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NOUS41 KWBC 082039M
PNSWSH
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON DC
430 PM EDT FRI OCT 8 1999
ATTENTION: ALL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) OFFICES/
FAMILY OF SERVICES SUBSCRIBERS / NOAAPORT USERS /
NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE SUBSCRIBERS / OTHER NWS
PRODUCT USERS
SUBJECT: NWS MAINTAINS STRONG SUPPORT FOR HURRICANE
FORECASTING DESPITE DAMAGED SUPERCOMPUTER
FUNCTIONS OF THE NATION'S WEATHER SUPERCOMPUTER, VICTIM OF A
DAMAGING ELECTRICAL FIRE ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, HAVE BEEN
REDISTRIBUTED TO ENSURE SUPPORT FOR HURRICANE FORECASTING
OPERATIONS THROUGH THE BALANCE OF THE ATLANTIC SEASON ( JUNE 1ST
TO NOVEMBER 30TH) REPORT OFFICIALS OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE'S NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICTION (NCEP).
THE FIRE BEGAN IN A POWER SUPPLY UNIT OF THE NWS CRAY C-90
SUPERCOMPUTER THAT RUNS THE WEATHER MODELS FOR A NUMBER OF
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PRODUCTS, INCLUDING HURRICANE
ADVISORIES. THE FIRE TEMPORARILY DISRUPTED OPERATIONS FOR SOME
3.5 HOURS WHILE BACK-UP SYSTEMS WERE PUT ON LINE. THESE BACK-UP
SYSTEMS WILL OPERATE FOR ANOTHER FOUR TO SIX WEEKS AS THE C-90
COMPUTER IS EVALUATED FOR DAMAGE AND THE AGENCY INSTALLS THE NEW
IBM SUPERCOMPUTER ALREADY SET TO REPLACE THE CRAY AT YEAR'S END.
IN THE MEANTIME, THE NWS IS USING OTHER SMALLER NWS COMPUTERS AND
ENGAGED COMPUTERS AND MODELS RUN BY THE U.S. NAVY, U.S. AIR
FORCE, THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATIONS
FORECAST SYSTEMS LABORATORY AND THE UNITED KINGDOM METEOROLOGICAL
OFFICE, THE EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR MEDIUM-RANGE WEATHER FORECASTS
AND THE CANADIAN METEOROLOGICAL CENTER.
NWS OFFICIALS SAY THAT IN THE INTERIM, ALL CRITICAL OPERATIONS AT
NCEP CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED, AND THAT THE AVIATION MODEL, ONE
OF THE SYSTEM'S PRIMARY GUIDANCE TOOLS, WILL BE RUN LESS
FREQUENTLY FROM FOUR TIMES DAILY TO TWICE DAILY.
DURING TROPICAL STORM ACTIVITY, THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
WILL CONTINUE TO ISSUE ITS NORMAL DAILY HURRICANE ADVISORIES ON
SCHEDULE AT 5:00 AND 11:00 A.M. AND P.M. THE ADVISORIES ISSUED
AT EACH OF THE 5:00 O'CLOCK HOURS WILL CARRY WARNING INFORMATION
BASED PRINCIPALLY ON NAVY, AIR FORCE AND UNITED KINGDOM MODEL
DATA. HOWEVER, AN UPDATED, SPECIAL ADVISORY USING THE LATEST
DATA FROM THE NWS MODEL CAN BE ISSUED AT THE 6:30 HOURS IF
WARRANTED, SAID JERRY JARRELL, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
DIRECTOR.
PERSONS WISHING MORE INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT:
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
FRANK LEPORE PA 305-229-4404
END
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