NWS Needs and Requirements Related to Observations on Reservation Lands

1. NWS Needs and Requirements Related to Observations on Reservation Lands George Howard and Mike Staudenmaier National Weather Service - Flagstaff

2. Overview • NWS Needs and Requirements • Current Observation Network • Reason for Need • Potential for Improvement

3. NWS Needs and Requirements • The mission of the National Weather Service is: • To provide weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. • NWS data and products form a national information database and infrastructure which can be used by other governmental agencies, the private sector, the public, and the global community.

4. NWS Needs and Requirements • Observations are useful to the NWS in a multitude of program areas and functions: • Real-time observations: • Watch/Warning/Advisory (WWA) program • Hydrology/Drought program • Forecast program • Climate/Verification program • Non Real-time observations: • Climate/Verification program • In order to improve the WWA, Hydrology, and Forecast programs, the NWS requires real-time observations.

5. NWS Needs and Requirements • In order to best fulfill our primary mission, the NWS would like observations that are: • in real, or very near real, time • hourly • accurate • reliable • representative of the area sampled • fairly well distributed over a variety of terrain • either ‘pushed’ to us, or accessible via reliable web pages in text format.

6. COOP Network • Comprised of unpaid volunteers • Climatological, Hydrological and Real Time Obs • 7 on Navajo Lands • 11 in close proximity to Navajo Lands • Not real time obs • Great for climatology and some verification work, but not very useful for WWAs.

7. COOP/ASOS Network • ASOS – Automated Surface Observing System • Primarily for real time Aviation observations • On Navajo Lands -Window Rock • Near Navajo Lands - Page - Flagstaff - Winslow - St. Johns

8. Hydro/River Points • For hydrological issues, these are the points where the NWS has gauge data and criteria for flooding (minor, moderate, major).

9. Mesonet Network • This network incorporates local mesonet sites (home/school based weather stations, ADOT stations, a few hydro stations) • These data are very valuable to ‘fill in gaps’. • Data is usually not as reliable nor calibrated as past observations listed. • Currently only have about seven sites on the reservation. Many more around Flagstaff.

10. Real-Time Observations • These are the data that the NWS receives in real-time. • Additional daily data (highs/lows/precip) is received routinely once/twice a day through the COOP network: • Navajo N.M. • Tuba City • Canyon de Chelly • Petrified Forest • Wupatki N.M. • Sunset Crater

11. Sample Data Format • Much of the mesonet data is collected by the University of Utah • Placed into a system called the “Mesowest” • Accessible via the “observations” link on our webpage (blue area on the left side of page). • Format in ASCII text (tab delineated) is fine.

12. Why Do We Need the Data? • Varied Terrain • Not many observations • Very diverse weather • Radar coverage issues • Unique hydrological issues

13. Current Collaborative Efforts • Working with NAU on the Northern Arizona Mesonet Project • Working with the Navajo Reservation to locate another NOAA Weather Radio (Yale Point) • Good relationship with the Navajo Reservation and BIA using current dataset to provide weather, water, and climate support • Occasional correspondence with state climatologist’s office

14. Potential for Improvement • Poor sampling leads to poor understanding of weather, water, and climate issues • Limits ability to help save lives and property. • A supported and collaborated real-time observation network would allow the NWS to further improve services over the region, even outside of the reservation lands.