The Evolution of NWS Aviation Weather Services in Chicago

Mike Bardou

National Weather Service Chicago

Goals

– Improve collaboration among the NWS, FAA, Commercial Airlines, and Airport Operators

– Disseminate more frequent weather information

– Increase service to aviation interests

– Improve service delivery infrastructure

– Develop improved tools for the forecaster

These are the keys to managing the impact of weather on the Chicago airspace and reducing weather related flight delays.

Initial Efforts

2-hr TAF updates on weekdays

Improved aviation AFD format

Increased collaboration between WFO and CWSU

Hourly updates to wind and POP/Wx grids

Listen in on FAA/Airline strategic planning telcons; better understand impacts of weather and forecasts

www.weather.gov/zau

Developed as a one-stop source for Chicago Airspace Wx information

Development of wind and TS Tactical Decision Aids (TDA)

www.weather.gov/zau

www.weather.gov/zau

Resources

Addition of 3 forecasters

• cross trained as WFO and CWSU forecasters

• allow a dedicated Aviation Desk 24 hrs a day/5 days a week

Addition of Aviation Services Improvement Meteorologist

• allows for more interaction with customers and expansion of new services

Evolution

Development of WFO/CWSU Aviation Team• integrate Science and Service aspects

• build relationships and communication with customers

• assess initial service enhancements

• develop/implement new service improvements

• analyze significant aviation weather events to better understand impacts and build forecaster knowledge base

• Develop training for the user community

Event Reviews

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Time (UTC)

Visibility 12/20-21/2010

VIS

TAF VIS

TEMPO VIS

Evaluation

• Traditional

– POD, FAR, CSI

• Measures forecast against forecast models

• We need to measure the IMPACT of our services

– Wind shift lead time

– Weather related delays

• Multiple causes even when attributed to wx

• Some delays are inevitable

• Ideas?

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Ho

ursORD wind shift lead time

2009 and Jan-Apr 2010

May 2010 to April 2011

ORD desired leadtime

C90 desired leadtime

Evolution – TS TDA

•Developed based on user feedback regarding winter operations and event reviews•Produced in GFE

Evolution – Experimental O’Hare Winter Precipitation Outlook

Scott Shelerud

Evolution

Improved Airspace-specific Support

• ARTCC

• TRACON

• ORD/MDW Towers

Enhanced ZAU Web page

Improved communication/coordination

• NWSChat??

Layer ApproachBase Layer – METARS

• To the right CENTER specific windows for hazards

1. SIGMETs-ICE, TURB and TS

2. Approach and Arrival Gate forecasts

3. Compression winds (RUC)

If clicked; Side windows would ‘pop-out’ or replace the main display

Retain ‘roll-over’ capability to cycle through various map/displays

PRIMARY DISPLAY AREA

For windows 2. and 3. NOTE: Non-OEP airports would display enroute graphics to indicate impacts. RED, YELLOW or GREEN lines. Hover or clicking the line (major jet routes) would indicate the problem and time.AWC CCFP during the summer and NWS SFC map with features for the winter.

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Impact of the DayTop link would link to the bulletinMultimedia Briefing additional links to WFO products

O CurrentO ForecastO HAZARDS

Evolution - NextGen

Next Generation Air Traffic System

4-D Cube of data

Additional gridded weather forecast elements

• Ceilings

• Visibility

• Guidance for areas beyond TAF sites

Questions??