Jeff LaDouceDirector, NWS Pacific Region

Pacific Region AOR

WSO’s:

-To be collocated at airports, where possible.

- Hourly weather observing functions now supplied by SAWRS certified staff to be taken over by WSO staff after co-located facilities are built.

- Refurbishments at Chuuk and Pohnpei (pictured).

WSO PLANSPohnpei: Construction will start early CY10

and take about a year.Palau: Design is complete; funds are in hand

– awaiting lease and extended service agreement.

Chuuk: Modernization design will start in FY10 with construction in FY11.  May start earlier.

Challenge: F420 Wind system

Not organizationally supportable

Fixed mounting requires two personnel

RSOIS equipment on 10 meter Rohn tower. Wind speed and direction from an ultrasonic sensor – no moving parts.

Installations will be on tilting towers – requiring only one technician.

Radiosonde Surface Observing Instrumentation System (RSOIS)

Fielded and fully supported

Solid state, data sent by either fiber optic cable or RF – up to 2 miles

OBSERVING:-Fully automated surface observing system – DOI Grants?

-WSO observing staff/SAWRS observers would monitor system, provide augmentation to discreet weather elements and backup for data elements. Operator’s Interface Device (OID) to log into the system and provide human oversight. -Airfield Operations personnel to have a data display.

-WSO/SAWRS:

-Working with Airport Authorities to ensure quality control of observations and management of program.

-Working with Airline Partners’ to ensure quality observations.