NCAR Research Applications Laboratory

Still from computer model visualization of wildfire

The agreement will lead to the country’s most advanced system for predicting wildfire behavior, including where and how quickly the blazes will spread.

NCAR to develop wildland fire prediction system for Colorado

The agreement will lead to the country’s most advanced system for predicting wildfire behavior

Researchers at NCAR are working with forecasters and emergency managers to unravel the communication challenges around hurricanes like Isaac, which had relatively weak winds but a strong storm surge.

Hurricane storm surge: in a category of its own

How misinterpretations of hurricane strength can put lives at risk

Close to 9 out of 10 adult Americans obtain weather forecasts regularly, and they do so more than three times each day on average, according to a new nationwide survey.

300 Billion weather forecasts used by Americans annually, survey Finds

The 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak swept through several southern states and the lower Ohio Valley, killing 57 people. NCAR scientist Julie Demuth helped the National Weather Service assess the societal impacts of the deadly storms.

Tornado warnings and public response

GOV. RITTER: THE INTERSECTION OF CLEAN ENERGY POLICY AND SCIENCE

Former governor visits NCAR to meet with scientists, give community talk

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

NCAR Technology Put to the Test on Treacherous Winter Roads

About WSAP

Advanced Weather Decision Support Systems Serving Diverse Economic Sectors

Advanced Weather Decision Support Systems for Diverse Economic Sectors
The primary goal of the Weather Systems and Assessment Program (WSAP) is to identify, explore, develop, and implement advanced weather decision support systems for new and emerging user sectors, and develop advanced user-oriented measures of performance and impact.

NCARs mission includes research and development activities designed to improve our understanding of the behavior of the global atmosphere and to foster the transfer of knowledge and technology to society. These objectives coupled with estimates that one-third of the U.S. economy is sensitive to weather, and that life and property could be spared and economic performance improved if weather information was utilized more effectively provide a significant motivation for developing advanced weather decision support systems for a broad range of user communities and getting them into the hands of decision makers.

The specificity and quality of weather information needed by advanced weather system end users requires a rigorous verification and validation process, and often new verification approaches and methods are needed to measure success.

These end-user-driven requirements for improved weather information and performance metrics provide the motivation needed for RAL to conduct its work of engaging stakeholders in various economic sectors, many of which are not currently well served by the meteorological community, and improving their use of weather information.

WSAP research areas currently include surface transportation weather, renewable energy, wild land fire prediction, soil condition prediction for precision agriculture, international aviation weather technologies, societal impacts and economic assessments, and verification research.