

122 offices Expansion occurred in the late 80s and early 90s

158 radars WSR-88D Fully operational by the late 80s and early 90s

Now it’s very tough to get in But, retires expected to increase around 2020

Internship Overview• Found out about it from John Quinlan• Pretty much first come first serve• SUNY Albany students get first dibs• LSC students have done this in the past• Starts sometime in June and ends in late August• You don’t get paid!• I drove 95 miles sometimes from CT•And drove 45-50 miles sometimes from NY• SOO organizes it and the staff trains you

Internship Details

Independent Self Study Online courses and Exams

Software exam AWIPS

DLOC Radar exam Upper-Air Need to pass all of them to continue

Participation in NWS Operations Term Paper and Final Documentation

My Life During the Internship

Visits ASOS COOP Hydrology

MetEd courses online Shift work

Q/q shift & G/g shift Q : 3pm-9pm Q: 3pm-11pm G: 6am-2pm G: 6am-9am

Midnight shift 12am-3am

Balloon Launches Launch window: 1030z-1130z & 2230z-2330z

Projects GIS

Interview Joe Villani

Visits

CO-OP Go out in the CWA Visit cooperative observers Look at equipment to check for functionality

ASOS Replace/update equipment Go see if it’s working properly

River Gages Check the equipment Go out and find them

MetEd Courses

Complete three MetEd courses Can be found at UCAR online

Also complete online TAF exam And complete Basic Hydrological Services

Distance Learning Course on MetEd UCAR

Shift Work

G/g Shifts The G shift is the longer shift

Launch the upper-air balloon 12z Help the intern with monitoring it Help produce the RTP/RWS Help produce the HYD Complete the student AFD Also for this shift in particular do a set of TAFs

The g shift is mainly for you to do the launch at 12z After the balloon is released: Pretty much do everything like the G, except the TAFs

Q/q Shifts Complete the climate product Student AFD RTP/RWS 0z upper-air launch

Balloon Launches

Occur at 12z and 0z Inside preparation

You prep the sonde Calibrate it Baseline

Outside Preparation Assembly Call the airport for clearance Release the balloon

Monitor and quality control the data

Interview

Interviewed Joe Villani Grew up in Central Ny Loves lake effect snow Also severe weather He’s a Lead Forecaster Warning coordinator Radar watcher Also makes changes to the radar

How to Get Internships?

Don’t wait until the last minute Don’t take no for an answer

Be repetitive Don’t lie about yourself

Always tell the truth Make yourself look good Be patient and wait for a reply

Do not call or email them You can only hurt yourself by doing so

Make sure you have done everything you can

Any Questions?