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Advanced Warning Operations Course
Course Descriptions, Online Presentations, and Resources
For a detailed description of each IC, click on the name of the IC.
Course Description
Overall Course Description: The Advanced Warning Operations Course (AWOC) initially consisted of two tracks – Core Track and Severe Weather Track. The course is facilitated on site by an onsite facilitator (SOO, DOH, or locally appointed training officer). The AWOC includes a combination of distance learning technologies including teletraining, web-based training, computer-based training on CD-ROM, Weather Event Simulator (WES) simulations, and printed material. The course is designed to allow every NWS Forecaster (Meteorologist and Hydrologist) to participate. Each instructional component as described below includes a separate evaluation component that is tracked by the AWOC on-site facilitator using the NOAA Learning Management System. Pre-test options are available for many of the instructional components.
For the FY09 version of the AWOC, several changes have been made to the overall course structure. These changes include:
- The Introductory video has been removed from the course,
- AWOC FY08 IC Core 4 Lessons 1, 3, 4, & 5 have been retired from the course,
- AWOC FY08 IC Core 4 Lesson 6 is now a precursor module to the updated IC Core 4,
- What remains of the AWOC FY08 IC Core 4 and 5 have been combined into a new IC Core 4 for FY09,
- AWOC FY08 IC Severe 3 Lessons 17,19, and 23 have been retired for FY09, and
- IC Severe 3 Lessons 13 and 14 have been updated and included in the course.
Note to NWS Staff:
To receive credit for completing the this training, you must take the training modules through the NWS Learning Center! The links below are for reference only. |
Core Track
For a detailed description of each IC, click on the name of the IC. For access to training materials, click on the name of each lesson. These links will open in a new browser window.
| IC Core 1: Optimizing Learning |
- Brief Description: In order for learning to be effective, both trainer and trainee have roles and responsibilities to bring to the task. Learning is not a one-way street from trainer to trainee, but a partnership which depends on the interaction of both. This module will present learning strategies which will be employed during the Advanced Warning Operations Course. This will include a discussion of learning styles, the need for evaluation, and the methodology for simulations which will be presented in the course. Lastly a brief discussion of the Learning Management System used in AWOC will be presented.
- Delivery Methods: Web module, printed materials, and support materials
Approximate Completion Time: 45 minutes.
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| IC Core 2: Situation Awareness and Decision Making in a Warning Environment |
- Brief Description: IC Core 2 will focus on various aspects of decision making in the context of the operational warning environment. The topics will include definitions and examples of the three levels of situation awareness (SA) and how they are integrated into the decision making process. Failures of the three levels of SA will be presented with examples, as well as elements that contribute to the SA failure. Finally, roadblocks to good SA ("SA demons"), and their impact on operations will be discussed.
- Delivery Methods: Web Module , printed materials, and web support materials
- Approximate Completion Time: 2 hours
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| IC Core 3: Expertise and Effective Office Warning Strategies |
- Brief Description: The content will focus on putting together strategies which will allow the decision maker to make the best use of their skills and those of the warning team. This will include a discussion on the value of expertise, the ways in which expertise can be developed, and what expertise looks like among NWS warning forecasters . One of the primary ways in which expertise can be developed is via post event evaluations. Ways in which these evaluations can be effectively and efficiently accomplished will be presented. Examples of the uses and applications of expert strategies during significant events will be presented.
- Delivery Methods: Web module (2.5 hours), Teletraining (1.5 hours), printed materials, and web support materials
- Approximate Completion Time: 4 hours
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| IC Core 4: Conveying Warnings and Public Response |
- Brief Description: This topic contains a variety of lessons that discuss how information flows between the general public and NWS WFOs, including how NWS WFOs can identify erroneous information they receive from the public, the place of weather warnings in a societal context, and the elements of an effective warning.
- Delivery Methods: Web module
- Approximate Completion Time: 2.5 hours
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Severe Track
For a detailed description of each IC, click on the name of the IC. For access to training materials, click on the name of each lesson. These links will open in a new browser window.
| IC Severe 1: Conceptual Models for Origins and Evolutions of Convective Storms and Systems |
- Brief Description: This instructional component describes
conceptual models of convective storms. The emphasis is on physical
processes associated with these specific storm type hazards: supercell
tornadoes, squall line tornadoes, hail storms, multicell storms, and flash
flooding.
- Delivery Methods: Web module
- Approximate Completion Time: 2.5 hours
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| IC Severe 2: Threat Assessment |
- Brief Description: This component will identify the operational process in a NWS Forecast Office for continuous evaluation of hazardous severe weather threats (tornadoes, damaging winds, hail, and flash floods) to support effective warning methodologies. Emphasis will be on assessing mesoscale lifting mechanisms, and evaluating important kinematic and thermodynamic parameters for severe storm prediction.
- Delivery Method: Web module
- Approximate Completion Time: 1.5 hours
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| IC Severe 3: Storm Interrogation |
- Brief Description: The participant will demonstrate selection of products and proper procedures for effective data analysis in completing storm interrogation strategies for tornadoes, hail, flash flooding, and severe straight line winds.
The original
AWOC (in FY04) contained all 26 lessons, but subsequent DLOC training covered the material from the 15 lessons not listed on this page. All of the lessons listed here are required for a Severe Track completion certificate.
- Delivery Method: Web module
- Approximate Completion Time: 3 hours
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| IC Severe 4: Application and Review of AWOC Severe Weather Track |
- Brief Description: This instructional component will use a case or two to review and illustrate the important considerations that a warning forecaster should apply in an effective warning methodology. This review will include components of threat assessment and storm interrogation strategies.
- Delivery Methods: Teletraining and a printed student guide.
- Approximate Completion Time: 1.5 hours
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- Lesson 1: AWOC Severe Track Review (Teletraining Session; available from WDTB)
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| IC Severe 5: Simulations |
- Brief Description: Students will apply AWOC concepts in an operational context with two simulations that are run on site using the WES. Simulations are organized and proctored by the local training facilitator. Four cases, complete with simulation guides, are being released for the training facilitators to consider using in AWOC. Each simulation guide contains support materials that illustrate how simulations can be created to support AWOC performance objectives. Training facilitators can use these cases and materials for the simulations in AWOC, or they may develop their own simulations using other cases. The two simulations will fulfill the annual WES requirement for the severe convective season.
- Delivery Methods: Weather Event Simulator (WES) data with supporting simulation guides.
- Approximate Completion Time: 5 hours (2.5 hours per simulation with 2 simulations)
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Student Handouts
The FY09 version of the AWOC Student Handouts (129 MB PDF file) is available for download.
Last Updated:
May 4, 2009
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