THE MODERNIZATION AND ASSOCIATED RESTRUCTURING OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - AN OVERVIEW

The scientific understanding of the atmosphere and the ability to fore cast large- and small-scale hydrometeorological phenomena have increas ed dramatically over the last two decades. As a result, the National O ceanic and Atmospheric Administration has set an ambitious goal: to mo dernize the National Weather Service (NWS) through the deployment of p roven observational, information processing, and communications techno logies, and to establish an associated cost-effective operational stru cture. The modernization and associated restructuring of the NWS will assure that the major advances that have been made in our ability to o bserve and understand the atmosphere are applied to the practical prob lems of providing atmospheric and hydrologic services to the nation. I mplementation and practice of the new science will improve forecasts, provide more reliable detection of and warnings for severe weather and flooding, achieve more uniform hydrometeorological services across th e nation, permit a more cost-effective NWS, and increase productivity among NWS employees. The changes proposed by the NWS will allow increa sed productivity and efficiency for any entity dependent on weather in formation, including local, state, and federal government agencies; re searchers; private-sector meteorologists; private industry; and resour ce management organizations. This is the first in a series of articles intended to highlight these changes.