NAME U.S. Forecaster Rotation

Erik PytlakNOAA/NWS Tucson, AZ

The Process• Call issued January 8• Circulated and coordinated widely (NWS,

several universities, private sector)• Some weight given to practice forecasters

in 2003 and SMN-NWS exchange visitors• Four member selection committee:

(Douglas, Liles, Maddox, Pytlak)• 60 applicants• 20 forecasters, 10 assistant forecasters, 11

alternates• Diverse backgrounds/experiences

The Scheduling• 5 day rotations = 7 days of travel• Work with the NWS home office schedules• 11 Alternates (7 within Arizona)

– Distant ones to be called upon first– Close-in ones are last minute reserve– Allows NWS offices some flexibility in case of…

• IMET deployment• Illness• Promotion/transfer

• Final schedule posted on NAME website in mid May– Two forecasters and one assistant forecaster each day from July

1-August 19.

Timeline• May 24-28: Bennett/Bodner visit SMN Mexico City

• June 1: WFO Tucson library converted to an FOC

• June 6: Preliminary forecasts begin

• June 7-10: M. Cortez/J. Carachure visit WFO Tucson

• June 21: Science Director rotation begins

• June 21-24: Murphy/Haro visit SMN Mexico City

• July 1: Full FOC staffing begins at WFO Tucson

• July 1: JOSS Operations Director on-site at Tucson

• Aug 9-13: I. Lopez/A. Nacazona visit WFO Tucson

• Aug 19: Last day of full FOC staffing at Tucson

• Aug 20-31: Spin-down forecasts as needed

Issues to be resolved…• Forecast coordination

– Methods (e-mail/coordination call)– Coordination times (1500-1800 UTC window)

• Shift times– 7:00-15:30pm MST?– One 7:00-15:30 MST, the other 9:30-18:00 MST?– Assistant Forecaster hours?– Will avoid OT and odd-hours as much as possible

• Who will lead the Science/Operations Director briefings each day?