Sub-Regional Forecaster provides services to New Orleans, Meridian, and Whiting

Action sequence:

·        At night when METOC takes over.

·        Begin with daily climatological averages and work from there--maximum and minimum temperatures.

·        Examine models.

·        Examine NOGAPS.

·        Examine surface chart.

·        Examine 500mb chart--shows what causes may lead to worsening.

·        Looking at synoptic situation - what is going on, trends at the stations.

What supports the action sequence? 

What is the needed information?

Internet

CONTEL Meteorological Workstation

MIDDS computer

Models from Monterey--altimeter settings for various places, ditch angles for flights over water.

Anything you can get your hands on.

Procedure depends on the season.

Winter--look for fronts.

Summer--look for fog, thunder storms.

Station forecasts

What is good or useful about the support and the depiction of needed information?

·        The task is routine

·        CONTEL Meteorological Workstation provides forecasts from any station in the US--DOD, NWS, airports

·        MIDDS supports internet work

·        MIDDS rarely crashes

·        Is good compared to other Navy systems

·        NOGAPS and other prognoses help confirm long-range forecasts.

·        There is so much on the internet, you can go in there and play and get better and better--you learn what works in what situations.

What about the support or information depiction makes the action sequence difficult?

·        Not being there makes it harder - don't see or experience the way things change.

·        At night have to rely on ASOS - there is no visible imagery.

·        Fog and low ceilings are a problem.

·        They don't show up on IR. Sensors that pick up fog don't pick up clouds.

·        The first visible observations in daylight are revealing.