AWOC Winter Weather Track (AWWT)

• We found some issues with the course DVD recently sent. Here's an errata page that will help you navigate those issues.
• AWOC winter has been updated for 2009/2010 cool season! See below the description detailing the lesson changes.
• There are two versions of AWOC Winter, called development plans:
  • The Full version
  • The platinum version
• IC3 of AWOC Winter is its own course with a development plan called WDTB Road Weather
• See the development plans page to help you decide which version of the course to take.
• We've posted the facilitator orientation session here (11mb powerpoint) .
• We've added a PDF with a complete list of learning and performance objectives for the AWOC Winter Weather track to make it easy for everyone to view the goals of the course
• Try the AWOC Winter Weather Track Job Sheet/Exercise Page for more information on all of the exercises available. Note these exercises are required for the platinum version and optional for the standard version.

Description

The AWOC Winter Weather Track (AWWT) is a new developed by the WDTB that utilized a team of 25 subject matter experts (SMEs) in the field of winter weather forecasting and warning from all over the United States. This course, which is the 4^th track of the Advanced Warning Operations Course (AWOC), is now available to NWS forecasters and staff in the NWS Learning Center.

The AWWT is composed of eight Instructional Components (ICs) totaling 25 hours of asynchronous instruction. The ICs address the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required for forecasters to make accurate and timely winter weather warnings. Topics in the AWWT include products and services, societal impacts, climatology, precipitation forcing mechanisms, forecasting snow amounts, and monitoring. A complete list of all the ICs and lessons in the AWWT are now also available, also.

The AWOC Winter Weather Track is designed to improve the performance of NOAA’s NWS offices in issuing winter weather watches and warnings.

For additional information on the AWWT, please contact WDTB.

Recent changes for the winter of 2009/2010

• There are two versions of AWOC Winter:
  • The Full Version contains:
    • includes IC 1 - IC 8 except for IC 5.6 and IC 5.7,
    • includes the end of course test,.
    • and lesson exercises and jobsheets are optional.
  • The Platinum Version contains:
    • includes IC 1 - IC 8 including IC 5.6 and IC 5.7,
    • includes the end of course test.,
    • and lesson exercises and jobsheets are a required component..
• IC 3 has been streamlined. There are still 5 lessons but each lesson now consists of one part.
  • IC 3 is its own course called WDTB Road Weather
• The IC 4.2 jobsheet (Interpreting Standardized Anomalies) has been updated to include space for student responses.
• BUFKIT version 9.08 for AWOC Winter is available featuring the 5 minute BUFKIT University (accessible from the training tab on the display).
• The IC6.2 and IC6.5 jobsheet have been upgraded to match the new version of BUFKIT.
• Build 9 localizations for WES9.0 are available for jobsheet cases and the IC 8 simulation.

2008/2009 changes still valid

• IC2.1 'Why Certain Products Are Issued: Winter Product Simplification'
  This lesson has been updated to reflect winter weather warning policy changes for 2009. All NWS forecasters should take this lesson even if you've taken winter AWOC before.
  
• IC2.2 ' Forecast and Product Collaboration'
  This lesson has been updated to reflect changes in how the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center collaborates with local NWS field offices. WDTB encourages forecasters to review this lesson even if they've previously taken winter AWOC.
  
• IC4.1 Climatological patterns
  • IC4.1 'Part 1: ENSO patterns'
    This lesson has major changes to include reference links to operational products that were embedded in IC4.1 Part 4.
    
  • IC4.1 'Part 2: the MJO'
    This lesson has major changes to include reference links to operational products that were embedded in IC4.1 Part 4.
    
  • IC4.1 'Part 3: Teleconnections'
    This lesson has major changes including reference links to operational products that were embedded in IC4.1 Part 4.
    
  • Note that the original IC4, lesson 1 lessons (all four of them) are still available online for those you that are interested in covering this material in more depth.
    
• IC4.3 'Microclimates: Interaction of Synoptic Patterns with Local Terrain'
  This lesson has an addition to include a discussion on local mesoscale modeling.
  
• IC5.1 'Using Potential Vorticity in Operations'
  This lesson replaces a previous lesson on a review of QG theory and potential vorticity. Since this lesson is new, WDTB recommends that forecasters review this lesson, even if they've previously taken winter AWOC.
  
• IC5.1 Jobsheet
  The jobsheet exercise has been changed to reflect the new lesson.
  
• IC5.4 'Examples of Frontal Precipitation Bands'
  This lesson has an added segment on a discussion of moderate intensity frontal precipitation events.
  
• IC6.2 'Part 1: Strengths and Weaknesses of P-Type Algorithms'
  Minor changes to this lesson include information on precipitation type availability in AWIPS.
  
• IC6.2 'Part 2: Strengths and Weaknesses of P-Type Algorithms'
  Minor changes to this lesson include information on precipitation type availability in AWIPS
  
• IC6.3 'Using Ensembles in Winter Weather Forecasting'
  This lesson has a major addition with information on the state of operational ensemble systems. WDTB encourages forecasters to review this lesson even if they've previously taken winter AWOC.
  
• IC6.5 'Part 2: SnowFall Forecasting '
  More information has been added about the Roebber's snow fall ratio algorithm. The authors also included verification information on the two modern snow ratio techniques.
  
  

List of Collaborators

Below is a list of all the SMEs that assisted WDTB in developing the scope of the course and created most of the lessons in the course:

• Julie Adolphson (NWS Glasgow, MT)
• Peter Banacos (NWS Burlington, VT)
• Dan Bikos (VISIT)
• Dan Cobb (NWS Grand Rapids, MI)
• Carl Dierking (NWS Juneau, AK)
• Mike Evans (NWS Binghamton, NY)
• Randy Graham (NWS Salt Lake City, UT)
• Richard Grumm (NWS State College, PA)
• Ken Harding (NWS Aberdeen, ND)
• Peter Manousos (HPC)
• Pat Market (Univ. of Missouri-Columbia)
• Mike Meyers (NWS Grand Junction, CO)
• Tom Niziol (NWS Buffalo, NY)
• Dan Petersen (HPC)
• Dave Schultz (NSSL)
• Phil Schumacher (NWS Sioux Falls, SD)
• Bruce Smith (NWS Gaylord, MI)
• Eric Stevens (NWS Fairbanks, AK)
• Paul Stokols (OCWWS)
• Doug Wesley (COMET)