Office Information Page - NWS State College Home Page

U.S. Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service

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THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - Our Mission

The National Weather Service (NWS) provides 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 enhancement of the national economy. NWS data and products form a national informational data base and infrastructure, which can be used by other government agencies, the private sector, the public and the global community.

NWS FORECAST OFFICE -State College, PA

Take a Virtual Tour of our office!

The NWS Forecast Office in State College opened its door in May 1993. Presently, there are about 25 employees who serve 33 counties in central Pennsylvania.

The Office Management Team oversees all office activities.

Our Forecasters work on rotating shifts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to produce all the forecast and warning products issued by the office.

(Incoming meteorological and hydrological data, including river and stream gage information, also are monitored around the clock.)
 

Electronic Systems Analyst and Technicians ensure that all electronic equipment is functioning properly.

Volunteer Cooperative Weather Observers provide daily local weather and river reports from around central Pennsylvania. This network of volunteer observers is coordinated by the NWS Forecast Office in State College.

PROGRAMS

Warnings & Advisories: issued when event is occurring or imminent, generally within the next 12 hours.

Watches: issued when event could occur within 12 to 48 hours.

Outlooks (long-term): issued when event could occur beyond 1 or 2 days.

Specialized aviation forecasts tailored for pilots also are issued for the following central Pennsylvania airports: Bradford, Johnstown, Altoona, State College, Williamsport, Lancaster, and Harrisburg International.

Warning Coordination and Outreach
To ensure that we remain responsive to the needs of our customers, we support a large warning coordination and outreach program, which is lead by the Warning and Coordination Meteorologist. Among the many program activities, we:
(1) ensure the quality of our products;
(2) ensure that the products are being received by our customers;
and (3) maintain our large volunteer severe weather spotter network, along with public service and education.

Our customers include the general public, along with local, county and state emergency management agencies and officials.

Scientific Research
To improve forecast and warning services for our central Pennsylvania service area, we are involved in various science research projects, which are coordinated by the Science Operations Officer. Given our convenient location adjacent to the Pennsylvania State University and the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center, we are able to collaborate with researchers from both organizations.

Research projects range from observational studies designed to increase our understanding of how severe weather occurs in Pennsylvania to developing local, small-scale models of the atmosphere customized for our area.
 

THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY

The Doppler radar serving central Pennsylvania is located on Rattlesnake mountain in Black Moshannon State Forest northwest of State College.

The Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) is a state-of-the-art computer system able to integrate and display a myriad of data. Forecasters use this system to view numerous meteorological data sets simultaneously. The system allows forecasters to compare observations, satellite and radar data to computer model forecast data, in order to produce more accurate forecasts.

NOAA Weather Radio: This automated voice system disseminates weather warnings more quickly than the previous manually produced broadcasts. 

During the modernization, powerful "Doppler" radars were deployed, providing radar coverage across the nation -- allowing forecasters to diagnose potentially severe storms by examining the structure and internal motions of the storms.