GFESuite Training Workshop

1
GFESuite Training Workshop

• Sept. 24-27 2002
• ForecastSystems Laboratory

2
Logistics

• Restrooms
• Classroom/Lab Locations
• Agenda and Breaks, Assigned Tracks
• Restaurants - Cafeteria
• Get together Lazy Dog Saloon
• Staff Introduction / Guest Introduction
• Questionnaire

3
Whats this course about?

• This is not a knobology course.
• This course covers advanced concepts of GFESuite
  and focuses on GFE, not IFPS.
• Fine print Region expects you to become regional
  experts and help others.
• The software we are teaching, is to be deployed
  soon to all WFOs, so what you are learning is
  timely.

4
Targeting all WFOs

• The field is screaming for TRAINING.
• GFE Topics taught have not been taught in detail
  at NWSTC
• Trying to reach ALL WFOs in series of 3
  workshops
• Nov 2001 46 attendees
• Apr 2002 56 attendees
• Sept 2002 58 attendees
• FSL developed the GFESuite.
• We want to teach you the advanced concepts.

5
This workshop

• Covers GFESuite portion of IFPS only.
• Is Intense
• There is a lot of material to cover in 3 ½ days.
• Is Interactive
• We want participation. We get as much out of it
  than you do.

6
This workshop

• May have you looking like this by Friday!

7
Agenda

• Demos, Lectures, and Discussions
• ifpIMAGE and Other Programs
• Whats New with GFESuite?
• GFESuite Configuration
• Joint Discussions
• Track A and B together

8
Agenda

• Labs
• Numerical Python
• Smart Tools
• Smart Initialization
• GFE Configuration and ifpIMAGE
• Intersite Coordination

9
Computers in the Labs

• You are assigned a machine and a site.
• Your HOME WFO is configured for you.
• Sometimes you have your own machines, sometimes
  you will share with another.

10
Acknowledgments

• LeRoy Spayd, NWS Training Manager
• Rental of computers
• Guest Speakers
• Lynn Maximuk, EAX MIC
• Carl McCalla, MDL

11
GFESuite, IFPS, AWIPS, RAP, RPP, NDFD, IOC ?????

• Mark Mathewson
• Carl McCalla

12
GFESuite

• Software written by FSL
• Part of formal IFPS deployment
• Consists of
• Database
• Derivation Algorithms (a.k.a. Smart
  Initialization)
• Graphical Forecast Editor
• Product Generation programs text, graphics,
  grids
• Supplemental Programs

13
Components of GFESuite
Products
Ingest/DB
GFE Editors
Spatial Editor
Temporal Editor
D2D AWIPS Model Data
Grid Manager
14
IFPS

• Remainder of IFPS developed by MDL
• MDL portion consists of
• IGR (Matrix Editor)
• ICS (Combo Selector)
• Text Product Formatters (e.g., ZFP, CCF, RDF)
• MOS initialization routines
• Model Interpretation (a.k.a. Slider Bars)
• INFORMIX database
• CRS Formatters, W/W/A

15
IFPS Components
D2D AWIPS Model Data
Master Menu
MOS Sensible Weather
ifpServer Grids
INFORMIX Matrix
Smart Initialization
16
Historical View of IFP

• ICWF started in the 1980s on AFOS, matrix-based
• AFPS (GFESuite) started in 1990, grid-based
• Original plan ICWF deployed to field, replaced
  with AFPS two years later
• MDL provides text formatters
• FSL provides editors, database
• Independent development continued until 1996 when
  a merge of ICWF and AFPS was called IFPS.

17
IFPS History

• IFPS first deployed to AWIPS in Build 5.0 (about
  two years ago)
• Major issues
• Development/progress was very slow
• Inadequate forecaster/developer interaction
• Few field test sites just a few ICWF, none GFE
• Time Between AWIPS Releases 6-9 months
• Time From s/w development to field 12 months

18
IFPS History

• AWIPS uses industry standard practices for
  deploying mature, operational software to a large
  installed set of customers.
• This process was not adequate for rapid progress
  and exploratory development, as as what IFPS
  needed.
• IFPS was relatively new, and did not have a solid
  set of requirements and specifications.

19
Rapid Prototyping Project (RPP)

• MSD chiefs initiative Summer 1999
• RPP created to address the shortcomings.
• Goals
• Improve GFE user interface and usability
• Explore Modernized Products
• Explore Gridded Forecast Methodology
• Currently 20 sites participating in RPP.

20
Rapid Prototyping Project (RPP)

• Quick turnaround of software
• 6-8 week cycle typical (recently weekly cycles)
• Frequent interaction with forecasters
• Workshops
• Listserver
• Software evaluations
• More progress made in last 3 years, than first 9
  years by far!

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GFE in 1996
22
GFE in 1999
Prior tostart ofRPP
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Prior to RPP

• GFE was a paint-program
• Interactive tools, such as the bulldozer, made
  impressive demos.
• No meteorology in GFESuite at that time (except
  for ifpInit).
• User Feedback minimal

24
Recent GFE (RPP11 May01)
25
Results of RPP

• Features developed over the last 3 years
• Smart Tools
• Smart Initialization
• Major U/I Overhaul modeling the forecast process
• ifpIMAGE
• Intersite Coordination of Grids
• Base/site/user configurability
• Text Products Infrastructure
• Meteorology in the GFE!

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Rapid Prototyping and AWIPS
1/00
5/00
9/00
1/01
5/01
9/01
7/00
11/01
3/00
11/99
11/00
3/01
7/01
5/02
3/02
1/02
7/02
9/02
RPP
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
13
12
11
10
9
8
15
16
19
14
17
18
AWIPS Development Handoff
5.1.1
5.0
5.1.2
5.2.1
12
13
10
11
AWIPS Deployment
5.0
5.1.1
5.1.2
5.2.1
IFPS11
IFPS10
27
RPP Releases
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Where do the improvements come from?

• Suggestions for improvements come from two
  sources
• AWIPS Requirements
• Usually requires additional details/specifications
  s
• Interaction between forecasters and developers
• Majority of features start this way
• Turnaround time
• Sometimes a matter of days

29
About a year ago

• NWSH realized it was time to focus on IFPS and
  decided to really gear up for it.
• There have been a huge amount of changes in the
  IFPS program
• Goals, targets
• Change in development process
• Field Prototyping/Testing plans
• NDFD was the first change.

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National Digital Forecast Database

• Contains a seamless mosaic of National Weather
  Service digital forecasts
• Is available to all users and partners public
  and private
• Allows users and partners to create a wide range
  of text, graphic, and image products.

31
NDFD increases the usefulness of Govt forecasts
by

• Providing weather information to drive custom
  applications developed by partners
• Decision support systems that fit the forecast to
  the problem
• Weather information along a path
• Text generation in more than one language
• Forecasts for vehicles and hand-held devices with
  GPS
• Smart appliances (e.g., heating, cooling,
  irrigation)
• Communicating the forecasters mental image of
  the weather situation in greater detail

32
The NDFD will contain

• Weather, water, and climate forecasts from WFOs,
  RFCs, and NCEP Service Centers
• Elements that support generation of current WFO
  products
• Digital watch, warning, and advisory information
• Elements that support generation of national
  products defined by NDFD Product Development
  Process
• Elements that would attract the private
  development of graphics and decision tools
• The official NWS forecast for each element

33
NDFD Prototype

• Exploration now occurring in the clusters
• Weather elements, time requirements
• Coordination techniques between offices
• Solving technical issues
• Methodology issues
• 3 Clusters Western, Central, Eastern

34
NDFD Grids (a.k.a. National Mosaic Grid)
FFC
NWS plans to issue national gridded products by
Sept 2003
35
NDFD and Intersite Coordination

• Related but not the same.

WFO
WFO
WFO
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Intersite Coordination Grids
Internal NWS Tool to facilitate coordinated
forecasts
CYS
CYS
BOU
BOU
PUB
PUB
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Intersite Coordination Grids
OAX
TOP
SGF
Probability of Precipitation
(Before any coordination)
TSA
38
ISC Grids coordination improvements
Same as left image, But with color Table changes.
39
IFPS Roadmap

• Accepted Dec 10, 2001 by NWS Operations
  Committee.
• Specific thresholds and stretch objectives.
• A new plateau of NWS service to the nation.
• Thresholds of Success

40
Thresholds for Success

• Prepare local digital forecast database
• To 7 days
• At every WFO
• Update it as necessary at least twice a day.

41
Thresholds for Success

• Prepare existing base forecast products
• Via IFPS
• In the format they are today
• At every CONUS WFO
• By September 30, 2003
• OCONUS to be implemented by December 2003

42
Thresholds for Success

• Provide external user access to local digital
  forecast data in GRIB2 format.
• Provide for required digital product retention.

43
Existing Base Forecast Products

• Zone Forecast Product (ZFP)
• Coded Cities Forecast (CCF)
• Fire Weather Forecast (FWF)
• Miscellaneous Fire Weather Prediction (FWM)
• Coastal Waters Forecast (CWF)
• Marine Verification coded Forecast (MVF)
• NearShore Forecast (NHS)
• Great Lakes Open Lake Forecast (GLF)
• Service Area Forecast (SAF)
• Tabular State Forecast (TSF)

44
IOC (Initial Operating Capability)

• The preceding list of products defines the
  Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for IFPS at a
  WFO.

45
Rapid Alpha Process (RAP)

• NWS/AWIPS response to the IFPS Roadmap
• Provides more frequent development, field test,
  feedback for developers and field.
• Generally patterned after Rapid Prototype Process
  (RPP).
• Operates within AWIPS.

46
Steps in the RAP

• Monthly Conference Calls
• Gather feedback from field sites.
• Set development priorities.
• Frequent build/test/release cycles
• Latest GFESuite bundled into each IFPS release.
• Formal testing at NWSHQ
• Field testing at 30 Alpha Test WFOs.
• Phase I
• Phase II
• Release to all WFOs.

47
RAP Schedule
Schedule for IFPS10/11 fixed, coordinates with B5
responsibilities. Later builds of IFPS12 will be
coordinated with WFOs.
5/02
9/02
4/02
3/02
6/02
7/02
8/02
10/02
RAP Alpha
12
11
10
RAP toall WFOs
IFPS10
IFPS11
AWIPS Deployment
5.2.1
5.2.2
48
RAP Contents IFPS 10

• Port to Linux
• Intersite Coordination of Grids
• Fire Weather (1st cut)
• Daily Forecast Critique (1st cut)

49
RAP Contents IFPS11

• Service Backup
• Floating-PoP
• Use of Daylight Savings Time in grid unloader
• Site-selectable PoP12 Adjustment (MOS ingest)
• Thresholds for weather and obstructions to vision
• GFE Streamline Tool
• Rate-dependent weather elements, e.g., QPF,
  SnowAmt
• Enhanced Daily Forecast Critique

50
RAP Contents IFPS12

• Snow Levels
• Fire Weather Formatter
• Service Backup version control
• GFE Utility Programs publishGFE, sendISC,
  ifpServerText
• ISC of Grids now includes marine areas
• Move Grid Unloader Thresholds into INFORMIX
  database.

51
RAP Contents IFPS13

• Support for non Lambert Conformal projections,
  and non-square domains.
• Support for OCONUS-specific weather elements.
• Improved local formatter infrastructure

52
RAP vs. RPP

• Latest GFESuite (RPP) goes into latest RAP.
• RPP schedules adjusted to closer fit RAP
  schedules.
• RPP will precede RAP deliveries by about two
  months.
• RPP may differ from RAP (schedule, contents)

53
Customer Support

• Mark Mathewson
• Carl McCalla

54
Customer Support Teams

• Site Support Team (SST)
• 24x7 Site Support Team (24x7/SST)
• Customer Support Team (CST)

55
Site Support Team

• Composition
• Two MDL staffers (typically s/w developers)
• Function
• Troubleshoot and resolve
• Operational IFPS problems occurring at baseline
  and RAP sites (NCF refers site problems)
• Installation problems occurring at IFPS baseline
  sites

56
Site Support Team (cont.)

• Availability
• Mon-Fri (except holidays) during EST/EDT normal
  business hours
• Resources
• The entire IFPS s/w development staff (both MDL
  and FSL)

57
24x7 Site Support Team

• Composition
• Two MDL staffers (typically s/w developers)
  available for callback overtime.
• Function
• Troubleshoot and resolve
• Critical operational IFPS problems occurring at
  baseline and RAP sites (NCF refers site problems)
• Availability
• Holidays, weekends, and Mon Fri after normal
  business hours

58
Customer Support Team

• Composition
• Two MDL full-time customer service / customer
  support staffers
• Function
• Perform pre/post IFPS RAP and baseline site
  installation interviews
• Field calls from RAP sites regarding installation
  problems
• Work with IFPS s/w developers to ensure RAP
  installation problems are resolved
• Shield NCF from installation issues.

59
Customer Support Team (cont.)

• Availability
• Mon Fri during normal business hours
• Resources
• The entire IFPS development staff both MDL and
  FSL.

60
FSL Support a little more informal

• Composition
• Entire FSL GFESuite development team, as needs
  dictate
• Function
• Assist MDL in supporting IFPS
• Troubleshoot and resolve problems at RPP sites
• Availability
• Normal business hours plus volunteer 24/7
  emergency support.
• Method of Support
• Listservers , gfesupport_at_fsl.noaa.gov

61
Training Plans

• Brian Motta

62
IFPS Training

• GFESuite workshop materials to be converted to
  distance learning.
• Future IFPS workshops to address best practices
  and focal point issues.
• Boundary Layer workshop to be held at Comet at
  end of FY03.
• Comet and NWSTC adding new hardware and IFPS to
  classrooms.

63
IFPS Training

• Possible teletraining sessions this coming year
• ISC Grids / Collaboration
• Text Formatters
• Selected smart tools
• Service Backup
• Shift Management
• Forecast Methodology

64
Are We Ready?

• Sept. 2003 a year away
• By IOC, all offices must meet a minimum standard.
• Do we need training on IOC Expectations?
• NWS will be judged by the least capable office.