National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Hurricane Milton Strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico; Dangerous Heat in the Southwest

Hurricane Milton is strengthening in the southwest Gulf of Mexico. Milton is expected to become a major hurricane and bring significant impacts to Florida this upcoming week, including heavy rain and flooding, life-threatening storm surge, and damaging winds. Meanwhile, a late season heat wave will continue across portions of California into the Desert Southwest through Monday. Read More >

Mike Farrar

Contact
Mike Farrar
michael.farrar@noaa.gov
301-683-1315 

The National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) determine data requirements, optimum data processing techniques, and suitable presentation methods for predictions and products distributed to users of climatic, hydrologic, meteorological, space weather, and oceanographic information. NCEP Centers produce these products for distribution to field forecast offices of NWS, Air Force, Navy, Federal Aviation Administration, and other government and non-government users; produce for distribution to foreign meteorological centers products required of the World Weather Center; and produce extended and medium range forecasts and guidance, and develop methods and techniques for their improvement. NCEP Centers analyze and project short-term climate fluctuations on a regional and worldwide basis; identify significant climate anomalies and provide current information on them to users coping with associated climate problems, such as energy, food supply, water resources, and health. NCEP Centers maintain a continuous weather watch for thunderstorm activity, and prepare and disseminate severe local storm watches for protection of life and property; maintain a continuous weather watch in order to prepare and disseminate advisories of hazardous weather for aviation interests; and maintain a continuous weather watch for tropical cyclones on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico; and prepare hurricane watches and warnings for the general public, and hurricane advisories for other marine, aviation, and military uses. NCEP Centers develop and produce oceanographic products and guidance; provide weather support for special aerospace and satellite operations; perform research and development to improve its climatic, hydrologic, meteorological, space weather, and oceanographic products; and develop plans and provide direction for improving products, and advise the Assistant Administrator of new capabilities resulting from new techniques or procedures.

 

For more information, visit the NCEP website at: http://www.ncep.noaa.gov

+NCEP Central Operations

+Environmental Modeling Center

Contact
Ivanka Stajner
ivanka.stajner@noaa.gov
301-683-3748


The Environmental Modeling Center (EMC) improves numerical weather, marine and climate predictions at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) through a broad program of research in data assimilation and modeling. In support of the NCEP operational forecasting mission, the EMC develops, improves and monitors data assimilation systems and models of the atmosphere, ocean, land surface and coupled system, using advanced methods developed internally as well as cooperatively with scientists from universities, NOAA laboratories and other government agencies, and the international scientific community.

For more information, visit the EMC website at: https://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov

+Weather Prediction Center

Contact
David Novak
david.novak@noaa.gov
301-683-1484


The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) interprets advanced numerical weather predictions in the preparation of forecast guidance products out to 10 days. These products along with the numerical predictions and their derivatives form the basis of forecasts issued by the field forecast offices of the NWS, other governmental offices and private weather services to the general public and other users of meteorological information. Monitors the operations of communications computers and large scale computers and alerts users of NMC products of status or problems.

For more information, visit the WPC website at: http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov

+Ocean Prediction Center

Contact
A.J. Reiss
aj.reiss@noaa.gov
301-683-1332

The Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) is a 24-hour-per-day, 365-day-per-year operation staffed by marine forecasters, atmospheric and ocean developers, and computer specialists operating under rigid time constraints to meet scheduled deadlines. It is the principal focus of operational ocean, weather, and sea state (wave) functions within NOAA's National Weather Service affecting the safety of life and property at sea. The OPC issues ocean products including global-scale atmospheric and air-sea interface analyses and forecasts for the Atlantic and Pacific ocean basins. In addition, OPC generates regional-scale high-resolution atmospheric analyses and forecasts for the offshore areas adjoining the east and west coasts of the United States. It is also responsible for developing applications in support of these activities, as well as for performing the real-time quality control of ocean, weather, and sea state observations.

For more information, visit the OPC website at: https://ocean.weather.gov

+Climate Prediction Center

Contact
David Dewitt
david.dewitt@noaa.gov
301-683-3428


The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) provides climate services consisting of operational prediction of climate variability, monitoring of the global climate system, development of databases for determining current climate anomalies and trends, and analysis and assessment of their origins and linkages to the rest of the climate system. To support and improve these services the CPC engages in diagnostic research and studies of model output, often in partnership with other NOAA components, to improve the monitoring, 45 analysis and prediction of the physical climate system. CPC service and development activities cover time scales ranging from one week to multiple seasons, extending into the future as far as technically feasible, and cover the domains of land, ocean, and atmosphere, extending into the stratosphere. CPC products are made readily available to: Federal, state, and local government agencies dealing with agriculture, energy, transportation, water resources and health; the research community; private industry; and the public.

For more information, visit the CPC website at: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov

+Aviation Weather Center

Contact
Robert Maxson:
bob.maxson@noaa.gov
816-584-7200 x201


The Aviation Weather Center (AWC) provides a single source for aviation warnings, advisories and forecasts over the contiguous 48 states and large portions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The center provides meteorological watch office (MWO) services issuing Sigmets and Airmets over domestic and international U.S. Flight Information Regions (FIRs) to provide warnings and advisories of hazardous weather conditions to inflight aircraft. The AWC also prepares Area Forecasts of weather for general aviation over the contiguous United Staes. Specific meteorological services are additionally provided for continuous operations of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC). The AWC serves as a World Area Forecast Center (WAFC). The WAFC functions includes the distribution of gridded upper level wind and temperature forecasts, the provision of graphical of significant aviation weather for a large portion of the Northern Hemisphere, including volcanic ash dispersion after a volcano erupts.

For more information, visit the AWC website at: http://www.aviationweather.gov

+Storm Prediction Center

Contact
Russell Schneider
russell.schneider@noaa.gov
405-325-2066


The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is part of the National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Our mission is to provide timely and accurate forecasts and watches for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes over the contiguous United States. The SPC also monitors heavy rain, heavy snow, and fire weather events across the U.S. and issues specific products for those hazards. SPC uses the most advanced technology and scientific methods available to achieve this goal. Our very specialized mission requires meteorologists with a high level of expertise in convective storm forecasting, as well as excessive precipitation, winter weather, and conditions leading to high fire dangers.

For more information, visit the SPC website at: http://www.spc.ncep.noaa.gov

+National Hurricane Center

Contact
Jamie Rhome
jamie.r.rhome@noaa.gov

305-229-4415

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has been delegated overall national responsibility for providing hurricane forecast and warning services for the general public, the public sector, and all branches of the U.S. Government including the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Commerce (DOC), and Department of Transportation (DOT). Similar responsibilities exist under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide forecast and guidance products concerning tropical cyclones for the international community for the Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Eastern North Pacific region. Many facets of data acquisition, from reconnaissance aircraft, satellites, ships, surface and upper air stations, radar, etc. and their analyses and interpretation, as well as interactive communication with the user communities are involved in this process.

For more information, visit the NHC website at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

+Space Weather Prediction Center

Contact
Clinton Wallace   
clinton.wallace@noaa.gov
303-497-3311


The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) is the Nation's official source of space weather alerts and warnings. The Center continually monitors and forecasts Earth's space environment; provides accurate, reliable, and useful solar-terrestri al information; and leads programs to improve services. Operational and development activities cover time scales ranging from seconds to decades. The domain for space weather extends beyond Sun and Earth and into the planetary system where the effects of Space Weather can jeopardize the welfare of National assets, including life and property.

For more information, visit the SWPC website at: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov