NCEP Synergy Meeting Highlights: October 09, 2012
This meeting was led by LT Stephen Barry (EMC) and attended by Dave Novak and Wallace Hogsett (HPC); Bill Bua (UCAR/COMET); Chris Caruso-Magee,  Becky Cosgrove, Carissa Klemmer and Luis Cano (NCO); Geoff DiMego, Mary  Hart and Vera Gerald (EMC); Kathy Gilbert (MDL); Michael Brennan (NHC); David Bright (AWC); Israel Jirak (SPC);Joseph Sienkowitz (OPC); Carven Scott (AR); Andy Edman (WR); Pete Browning (CR); Bernard Meisner (SR); Jeff Waldstreicher (ER); Frank Aikman (NOS).  


Presentation by and discussion with Luis Cano, WCOSS Project Manager

NOAA is currently on the bridge contract, which expires at the end of FY13.  At that time, the transition to the new Phase One system, an Intel linux-based system that is similar to Zeus and Gaia occurs. There will be two sites: Reston and Orlando and the computers will be named Tide and Gyre.  We will move to Phase Two in 2015. Phase One doubles the current capabilities, and Phase Two doubles the Phase One capabilities. The goal is to end the bridge contract early to save $800k/month.

At present, all supercomputer users are working to prepare codes for move to new system.  NCO SPA group will attempt to recreate and test the production suite on new system, which will run in parallel to ensure products are identical.  There is some difficulty in converting code, depending on the code.  Geoff DiMego is encouraging developers avoid dependence on science library codes, which will be different on the new system.

There will be an evaluation period to compare products produced on the new computer with those produced on CCS.  The first evaluation will be on “canned” cases, then real-time data.

1. NOTES FROM NCO (Chris Caruso-Magee and Rebecca Cosgrove)

No major model upgrades will occur prior to the transition.  Any desired bug fixes should be discussed at the director’s level; have your director contact Ben Kyger. Upgrades will be done once WCOSS is up and running.

Datasets will be going away in the near future.  Surface RUC fields, GDAS2, all GRIB1 data and some coarse MRF grids are on their way out.  Other data will soon (maybe by the end of the year) be added to the SBN: 13 km RAP, 2.5 NAM DNG, gridded MOS and 2.5 km gridded LAMP.

2. NOTES FROM EMC

2a. Global Climate and Weather Modeling Branch (GCWMB)

No representative.

2b. Mesoscale Modeling Branch (MMB) (Geoff DiMego)

MMB is working on code transitions and minor bug fixes with NCO.  NAM and NAM nest are running on Zeus; MMB wants HPC and SPC to look at these 4 km nest runs.  RTMA push will occur on the other side of the transition.  It runs at 3-km for AK, 1.5-km for Juneau, and there is an extension to cover the Columbia River basin in Canada for the RFCs.  Hi-Res windows continue even though the NAM nest is also running because SPC wants it for severe weather.

NCO is working to avoid preemption of the windows altogether; sometimes this occurs when several tropical systems are active.  SPC uses the windows as part of their storm-scale ensembles of opportunity (SSEOs).  Hi-Res Window will expand to full CONUS.  MMB will continue to work with HPC/SPC/AWC.

2c. Marine Modeling and Analysis Branch (MMAB) (Vera Gerald)

Work continues for the WCOSS transition.  NCO is willing to make changes that will ease the transition, such as consolidating codes from multiple versions to a single version.

3. NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE (NOS, Frank Aikman)

The Columbia River and Estuary Operational Forecast System (CREOFS) went into production in September.  The Extratropical Tide and Surge Operational Forecast System (ETSOFS - Atlantic) went into production in August and it covers the East and Gulf Coasts.  Development is underway of a San Francisco Bay Operational Forecast System (SFBOFS) and for two nested high resolution models associated with the Northern Gulf of Mexico Operational Forecast System (Nested-NGOFS). Both SFBOFS and Nested-NGOFS are slated for implementation in early FY14.

4. FEEDBACK FROM MDL/OPERATIONAL CENTERS/REGIONS

4a. MDL (Kathy Gilbert)

An ECMWF MOS seminar is scheduled for October 18 at 3 pm.  Seminar will focus on data evaluation.  

4b. NCEP Centers and NWS Regions

Hydrological Prediction Center (HPC, Dave Novak): HPC will host the Winter Weather Experiment in late January through early February.  The experiment will highlight the NAM nest and the AFWA ensemble.  HPC will disseminate more information in November.

Storm Prediction Center (SPC, Israel Jirak): SPC would like to see the NAM CONUS nest parallel.  Geoff DiMego agreed to send it after approval by EMC.  SPC is excited about the Hi-Res window, and expressed concern about the vertical velocity fields in the SREF NMM and NMMB members.  Geoff DiMego said the vertical velocity fixes are quite involved and not just post processing; will update later.

National Hurricane Center (NHC, Michael Brennan): No report.

Ocean Prediction Center (OPC, Joe Sienkiewicz):   ESTOFS training session planned in a few weeks for OPC staff.

Aviation Weather Center (AWC, David Bright): No report.

Eastern Region (Jeff Waldstreicher): No report.

Pacific Region : No representative.

Alaska Region (Carven Scott): No report.  

Western Region (Andy Edman): No report.

Southern Region (Bernard Meisner): No report.

5. NESDIS: No  representative.


6. The next Synergy Meeting will be held at 2:30 pm EDT on Monday, 3 Dec 2012 in NCWCP conference room 2155, with remote teleconferencing capability.