Thomas R. Karl Director, NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC

1. A NOAA Vision For An Integrated Surface Observation System Thomas R. Karl Director, NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC Program Manager, NOAA Climate Observations and Analysis NOAA Data Users' Forum Surface Weather/Climate Observations & Data Kansas City, Missouri June 3, 2004

2. Discipline Specific View Whole System View Ocean Observations Space Observations Innovations Innovations Efficiencies Cost TechnologyDevelopment Mass Productions Breakthrough Efficiencies Cost Breakthrough Mass Productions 20th Century 21st Century OBSERVING SYSTEM TIMELINE

3. Optimizing Operational Observing Systems For Multiple Users 21st Century Vision Mostly Mature Immature Trade Space Scientific Data Stewardship New Observing Systems Implementation Criteria Today • Demand Criteria • Usefulness of Existing Observing Systems or Observations • Capacity & demand • Dual use potential • State of models for data utilization • Perceived impact of resulting data • Cost to implement • Readiness • Operating cost • Well defined measurement principles • Probability of successful implementation of extended measurement system with known properties • Extensibility of observing system with respect to later improvements • Timeliness of data & information availability Estimated Data Quality Statistics • Monte Carlo Experiments • Model Simulations Tomorrow Integrated with Similar Observing Systems Strategic Criteria Data Quality Statistics • Existing infrastructure to support data stewardship activities • Potential for transition from research to operations • Cost sharing & partnerships • Commitment and stability of sponsors • Easy and convenient access to data • Absence of potential impediments to data use • Breadth and readiness of domestic user communities • Capacity building opportunities Scientific Data Stewardship Enhancement of Existing Systems Today 3

4. GEOSS--- Eliminating the Stove Pipe Observing Systems to Create a “System of Systems” Global Observing Systems GCOS GOOS GTOS WHYCOS World Weather IGBP IOOS CEOS Etc. National Observing Systems Satellites Surface Obs. Radar Aircraft Ocean Observations Paleo-data Private Sector Observing Systems Satellites Mesonets Lightening Commercial Aircraft Ocean Resources Water Resources Climate Disasters Energy Health Agriculture Ecosystem 4 Societal Benefits

5. A View from the Top on Integrated Observations • "I still have a conceptual hang up with 2 separate systems, one for climate and one for weather.  We already have an extensive weather obs network - why not just upgrade the quality of info gathered for weather to climate standards and save the $ spent on new reporting stations or replace weather observations with climate level observing stations." • --Vice Admiral Lautenbacher

6. Weather & Water/Climate Goals Response: • We agree! • Development of an Integrated Surface Observing System (ISOS) • ISOS – 9,000 weather/climate observing stations needed to meet NOAA’s data coverage requirements (CRN, COOP, ASOS). ISOS

7. Integrating Weather & Climate-Related Surface Observations • There are numerous observing systems measuring important weather and climate-related observations • Networks are built for specific purposes (related but different priorities). • USCRN (NOAA) • COOP (NOAA) • ASOS (NOAA) • Other (PORTS, SURFRAD, ARIMON, BSRN) (NOAA) • SCAN (USDA) • RAWS (BLM) • SNOTEL (USDA) • MESONETS Regional Climate Centers, States, Private Sector Private Sector Mesonets State Mesonets other Federal NOAA “Integrate from the Inside Out”

8. Integrating Weather & Climate-Related Surface Observations • Initial Framework for • NOAA Surface Observing Networks: • USCRN: United States Climate Reference Network • COOP: Volunteer Cooperative Observer Network • ASOS: Automated Surface Observing System Network USCRN (107 Stations by Oct 07)* COOP (~8000 Stations) ASOS (~900 Stations) *47 now commisioned, others planned

9. NE Lincoln 11 SW, Audubon Society (Spring Creek Prairie Site) 40.7 N 96.8 W 1364’ January 14, 2002 GA Newton 8 W, Robert W. Woodruff Foundation (Ichauway-George Site) 31.3 N 84.5 W 201’ August 20, 2002 U.S. Climate Reference Network Sites ID Murphy 10 W, ARS, NW Watershed Research Center 43.2 N 116.8 W 3950’ June 29, 2003 KA Manhattan 6 SSW, Kansas State University, (Konza Prairie Biological Station) 39.1027 N 96.6 W 1139’ October 1, 2003

10. Modernized Cooperative Station Instrumentation ASOS

11. Integrating Weather & Climate-Related Surface Observations • Non-NOAA Public Surface Observing Networks: • SCAN • RAWS • SNOTEL • State and Regional Mesonets SNOTEL (USDA; ~600 Stations) RAWS (BLM; ~1,700 Stations) SCAN (USDA; 47 Stations) State/Regional Mesonets (~1,000 Stations)

12. Integrating Weather & Climate-Related Surface Observations • Non-NOAA Private Surface Observing Networks: TO BE DETERMINED

13. Frequency of Observation by Element H: Hourly, D: Daily

14. An Integrated Surface Observing System for the United States (ISOS)

15. ISOS Vision for the Near Future • Single integrated data maintenance, ingest, quality assurance and control system • CRN, COOP and ASOS used to support the weather analysis and forecasting mission as well as climate • Initial Planning – Summer 2004

16. Upcoming Changes at NCDC • NCDC will commence Integrated Surface Hourly Data Processing System (ISHDPS) in September 2005 • Network-independent quality assurance daily rather than monthly • Loading of data online (now have 2002- available) (http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov)

17. ISHDPS: The Results….~ 20,000 stations historically available, 1900 to presentAvailable data increases in 1948, and further increases in 1973.

18. ISOS: An Evolving Integration of Networks ISOS Questions?