COOP Modernization: Building The National Cooperative Mesonet September 16, 2003

1. COOP Modernization: Building The National Cooperative Mesonet September 16, 2003 (Concepts from an unofficial draft plan to modernize the COOP — September 2003)

2. COOP Modernization…Three Aligned Goals • To automate the technology used in the COOP network • To establish a high-quality infrastructure capable of integrating surface observations from a wide range of platforms • To build the National Cooperative Mesonet

3. The Modernization Plan… Written from the perspective that automation of the legacy COOP is complete ~5 years after modernization begins to reduce the: • Risk that the continuity of the modernization will be compromised • Costs associated with operating and maintaining dual COOP networks (September 2003)

4. The Well Known Problems… The program has not kept pace with growing demands for the data or with current technology. Processing of the data is labor intensive and does not occur in real time. “Despite its increasing importance to the nation, over the past several years the COOP Network has been weakened … [such that the] … current COOP Network cannot be sustained [or improved] at present funding levels.” (NRC 1998)

5. Major New Opportunity for the COOP… • “With the increasing number of mesonet systems, it would be useful to have one central focal point for coordinating the real-time acquisition and quality assurance of data from these networks.” • “The current array of surface observation systems needs to be better used and enhanced. … [because] it is often difficult to obtain the data from multiple observational arrays, especially in real time.” (NRC 2003)

6. One Important Opinion… “The Cooperative Observing Modernization Program has been proposed as a new initiative within NOAA for over a decade, but with little success. Without the required investment, the program is in danger of becoming unreliable for local climate monitoring, a key strategy for mitigating climate impacts and risks, and for maximizing climate opportunities. Today, the stations have antiquated equipment, maintenance is unable to keep pace, and the observations are becoming more questionable by all users. With more than a 100-year legacy and recommendations for a fully modernized network by many groups (including our own National Research Council), the nation cannot afford to squander this national treasure. Maintaining the old network is in serious jeopardy, and is now going past the stage of no return where climate records will soon be irrevocably lost due to an antiquated observing system. This situation is most unfortunate as other networks, such as the more coarsely-spaced Climate Reference Network, are counting on a robust high-density surface observing network to define national, regional, and local climate variations and changes.” Dr. Tom Karl, Director National Climatic Data Center (personal communication — July 2003) (used with permission)

7. Thus… The Program Development Plan for COOP modernization is a response to many findings and recommendations from the professional and scientific communities. The current modernization plan also is made possible by the ‘labor-of-love’ from numerous individuals during the past 12-15 years. It draws heavily from a modernization plan endorsed by the NWS Director in 1993.

8. Vision for the Modernized COOP… Be a modern network that can serve the nation as a backbone of the National Cooperative Mesonet and the sustaining factor around which all surface environmental monitoring networks are integrated to save lives, enhance national security, protect property, support transportation, energy and agriculture, and promote the economic well-being by providing the highest-quality possible of real-time weather, water, and climate information, and possibly air quality and biochemical hazard data.

10. Scope of the COOP Modernization… • Many modernized stations with high quality sensors and standards maintained at accepted professional levels • An integrated network — termed the National Cooperative Mesonet — that is expandable and adaptable to meet future observing needs • Rigorous quality assurance of network data in real time through a single operations monitoring facility • Provide 5-minute observations transmitted at hourly intervals to better sync with WSR-88D scans, evolving asynoptic models, products from numerical weather prediction, and to verify the accuracy of these tools • Mesoscale data for public/private sector NWP applications • Opportunities for the private sector to develop thousands of value-added applications • Emphasis on partnering with the public & private sector • New Legacy: Accurate Data — Reliably Available

12. System Concept… • Baseline Measurements: Automated sites provide observations of air temperature and precipitation with manual input of snowfall/snow depth/water equivalent • Enhanced Measurements: Automated sites provide observations of air temperature, precipitation, and manual data plus possible observations of wind speed and direction, solar radiation, soil temperature and soil moisture, air quality and biochemical data, atmospheric pressure and relative humidity • Evolving site configurations — Based on new requirements within NOAA and/or the requirements and support from NOAA’s partners • Human observers — while valued in the modernized COOP — may not be present at some automated sites

14. The Key Ingredient — High Standards… • Sites must remain stable for many years and be adaptable to the evolving requirements of NWS partners • Exposure of the measured elements must be representative of the mesoscale environment • Serve as a model environmental-monitoring network for the nation and the international community • All COOP sites with below-standard siting and exposure must be relocated if they are to be automated • WMO/NWS standards for site and sensor operations are design criteria that must not be compromised

16. The Integrating Role… • As many complementary measurements as possible from other networks (both federal and non-federal) will be integrated through the COOP’s Central Facility — an important concept to help NOAA reach its strategic goals.

17. Critical Component — A Central Facility… • Independent 24 x 7 unit responsible for: • Data ingest and data integration • Quality assurance monitoring • Dissemination of data with quality assurance flags • Maintain metadata files • Initiate trouble tickets/maintenance actions • Track resolution of maintenance • Provide performance metrics to management • Building block for the National Cooperative Mesonet • Quality assurance meteorologists and systems analysts • Inform the Program Manager of network performance • Resources required for the central facility will be partially offset by improved efficiencies in the management and maintenance of the modernized COOP

19. Spatial Density of the Sites… • Located at a spatial resolution of one COOP site within each 20 (nautical) mile by 20 mile grid square • Based on the geographic area of the CONUS, the modernized COOP will require ~7500 automated sites • Because of rugged terrain and large wilderness areas, only ~500 automated COOP sites are recommended for Alaska and Hawaii • Thus, ~8000 sites are required — subject to operational, budgetary and socio-geographical limitations • Legacy sites not automated: • Continue to report in their current mode • Maintained by the staff at WFOs

20. Categories of Observing Sites… • Category-1 — New sites where a contractor installs and maintains automated equipment • Category-2 — Current COOP sites where a contractor replaces and maintains new automated equipment • Category-3 — Existing sites with non-NWS equipment owned by a variety of partners whose platforms fulfill a spatial requirement of the modernized COOP (e.g., a CRN site) • Equipment installed/maintained by the COOP Partner • Must meet established WMO/NWS standards for siting, sensor performance, data availability, data quality, routine maintenance, and required metadata • Quality-based support incentives are one means to attain climate-quality data from non-federal observing platforms • Category-4 — Existing COOP sites that are not automated, but instead, are supported by the NWS (i.e., the WFOs) as legacy COOP sites

22. Essential Partners… • AASC and other professional organizations • Climatologists • Public/private-sector meteorologists • USDA, DOI and the Western Governors’ Association • Drought monitoring and water management • USDOT • Transportation monitoring • Homeland Security • Further enhance modernized COOP sites • EPA • Air quality and dispersion modeling • U. S. Army Corps of Engineers • Flood basin monitoring • Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) • Applied research

23. Where Do We Go From Here… • Establish a Program Office for COOP Modernization • Establish ASAP: • External Advisory Board • COOP Steering Committee • Regional Site-Selection Teams (2-year task lies ahead) • Quarterly meetings begin during the Fall of 2003 • Issue an RFI during the First Quarter of FY2004 • Establish the Central Facility just before the modernization begins • Start publicizing the COOP modernization at the first opportunity (e.g., AMS in 2004)

26. Management Issues:Establish a COOP Steering Committee… • Sets and revises the general policy and practices of the modernized COOP • Acts on recommendations from the EAB • Membership is drawn from the senior NWS management, the six Regional Offices, the National Climatic Data Center, and representatives from other NOAA partners who contribute to the operation and maintenance of the modernized COOP and the National Cooperative Mesonet • No more than 11 members — so they can function efficiently as a ‘tiger team’

27. Management Issues:Establish Regional Site-Selection Teams… • Organized around the domain of NWS Regions • Multiple groups to recommend sites and site configurations to a configuration control board • Core membership: • Field managers at WFOs and RFCs • Regional COOP Managers • Appropriate State and Regional Climatologists • Representatives from NCDC and NWS Headquarters • Representatives from public/private sector partners • Arduous Tasks: • Formal recommendations on Category-3 sites (first task) • Formal recommendations on the Category-1/Category-2 sites • Recommend only one automated COOP site per national grid square

28. The Bottom Line on COOP Modernization… • The COOP Modernization Plan, built around COTS hardware, is a technologically wise and economically sound investment for the nation — IF: • Established standards of WMO/NWS are not compromised • The technology foundation is built on quality and not on quantity • Quality and timeliness of the COOP data is maintained through a central facility

29. Alternative Strategies… • Essential components to any modernization plan • Program Office for COOP Modernization at NWS Headquarters • External Advisory Board & COOP Steering Committee • Regional Site-Selection Teams • Central Operations Facility — just before the modernization begins • The 75% Solution • All the essential components but… • Automate temperature observations at ~8000 sites during a ~5 year period; enhance the network as funds permit • Precipitation resolution is 60 miles x 60 miles (1/9th of network) • Establish a solid technological foundation • Strategic Goals of NOAA/NWS: Some are compromised • The 35% Solution • All the essential components but… • Automate temperature observations at only ~4000 carefully-chosen sites during a 3-5 year period — 60 x 60 for precipitation • Strategic Goals of NOAA/NWS: Some not possible to achieve

30. My Greatest Concerns? • That we fail to unite and speak with one voice about the real message: Its time for COOP modernization!! • That COOP modernization becomes a victim of ‘no more money in Washington’. • That COOP modernization pursues ‘Blue-Light Specials’ (expediency) instead of implementing for the long haul (quality).

31. Questions About the Plans for COOP Modernization?

32. And now, a word about the New England Temperature Initiative…

33. The New England Initiative… • Focused on 6 Beta test sites for the short term: Caribou, Grey, Brookhaven, Burlington, Taunton, and a farm plot near Albany • Installed by mid-November 2003: temperature sensor, data logger, and comms equipment • The precipitation gauge at each Beta site: TBD • USDA will have installed: RH, 2 m winds, soil moisture/soil temperature at the Beta sites • COMMS: Use whatever works (choice from 2-3) • Parterning with State LETS agencies — Desirable • November - April: Evaluation Period

34. The New England Initiative… • Spring 2004: Deploy 100-200 sites (TBD; the actual number will be driven by $$$$) • Funds are available to expand into NY • ‘Earmarks’ for KY& ND may not survive • Program Office will soon become critical • Private firm will soon be under contract for installation and maintenance • Fixing the comms problems at the Phase 1 sites: Do not have a solution at hand

35. The New England Initiative… • Hourly data collection of 12 observations/hour • New Metadata system: Ready soon • All installations must be complete by the end of FY04. Just need to know where the NY sensors are to go by then. • Concerns: How to monitor the maintenance activities to know when to push the contractor? No solution in place as yet.

36. That’s All Folks….